Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Tompkins Institute for Human Values and Technology at the University College of Cape Breton, he is an authority on rural community development. Translating ethical principles into concrete actions, he founded a number of not-for-profit organizations at the vanguard of community development. New Dawn Enterprises, the leading institution in Canada in this field, establishes and operates locally-based ventures that contribute to the creation of a self-supporting community. His innovative business methods have become models for rural development in other parts of the country and abroad.