Former premier Glen Clark out as president and COO of Jim Pattison Group but remains with company

Former B.C. premier Glen Clark has stepped down as president and chief operating officer of the multi-billion dollar conglomerate Jim Pattison Group but will remain with the company, according to chairman and CEO Jimmy Pattison.

"Glen Clark has been with us over 20 years. He's been president for the last 10 years, and he's done an excellent job and will continue to be a director of some of our significant companies," Pattison told CBC. "This didn't happen overnight. Glen and I have known this was coming for some time."

Clark joined the Vancouver-based conglomerate in 2001, rising in the ranks from regional division manager. He turned 65 this past November.

Pattison said the new president, Ryan Barrington-Foote, is 45 years old and has been with the company for over 20 years.

"One of the jobs we have is to make sure that we have young people coming up to take over the business. We always try to hire people from inside the company, so we continue to grow."

Clark was first elected to the provincial legislature with the NDP in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway in 1986. He became NDP leader and premier in 1996, succeeding Mike Harcourt.

His time in politics and the premier's office ended in 1999 when allegations of political corruption arose after it was revealed a neighbour who built a deck at both Clark's family home and cottage had been granted a provisional casino licence.

In an infamous moment in B.C. politics, a local TV station recorded the search of Clark's home by four plainclothes RCMP officers armed with a warrant and broadcast the footage over and over again.

Clark was charged with breach of trust and accepting a benefit in connection to a casino licence. He was acquitted in 2002 after a 136-day trial.