Aimé Dimatteo of Sudbury has been appointed the new director general of FedNor.

Industry Canada has tapped the executive director of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to lead the federally-funded regional economic development agency.

He officially steps into the position on June 16.

The organization has been without a director general since Louise Paquette resigned in January to take the position of chief executive officer of the North East Local Health Integration Network.

He applied for the job through a competitive process and will now lead the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor), an organization with main offices in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

Dimatteo will work at the main branch in Sudbury.

A native of Coniston, Dimatteo has been working at the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry for 32 years, beginning in 1978 as a senior financial officer with the former Ministry of Northern Affairs.

"It was an interesting step in my career," said Dimatteo. "This offered an opportunity to look what Aimé can do from the federal side."

Dimatteo declined a formal interview request on his upcoming priorities for FedNor until he officially assumes his duties later this month.

An Industry Canada memo to staff on June 3 states he has more than 30 years of experience in strategic planning and program implementation in community-based social and economic development.

"His extensive knowledge of the northern Ontario economy, municipal governments, First Nations and the business community will be an asset to the department," France Pegeot, assistant deputy minister in Industry Canada's regional operations sector in Ottawa, said.