Webinar: Utility Leadership: The Importance of Governance Towards Sustainability by Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

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About This Webinar

There are many important aspects of utility management and leadership, but none so influential as the governance structure you work within. Is your utility a municipal department or a more independent ‘corporation’? Do you serve one community or several? This can dictate how quickly you can react or adapt, and how resilient you can be when facing challenges. At this webinar, we will consider several models and discuss the pros and cons of each.

Generously Sponsored by

Presenters

Carl Bodimeade

ModeratorL Hatch and Chair of CWWA's Utility Leadership Committee

David Mutombo

Managing Director – Water, Hatch

Carl Yates

Interim CEO, Atlantic First Nations Water Authority Inc.

Carl Yates has extensive experience in the water utility profession having served as General Manager of Halifax Water from 1994 to 2019. After retirement from Halifax Water in July 2019, he formed his own consulting company, Yates Water Management, to promote and support sustainable water management. In June 2020, Mr. Yates was appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer for the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority [AFNWA] which was formed to provide water and wastewater services to First Nations communities in the Atlantic region. The AFNWA represents an innovative approach for First Nations in their pursuit of self determination and reconciliation with the government of Canada and find a sustainable solution to pressing water and wastewater problems.

Mr. Yates obtained a Bachelor of Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1984 and a Master of Applied Science from the Technical University of Nova Scotia [now Dalhousie University] in 1992.

Mr. Yates received the AWWA George Warren Fuller Award in 2010 for exemplary leadership and contributions to the waterworks industry. In 2019, he was awarded the NS Engineers Sexton Gold Medal for exceptional achievements in engineering practice and contributions to society.

Ted Robins

Capital Regional District

The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government and service provider for 13 municipalities and three electoral areas, centered around the Greater Victoria area on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Ted Robbins is the general manager of Integrated Water Services at the CRD. The department is responsible for the delivery of 22 water and wastewater utility services, which include larger regional services and smaller local services in the outlying electoral areas. Under Ted’s leadership, the Integrated Water Services team provides water and wastewater system operation and maintenance, infrastructure planning, engineering and capital project delivery, and management of 20,000 hectares of protected watershed lands for the region. He is responsible for oversight of the department’s $120M annual operating budgets and a $280M five-year capital improvement plan.

Ted has over 25 years of experience in the water and wastewater engineering and operations sectors in both private and local government organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in geography and is registered with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia. Ted is currently the BC Director on the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association Board and is a member of Canadian Water Network’s Municipal Water Consortium Leadership Group.

George Shaparew

InnServices Utilities Inc.

Dr. George Shaparew currently sits on the Board of Directors for InnPower Corporation and InnServices Utilities Inc. George has retired from InnPower Corporation after being CEO for 13 years. George has also worked as the Director of Community Services at the Town of Innisfil for 4 years.

George has completed his Doctor of Business Administration Degree at the Swiss Management Centre University, preceded by an MBA at U of T, Master of Laws at York and Master of Engineering at McMaster.

Greg Archibald

Pembina Valley Water Cooperative Inc. and CWWA Secretary/Treasurer

Greg Archibald is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pembina Valley Water Cooperative, located in southern Manitoba. The utility is owned by and provides potable water to 14 municipalities. The utility operates water treatment plants at Letellier, Morris and Stephenfield Lake and has a distribution system stretching over 9000 square kilometers.

Greg has been the Manitoba Board Director for the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association since 2016 and the Secretary – Treasurer of the organization for the past three years.

For over 35 years, Greg has held senior manufacturing leadership roles in forestry, and agriculture. A number of roles included responsibility for utilities in the Pulp & Paper sector.

Greg joined the Red River Basin Commission Board Executive in the fall of 2016. This international organization promotes joint water management of the Red River Basin.

Greg obtained his Bachelor of Science from Acadia University, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Technical University of Nova Scotia and MBA from Athabasca University. Greg is a registered Professional Engineer.

Rodney Bouchard

Union Water Supply System and CWWA President

Rodney is the General Manager of the Union Water Supply System (UWSS), which is a municipal water utility in Southwestern Ontario that is jointly owned by the four municipalities of Essex, Kingsville, Lakeshore and Leamington. Rodney is a professional geoscientist with over 25 years of public and private sector experience in the water supply, water resources and environmental fields. His experience has been garnered through public and private sector employment in both the U.S. and Canada.

Outside of work, Rodney enjoys movies, travelling, and spending time in the great outdoors of his homeland in Northern Ontario. Rodney currently resides in Windsor, Ontario with his wife Kim, their two golden retrievers and a few children that have yet to leave the house.

Rodney is currently the President of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association.

Robert Haller

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association