Four new members added to NB Power board of directors

10 July 2015

FREDERICTON (GNB) – NB Power is welcoming four new members to its board of directors, bringing a wealth of electricity industry experience in the areas of business, marketing, customer service, along with community leadership and public service.

This is the second group of directors selected using the new independent recruitment process outlined in the 2013 Electricity Act. The new directors are Alain Bossé, Andrew MacGillivray, Paul McCoy, and Vicki Wallace-Godbout.

“This new independent recruitment process once again generated tremendous interest from exceptional individuals across North America,” said Ed Barrett, chair of NB Power’s board of directors. “These four individuals, all community leaders in their own right, will strengthen our board’s ability to understand and connect with New Brunswickers while providing the vision and oversight required to fulfill our mandate of keeping customer rates low and stable for the long term, paying down a billion dollars of debt and adding more renewable energy to the grid.”

Executive search firm Boyden Ottawa conducted a two-month long recruitment process using a matrix of board member skills identified as necessary for the utility’s future success.

This search culminated in more than 100 applications from leaders across North America. This list was pared down to 12 potential candidates who were interviewed by the board’s executive search committee. The four new directors were selected from this list.

“We could not be more pleased by the significant amount of interest prospective candidates have shown in being part of NB Power’s exciting future,” said Barrett. “We continue to attract community leaders who want to make NB Power among the best North American utilities. Our ability to attract the Siemens Smart Grid team to New Brunswick and our recent Grid Edge Award as a top utility innovator are showing just how much leadership we are providing in our industry today.”

The new directors will join Chairman Ed Barrett, Vice-Chair Norm Betts and Directors Lise Ouellette, Michael Sellman, Robert Youden, Judith Athaide, Charles Firlotte, Mark Reddemann, Barbara Trenholm, Mike Wilson and CEO Gaëtan Thomas.

Following are the biographies of the new directors:

Alain Bossé, Saint-Quentin

Bossé is the president and chief operating officer of Groupe Savoie Inc. located in Saint-Quentin. Bossé is in his 28th year with the organization involved in the fabrication of value-added products which employs more than 550 individuals in sawmills located in Saint-Quentin, Kedgwick, Moncton, and Westville, Nova Scotia. Throughout his career he served on many associations including: Enterprise Restigouche, Restigouche Community Business Development Corporation, the New Brunswick Forest Products Association and the New Brunswick Economic Council as director and as president. He is an active member of the board of governors of l’Université de Moncton and was the administration faculty’s Alumnus of the Year in 2013. He is also the former chair of Efficiency New Brunswick.

Paul McCoy, Chicago

McCoy is a principal with the Atlantic Wind Connection Project, a high-voltage direct current submarine transmission network to be located off the east coast of the United States, and also provides consulting services through McCoy Energy Consulting LLC. He co-founded Trans-Elect, an independent transmission company in 1999, and was the company’s president. Prior to Trans-Elect, he had spent his career at Commonwealth Edison, lastly as senior vice-president and as president of ComEd Transmission Group. McCoy has held numerous leadership positions in major transmission industry organizations and has significant experience working with state and federal utility regulators in the United States. He is a director of AltaLink, a transmission-only utility headquartered in Calgary, and is a member of the board of trustees of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). He has a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the IIT.

Vicki Wallace-Godbout

Wallace-Godbout was born and raised on the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation. A lawyer and small business owner, she is currently working on various economic development projects with a number of First Nations. She is the owner and operator of the Edmundston Truck Stop Shell service station which opened its doors on Oct. 29, 2012, and is serving as a director with the Edmundston Chamber of Commerce since 2014.

Admitted to the Law Society of New Brunswick in 2004, Wallace-Godbout was a co-founder of the law firm Soucy Richard Godbout Wallace, operating a full service law firm in the Greater Moncton area until 2010. She is also a past director of the Madawaska Maliseet Economic Development board of directors, which has a mandate to develop and manage the Grey Rock Power Centre. In September of 2014, she was named Female Entrepreneur of the Year by the Ulnooweg Atlantic Aboriginal Entrepreneur Awards.

Andrew MacGillivray

MacGillivray is the retired president and CEO of Gay lea Foods, a large Canadian dairy co-operative, and currently acts as a strategic advisor to their board. He also serves as the chair of the Moosehead Advisory Board, vice-chair of the Saint John Airport and is actively engaged in advising and supporting local businesses and community programs. Prior to his 12 years with Gay lea Foods, MacGillivray held leadership roles with both private and public companies including Saputo, Agrifoods, Baxter Foods and Nestle. He is a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Francis Xavier University and a master’s degree in business administration from York University.
Media Contact(s)

Marie-Andrée Bolduc, communications, NB Power, 506-458-3212, mbolduc@nbpower.com.

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