ESA Welcomes New Board Chair and Directors

Brian Bentz elected as Chair, Christopher Hopper, Gary Oosterhof and Daniel Péloquin appointed as Directors of Electrical Safety Authority Board

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 29, 2015 /CNW/ - The Electrical Safety Authority's (ESA's) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Brian Bentz has been elected Chair, succeeding Charlie Cipolla who is retiring after serving nine years on the Board, the last two as Chair.

Bentz has been a member of the ESA Board since 2010, and currently serves on the Human Resources and Investment and Audit Committees.

The Board is also pleased to announce that Christopher Hopper, President and CEO, Complete Electrical Service Inc., Gary Oosterhof, Owner and President of Oosterhof Electrical Services Ltd., and Daniel Péloquin, former President, Schneider Electric Canada Inc., have been appointed as Directors.

"I am honoured to become ESA's Chair and look forward to continuing the forward momentum of ESA's Harm Reduction Strategy," said Bentz. "I know with the expertise of the Board, and the dedication of ESA management and staff, we will continue our progress toward fulfilling our vision of an Ontario where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm."

"I am also pleased to welcome Christopher Hopper, Gary Oosterhof and Daniel Péloquin to the Board. All three have a strong commitment to safety and effective governance, attributes that will be invaluable as we continue to fulfill our important mission to enhance electrical safety across the province."

Brian Bentz is President and CEO of PowerStream Inc., Chair of the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) Stakeholder Advisory Committee, and Vice-Chair of Collus PowerStream's Board of Directors. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of the Canadian Electricity Association and the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA), and served as Chair of the Ontario Energy Assocation, the EDA, the MEARIE Group and the Ontario Power Authority Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

Bentz holds a Masters of Business Administration from McMaster University and an honourary Bachelor of Applied Arts degree from Georgian College. He is also a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Engineering Technologist.

Christopher Hopper is President and CEO at Complete Electrical Service Inc., and currently sits on the Board of Governors of CI Investments Inc., and the Boards of Directors of VentureLink Group of Funds and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Prior to his role at Complete Electrical Services, Hopper was President & CEO at Northern Home Services Ltd, and held various senior-level consulting positions focused on strategy, business development and operations. 

Gary Oosterhof has been a licensed electrician since 1982. Prior to becoming Owner and President of Oosterhof Electrical Services Ltd., a company he started with his wife Corina in 1991, Oosterhof experienced a successful career with a Kingston-area electrical services company. He is a long-time member of the Kingston Chapter of the Ontario Electrical League and a member of the ECRA Advisory Council.

Daniel Péloquin, a professional engineer, was President at Schneider Electric Canada Inc. until March 2015. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and has recently completed a term as a Director of ElectroFederation (EFC). He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the International Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC's) Canadian National committee, a Governor at iCanada, and an Executive in Residence – Smart Grids at Mohawk College. Prior to his role at Schneider Electric, Péloquin held a number of senior-level positions in organizations specializing in high voltage electrical products, including Trench Ltd. (a division of Siemens A.G.) and Alstom.

The Electrical Safety Authority
The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is an administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario with specific responsibilities under the Electricity Act and the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act.  As part of its mandate, ESA is responsible for administering regulation in four key areas: the Ontario Electrical Safety Code; licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians; electrical distribution safety; and electrical product safety.

SOURCE Electrical Safety Authority

Electrical Safety Authority Media Relations, 905-712-7819 or [email protected]