Faces of the Industry award highlights the work of six
individuals who have shown outstanding achievement within the
electricity sector.
OTTAWA,
ON, April 30, 2024 /CNW/ - Electricity Canada
has awarded Hydro One's Rick Putman,
Superintendent, Distribution Lines, with their first-ever Faces of
the Industry award for his outstanding leadership in modernizing
how electricity companies share resources during large-scale power
restoration.
The Faces of the Industry award highlights the work of six
individuals who have shown outstanding achievement within the
electricity sector. These individuals have demonstrated innovation
and leadership and come from every part of the industry including
executive leadership, communications, engineering, safety and
public engagement.
Rick began his career 30 years ago and has become a recognized
and respected leader within the industry. One of Rick's most
notable achievements was in developing the Canadian Mutual
Assistance agreement in 2013. This agreement modernized how
utilities share resources during large-scale restoration events and
led to what is now known as the Ontario Mutual Assistance Group
(OnMAG) where personnel and equipment from 31 Ontario utilities
will come to the aid of neighbouring utilities during a major power
outage. Through similar efforts, such as the North Atlantic Mutual
Assistance Group (NAMAG), mutual assistance has now become a
North America-wide effort, and
Rick has served on several international deployments, overseeing
restoration efforts in Canada and
the U.S.
Rick is recognized by all as a safety champion, continuously
applying and advocating for safety measures for all staff, and he
is highly regarded for his expertise in large-scale power
restorations.
The Faces of the Industry awards were given out at a reception
in Ottawa yesterday evening. The
recipients will be featured in a social media campaign during
National Electricity Month in June.
QUOTES:
"If you work for a utility and there has been an emergency power
outage, Rick Putman is usually one
of the first people you call—whether you work at Hydro One, or at
another utility. Mutual assistance has been intrinsic to
Canada's electrical utilities'
emergency response plan. We owe Rick a lot for his work for making
this happen, and for his role in constantly improving how mutual
assistance is done. It was no surprise to me that Rick's nomination
for this award had signatories from 18 utilities. He has all our
respect. Electricity Canada is
proud to have Rick Putman as one of
the first recipients of our Faces of the Industry award."
- Francis
Bradley, President and CEO, Electricity Canada
"We are incredibly proud of Rick
Putman for his well-deserved recognition by Electricity
Canada. The Faces of the Industry award is a great initiative to
spotlight exceptional talent within the electricity industry.
Rick's customer-centric approach has driven positive change in the
industry and exemplifies the values of Hydro One. We look forward
to his continued success at Hydro One."
- David
Lebeter, President and CEO, Hydro One Limited
About Electricity
Canada:
Founded in 1891, Electricity Canada (formerly the Canadian
Electricity Association) is the national forum and voice of the
evolving and innovative electricity business in Canada. The Association supports, through its
advocacy efforts, the regional, national, and international success
of its members. Electricity Canada
members generate, transmit, and distribute electrical energy to
industrial, commercial, residential, and institutional customers
across Canada. Members include
integrated electric utilities, independent power producers,
transmission and distribution companies, power marketers, and
system operators, who together deliver electricity to all
Canadians, in every province and territory.
SOURCE Electricity Canada