Gary Smith, Executive Vice-President Operations at Fortis Inc., is a recipient of Electricity Canada's Faces of the Industry award

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/ - For his outstanding leadership across four decades in the electricity sector, Fortis Inc.'s Executive Vice-President Operations Gary Smith is a recipient of Electricity Canada's first-ever Faces of the Industry award.

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.

Gary has been with the Fortis group of companies his entire career. Before his most current role, Gary served as President and CEO of Newfoundland Power, Vice-President of Operations and Engineering at FortisAlberta, and Executive Vice President of Eastern Canadian and Caribbean Operations at Fortis Inc.  Gary's current responsibilities span the entire operation of Fortis Inc, with $66 billion in assets in 18 locations and close 10,000 employees. Gary has shown leadership in the organization on the energy transition, reliability, safety and expanding access to the grid.

Gary has provided executive-level oversight of operations during major power outages, including ones caused by Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Irma. In the latter instance he led Fortis' mutual response effort to restore power to Turks and Caicos, when Hurricane Irma cut power to all critical functions on the islands in 2017. Additionally, Gary was instrumental in Fortis' partnership on the Wataynikanetap Transmission Project, which will connect 17 remote First Nations communities to the Ontario power grid ? the largest First Nations majority-owned infrastructure in Canada.

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.

"Gary Smith has made an incredible impact to the electricity sector not only in Canada but across the globe. When you look at all the major issues facing electricity providers ? ensuring reliability, expanding access to the grid, getting ready for the energy transition, equity sharing with Indigenous peoples and restoring power safely and quickly ? Gary is at the forefront of every single one of them. His achievements are incredible and will have a legacy. Electricity Canada is proud to have Gary as one of the first recipients of our Faces of the Industry award."

-Francis Bradley, President and CEO, Electricity Canada

"We are pleased to see Gary Smith recognized by Electricity Canada with a Faces of the Industry Award. Gary is highly valued for his leadership at Fortis, and equally respected for his immense contributions to the electric and gas utility sector and the community at large. He stands out among his peers, and we are grateful to have him on our team."

-David G. Hutchens, President and CEO, Fortis Inc.

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