Image
Board of Directors
Oakville Hydro is an electricity distribution company regulated by the Ontario Energy Board. It is a wholly-owned corporation of OEC.
Oakville Hydro's Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the management of the corporation's business and affairs. These include assuming responsibility for the stewardship of the corporation in areas such as: strategic planning, risk identification and risk management, succession planning, communications policies and integration of the internal control and management information systems.
The Board's eight members are selected to provide Oakville Hydro with a balance of knowledge in Oakville Hydro's operating areas including: business (finance, legal, accounting, marketing), public policy and government relations, board operations, electricity services, risk management, labour relations, environmental issues and occupational health and safety.
Oakville Hydro Board of Director Mandate
David Brennan, Chair, is a proven senior executive with extensive experience with boards and in legal and general management. As General Counsel or General Manager, he has been successful in combining legal and business knowledge with superior team building skills to generate significant bottom-line contribution and results. David is known as a strategic, pragmatic thinker with deep corporate and commercial acumen and an ability to drive profitable growth and stakeholder satisfaction. He is recognized for strong leadership and the vision to implement long and short term strategies, meeting both current and evolving business needs.
Over the last thirty years, David has held the SVP & General Counsel position at General Electric Canada and Ontario Power Generation. Under his leadership, these organizations successfully dealt with all legal and compliance matters and completed transactions and projects with values in excess of a billion dollars. As well, during this period, he held VP & General Manager/COO positions at GE Capital Canada and Miller Thomson LLP.
David’s board experience includes Genworth Canada, General Electric Canada and Transparency International Canada.
In addition to professional development at Harvard and Wharton business schools, David holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University. David is also admitted to the Ontario and Alberta Bars.
Siobhan Byron is EVP, Universal Banking and oversees Finastra’s Universal Banking business, including market leading core banking and digital solutions globally.
She has deep technology industry expertise, and more than 25 years of experience in IT and channel management, as well as leading and growing prominent technology companies across a range of sectors such as financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and public sector. She’s passionate about innovating to drive growth and unlock new revenue opportunities.
A highly regarded technology executive and transformative leader, Siobhan champions Finastra’s open culture and is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is the Executive Sponsor for the company’s LGBTQ+ and Friends initiatives, as well as supporting the Women@Finastra group.
Previously Siobhan was SVP, Technology Enabled Managed Services (TEMS) at Finastra, driving the company’s Canadian cheque and lending businesses. She joined Finastra from Westcon-Comstor Canada (a division of Synnex Canada Limited) where she was the Vice President and General Manager, leading the company’s operations in the region. Past positions also include serving as President of Forsythe Technology Canada (now CDW), where she built the Canadian business and launched the company’s managed services business arm for Forsythe Technology globally, and Vice President of Professional Services at MTS Allstream, a leading communications solution provider where she was responsible for sales, delivery and operations in the region She started her career in IT at the Bank of Ireland
She earned a prestigious place on Computer Dealer News’ ‘Top 20 Women of the Channel’ list for her work in the Canadian IT sector, as well as being named among CRN’s ‘Top 100 Women of the Channel’ for two years running.
Siobhan has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Ulster, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool, as well as being a certified Project Manager (PMP). She previously served on the Halton Children’s Aid Board of Directors.
Patrick Crowley is a management consultant and a community volunteer.
Prior to his retirement from full-time employment he worked for the OMERS Administration Corporation as Chief Financial Officer, as Chief Operating Officer and as Chief Strategy Officer. During most of his time at OMERS, he also served as Chair of the Management Investment Committee that reviewed and approved all investments in excess of $250 million and was responsible for Risk Management.
During his career Patrick has worked for public and private corporations in both Canada and the United States. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA) and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (FCA).
As a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D), he serves on a number of Boards as: Chair of the Board of the Southdown Institute; Chair of the Audit Committee of the Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation; and Chair of the Audit Committee of Kerr Street Mission.
He has been married to his wife Marilyn for 45 years and is a father of four and is active in his church and in providing support to those who are less fortunate in our community.
Paul Pastirik is currently the Senior Vice President of Strategic Development at Bird Construction. He has held that position since 2017. Paul has had extensive experience in both the construction and energy industries where has lead Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Business Development, and other business function teams. He has also played a leadership role in a number of mergers and acquisitions throughout his career.
Paul was recently a Board Member at the Ontario Energy Board for a two year term. Paul also served six years as a Board Member at Mohawk College and was Board Chair during the last year of his second term. He also served Board positions at Ovarian Cancer Canada, The Utility Contractors Association and The Ontario Energy Association. Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Human Resources from McMaster University, an MBA from the University of Ottawa and he is also a Certified Chartered Accountant.
Paul has been a resident of Oakville for more than 25 years.
Sheryl Watson is a lawyer and business leader with decades of experience in delivering pragmatic legal and business advice, overseeing corporate governance and compliance, leading human resources teams and providing strategic leadership in the automotive industry.
Sheryl served for many years as General Counsel and Senior Vice President of ADESA Canada, the nation's largest vehicle remarketer, where she pursued her passion for enhancing the fairness, integrity and transparency of the used vehicle marketplace. With her extensive experience in the labour and employment law area, Sheryl also served as Vice-President of Human Resources for the Canadian business units of KAR Auction Services [NYSE:KAR], which involved overseeing the people function for over 3,000 employees coast to coast. Before joining ADESA, Sheryl practiced commercial litigation and employment law at the Toronto law firms of Oslers and Torys.
Sheryl previously served on Oakville Hydro's Board of Directors as a Director and member of its Governance & Risk Committee from 2008 to 2011.
Sheryl earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology from York University, her juris doctorate from the University of Western Ontario and has been granted the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Sheryl enjoys designing and making jewelry, Pilates, baking artisan bread and cooking for family and friends.
Tim Smith is a consultant that provides commercial best practice guidance and leadership development support to clients in the development / construction sector and beyond.
Tim has more than thirty-five years of experience in commercial, institutional, residential, and industrial construction. He spent 31 years of his career with EllisDon Construction, the majority of those years in senior management positions representing that firm in Calgary, Vancouver, Michigan and Toronto. Tim began his career at the project level and progressed through senior vice president leadership roles with EllisDon in Vancouver, Michigan and Toronto. In those roles, Tim was responsible for all aspects of the construction business, delivering a wide range of public and private sector projects. His project experiences cover all levels of complexity and contract types, including major Canadian public infrastructure projects. Tim concluded his career in the role of Executive Vice President for EllisDon’s Buildings Group overseeing the companies’ operation across Canada.
Tim holds a BSc. in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University and is a registered professional engineer in the province of Ontario.
Board experience includes with the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority, Cowichan District Hospital Project, Stephenson Rental Services, Birnie Electric Advisory, Canadian Construction Association, Ontario General Contractors Association and the Oakville Golf Club.
Janet Wilkinson is a Board Director, Consultant and Senior Executive with 30 years of consulting, corporate and operations experience with both large, multi-national corporations and junior start-up businesses. She has private and public sector experience in mining, manufacturing, engineering, construction, power and investment management.
Janet has had leadership responsibility for Human Resources, Labour Relations, Occupational Health, Technical Training, Health and Safety and Internal, External and Media Communications. She has worked with more than 70 mining and metals businesses in 30 political jurisdictions in Africa, Europe, Australia, South and North America.
Prior to establishing her consulting practice in 2009, Janet was Senior Vice President-HR for Iamgold Corporation and held progressively responsible positions with Noranda Inc. and Falconbridge Limited.
Janet holds a Master of Industrial Relations degree from the University of Toronto. She is a Board Director, Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee and Member of the Audit Committee for Wallbridge Mining Company and previously served as the Chair of the Compensation & HR Committee and Chair of the Health & Safety, CSR Committee. She is also an ICD Member.
Janet has resided in Oakville since 2003. She was previously a Board Member of the Oakville YMCA and was appointed by the Minister of Labour to the Province of Ontario’s Labour Management Advisory Committee.