Robert Watson named chairman of the Bruce Telecom board

Kincardine council has announced that Robert Watson is chairman of the new Bruce Telecom Municipal Services Corporation which will take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

The board of directors, is comprised of qualified individuals with extensive corporate governance, telecommunications and commercial business experience.

Watson currently serves as president and chief executive officer of ITAC (Information Technology Association Canada). He also serves as a board member for Tbaytel, NA Helium and StarTech. Previously, he was chief executive of the Bermuda Regulatory Authority, chief executive officer of SaskPower and chief executive officer of SaskTel. Prior to that, he held several senior executive positions in the Canadian communications industry.

Directors of the corporation include:
 

• Thomas (Tom) Sullivan, a seasoned telecom executive with 45 years of experience in the industry, the past 18 at the most senior level. He has been directly involved in competitive telecom since the implementation of local competition in 1997.
• Donald C. Stewart, who enjoyed a banking career spanning over 30 years in Canada, the United States and Europe. Latterly, he headed both Bank of America's Canadian Banking operations acting as president and chief executive officer, and its Investment Banking subsidiary as chairman. During this period, one of his key responsibilities was the direct coverage of the Canadian Media and Telecom sector.
• Duncan McEwan, president of Diligent Inc., his consulting company which specializes in M&A and strategic advice for technology and media-based clients. He has previously served as president of Sprint Canada Inc., an integrated, national telecommunications provider; chief executive officer of Northpoint Canada Communications, a provider of high-speed data and Internet (DSL) lines; president and chief executive officer of Canadian Satellite Communications(Cancom); and founder and chairman of the Business News Network (BNN, formerly ROBTv).
• Paul Healey, who has spent the past 25 years leading organizations to achieve significant profitable growth, creating results above market expectations, taking Canadian brands to their next level of performance. As a seasoned chief executive officer, his experience includes building companies, turn-arounds, selling companies and assets, and launching new business products across many industry sectors.

“I am very much looking forward to working with the new board, management and the employees in the next exciting chapter of Bruce Telecom,” said Watson.

“I’m pleased with the selection of the board of directors," said Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie. "They have impressive credentials and show exemplary levels of corporate governance, financial management and decision-making skills. Together, they embody the collective qualities needed for the transition to a municipal services corporation which will allow Bruce Telecom to grow and prosper in a highly-competitive and rapidly-evolving telecommunications sector.”

The new board will sit in the capacity as Bruce Telecom Municipal Service Board up to Dec. 31, 2017. The introductory meeting and first board meeting will be held mid-December, 2017.