December 11, 2016

The Women's Executive Network (WXN) recently unveiled its 2016 list of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners.

The Top 100 Awards celebrate the accomplishments of Canada’s leading female executives who have raised their voices, overturned obstacles, empowered the voiceless and paved a path for the next generation. The awards also applaud the organizations and networks that support them.

“Women are not just leading companies, headlines and new deals, we’re doing so in record numbers. In addition to closing the gender gap for participation in post-secondary education and the workforce, we’re excelling at the top levels of every sector,” says WXN Owner & CEO, Sherri Stevens.

“The purpose of the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards is about celebration and inspiration. By recognizing a community of now 939 remarkable women, we get the opportunity to look back, appreciate the hard work it took to get here and show the next generation of leaders what’s possible.”

Among this year’s Top 100 winners are the following electrical industry members.

• Judith Athaide, President & CEO, The Cogent Group Inc. Judith Athaide has more than 25 years experience in the energy industry and has been heavily involved in electricity deregulation in Alberta. Her expertise is wide-ranging: strategy, generation asset development, valuation and optimization, power marketing/trading, risk management and the creation of strategic alliances. She excels at synthesizing complex issues and conveying them in simple, understandable terms.

• Lise Croteau, EVP & CFO, Hydro-Québec. Lise Croteau joined Hydro-Québec in 1986 and has held increasingly senior management positions. In 2004, she was the first woman appointed corporate controller and, prior to her current role, she was the first woman to serve as acting president and chief executive officer. Croteau is a member of the board of the Montréal Heart Institute Foundation and also serves on the board of trustees of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and is vice-chair of its audit committee.

• Cynthia Hansen, President, Gas Distribution & Power, Enbridge (nominated as SVP, Operations, Enbridge Pipelines Inc.). Cynthia Hansen brings almost 20 years of experience working in finance, operations and safety leadership roles within Enbridge to her role as president and member of the executive leadership team. The now-two-time WXN Top 100 award winner serves on the board of the Canadian Gas Association, the Ontario Energy Association and the University of Alberta School of Business Advisory Council.

• Evelyn Sutherland, CFO, Enercare Inc. Since Evelyn Sutherland’s appointment as chief financial officer, Enercare has quadrupled its revenue and market cap, delivering total shareholder returns of 232 per cent. This represents nearly 20 times the return of the S&P/TSX composite over the same period. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region and South Simcoe branch, and serves as the treasurer and chair of the audit committee.

The Top 100 Awards span the private, public and not-for-profit sectors and are given to remarkable women in nine different categories:

• BMO Arts & Communications

• RBC Champions

• Accenture Corporate Directors

• Scotiabank Corporate Executives

• CIBC Entrepreneurs

• TELUS Future Leaders

• KPMG Professionals

• PwC Public Sector Leaders

• Sun Life Financial Trailblazers & Trendsetters

• Vanguard Award, presented by Deloitte

Founded in 1997, WXN is Canada’s leading organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of women in management, executive, professional and board roles. WXN is led by Owner & CEO Sherri Stevens, owner of the award-winning, multi-million dollar Workforce Management Company Stevens Resource Group Inc., which she established in 1990. In 2008, WXN launched in Ireland, followed by London, UK in 2015, creating an international community of female leaders.