Leadership Changes at OPG, NL Hydro

Feb 24, 2019

Ken Hartwick, CFO and SVP Finance at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), is taking over from Jeff Lyash as President and CEO. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro’s new president, Jennifer Williams, was previously Vice President, Production.

Jeff Lyash is leaving OPG effective March 31. Ken Hartwick, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President Finance, will take over April 1.

As CFO and SVP Finance, Hartwick leads all operations under the finance portfolio including strategy and risk management. He is an officer of the corporation and a member of the OPG Enterprise Leadership Team. Under Hartwick, OPG launched Canada’s first utility green bond, expanded to the U.S. through the acquisition of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy LLC, and initiated an energy storage partnership.

Prior to joining OPG, Hartwick held a variety of positions at energy and financial companies, including CEO of Just Energy Group Inc. as well as CFO at Wellspring Financial and Hydro One Inc. Hartwick holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Trent University, is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), and serves on a number of boards.

Lyash, a US citizen who moved to Toronto to assume the leadership of OPG in August 2015, will become president and CEO of the US$11 billion Tennessee Valley Authority, a federal corporation. TCA provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of 7 southeastern states. In addition to operating its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.

Lyash is currently chair of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an international non-profit organization for public interest energy and environmental research.
Williams was appointed President of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in February 2019. Most recently Jennifer served as Vice President, Production with Hydro, a position she held since August 2016. Prior to that time she held the positions of General Manager, Hydro Production, as well as Manager, Regulatory Engineering.

Williams joined Hydro in 2014 and had previously worked with both Newfoundland Power and the St. John’s international Airport Authority following graduation from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. Jennifer is a member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador, where she has been an active volunteer in many different capacities, including as a previous member of the Board of Directors of PEGNL. Jennifer was awarded the Fellow of Engineers Canada in 2016.