Cornerstone Hydro Electric Concepts
Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution Inc. has new President & CEO
September 13, 2021
Simon Wu announced as new President and CEO of Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution
Executive experience, adaptability, and his local community engagement make him a good fit for the electric utility.
September 2, 2021, Prescott, ON – For Immediate Release
The Board of Directors of Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution Inc. (RSL) are pleased to announce Simon Wu, as the new President and CEO of the local utility. Wu started the position on September 1, following the retirement of John Walsh in June of this year.
“We were looking for a new set of eyes on a rapidly evolving industry,” said Scott Bryce, Chair of the Board. “And the enthusiasm to move the company forward. With industry changes being driven by climate change and de-carbonization among other issues, we believe Simon will be a leader that will be proactive in adapting the company to the new environment.”
Local residents may be familiar with Wu from his time at Procter & Gamble in Brockville where he held positions of progressive responsibility since 2006. His most recent role was as the Asset Disposition Leader, which involved leading the supply chain asset transition from Brockville to Tabler Station, West Virginia.
“I’m interested in learning new industries,” said Wu. “Rideau St. Lawrence [Distribution] has a steady, regulated side supplying electricity to its customers, and there are definite opportunities in the non-regulated side to leverage the changes in the industry.” Those opportunities include electric vehicles, grid sustainability, autonomous vehicles, renewable energy, and battery storage, among others.
RSL is one of the smaller distribution companies in the province, and Wu sees that as an advantage.
“Smaller businesses are more agile and are able to innovate more easily. We have to take advantage of that as we look to broaden the base of our business,” said Wu. “There will be huge challenges in that and huge opportunities.”
As a long-term resident of the community, Wu has been a Director on the Family and Children Services Board, a Director on the YMCA Board, and Head Coach of the Blazers Basketball team.
“I came to Eastern Ontario after high school and fell in love with the area and what it has to offer,” said Wu. “I’m looking forward to diving into this industry and servicing the community where I live.”
Rideau St. Lawrence (RSL) is a locally owned and operated electricity distributor that serves approximately 6,000 customers located in the Villages of Cardinal, Iroquois, Morrisburg, Westport, Williamsburg and the Town of Prescott. The corporation is owned by four municipal shareholders, the Township of South Dundas, the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, The Village of Westport, the Town of Prescott and FortisOntario. It provides dependable utility services governed by and for the benefit of their customers in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. RSL is committed to their customers, community and shareholders and are interested in hearing any comments, suggestions or concerns you may have, or how they can serve you better. Visit www.rslu.ca to learn more.
http://www.rslu.ca/pdfs/RSL_Press_Release_September_2021.pdf