Management Team
The management team is an exceptionally experienced team in the Canadian renewables industry with a successful 20-year track record of major project development and execution through the entire lifecycle.
Kent Brown, CA – President & Chief Executive Officer, Director
Since 2001, Kent was a key contributor to Canadian Hydro’s strategy, development and growth to Canada’s largest renewable energy company. As EVP & CFO, Kent helped to grow the company from 63 MW and 25 staff in 2001 to 694 MW and 132 staff in 2009, and played a lead role in the restructuring and in the raising of over $1 billion of debt and $300 million of equity to finance these projects. Both as CEO and EVP & CFO, Kent helped grow Canadian Hydro’s market capitalization by an annual compounded rate of 30% per year, and increased its enterprise value by 680% prior to its take-over in late 2009 for an enterprise value of $1.64 billion. Kent has been involved in all facets of the business from early stage development, permitting and approvals, Aboriginal groups and community consultation, and construction, to financing and operations. Kent is married and the father of two young boys. Among his outdoor passions are skiing and mountain biking.
John Keating – Executive Advisor & Director
John was a founding shareholder & director of Canadian Hydro and has more than 30 years of financial experience. John and Ross co-founded Canadian Hydro in the late 1980’s and jointly oversaw all aspects of its growth from its first 3 MW hydro project to a company owning and operating 21 power plants with 694 MW of installed capacity. John was also a founding director of the Independent Power Producers Society of Alberta (IPPSA), and has been an active participant in the Clean Air Renewable Energy Coalition and other organizations that lobby governments on renewable energy initiatives. John is widely recognized as a pioneer of the industry and has helped shape federal and provincial government policy that supports renewable energy development. He was a Chartered Accountant for over 32 years.
Ross Keating, P.Eng. – Executive Advisor & Director
Ross is an electrical engineer with more than 30 years of experience in design and construction. Ross was a founding shareholder & director of Canadian Hydro who brings a wealth of hydroelectric, wind and biomass design and construction expertise to the Company. Ross has brought many innovations to the sector as he and John have pioneered the industry. John and Ross co-founded Canadian Hydro in the late 1980’s and jointly oversaw all aspects of its growth from its first 3 MW hydro project to a company owning and operating 21 power plants with 694 MW of installed capacity.
Geoff Carnegie – Vice President, Project Development
Geoff has over 15 years of experience in the energy sector successfully managing the planning and development aspects of renewable and thermal power generation and transmission projects in Canada, South America, South-East Asia, and Africa. These efforts have resulted in more than 3,600 MW of installed and more than 2,000 MW of planned capacity. As Development Manager for Canadian Hydro, Geoff lead the successful development and construction of the 198 MW, $475 million Wolfe Island Wind Project. As Manager, Ontario Projects for Canadian Hydro, Geoff lead the successful permits and approvals for the construction and operation of the 68 MW, $124 million Melancthon I Wind Project and the 132 MW, $275 million Melancthon II Wind Project. Geoff was also a key team member for several of Canadian Hydro’s significant acquisitions.
Kelly Matheson-King – Vice President, Regulatory & Communications
Kelly has a decade of regulatory experience in the renewable energy industry. She has lead teams supporting the development and permitting of new renewable energy projects, as well as a diverse fleet of operating renewable facilities across Canada. Kelly was responsible for permitting the first hydroelectric facility in Alberta in 40 years, and has been a key leader in the development of 1,480 MW of wind power, 300 MW of hydroelectric power, 25 MW of biomass power, and 20 MW of solar power. Kelly is an avid cyclist and lives in Cochrane, Alberta with her husband and three boys.
Jim Pinter, P.Eng. – Vice President, Technology & Engineering
Jim is an electrical engineer with 25 years experience in the electrical industry, including 10 years in the renewable energy sector. Jim was the lead electrical engineer responsible for the design and construction of nearly 600 MW of wind, hydro, and biomass projects, as well as overseeing engineering support for more than a 1,000 MW of operating renewable facilities. He has also provided technical support for the acquisition of three wind plants totalling 170 MW, and development activities of another 1,000 MW of wind, hydro, and solar prospects. Jim has built significant relationships with provincial and federal regulatory bodies associated with the integration of renewable energy projects into the transmission grid. As well as being a registered professional engineer in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, Jim is also currently the Chair of the CSA Standard C61400-1, Wind Turbines – Design Requirements and a member of the CSA Canadian Electrical Code Committee for Renewable Energy Systems. When Jim is not out on his bicycle you can find him in the garage tinkering on projects.
Kathy Bolton , CA – Vice President, Finance
The former CFO of Canadian Hydro, Kathy joined Canadian Hydro in 2005, was promoted to Vice President, Finance in 2008 and to CFO in 2009. Kathy helped to significantly grow Canadian Hydro’s market capitalization and enterprise value prior to its take-over in late 2009 for an enterprise value of $1.64 billion. Kathy played a key role in the raising of over $700 million of debt and $248 million of equity to finance Canadian Hydro’s construction projects, as well as in the financial analysis and modelling of several successful competitive bids.
Grant Arnold, M.Eng., P.Eng., MBA – Vice President, Business Development
Grant is a civil engineer with 18 years of commercial and technical experience in energy & infrastructure development, operations and management. Prior to joining BluEarth, Grant spent 10 years in the renewable energy and natural gas business units at a major Calgary-based energy company. There, he led a natural gas asset team, which included activity in Alberta and the US, and his most recent role was the Director of Wind Project Development and Operations where he led the team responsible for the company’s wind portfolio across Canada. His accountabilities included the company’s joint venture interest in 147 MW of operating wind farms, 108 MW of projects under construction and over 500 MW of development projects. Grant spent the first 8 years of his career as a consulting engineer on power, mining and infrastructure projects in Canada and internationally. He has experience in all phases of asset life including engineering design, environmental impact assessments, stakeholder relations, project management, regulatory approvals, construction, and operations.
Marlo Raynolds PhD – Vice President, Market Development
Prior to joining BluEarth Renewables, Marlo lead the Pembina Institute, a nationally recognized energy think-tank, as its Executive Director for seven years. With over 15 years of experience in the energy sector, Marlo is responsible for evaluating, improving and expanding BluEarth’s markets. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering (University of Alberta), a B.Sc. in systems design engineering (University of Waterloo), and a master’s degree in management and leadership (McGill University). He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary and was recognized as one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40″ for 2008. Marlo is the father of two young children living in a solar powered home, and enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities.
