New hires announced as part of Smart Energy Strategy

NEWS RELEASE

Leslie Smith is the Smart Energy Business Strategist, focusing on developing the Smart Energy Strategy brand, investigating opportunities and supporting energy projects that are strategic to the Algoma region.

Leslie brings over 20 years of experience from the energy and utility industry, having worked for Ontario Hydro, Hydro One, Hydro One Remote Communities, and Brookfield Renewable Energy.
 
Qing Wen, Smart Energy Technician, is responsible for providing direct technical assistance to energy projects as well as policy and regulatory guidance.

Qing holds a PhD in chemistry and has over six years of work experience in the energy sector with projects on fuels, biofuels, oil sands and water science with organizations including CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada, and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Alberta.
 
Christina Coutu is the Smart Energy Strategy Special Events Project Manager.

In this role, Christina is responsible for planning, coordinating and managing the Smart Energy Conference to be held in Sault Ste. Marie. 

Christina has over 10 years of recruitment, event planning, marketing, finance, and labour development experience, from positions with Sault College and Manulife Financial.   
 
Michael Degilio, Smart Energy Researcher, is responsible for working with businesses in the region to identify opportunities and challenges with the intent of developing more business, advancing collaboration, and developing new technologies, with special focus on the Smart Energy Strategy and Sector Improvement Strategy.

Prior to joining SSMIC, Michael worked as an electrical engineer at SUNLab at the University of Ottawa doing research in solar cell modeling, solar tracking systems and setting up a test bed for solar thermal equipment testing.
 
"Sault Ste. Marie possesses unique advantages that appeal to innovative energy companies,” said Tom Vair, executive director, SSMIC. “The community has a great track record for supporting these companies and we have assembled an excellent team to help drive further growth and create new jobs.”
 
The Smart Energy Strategy is a project built with local, regional and international collaborators, and will position Sault Ste. Marie and region to take advantage of opportunities in the emerging smart energy sector.

Project partners include numerous local private sector energy companies, SSMIC, Sault Ste. Marie Public Utilities Commission (PUC), City of Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC) and Sault College.
 
“We are very excited to have a multidisciplinary team with extensive sector experience and exceptional creativity,” said Jason Naccarato, VP Development, SSMIC. “The efforts of these talented individuals will be instrumental in accomplishing our region's goals.”
 
This project enables the community and region to diversify the economy and continue its momentum in the alternative energy space.
 
A process began with the Destiny Energy Committee to form an Alternative Energy Task Team which created a strategic framework as a foundation for the alternative energy strategy.

The goal of the Task Team was to look at the Alternative Energy sector and begin to map out a process to think more strategically and align community activities in order to grow this promising sector.
 
For more information, please contact Diana Medaglia, Marketing and Communications Manager at 705.942.7927 x. 3138 or [email protected].

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