Shows
Powerful ConnectionsThe Next 25 YearsIn this episode, I had the pleasure of continuing the discussion from last episode with Brendon Fenton (VP, PowerNorth Utility Contractors Inc.) and his partner Nick Gatien (President, PowerNorth). We discuss the future of the high voltage industry and the next 25 years.Maintaining current customer as well as finding new opportunities to provide high level services. Being engaged early with long-time customers with constructability and details for planning to perform permitting, design, procurement, or construction planning.Building the organization is critical. Developing the talent in the office to make sure there are new key people in...2025-07-0943 minPowerful ConnectionsResourcesIn this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Brendon Fenton (VP, PowerNorth Utility Contractors Inc.) and his partner Nick Gatien (President, PowerNorth). We discuss today’s issues with People, Equipment, Materials, and Resources in the high voltage business realm.Maintaining good working relationships with equipment vendors. The standard of equipment is important because the investment in the high voltage business is big. This is a difficult business to enter, let alone maintain.Planning with customers for procurement of items is critical. Leveraging the relationship with the customer for procurement of items is critical.2025-06-2532 minPowerful ConnectionsProject Execution PlanningIn this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Amélie Morissette (Senior Strategic Planning Manager) and Julie Turgeon (VP Construction) from INNERGEX. We review a number of points related to Project Execution Planning in the Energy Sector.The energy sector is experiencing unprecedented growth and the next ten years will see $100 billion+ per year in renewable generation. Managing the project execution, resources, materials, logistics, and most of all risks will be a challenge. Those that have the ability and experience will be successful in the delivery and creation of these new assets. Canada and th...2025-06-1134 minPowerful ConnectionsAI - How Is It Transforming The Utility Industry?In this episode, I speak with Rob McNeil (President, Composite Power) about the impact of Artificial Intelligence in the energy sector in grid transformation.There are three areas we cover in identifying impact: the business and operations of Composite Power, suppliers they represent, and their customers.The initial steps are to help customers deploy equipment to collect data, and the challenge is to evolve to implementation with the right vendors and technologies for customer business and operations. The outcome has to be accelerated change, adopting new system monitoring with the intent to make electricity more reliable...2025-05-2838 minPowerful ConnectionsIndigenous Partnerships - Creating an Indigenous-Owned Commercial OrganizationIn this episode, I speak with Christine Goulais (CEO, NBISIING Power) and Brendan Huston (CEO, Nipissing First Nation (NFN)) about creating Indigenous business, economic growth, and building something meaningful for the community.There is incredible opportunity to build long-term, meaningful relationships that foster things like innovation, inclusion, and shared business success. Having a seat at the table to contribute to significant decisions around the business and its strategic direction and investments. The most important things are economic sustainability.Organizations need to align values, but the challenge of creating a great relationship is that it takes time...2025-05-1441 minPowerful ConnectionsGenerational WealthIn this episode, I speak with Merv McLeod (co-founder, McLeod Wood Associates Inc.) about Indigenous Communities and dealing with generational wealth.How do you transfer the value of an Indigenous business to family, or keep it a business on a First Nation Reserve? How do you enter business, grow it, and then transfer from generation to generation?Equity and Credit do not exist in a First Nations community like they do in a regular municipal community. The only assets are cash, cash flow, and the experience of the owner. Are there any trucks or assets you...2025-04-3033 minPowerful ConnectionsPolitical ReviewIn this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Brad Duguid, senior advisor at Sussex Strategy Group and the new President of The Association of Major Power Consumers Ontario (AMPCO).Brad was a councillor for almost ten years in the city of Scarborough and Toronto, and a provincial MPP for 13 years. He has had seven ministries, including Aboriginal Affairs, Labour, Energy & Infrastructure, Economic Development, Research & Innovation, Trade and Training, Colleges & Universities. He was known as a troubleshooter for government, which leads to his value as an advisor at Sussex, as well as a good choice for AMPCO...2025-04-1632 minPowerful ConnectionsIndigenous Relationships - The PartnershipIn this episode, Christine Goulais (CEO, NBISIING Power) and Rob McNeil (President, Composite Power Group Inc.) present the importance and value of Indigenous Relationships and Partnerships. They discuss why their Partnership works so well.They both have their histories and journeys that have led them to this point where they meet in their careers, and they reveal how their openness and constant communication is their success and their strength.I have known Rob for about 20 years. I have only known Christine about 4 years, but I knew who she was when she was still with Hydro One...2025-04-0250 minPowerful ConnectionsCulture in the High Risk SectorIn this episode, I speak with Andy Kerr (Director, HSE at ALECTRA Utilities) about Culture in the High Risk Sector. Andy is one of the best Subject Matter Experts I know in Health and Safety. He was involved in one of the first Arc Flash Risk Assessments for the Utility Industry in 2002, worked for the legacy E*USA, and is now at ALECTRA. We discuss the items of human behaviour not written in regulations, policies, or rules.Andy reviews the pride of the trade, and how good culture happens when no one is looking. The concerning issue is...2025-03-1940 minPowerful ConnectionsWhat Do We Need to Do?In Episode 1 of Season 2 of the Powerful Connections podcast, I discuss with my guest analyst, Rene Gatien a number of ideas of things that need to happen and great advice for going forward in the industry. Rene is a retired Utility CEO with 40 years of experience in the Utility world in Ontario. He will provide great insight into how the utilities and energy sector deal with planning, risk review, decisions, and operations from his experiences.Rene is a leading advisor in board governance, understanding roles and responsibilities of directors, developing board charters, policies, and guidelines, and provide guidance i...2025-03-0515 minPowerful ConnectionsSeason 2: What Do We Need To Do?In Season 1, I talked to the people in the Energy and Construction sectors that you want in your corner to make a project happen.Now that you’ve met who, in Season 2 I’ll focus on what. What do we need to do? We are going to discuss many topics and current issues facing us with the increased demand for electricity.How do we manage the pressures of project delivery for system capacity, reliability, and affordability?We will even touch on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transforming the grid!T...2025-02-1901 minPowerful Connections12: The Future Is BrightThis is a special episode with Nick Gatien, President of PowerNorth. We are going to discuss numerous topics on how the future is bright.This is one of the shining stars Powering the North!Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-04-1751 minPowerful Connections11: Going Electric - We Can’t Afford NOT To!This is such a big topic, I needed two guests. Rob McNeil (President, Composite Power), and Alexei Miecznikowski (CEO, Northern Transformer) join me in a great discussion on today’s world of Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and new normal that the industry is embracing to make sure equipment and materials are available. Please join us for a great exchange.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-04-0347 minPowerful Connections10: ExecutionWe discuss how to deliver on a project or service agreement with Brendon Fenton, VP of PowerNorth.An engaging and enlightening discussion on best practices, customer relations, and performing at a high level. Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-03-2021 minPowerful Connections9: Risk Management/ReviewThis is a great episode about Risk Management. My guest is Guy Jolicoeur, VP of NFP Canada. Guy works out of the Toronto and Sudbury offices. His role within the technical risks and construction/infrastructure team allows him to share his knowledge.Many items of planning, review and managing are discussed. This is an informative episode. Please listen in on this one. One of the great people I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with.He is a big advocate for the team approach, great working relationships and the integrated project delivery models. This...2024-03-0632 minPowerful Connections8: Relationships And Connections Pt. 2My guest on this episode is Mike Doherty, Health and Safety Consultant from Port Perry, Ontario. Mike brings a passion and focus on Health and Safety topics that will open you to proven and new approaches. We will cover Mentoring, Risk Assessment, Quality Job Planning, Organisational Health, Foundational Items, Enabling Loops, Learning Organization, No Blame Culture, and Human Performance. This is a jam-packed session.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-02-2142 minPowerful Connections7: Relationships And Connections Pt. 1Today I welcome my older brother Rene Gatien, who retired from the utility world as CEO of Waterloo North Hydro and co-CEO of the newly formed ENOVA Power.We are going to discuss relationships and connections, many items of thought leadership, employee empowerment, and Rene’s favourite item VABEs. Tune in for an interesting episode.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com, or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-02-0752 minPowerful Connections6: OpportunitiesIn this episode, we are going to have a great discussion with Merv McLeod, one of the leading First Nations advisors and strategists, about his experience with government.Merv specialises in Business Development, Negotiations, and Community Engagement. We are going to look into opportunities, and how this creates employment, economic development, and prosperity.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com, or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-01-2447 minPowerful Connections5: Planning Pt. 2Join us in a discussion with Pat Chilton (CEO, Five Nations Energy Inc.) as we discuss planning from an Indigenous point of view.Pat will show how the experiences he has had in different sectors, and his dedication to his family, led him to be the right choice for FNEI.We discuss the planning involved in major transmission, and the economic development happening.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2024-01-1031 minPowerful Connections4: Planning Pt. 1This is an exposure to the hard stuff in project pre-development. Lloyd Girman is one of the very few people in this world that can do the necessary work to convince people they have a project. He is realistic on the order of magnitude of the effort to get any project to a point where the politics and the economics fit.Lloyd focuses on large scale infrastructure. He is part of Enterprise Canada. They focus on bringing the right people together for the right solutions for all. Lloyd works with many Indigenous groups in the infrastructure, energy, mining...2023-12-2734 minPowerful Connections3: StrategyIn Episode 3 of the Powerful Connections podcast, I will discuss with my guest Chris Benedetti, Partner with Sussex Strategy Group, the importance of Strategy, Communications and Solutions when dealing with Regulations, Policies, Government Relations and Public Affairs.Chris is a leading expert in Strategy, Strategic Communications, and Solutions for Stakeholders. This is a great discussion on the up-front items that assist projects in the early stages and pre-development items that relate to agency interaction and requirements. Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on...2023-12-1349 minPowerful Connections2: You Don’t Know What You Don’t KnowIn this episode of Powerful Connections, Marc Rose and I discuss all the items for Environmental Planning and Permitting. Marc is Vice President at Morrison Hershfield in Markham; more specifically the Business Development Lead of the Environmental Business Unit. Marc has extensive experience with all aspects of the undertakings of project development, planning, environmental reviewing, and permitting. Marc talks about the ‘Social License’ to operate. This is a great discussion on high voltage project planning. I know you’ll enjoy our chat in this episode.Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my...2023-11-2942 minPowerful Connections1: Who Is Dean?Welcome to the first episode of Powerful Connections!For the first episode, I’m joined by Dave Trafford from Story Studio Network to help me introduce myself, as well as my company, DGG5 Advising, which is the leading "Opportunity Maker" for Energy and Construction Projects. Together, we'll explore my background, passion, and the unique expertise I bring to the table. Please subscribe to my podcast, and connect with me on my website at DGG5Advising.com or on LinkedIn at Dean G. Gatien.2023-11-1522 minPowerful ConnectionsWelcome to the Powerful Connections PodcastStrategy, Planning, and Risk Review are all vital in getting your project to the finish line. For over 40 years I’ve planned and built many projects. And my new company, DGG5 Advising, is now the “Opportunity Maker” for the energy and construction sectors. Let me help you make a solid plan, bring the right people to the table and help you execute your projects.My guests and I will share our experiences and show how we have helped many customers, owners, communities and organizations make the plans to succeed. We’ll also loo...2023-10-2601 min