At Best Startup Canada we track over 100,000 Canadian startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Alberta based CEO’ operating in the Renewable Energy space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.ca.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Steve Williams
President & CEO of Suncor Energy
BSc in Chemical Engineering, Exeter University; graduate, advanced management programme, Harvard Business School and business economics programme, Oxford University. More than 38 years of international energy industry experience, including 18 years at Esso/Exxon. May 2002, career with Suncor began with appointment as Executive Vice-President, Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer. Has also served as Executive Vice-President, Oil Sands and Chief Operating Officer. Fellow, Institution of Chemical Engineers. Member, Institute of Directors. One of 12 founding CEOs of Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA). Member of the Advisory Board, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission. Member, Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Vice-chair of the Alberta Premier’s Advisory Committee on the Economy. Active in the community, having co-chaired the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala in Calgary, as part of the 2014 Celebration of Excellence in Alberta that raised proceeds for the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Co-Chair, Indspire’s “Building Brighter Futures Campaign”.
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About Suncor Energy: Suncor Energy is an integrated energy company specializes in production of synthetic crude from oil sands.
Charle Gamba
Founder,President & CEO of Canacol Energy
Charle Gamba founded Canacol Energy Ltd. in 2008. He has held a variety of technical and management roles with major and mid-sized international oil companies, with the majority of his professional career focused on E&P in South America. Prior to creating Canacol, Charle Gamba was Vice President of Exploration for Occidental Oil & Gas Company based in Bogota, Colombia. In his 8 years with Occidental, he has lived and worked in Ecuador, Qatar, Colombia, and the United States, working in a variety of technical and management roles. Charle Gamba has also worked for Alberta Energy Company in Argentina and Ecuador, and for Canadian Occidental in Australia, Canada, and Indonesia. He started his career as a geologist with Imperial Oil in Calgary, and holds an MSc and PhD in Geology.
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About Canacol Energy: Canacol Energy Ltd. is a Canadian-based international junior energy company.
Rick Ironside
President & CEO of Artisan Energy Corporation
Rick has over 30 years of experience with junior oil and gas companies. Rick is currently also serves as a Director and consulting engineer for Thunderbird Energy Corporation (TSXV) where he has had some level of involvement since June 2008. Rick was President and Chief Executive Officer of Defiant Resources Corp. (TSX) from January 2005 to March 2008. He was Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Defiant Energy Corporation (TSX) from August 1999 to December 2004. Prior thereto he was Operations Manager for Pan East Petroleum. Rick holds an MBA from the University of Western Ontario as well as a BSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary.
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About Artisan Energy Corporation: Artisan Energy Corp (AEC) is an oil and energy company based out of 555 4 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Ken Woolner
CEO & President of Velvet Energy
Ken Woolner is a professional engineer with over 35 years of oil and gas experience. Prior to starting Velvet Energy Ltd. in 2011, he served on the Board of Directors for both public and private oil and gas companies including Oban Energy Ltd. (Chairman), White Fire Energy Ltd. (Chairman), Sequoia Oil & Gas Trust (Trustee) and El Paso Oil & Gas Canada Inc. He led a team of Executives that built and sold three highly successfully companies including Velvet Exploration Ltd., Lightning Energy Ltd. and Veteran Resources Inc. He currently serves on the Board of four private energy companies in Canada and the USA. Ken Woolner holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Toronto and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.
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About Velvet Energy: Velvet Energy is an energy exploration company that explores for, develops, acquires, and produces crude oil and natural gas in Canada.
Al Monaco
President and Chief Executive Officer of Enbridge
Al Monaco was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer on October 1, 2012. He is also a member of the Enbridge Inc. Board of Directors. Prior to being appointed President of Enbridge Inc. in February 2012, Mr. Monaco served as President, Gas Pipelines, Green Energy & International with responsibility for the growth and operations of Enbridge’s gas pipelines, including the Gas Gathering & Processing operations in the United States, Enbridge’s Gulf Coast Offshore assets and the Company’s investments in Alliance, Vector and Aux Sable, as well as Enbridge’s International business development and investment activities and Green Energy. Mr. Monaco has more than 30 years experience in the energy business including the upstream oil and gas exploration, development and pipelines businesses. Since joining Enbridge in 1995, he has held positions including Executive Vice President, Major Projects & Green Energy, and as President, Enbridge Gas Distribution; Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Development; and Vice President, Financial Services and Treasurer for Enbridge’s U.S.-based master limited partnership.
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About Enbridge: Enbridge is a energy distribution company that provides distribution, gathering, processing and storage of natural gas.
Richard W. Clark
President, CEO and Director of Eagle Energy Trust
Mr. Clark has been the President and CEO of Eagle Energy Trust since founding the company in April of 2010. Prior to leading Eagle, he held numerous senior positions in the oil and gas industry with a number of companies, including Shiningbank Energy Income Fund. Mr. Clark’s career includes over 20 years in the legal profession. Mr. Clark has a wealth of experience in developing financial structures, leading initial public offerings and debt and equity financings, overseeing multiple asset mergers and acquisitions, and advising energy-based trusts on international expansion initiatives. Mr. Clark has served as a director on numerous boards in the oil and gas sector. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary. Mr. Clark gained admission to the Law Society of Alberta in 1990.
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About Eagle Energy Trust: Eagle Energy Trust is a publicly traded exploration and production company, focusing primarily in the Salt Flats area.
Alex MacAusland
President & CEO of Western Energy Services
Mr. MacAusland, a founder of Western, has over 23 years of management and operational experience in the oilfield services industry in western Canada and the United States. Prior to being appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Western, Mr. MacAusland was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Western from December 8, 2009 to December 1, 2013. Mr. MacAusland was also the President and CEO of Horizon Drilling Inc., a western Canadian based drilling and service provider, since February 2008. Previously, Mr. MacAusland was a Senior Vice President of IROC Energy Services Corp., overseeing Eagle Well Servicing, Mission Drilling and Aero Rentals. Prior to that he was at Precision Drilling Corporation for 15 years in various capacities including Rig Manager and Contract Sales, followed by General Manager and then Vice President Operations responsible for Precision’s well servicing rig fleet, snubbing, camp and catering divisions.
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About Western Energy Services: Western Energy Services Corp. is an oilfield service company which provides contract drilling services in Canada.
Dan Balaban
Founder, President & CEO of Greengate Power
Dan is the Founder, President and CEO of Greengate Power Corporation. Based in Calgary, Dan is an accomplished entrepreneur and management consultant with a proven track record of successful business ventures. Dan has a wide range of business experience. Prior to starting up Greengate, Dan was the Founder, President and CEO of Roughneck.ca Inc., a leading provider of software solutions to the Canadian oil and gas industry. Prior to his tenure with Roughneck.ca, Dan worked as a management consultant with Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Dan was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a key member of the firm’s management consulting practice. Dan graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science. He is a member of the boards of the Pembina Institute and the Independent Power Producers Society of Alberta. Dan is also a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and is a founding member of the Alberta Clean Electricity Coalition. Dan has received recognition for his business and community accomplishments, making the list as one of Avenue magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2009, named one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People 2010 by Alberta Venture magazine, and the Cleantech category winner of Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Prairies.
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About Greengate Power: Greengate develops wind energy projects with contracted sources of revenue and available transmission capacity.
Tim S. Granger
President and Chief Executive Officer of Lone Pine Resources
Mr. Granger was appointed as our President and Chief Executive Officer in April 2013. Prior to joining our Company, Mr. Granger served as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Molopo Energy Limited from January 3, 2012 to January 17, 2013, and as President and Chief Executive Officer, and director of Compton Petroleum Corporation from January 6, 2009 through December 2, 2011. Prior thereto, Mr. Granger held the office of Vice President, Asset Optimization and Chief Operating Officer at Paramount Energy Trust and prior to that, Managing Director of TAQA North following the acquisition of Primewest Energy by TAQA in January of 2008. Mr. Granger had been the Chief Operating Officer of Primewest which he joined in 1999. Mr. Granger has more than 28 years of extensive experience in exploitation, production operations and asset management. From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Granger held various managerial positions at Pogo Canada Ltd. and Petro-Canada, including production engineering and upstream information technology. Prior to 1996, Mr. Granger held various management positions at Amerada Hess Canada Ltd., and engineering positions at Dynex Petroleum Ltd., Canterra Energy Ltd. and Dome Petroleum Limited. Mr. Granger graduated from Carleton University with a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering.
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About : Lone Pine is a private company engaged in the exploration and development of natural gas and light oil in Canada.
Dick Brown
President & CEO of Ferus
Dick is President and CEO of the Ferus Group of Companies. In 2001, Dick founded Ferus as an energy services company specializing in the production and off-road supply of cryogenic fluids for well stimulation and enhanced oil recovery. Ferus has grown to become the leading provider of industrial gases to the Canadian energy market. In 2010, Dick recognized the opportunity for natural gas to fuel the high horsepower market in North America and has since created and positioned Ferus NGF and Eagle LNG as North American leaders in the natural gas fueling business.
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About Ferus: Ferus provides liquid carbon dioxide, liquid nitrogen, compressed natural gas, and liquified natural gas to the energy.
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