John Wright has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Saskatchewan Power Corporation (SaskPower), Deputy Premier and Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dwain Lingenfelter announced today. Wright will begin work at SaskPower on March 1, 1999.

"The SaskPower Board provided the CIC Board with three excellent candidates to choose from," Lingenfelter said. "We decided that Mr. Wright's background and skills best matched our requirements for leadership and financial management experience."

Milt Fair, vice-chair of the SaskPower Board, led the search for a new president. Caldwell Partners provided the search committee with a number of candidates from Saskatchewan and other provinces. Following interviews, a short list of three was presented to the CIC Board.

"Our board believes that each of the nominations we put forward would have been a good choice to lead SaskPower," Fair said. "The CIC Board made the final decision. I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Wright over the last year and am well aware of his impressive record in the public sector of Saskatchewan. I am confident that he will provide strong leadership as we deal with the many challenges ahead."

John Wright is an economist with degrees from the universities of Alberta and Western Ontario. He began working for the Department of Finance in 1977 and was appointed deputy minister in 1990. He served in that position for five years and played a leading role in the successful effort to balance the province's budget. In April 1995 he was appointed president and CEO of Saskatchewan Government Insurance and in July 1996 became president and CEO of Crown Investments Corporation.

"SaskPower has dealt with a number of difficult issues in recent times which get most of the attention," Lingenfelter said. "Through it all the people who work at SaskPower have continued to provide one of the most reliable services in Canada at rates that compare well with other provinces. Our publicly-owned power company is in good shape and John Wright brings to the job of CEO the background, experience and proven abilities that are needed to take it forward."

Lingenfelter and Fair recognized the contribution of Kelly Staudt as acting president since March 1998.

"We appreciate the sure and steady leadership that Mr. Staudt has provided," Fair said. "A lot of progress has been made over the last year in resolving many of the issues facing the corporation."

Staudt will return to his position of vice-president, Customer Services.

Anna Arneson
Media Services
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-0850