Management
EarthFirst Canada's management has extensive experience in financing, developing, constructing and operating windpower projects. Management of EarthFirst Canada Inc., through their roles with the Creststreet and Earth First Energy group of companies, have played an active role in working with the Canadian federal and provincial governments to design and implement new tax incentives and other policies to facilitate the development of windpower in Canada. Management of EarthFirst were involved in bringing the first windpower flow-through fund to market in Canada with an initial public offering raising $42.5 million for investment in a 54 MW windpower project in Quebec and 30.6 MW windpower project in Nova Scotia. In addition, management also developed the 63 MW Kettles Hill windpower project in Southern Alberta, the first publicly financed merchant windpower project in Canada.
EarthFirst's management has also achieved many firsts in British Columbia. EarthFirst was the first B.C. Independent Power Producer ("IPP") to file a B.C. Development Plan for a wind project, to receive two wind Environmental Certificates, and to receive B.C. wind land tenures.
Derren Newell
Vice-President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer
Derren Newell is Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of EarthFirst Canada Corporation. Mr. Newell previously held the positions of Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner of Creststreet Power & Income Fund LP and of Creststreet Kettles Hill Windpower General Partner Limited. Prior to his role at Creststreet, Mr. Newell was Vice-President of Business Process and Compliance at Superior Plus Income Fund. Mr. Newell joined Superior Plus in 1999 as Team Leader of Finance, and subsequently occupied the role of Vice-President, Finance. Prior to 1999, Mr. Newell was Team Leader of Operations Reporting for Union Pacific Resource Inc. (formerly Norcen Energy Resources) and Financial Analyst Operations Reporting. Mr. Newell received a Bachelor of Commerce with distinction from the University of Alberta and is a Chartered Accountant.
Erich Ossowski
Vice-President, Windpower Development
Erich Ossowski is Vice-President, Windpower Development of EarthFirst. Mr. Ossowski previously held the position of Vice-President Windpower Development of the General Partner of Creststreet Power & Income General Partner Limited and of Creststreet Kettles Hill Windpower General Partner Limited. Prior to joining Creststreet in April 2004, Mr. Ossowski led sales and business development activities for GE Wind Energy in Canada. Prior to joining GE Wind Energy in 2001, Mr. Ossowski completed an MBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business, and worked for three years at ABB Power Generation in Germany as a design engineer on several coal and gas fired power projects. In addition to an MBA, Mr. Ossowski holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Arlene Chidiac
Corporate Secretary
Arlene Chidiac is Corporate Secretary of EarthFirst. In addition, Ms. Chidiac is Manager, Corporate Governance for Creststreet Asset Management Limited. Ms. Chidiac previously held the position of Corporate Secretary for the Creststreet Power Income Fund LP and for Creststreet Kettles Hill Windpower General Partner Limited. Prior to joining Creststreet in March of 2004, Ms. Chidiac was Executive Assistant to The Probyn Group and Clean Power Income Fund, a publicly traded income trust that invests in power generating assets. Prior to July 2001, Ms. Chidiac was Executive Assistant to Berkshire Investment Group and Berkshire Securities, members of The Berkshire Group. Ms. Chidiac is a student member of The Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario, a member of the Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries and a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.