James Scongack, who has been a leader in Bruce Power’s fight against COVID-19 in communities throughout Bruce, Grey and Huron counties, and in Ontario’s economic recovery from the pandemic, is among the honourees for the prestigious 2020 Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 independent Advisory Board, which comprises more than 25 respected and experienced leaders from across Canada, met on Sept. 15 to select the honourees from a short list put together by founding partner Caldwell. A Call for Nominations was carried out from October 2019 to January 2020, which garnered more than 1,000 nominations from across the country.
“I offer sincere congratulations to the 2020 honourees on behalf of the Advisory Board and our program partners,” said Jeff Freeborough, managing partner of Caldwell’s Toronto office. “I don’t think there could be a more significant time to recognize our country’s outstanding leaders than right now. We saw superlative responses to the pandemic from our honourees, both in terms of taking care of their employees and pivoting their organizations, as well as contributing to their communities. We should all be very proud.”
Scongack, who has been working at Bruce Power since 2004, joins a list of highly accomplished Canadian executives under the age of 40.
“We’re extremely fortunate to live in a country that has leaders across so many walks of life who demonstrate hard work, dedication and a commitment to making a difference by bringing out the best in people,” said Scongack. “This award is about the future. I’m pleased to share this with the broader Bruce Power family who I’m immensely proud to work with every day.
“Through our collective efforts we are shaping Canada’s future as a leading nuclear nation providing clean electricity, economic growth, strong communities and life-saving medical isotopes to fight cancer and disease around the world.”
In his current role as Executive Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Operational Services, Scongack has worked alongside President and CEO Mike Rencheck to create and implement a series of initiatives during the public health crisis. When the pandemic struck in March, he went to the Grey-Bruce Health Unit and offered to have Bruce Power host virtual town halls to keep local residents informed about COVID-19. Since then, the company has provided more than two million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) – the largest announced private-sector donation of PPE in Canada. Scongack has also been instrumental in working with supply chain partners in the nuclear industry to raise almost $400,000 for local and national organizations while forming the Bruce Power Retooling and Economic Recovery Council to lead other initiatives around fighting COVID-19.
Scongack is the founder and chair of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council, and is a passionate voice of advocacy for Bruce Power’s production of medical isotopes which are used to sterilize medical equipment in health-care facilities around the world, and for the diagnosis and treatment of certain types of cancer. Bruce Power’s funding support of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) was advocated by Scongack.
“When you meet James, you can tell that he genuinely cares about people, and at POGO, we are grateful for the time he has devoted to help us champion childhood cancer care,” Lynn Wilson, Chief Development Officer, said in a letter of support for Scongack’s nomination. “James inspires people to help and find solutions and he is most deserving of this award.
The importance of nuclear in a clean energy future was the impetus for Scongack to take a leadership role in the creation of the Nuclear Innovation Institute in the spring of 2018 to accelerate new thinking, new technologies and new business opportunities. In June, Scongack recruited a group of environmental and economic leaders from across Canada to create the Green Ribbon Panel to tackle the urgency of reducing emissions while growing the economy in the face of the pandemic.
About Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 is a dynamic awards program that identifies outstanding young achievers in Canadian business, visionaries and innovators changing the way things are done. They are inspiring others and already giving back to their communities and to Canada. And every one of them is under the age of 40.
Founded in 1995 by Caldwell, the Top 40 is the country’s most coveted award for young business leaders, often the first program to shine the spotlight on many successful Canadian notables. Honourees have gone on to create remarkable track records of achievement post-award; the ranks of Top 40 alumni include hundreds of nationally and internationally renowned CEOs, CFOs, executives and entrepreneurs. For more information, please visit https://canadastop40under40.com.
About Bruce Power
Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
