Board Members

Public Utilities Board

Purpose
The structure and composition of the PUB is outlined in the Public Utilities Board Act. The Board is a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, delegated decision-making authority under provincial statute. Our public hearing processes follow many procedures of court and they satisfy standards of procedural fairness. Our decisions can be appealed to the Manitoba Court of Appeal. Moreover, we act as an appeal body for several other administrative tribunals, including the Highway Traffic Board.
Administrative tribunals are government agencies tasked with making decisions otherwise made by the government’s cabinet or one of its ministers. In keeping with this principle, the chair of the Board currently reports on an annual basis to the Minister of Finance.

There are several reasons why governments choose to delegate authority from cabinet to administrative tribunals.
First, governments seek to ensure that decisions involving essential public services are insulated from political pressures through the independence and objectivity of an administrative tribunal. Second, they seek to ensure that decisions are made on the basis of specialized technical expertise, which is particularly important when dealing with the complexities of public utility rate regulation. Third, they seek to ensure fair and equitable treatment of affected parties through structured public participation.

Board Composition and structure
The Manitoba Public Utilities Board must, by law, be composed of not less than three members. Currently the Board is composed of 12 members, with only the chair acting as a full-time member. Board members do not have fixed terms. All members are appointed by the Manitoba Lieutenant Governor (on the recommendations of the Premier of Manitoba) and serve at his or her pleasure.


The Lieutenant Governor appoints both a chair and a vice-chair for the Board. The chair appoints the members of Board panels tasked with examining matters of interest before the Board and evaluates the conduct of other Board members. The chair has similar authority to that of a justice of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. The vice-chair assumes these duties in the absence of the chair or in the event that the chair is incapacitated.
Board members serve as members of panels, usually comprised of two to five members for each matter of interest before the Board. Two members constitutes quorum. Members are responsible for carrying out our legislative mandate by enforcing the public interest in our conduct and regulatory decision-making. All members, including the chair and vice-chair, are subject to a detailed code of professional and ethical responsibilities.

Code of Conduct for Board Members


Current Board Members
Robert T. Gabor, K.C., Chair
Appointed September 2016
Robert left the practice of law after 36 years to accept the position as chair of the Public Utilities Board. His practice covered the areas of administrative law to corporate-commercial and technology law, including intellectual property, cyber security and privacy law. During his tenure, he was one of the founders and general counsel to the Winnipeg Airports Authority and the Manitoba Technology Accelerator. He taught different courses for the Manitoba Bar Admission course, including as a lecturer and examiner in ethics for over 15 years. He sat on numerous committees of the Law Society of Manitoba including the Discipline Committee as well as on the board of many not-for-profit organizations. He was appointed as a commissioner on the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing from 1990-92. Robert received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for community services in 2012.

Marilyn Kapitany, BSc. Honours, MSc., Vice Chair
Appointed July 2012

Marilyn is a former senior Federal Government executive responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. Former Regional Director General of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Manitoba) as well as Director of Industry Services at the Canadian Grain Commission. She is Past Chair of the National Board of YM-YWCA of Canada and was appointed as Canada's International Representative in 2014. Marilyn is a member of the Riverview Health Centre Board. Former Chair of the YM-YWCA of Winnipeg Board, and past member of Assiniboine Park Conservancy Board and Association of Professional Executives.
George Bass K.C., ICD. D. (Winnipeg)
Appointed August 2022
George is retired and the former Vice-President/General Counsel and Secretary for Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Group of Companies. He currently volunteers as a member of the Winnipeg Foundation Board where he sits on a number of committees, as well as previously having served on the St. Boniface Hospital Board, CancerCare Manitoba Board, Literary Review of Canada Board and other charitable association boards. Mr. Bass holds a Bachelor of Science from Brandon University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba, an ICD.D Designation, was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1977 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1988.  He is a Life Bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba, and during his period of being an elected Bencher served over time on most of the Law Society’s committees. 
Carol Bellringer, FCA, FCPA
Appointed October 2022
Carol Bellringer, FCA, FCPA possesses an extensive background in public sector auditing and oversight from her previous experience as the President & CEO of the Canadian Audit & Accountability Foundation, and Auditor General for the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.  She has also held management positions with KPMG in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg, the City of Winnipeg (City Auditor), and at the University of Manitoba (Director of Private Funding).  She currently sits on the boards of the Victoria Symphony Society, the University of Victoria Foundation, and the audit committee for the Manitoba Legislature. 
 Ms. Bellringer has served on several boards in the public and private sectors, including the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Manitoba Hydro, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council.  While on the board of IFAC, Carol represented the profession on task forces advising the G20 on steps to combat corruption.  
Susan Boulter
Appointed August 2022
Susan retired after 35 years in the provincial government,  as the Director of Driver and Vehicle Licensing; Chief Operating Officer of Materials Distribution Agency and lastly, as the Chief Operating Officer of Vital Statistics Agency/Chair of the Funeral Board of Manitoba. She has served on the boards of the Junior League of Manitoba, Cancercare Manitoba, The Reh-Fit Foundation, and  the Reh-Fit Centre. Susan has enjoyed her tenure as a lay bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba and was the public representative on its executive during the pandemic.  She also is a member of the Vulnerable Persons’ Panel and was honoured to be a member of the Vulnerable Persons’ Task Force which tendered its report to the government recommending significant changes to the act and processes.

Irene A. Hamilton K.C., BA LLB
Appointed September 2017
Irene retired as Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Civil Law Division in May 2017, after over 35 years in government, including seven years as the Provincial Ombudsman, five years as Assistant Deputy Minister, Courts Division and nine years as a Public Trustee. Irene is a past president of the Law Society of Manitoba and continues to serve on a number of its committees. She is a public representative on the College of Registered Nurses Manitoba board; and a number of other committees. She is a past chair of the United Way of Winnipeg Board of Trustees.

Shawn McCutcheon
Appointed September 2016
Shawn continues to be actively involved in McCutcheon Farms Ltd., a family owned and operated commercial and seed grain farms specializing in soybeans, corn and field bean production in the RM of Dufferin. He served 15 years in elected office, 7 years as a trustee of the former Midland School Division, 6 of those years as chairperson and 8 years as the Reeve of the RM of Dufferin. He has been involved in numerous local and provincial organizations and currently serves on the Carman Community Health Centre Board. He was very involved in the development of Boyne Care which is constructing a new 110 bed personal care home in Carman as part of an overall plan to renew senior housing options in Carman and neighbouring communities.
Sharon McKay
Appointed September 2016
Sharon lives in Thompson Manitoba and she has spent much of her adult life as a leader in Manitoba aboriginal organizations. She held a number of positions with Keewatin Tribal Council over a thirty year period starting as an education counsellor, Education Director then moving to Chief Executive Officer. She has also sat on a number of agencies, boards and commissions, including as Members of Manitoba Tribal Directors and Past Chairperson of Broadband Communications North Inc. (telecommunications for northern and remote communities).  She also served as the Executive Director of the Aboriginal Knowledge and Culture Division of University College of the North and is now with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre serving as Associate Executive Director. 
Susan Nemec, FCPA, FCA
Appointed July 2016
Susan is the president of A&F Nemec Recruitment. Prior to moving full time into the recruitment and placement of finance and accounting professionals, Susan held senior positions such as VP Finance and Systems of the Moffat Canadian Cable group, Corporate Controller of The City of Winnipeg and many years as a Senior Assurance Manger with a Big Four Public Accounting Firm. Susan has held various volunteer positions including President of Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, President of the Winnipeg Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI), National Board Member and Audit Committee, Treasurer of the Winnipeg Convention Centre and Manitoba Research Council. Susan currently sits on the Audit Committee of HEB Manitoba. In 2010, Susan was awarded her FCA (Fellowship) Designation which recognizes distinction in her career and ongoing service to the CPA/CA Profession and community.
Hamath Sy, Bsc. Honours
Appointed August 2022

Hamath Sy is a retired Manager with Canadian National Railways (CNR), and a former CNR director of South America based in Monterrey, Mexico. He also served as a Member of the Board of Regents, University of Winnipeg 2017-2021, and lectured a Financial Management course at the University of Saint Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since retiring he is a Post-Grad instructor of business courses, logistics, economics, and enterprise risk management courses at Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT). He serves as a board member of the Mauro Institute of Peace and Justice at Saint Paul’s College, University of Manitoba, and a member of Manitoba Social Service Appeal Board. Hamath Sy is bilingual, he speaks French and English and volunteers at the African Communities of Manitoba Inc. (ACOMI).
John (Jack) Winram, B.A. (Econ)
Appointed August 2022
Jack Winram has spent over 30 years studying and working in the energy and environmental sector, both with industry and government. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Jack targeted energy and environmental economics and later went on to achieve a Certificate in Utility Regulatory Studies at Michigan State University. After a number of years in the oil and gas sector, Jack joined the firm Energy Consultants International Inc. where he provided expert advisory services to various regulatory and government organizations, including the Manitoba Public Utilities Board. He later went on to work in various executive roles in government and a successful clean tech start-up. More recently he was Vice President for an indigenous consulting firm that provides services to the natural resource, energy and environment sectors across Canada. Currently Jack is Executive Director for the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA) managing the organization’s day to day business.