Walter Saponja
Director, BC Hydro
Director, Powerex Corp.
Appointed May 16, 2003
Walter Saponja had a 37-year career with TransAlta Utilities Corporation, retiring in 1998. He held progressing responsibilities with TransAlta including President and Chief Executive Officer, and President and Chief Operating Officer.
He had significant involvement in the intensive thermal power generation expansion of the company over three decades, including design, construction, commissioning and operations.
Saponja was a member of the Board of Directors of TransAlta Corporation and was involved in early non-regulated business activities of the company, including serving on the Board of Directors of TransAlta New Zealand, a public company involved in the electric utility business in New Zealand.
He also served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) and on the Board of Trustees of the North American Reliability Council (NERC) as the Canadian representative. He currently is a member of the Advisory Board of Hatch Engineering.
He received a Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Electricity Association in 1999 in recognition for his contribution to the electric utility industry.
Saponja is a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering Program, University of Alberta; the Management Training Course, University of Western Ontario; and, the Industrial Relations Program, Queen's University.
Last Modified: Apr 15, 2008
