Northern Ontario telecom Tbaytel announced Wednesday its president and CEO, Dan Topatigh, will retire in the fall of 2024.
“I am grateful to have led a tremendous team of employees who are dedicated to ensuring that the residents of Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario benefit from exceptional telecommunications services and the many other contributions that Tbaytel provides to our neighbourhood. It is on the strength of our employees that Tbaytel has successfully competed against some of Canada’s largest companies,” Topatigh said in a press release announcing his plan to retire.
Tbaytel’s board is actively engaged in leading the search for the company’s next CEO, the release says.
“The Board of Directors and the management team are committed to working together to ensure a successful transition in leadership in the next year,” the release states.
Topatigh joined the Thunder Bay-based company’s senior executive team in 2007 as chief financial officer and transitioned to the role of president and CEO in 2013.
“During his tenure, Mr. Topatigh led the organization through a period of sustained growth and expansion,” reads the release. “He demonstrated a commitment to the deployment of fibre throughout Thunder Bay and surrounding area, expansion of services into regional markets, and the evolution of Tbaytel’s mobility network.”
Topatigh was responsible for developing strong industry partnerships and building an exceptional culture of cooperation and achievement, the release adds.
As a chartered professional accountant, Topatigh’s professional career has spanned more than 35 years. In addition to his tenure at Tbaytel, he worked in public accounting and for international forest product companies, including Bowater (now Resolute Forest Products) and Abitibi-Consolidated in Thunder Bay.
He has been an eight-year board member for the Canadian Telecommunications Association. He also serves on the executive cabinet of the Our Hearts at Home Campaign for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation and the audit committee for Confederation College. He has previously served on the board of governors for Confederation College and Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club.
“Dan is a trusted and well respected leader who has managed Tbaytel’s growth strategy for more than a decade and delivered exceptional results for the organization,” Scott Potts, chair of Tbaytel’s board of directors, said in a statement. “We wish Dan all the very best in his future and look forward to working with him in the months leading up to his retirement.”
Photo of Dan Topatigh borrowed from Tbaytel’s website.
