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Terry Rochefort
Terry Rochefort worked at the NEB from 1995 to 2003. In his last position as Business Unit Leader, Commodities, he was responsible for energy resource production and forecasts as well as natural gas and electricity export authorizations. Now the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Members of Public Utilities Tribunals, Terry recalls the 1997 reorganization of the Board as one of the turning points in his career.
What is your most memorable work experience at the NEB?
I would say it was working with the new Executive Committee when the NEB reorganized in 1997. The Board restructured 10 functional groups into five business units. I worked with the new Executive Committee to define how we were going to manage the revamped organization, how we were going to interact with one another, and what our business understanding was going to be so that we could work with one another. Prior to the reorganization, there was an economics group, an engineering group and so on. Now, each of the business units is multi-functional with representation from engineers, economists and so on. This means there's a lot of interaction between and among the business units.
Although I'm a person who likes new challenges, I must admit that at the time it was certainly daunting. None of us really knew what to expect. It was like putting something together in theory and then watching to see whether it works in practice. When the new Executive Committee was appointed in late 1996, we had only six months or so of planning and interactions in terms of mapping out how we were going to operate. Once the business unit leaders were chosen, we got together with our staff and defined how the business unit would operate, basically what the purposes would be. All Board staff had to be aligned with one of the business units. One of the key operating rules was participative decision-making so all employees were asked to identify which business unit they wanted to join.
It struck me that it was almost like starting a new business, although the NEB had been in existence for almost 40 years then. We were starting basically from square one in terms of how we were going to run the business. We created a whole new organization. At the time we called it a transformation.
What is your fondest memory of the NEB?
My fondest memory is related to a United Way campaign in the late 90s. The Board's Executive Committee decided that each member would offer something as a prize for a draw. Gaétan Caron and I discovered around that time that we both liked to play rock'n roll and that our tastes were quite compatible, even though we had many debates about early Beatles versus later Beatles. Our prize was a jam session with the two of us. People at the NEB bought tickets for a draw.
I think six or eight winners came to the jam session. It was magic. We got together in my basement. I rediscovered playing the guitar, which I hadn't done for years. It just happened that it all came together – you couldn't have planned it any better in terms of how the evening went. Strangely enough, most people could play something, but even the ones who didn't play an instrument brought something to the mix. That was the start of something even more exciting, because Gaétan and I continued to play in bands for United Way functions and other events, including a couple of Stampede breakfasts and an NEB winter social. Even though I now live in another province, we'll find a way to play again in the future.
Of the projects you have worked on, what had the most impact on Canadians?
When you're talking about energy resources or studies, it's difficult to say whether or not they had a major impact on the every day lives of Canadians. But looking back, I think the quality of the work produced by the Commodities business unit was very good. We were saying things back then that have since been confirmed. At the time, we were talking about the natural gas reserves that were available and the fact that all the gas that was easy to produce had pretty much been found. We suggested that the resource base had to be looked at carefully. Around this time, there was a movement dubbed 'the dash for gas.' So-called experts were saying we've got lots of gas and we should move people over to the more clean-burning fuel, which is natural gas. I think that we were providing relevant information which was valuable at the time, and the value of the information that that group provides is even more evident now.
Canada puts a lot of stock in its natural resources and I think it's important for all Canadians to know or to have some understanding about the value of the resources and the potential for continued availability of resources.
Who among your colleagues at the NEB has most influenced you?
Gaétan Caron. When I think back, in terms of the people that I've worked for, he's probably the most visionary of anyone. He has a clear vision of where he wants to take the organization and he engages people to join him in the journey. I think that Gaétan has profoundly changed the NEB. If you ask people at the NEB what are the goals and vision of the NEB, I think most of them could tell you. I doubt that you will find that in many other organizations.
Is there anything you would like to say to today's NEB staff?
That's a tough question because I've been away from the Board for six years now. What I would say is, it's very easy to get caught up in the moment in terms of what one is doing, but I think it's important in any organization, particularly at the NEB, to enjoy what the organization offers because in my experience it's unique in terms of places to work. You may not realize that until you've left.
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