We’re steering a steady course.
The right decisions at the right time: that’s at the core of successful corporate strategy. Rutter’s Board delivers the advantage with solid governance and effective strategic direction.
Led by Chairman Gary Bruce, Rutter Inc. relies on a six-member Board of Directors to assume the responsibility of providing corporate governance and strategic direction. Five of these members function as Independent Directors. Members are invited to the Board to contribute professional insight gained from extensive experience in management, corporate governance and/or technical and business experience.
The Board of Directors meets on a quarterly basis, but Committees of the Board including Audit, Human Resources and Compensation and Governance are active throughout the year, ensuring that priority projects assigned to them by the Board are advanced to enable the Directors to make informed and timely decisions.
Board Member Profiles
Gary Bruce
Chairman of the Board
Independent Director
Dr. Bruce is a Business Consultant and Director who spent 35 years in the oil industry, most recently as a Vice-President with Petro-Canada from which he retired in 2003. He has held executive positions responsible for oil and gas developments in Canada and Internationally. He is past Chair of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC), Centre for Frontier Engineering Research (C-FER) and the Cold Oceans Research and Engineering (C-CORE) Centre. Gary was a director of Jacques Whitford for five years until its sale in January, 2009.He is a member of the Board of Governors for Acadia University.
After receiving an Applied Science Certificate from Acadia in 1966, Gary went to the Technical University of Nova Scotia where he received a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) degree. He also graduated from Stanford University’s Executive MBA Program. He was awarded the Engineering Institute of Canada’s Julian C Smith Medal for his work in the development of Canada’ s resources and an Honorary Doctor of Laws by Memorial University for his outstanding contribution to the development of the oil & gas industry offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.
David Slager
Independent Director
Mr. Slager is a Business Consultant with extensive experience in the International Maritime electronics market. In 2002, he completed a management buyout of the Radio Holland Group and became Chairman of the Board & CEO. He led significant growth in the business, ensuring its place as a world market leader in maritime electronics, expanding the company from 40 to 75 offices along the world’s major shipping routes. The Company was sold in 2006 with Mr. Slager remaining with the Company as Chairman and CEO until his retirement from the position at the end of 2011.
Mr. Slager holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics & Statistics from the University of Rotterdam.
Donald I. Clarke
Independent Director
Donald I. Clarke holds a Bachelor of Commerce Business Administration (1974) from Concordia University and a Certificate of Accountancy (1977) from McGill University. He is a member of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants.
He began his career with what was initially the family business, Clarke Steamships (later Clarke Transport). Following its sale, he remained with the company and led the 1000-employee freight forwarding division, which he grew from $25 to $65 million in revenue.
In 1983, Mr. Clarke and his business partners formed the ConPro Group, where he acted as Chief Financial Officer. He was a key player on the team that formed the strategic partnership known as Newfoundland Offshore Development Corporation Ltd. (NODECO). This company was the successful constructor of the $2.0 billion concrete gravity based production structure for the $5.3 billion Hibernia platform and oilfield development. Following Hibernia, the ConPro Group became part of a second large joint venture in the Atlantic offshore oil and gas sector, this time to construct the Terra Nova Floating Production and Offloading System (FPSO) for Petro-Canada. As both an active investor, and a business owner Mr. Clarke is experienced in start-ups in the marine, electronics and medical products areas.
Ryan Hinz
Independent Director
Ryan Hinz brings over 25 years of electrical engineering and leadership experience in the automation field. Prior to assuming his current responsibilities he held the position of Chairman and CEO of Hinz Automation Inc. for eight years. Mr. Hinz holds a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering (1983) and a MBA (1991) from the University of Saskatchewan. He began his career as a Project Engineer with Saskatoon based Startco Systems Ltd. and in 1985 accepted a similar position with Hinz Automation Inc. In 1987 he became regional manager of Hinz Automation’s Vancouver branch, a position he held until 1991 when he became Vice President of Business Development. In 1999 Mr. Hinz became Chairman and CEO of Hinz Automation.
During his career Mr. Hinz has been a project manager on numerous automation projects in sectors ranging from forestry to mining and oil and gas. As Chairman and CEO of Hinz Automation, he was instrumental in the build-up of the Hinz operation to include 225 personnel in six offices in Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Denver and San Diego.
Jamie White
Independent Director
Mr. White is a benefits and actuarial consultant with extensive public and private Corporate Board experience. He is currently Managing Partner at Baynes & White Inc. He is also a Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Normiska Corporation, a soft mineral processor, which he was involved in taking from public to private; and Director and Interim President of Explorers Alliance Corporation, a company with mining/mineral resource properties in Ontario and Quebec.
Mr. White is also currently a Director of PC Gold Corporation (TSX), Auriga Mining Corp (TSX-V), Umami Sustainable Seafood (US BB) and Currency Exchange International (TSX). He holds various Committee positions on each of these Boards. He also serves as a Director on several private corporate boards, including Normiska Corporation, International Explorers inc., Explorers Alliance Corp, and Q.C. Explorations Inc.
Fraser H. Edison
President & CEO and Director
Fraser H. Edison has extensive management experience in the finance, construction, oil and gas and transportation industries.
Mr. Edison has been involved in the east coast offshore oil and gas industry and led ConPro Group Limited in a joint venture to build the Gravity Based Structure for the Hibernia Project and subsequently the Terra Nova Floating Production and Offloading System. His international marketing skills contributed significantly to the development of partnerships and contracts with international firms such as Kellogg Brown and Root, (USA) and Doris Engineering, (France).
With ConPro’s acquisition of Rutter Technologies in 2001, Mr. Edison has worked as Executive Vice President of Rutter and more recently as its President and CEO. Since joining Rutter, he has played an integral part in all aspects of the Company’s operations and strategic planning.
Mr. Edison has served as President of the St. John’s Board of Trade, a Board member of the St. John’s Port Authority, Oceanex Income trust and is currently the Chair of the Board of the St. John’s International Airport Authority.