FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell to Retire and is Succeeded
by Senior VP of Corporate Services & CFO Ruth Forbes
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (Friday, June 26, 2020) – FortisTCI President and
CEO Eddinton Powell will retire from the company after serving for 13 years, and will be
succeeded by Ruth Forbes as President and CEO, effective August 2, 2020
The announcement was made earlier today by Gary Smith, Chair of the Board of Directors of
FortisTCI. Effective August 1, 2020, Mr. Powell will transition into the role of Strategic Advisor
through the end of this year, reporting to the Board of Directors. Mr. Powell will also remain a
Director on the Board until that time.
Mrs. Forbes is a native of the Turks and Caicos Islands and from the island of North Caicos. She
joined FortisTCI in 2006, and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Services
and Chief Financial Officer, where she oversees the finance, customer service, communications
and human resources functions. Prior to joining FortisTCI, Mrs. Forbes worked as a Senior Auditor
at PWC (formerly PriceWaterhouseCoopers). She has a Diploma in Business Administration
(Honors) from University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica and a Bachelor’s degree in
Accounting from Barry University, Florida. She is also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
“On behalf of all employees and the Board of Directors, I want to congratulate Ruth Forbes on her
appointment. Ruth brings tremendous experience and personal acumen to this important position,
as well as strong connections to the communities on the islands,” said Gary Smith, Chair,
FortisTCI Board of Directors. “I also wish to thank Eddinton Powell for his contribution to the
electricity sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands and wish him well in his retirement.”
Barry Perry, President and CEO, Fortis Inc., stated, “Ruth’s insights and vision for the company
and its customers are admirable and I am confident that she will continue to advance FortisTCI
as an innovative and sustainable energy leader in the Caribbean. “I extend my congratulations to
Ruth, as well as my thanks to Eddinton for leading the progressive transformation of the electricity
sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
In response to her appointment, Mrs. Forbes said, “I am pleased to have been selected as Mr.
Powell’s successor. I am also thankful to the Board of Directors and Fortis Inc. for their confidence
in my ability, and to Mr. Powell for his leadership. Our company is respected as a trailblazing utility
both regionally and internationally. In my new role, I will continue our drive toward excellence with
the FortisTCI team, while bringing value to our stakeholders. I must also acknowledge and thank
my family for their unwavering support.
Speaking about the announcement, Mr. Powell said, “It has been an honor to serve as the CEO
of FortisTCI for the last 13 years. My love and respect for the Turks and Caicos Islands are deep
and abiding. As I move into a new phase of my life, I leave behind a strong company and a
talented team that will achieve great things. I know that Ruth will do well in her new role, and I
wish her all the very best on her journey.”
Mr. Powell joined FortisTCI in 2007 as President and CEO, after serving as Senior Vice President
and CFO at Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) in the Cayman Islands, a Fortis company. He
began his career in the utility sector at CUC in 1982, and currently serves as Chairman of the
Board of Caribbean Electric Utilities Corporation (CARILEC), and will continue in that role until
December 2020.
Caption: FortisTCI President and CEO Eddinton Powell (L) retires and Senior Vice President of
Corporate Services and CFO Ruth Forbes is named successor, effective from August 2, 2020.
Notes to Editors:
About FortisTCI
FortisTCI Limited (FTCI) is the public electricity supplier in Turks and Caicos, serving the islands of
Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, South Caicos, East Caicos, and the adjacent Cays. Turks
and Caicos Utility Limited (TCU), purchased by FortisTCI in August 2012, delivers electricity on the
Islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. Together, the two companies have more than 15,000 customers, an aggregate diesel-fired generating capacity of approximately 90.7 megawatts, and 1MW of grid-tied rooftop distributed solar PV. For further information visit www.fortistci.com.
FortisTCI is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility
industry. For further information visit www.fortisinc.com.
Contact:
Talisha Simons
Senior Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
FortisTCI Ltd
Tel: 649-946-4313 Ext. 2519
Email: [email protected]
