George A. Butts
Associate Consultant
gbutts (at) cfncon.com
George Butts retired from the Department of Public Works and Government Services in September 2007 following a 33 year career in the Public Service of Canada.
Mr. Butts joined the Canadian Coast Guard in 1971 as a seagoing marine engineering officer serving on a number of ships based on the East Coast, including 2½ years as the Senior Engineer on the icebreaker CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent. Following a three year hiatus with the private sector, in the Boiler and Machinery Insurance industry in Alberta, he returned to the public service in 1983 when he accepted a teaching position with the Canadian Coast Guard College. The following year he transferred to the Department of Supply and Services to manage the refit contracts of the Canadian Navy's steam powered destroyers. His career in public procurement was highlighted with increasingly more responsible positions ranging from the procurement of major goods (including nine years leading the procurement for the design and construction of the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels), to outsourcing services (PWGSC's property management - Alternate Forms of Delivery Project) to procurement policy within the Department of Public Works and Government Services.
Prior to his retirement George held the position of Director General where he oversaw the operations of Major Project Services, Science Procurement including procurement on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency, the Shared Travel Initiative, Traffic Management, Communications Procurement, and the Canadian General Standards Board.
While in the Coast Guard, George earned his 1st Class Marine Engineer certificate in both Steam and Motor. He holds Power Engineering certificates (stationary and refrigeration), and was licensed as a Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspector by the National Board. A skilled negotiator trained in Alternate Dispute Resolution, George completed his MBA (Executive) in 1996 at the University of Ottawa.
Mr. Butts chaired the Treasury Board Advisory Committee on Contracting - Construction sub-committee from 2000 to 2004. He was elected President of the Canadian Public Procurement Council from 2003 to 2006. George was repeatedly requested meet with visiting international delegations and to appear before Parliamentary Committees to address contracting issues. He assumed a key role in representing the Department as an expert witness on contracting at a Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating corruption and at criminal trial.
George Butts joined CFN as an Associate Consultant in January 2009.