JIM BROWN
The alleged crook.
Jim Brown was a chemist from Yorkshire, with a Ph.D. Jim has worked in Ontario Hydro for over 25 years, and became Manager of Metallurgical Research when Al Kupcis moved on in the mid 1980’s. He is generally regarded as quite intelligent, and definitely gets on well with the Old Boys’ Club. According to some of those who knew him better than I, he had been sliding steadily downhill for years. The PII report supported this view.STAGE 3. Implications of Criminal Fraud (PII)]
Jim’s wife, Barb, also had a job in OH Research for some years, in good Ontario Hydro nepotistic fashion. Barb was a good editor, and popular. Apparently she never really knew what went on in Metallurgical Research, especially with the TEM. Apparently she also knew Al Kupcis quite well.
In the late 80’s, early 90’s, Jim Brown became more and more dictatorial as a Manager, to the extent that it was causing major problems. For example, once it became clear that Jim had promoted the mid-level TEM technician to mid-level professional, all the upper members of the Department marched into his office to protest (unsuccessfully). Railroading out TEM contracts was another example of Jim’s authoritarian approach..
Jim was a close friend of Al Kupcis, and Al wanted Jim to replace him as Manager of Metallurgical Research.
Under the old Research system, Jim had about 100 people in his Department. When OHT was born, about the time my first memo about possible fraud went in, OHT was re-arranged into a weird matrix system. Jim became Resource Manager, with about 450 people. In other words, Jim was promoted when accused of fraud.
THE CASE The Full Legal CaseWhen Derek Cornthwaite "left" OHT recently, Jim was promoted again, this time to President of OHT, with about 600 people. Obviously being repeatedly accused of fraud is good for one’s career in Ontario Hydro.
Apparently Jim has been dropping out of life in the last several months. Last I heard, he had had massive bleeding and was in hospital. However, he had stabilized. Jim was not too healthy, drank far too much, and even had gout.