^{April 30, 2026} Carrying the Legacy Forward

Long before Giselle Matin stood before the Powerline Plus team as president, she was answering phones in the basement of her family’s semi-detached home in Toronto. Her father, Ben, started the company when she was about six years old, and some of her earliest memories include filing paperwork and helping after school and on weekends as the business grew from the family basement.

Powerline Plus has always been deeply tied to family for Giselle, but her path to leadership was built over time. Ben encouraged her to create something of her own first, so she pursued law, completed her professional legal training, became a licensed lawyer in Canada, and worked for a law firm before joining Powerline Plus full time.

When she returned, Giselle thought her legal background might lead her toward contracts, client relationships, or corporate matters. Her father had a different first lesson in mind. He took her to get boots and flame-resistant clothing and sent her to a jobsite. “You don’t know anything about us,” he told her.

Giselle spent several weeks in the field learning the business from the ground up. That experience gave her a deeper understanding of the work Powerline Plus crews perform every day, often in all kinds of weather and demanding conditions with a high level of skill, focus, and care. It also left her with lasting respect for the people at the center of the business.

“You’re doing something that is literally lighting up the city that you live in,” she said. “It’s creating a civilization or expanding a civilization, and to me, that’s a legacy.”

The respect she holds for employees in the field shapes the way Giselle leads today. She believes Powerline Plus is strongest when field, management, and office teams work together, with decisions informed by the people closest to the work. It is a leadership approach rooted in transparency, teamwork, and the people-first culture set by her father.

Following the recent retirement of Mike Martelli, Giselle officially stepped into the role of president during Powerline Plus’ safety summit, a moment she describes as emotional and surreal. The support she received from employees made the moment even more meaningful, reflecting years of showing up, learning the business, building relationships, and earning trust across the organization.

She also recognizes what it means to step into this role in a traditionally male-dominated industry. She hopes her position can remind other women what is possible with hard work, perseverance, and the right support. Most of all, she hopes to help create a wider, brighter path for those who follow.

Looking ahead, Giselle is focused on carrying forward the legacy her father built while leading Powerline Plus with her own perspective, experience, and deep respect for the people who make the work possible.

“To be able to lead a team that I have so much tremendous respect for,” she said, “is a sense of pride for me.”