Ray Mantha has been named as the interim assistant deputy minister of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry's mines and minerals division, effective Oct. 25.
Mantha currently serves as executive director of the Ministry of Transportation's provincial highways management division. He takes over the spot formerly held by Christine Kaszycki, who vacated the role for a spot as the province's Ring of Fire coordinator.
A professional engineer, Mantha started his career with the Ministry of Transportation in Sudbury. After becoming the ministry's chief engineer in 2004, he was tasked with developing policies and standards for infrastructure throughout the province.
He became executive director of the newly created Windsor Border Initiatives Implementation Group in 2005, leading the team responsible for all transportation projects at the Windsor Gateway, including the Windsor-Detroit crossing.
In 2006, he was appointed to his current role, where he oversees investment planning, contract management and operations.
As vice-president of the Transportation Association of Canada and a fellow of Engineers Canada, Mantha was awarded an Engineering Medal for Management by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers and Professional Engineers Ontario in October 2009.
A dedicated volunteer, Mantha was elected to the YMCA's national board in 2005, and served as chair from 1999 to 2002. He also spent four years as Canada's representative on the World Alliance of the YMCA's executive committee.
Fluently bilingual, Mantha lives in North Bay.
