Helga Elizabeth Reidel · FCPA, FCA
Rooted in Windsor.
Committed to its community.
Gordie Howe International Bridge · Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority
Leadership. In service of others.
Helga devoted much of her working life to Windsor and the surrounding region. A chartered accountant by training, she went on to lead the city’s administration and ENWIN Utilities, and to chair the governing board of the university where she had studied. Her commitment to leadership also included supporting other women in their careers.
Born in Leamington and raised in Windsor, Helga earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor in 1982 and a Bachelor of Education in 1993. Her professional designations were FCPA, FCA and ICD.D.
01 / City of Windsor · 2009–2016
Helga became Windsor’s first woman Chief Administrative Officer. Her years with the city also included senior responsibilities in finance and corporate services. These roles placed her at the centre of the administration of the community in which she had grown up.
02 / ENWIN Utilities · 2016–2022
She went on to lead ENWIN, becoming its first woman President and CEO. A recorded visit to field crews in May 2020 preserves a glimpse of Helga among the people carrying out that work.
Helga with ENWIN field crews · May 2020
03 / Board & community service
Over the course of her career, Helga served on the boards of Hydro One, Corby Spirit and Wine, the Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority and Motor City Community Credit Union. She also chaired TransForm Shared Service Organization and served as a trustee of WISE Trust.
Her volunteer appointments included United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex, the Windsor Public Library Board and the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society.
Helping others lead
Helga’s connection to the University of Windsor continued long after graduation. She chaired its Board of Governors from 2022 to 2024.
In an interview about the ATHENA Leadership Award, she spoke about integrity, the example leaders set through everyday actions, and the importance of visible role models for young women. Her words offer a personal expression of that belief:
“I believe women succeed when we support each other.”Helga Reidel, in The Drive’s interview about leadership
Remembered by her community
In 2025, Helga received the ATHENA Leadership Award at the Windsor-Essex Business Excellence Awards. In 2026, Windsor honoured her by naming a boardroom at City Hall in her name. Together, these recognitions give lasting expression to her contribution to the community.
The heart of her story
Rolf. Her sons. Her grandchildren.
The people at the centre of her life.
Family and Windsor footage: Stephen Schumacher and family. ENWIN footage: ENWIN Utilities. Bridge footage and portrait: Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority / Gordie Howe International Bridge. City Hall photograph: Stephen Schumacher and family.