432 Algoma Wing 
Peter Petäinen is the General Manager of the International Bridge Administration (IBA) at the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. As General Manager of the IBA, Peter operates the bridge under the binational governance of the Sault Ste Marie Bridge Authority Board of Directors, comprised of 4 Michigan members and 4 Canadian members, administering the Authority’s corporate business plan which is self-funded through toll revenue.
Peter assumed the position of IBA General Manager in February of 2016 and reports administratively to MDOT Chief Administrative Officer. Peter oversees the staff responsible for the operation, maintenance, security, toll collection, and administration of the 2-mile long bridge in both Michigan and Canada through an Intergovernmental Agreement on behalf of the owners, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (a Canadian Crown Corporation). This includes oversight of the jointly owned bridge, toll plaza, and the recently completed $55 million Canadian bridge plaza and Canada Border Services Agency facilities.
Chief Financial Officer for the IBA for over 13 years prior to assuming the role of General Manager, Peter acted as the Assistant Project Manager for the Authority’s $8.9 million toll plaza reconstruction project, and supervised the bridge security system installation, implementation, training, and external agency coordination. Peter has had other responsibilities as the Authority’s toll system business owner and representative, participated on the toll systems selection panel for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Request for Qualifications, and co-authored the Request for Proposal of the successfully funded and completed U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Transportation Pooled Fund Program Asset Management study on the “Use of Bridge Management Software in the Network Analysis of Big Bridges”. Peter is a strong proponent of good asset management principles and administered the integration of the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority business and asset management plans. Peter also worked as an independent auditor in Michigan and is a licensed commercial pilot.
Peter served for more than 15 years as an Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces (CF) as a CIC Officer. Peter joined the CIC in 1990 after completing six years with 155 Borden Gray GC Royal Canadian Air Cadets (RCAC) and retiring as a Warrant Officer First Class. His CF career included duties from 1990 to 1997 at CFB Trenton and CFD Mountain View. Putting an Advanced Flight Instructional Technique course from CFB Portage la Prairie to good use, Peter worked at the Central Region Gliding School (CRGS) as the School Flight Safety Officer, Flight Commander, glider instructor, and Bellanca Scout tow pilot. Peter served from 1990 to 1999 at CFB North Bay at the Northern Ontario Gliding Centre (NOGC) as Deputy Centre Commander, Unit Flight Safety Officer, Unit Standards Pilot, glider instructor, and tow pilot. Peter also spent one year as the Transportation Officer for the Central Region HQ Detachment, CFB North Bay.
Transferring home to 155 RCAC, Peter served from 2000 to 2006 in nearly all squadron roles. Before retiring from service in 2006, Peter in his last two years of service led 155 RCAC to multiple Squadron recognitions. These included two consecutive Dudley Roden Trophy Most Proficient Squadron Northern Ontario (NOA), and the Air Transport Command Trophy, Second Place Squadron Overall in Ontario which the squadron was last awarded in 1960 and 1961. The squadron in NOA was also the top Drill Team in 2004 and the top NOA Brass and Reed Band in 2005.
Active in both Sault Ste. Marie Ontario and Michigan civic and professional communities, Peter is a member of the Lake Superior State University Lukenda School of Business Professional Advisory Board, the Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Transportation Infrastructure Task Force, the National Summer Transportation Institute Inter-Modal Advisory Committee, and a recently added MDOT representative to the North American Strategy for Competitiveness. Peter is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Sault Region Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC), is FEMA trained to the Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff and is Chair of the Sault Region AMSC Critical Infrastructure/Key Resources sub-committee. Peter is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #25, 432 Algoma Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association, and the Air Cadet League of Canada Ontario Provincial Committee (OPC) Squadron Director for Sault Ste. Marie and Blind River, Ontario.
Peter holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and is the 2010 professional supervisor award recipient of the MDOT Director’s Award.
Peter and his wife Paula are from and live in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario with their daughter Ariana, and son Matthew.