October 2006 ISSUE
NEWSMAKERS
Four Members Enter CAE’s Hallowed Halls
COMPILED BY FRANCINE MAXWELL
Editorial Assistant
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AND THEM, TOO - APEGGA President David Chalcroft, P.Eng., points out fellow Canadian Academy of Engineering fellows, from left, Dr. Elmer Brooker, P.Eng., Noel Cleland, P.Eng., and Dan Motyka, P.Eng. |
APEGGA President Dave Chalcroft, P.Eng., Past Presidents Noel Cleland, P.Eng., and Dan Motyka, P.Eng., and Life Member Dr. Elmer Brooker, P.Eng., were all inducted recently as fellows in the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
The academy, created as an independent entity from other engineering organizations, is designed to discuss and act on national issues, through a point of view based on the training and experience of engineers.
Currently there are some 300 members in the academy. Members are inducted once a year and are nominated by their peers.
NAIT Receives Shell Cash For New Centre
Shell Canada has helped secure the future of many Albertans by donating $3 million to construction of NAIT’s new high-tech training centre.
The new NAIT Shell Manufacturing Centre, scheduled to open in March 2007,
will give students experience with a variety of modern technologies used in the
petroleum sector and other industries.
Most Shell money will be used for construction. A portion will be used to create
bursaries and scholarships.
Members Make Most Influential List
Nine professional members and one honorary member of APEGGA make up a fifth of Alberta Venture magazine’s 50 Most Influential People list.
Each year, the magazine compiles a list of names that readers and Albertans in general say are deserving of recognition for their accomplishments, within and beyond the province’s borders.
Jim Carter, P.Eng., president of Syncrude Canada Ltd., was named Resource Person of the Year in 2005 by the Alberta Chamber of Resources. He’s well known for his innovation, as well as his contributions to improve environmental performance, workplace safety and Aboriginal relations.
Charlie Fischer, P.Eng., president, Nexen Inc.,
was named the magazine’s Business Person of the Year in 2005. He’s
known for the long-term business plan of his company and the results he’s
shown.
Terry Gomke, P.Eng., CEO, Gibson Energy Ltd.,
was recently appointed chair of the Alberta Economic Development Authority. He’s
helped strategize the best ways to sustain the prosperity Alberta is enjoying.
Topping his list of what will work is an integrated transportation plan that
will take Alberta into a strong future.
Keith MacPhail, P.Eng., president and CEO of Bonavista Energy Trust, is helping ensure Alberta’s future is a well-educated one, through a whopping $10 million donation to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for the MacPhail School of Energy. The donation triggered a matching donation from the province for the new school.
Gwyn Morgan, P.Eng., former CEO of EnCana Corporation, was the personal choice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to become the head of a new federal Public Appointments Commission. Although a House of Commons committee overruled the Prime Minister’s choice — the fact he was singled out shows the far reaching influence Mr. Morgan has. Mr. Morgan is also the APEGGA Summit Awards 2006 Centennial Award winner.
Honorary Member David O’Brien, CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway, may well be the most sought after board member in Alberta. He is the chairman of the board for the Royal Bank of Canada and EnCana Corporation, and is also on the board of directors for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Inco Limited, TransCanada Pipelines Ltd., Molson Inc., and the C.D. Howe Institute.
John Poole, OC, P.Eng., the former owner of Poole Construction, now known as PCL, is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has been inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence and is an avid environmental protectionist. Mr. Poole, along with his wife Barbara, set aside 100 square kilometres of land adjacent to Waterton Lakes National Park for conservation efforts.
Art Price, P.Eng., CEO and board chairman of Axia NetMedia Corporation, partnered with Karl Thiel to launch the Alberta SuperNet, a high-speed network that links 429 communities and more than 4,200 hospitals, schools, libraries and other government facilities in the province.
Peter Tertzakian, P.Geoph., chief energy economist for ARC Financial Corporation, is the author of A Thousand Barrels a Second, which predicts the breaking point in the world oil markets over the next five years.
Kathleen Sendall, P.Eng., a senior vice-president with Petro-Canada, was recently appointed chair of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. The organization is recognized by some as one of the most powerful industry groups in the country.
APEGGA members are in excellent company beyond their own ranks, too. Other influential Albertans who made the list include Canada’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Cindy Klassen; playwright John Murrell; and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Associated Wins Healthy Workplace Award
The 2006 Premier’s Award of Merit for Healthy Workplaces was presented to Associated Engineering Alberta Ltd.
The award is presented annually to companies that provide healthy workplace programs and encourage employees to lead healthy and active lifestyles. Associated Engineering has a wellness program that includes stress busters such as sumo wrestling, tai chi and a 20-minute massage. The program also promotes social and financial well-being.
Permit Holders Among Canada’s Profitable Companies
For the third straight year, EnCana Corporation has topped Report on Business magazine’s list of the top 1,000 publicly traded companies in Canada. The list is based on profits.
The Calgary-based oil giant beat out such heavy-hitters as the Royal Bank of Canada, Manulife Financial and the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Other permit holders listed in the top 50 include Imperial Oil, Shell Canada, Husky Energy, Petro-Canada, Precision Drilling Trust, Talisman Energy, Suncor Energy, TransCanada PipeLines, Nexen Inc., Canadian National Resources, Canadian Oil Sands Trust, PennWest Energy Trust and Enbridge Inc.
Alberta Research Council Appoints New Director
Dr. Janet Ronsky, P.Eng., will become one of the Alberta Research Council’s newest directors. The 2006 Summit Award winner was appointed along with Mike Bregazzi, president and CEO of M.B. Enterprises Ltd., and Norman Storch, a central Alberta farmer.
Member Named Governor For Alberta College of Art
Gordon Stollery, P.Eng., has been appointed as the newest member of the Board of Governors of the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary.
“Gordon is an excellent choice for this board,” said Advanced Education Minister Denis Herard. “He brings with him sound business sense and a spirit of entrepreneurship, as well as a passion for education — all these qualities will benefit the board and the college’s students.”
Who’s Moving Where
We had the wrong Peter Woloshyn in the July edition of The PEGG. It is Peter Woloshyn Jr. who was appointed as the new CEO to the Natural Resources Conservation Board, not Life Member Peter Woloshyn, P.Eng. We apologize for any confusion.
Arun Dey, P.Eng., joins Southern Pacific Resources Corp. as president and a director. Mr. Dey founded Dako Energy Inc and has more than 18 years of oil-and-gas experience.
Mark Ross, P.Eng., is moving to vice-president of engineering and drilling of LongBow Energy Corp. Mr. Ross has more than 24 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, and is the president and owner of M.F. Ross Energy Services Ltd.
Troy Wagner, P.Eng., has been appointed as CEO and vice-president
of engineering for both Triangle Petroleum Corporation and Elmworth Energy Corporation.
Mr. Wagner brings with him more than 10 years of experience in oil and gas, and
will be responsible for development of new projects and the management of current
ones.
Noel Cronin, P.Eng., has been appointed vice-president, operations
and engineering, for Endev Energy Inc. Mr. Cronin has more than
30 years of experience in oil and gas iand is expected to focus on growth and
development.
Dr. Peter Flynn, P.Eng., has been appointed to the board of directors for Plutonic Power Corporation in British Columbia. Dr. Flynn is currently a professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta.
Mr. Suneel Gupta, P.Eng., has been promoted to president of Bankers Petroleum International Ltd. His new responsibilities include the company’s Albanian operations. Mr. Gupta brings with him more than 14 years of domestic and international oil and gas operations.
David Cronkhite, P.Eng., has been appointed the position of vice-president, operations, at Advantage Energy Income Fund. Mr. Cronkhite has been with Advantage for five years.
Kelly R. Smith, P.Eng. has been appointed to Triton Projects Inc. Mr. Smith brings with him more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas service industry and is expected to aid Triton in terms of customer service and financial performance.