2010 Conference Speakers
Keynote Speaker - Day 1
Claude Ouimet, Senior VP, InterfaceFLOR Canada
Claude will present his company’s vision, Mission Zero – a promise to eliminate any negative impact the company may have on the environment by 2020. He believes that all of us, individuals and companies, have the power and courage to change, to be the change, and do something to help address the global environmental crisis.
This vision has created a thriving company culture that embraces both the concept of sustainability, and of an individuals’ capacity to sense and act accordingly to these emerging realities. Claude will share how embracing change led InterfaceFLOR to take action by leading a worldwide design effort, innovative and sustainable manufacturing and development processes.
Claude’s mix of manufacturing, sales and marketing knowledge gives him a unique perspective for integrating sustainability throughout the InterfaceFLOR corporate culture.
Keynote Speaker - Day 2
Bob Willard, Speaker and Author
A leading expert on the business value of corporate sustainability strategies, Bob applies his business and leadership experience from his 34-year career at IBM Canada to engage the business community in proactively avoiding risks and capturing opportunities associated with environmental and social issues.
He is the author of two books on the business justification for sustainability strategies, The Sustainability Advantage and The Next Sustainability Wave. The DVD of his typical presentation, The Business Case for Sustainability, is used in webinars to help him reduce his carbon footprint from global speaking trips. His latest book, The Sustainability Champion’s Guidebook, and its associated DVD, outlines how internal leaders can transform their companies to sustainable enterprises.
Bob is on the faculties of the Sustainable Enterprise Academy and the Sustainability and Education Academy; is on the advisory boards of the Natural Step Canada, Durham Sustain Ability, and Learning for a Sustainable Future; and is a member of the Education Alliance for a Sustainable Ontario, the Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change, and the International Society of Sustainability Professionals.
He has a BSc from McGill University (1964) and an MEd (2000) and PhD (2005) from the University of Toronto.
More information about Bob and his resources for sustainability champions can be found at www.sustainabilityadvantage.com.
Speakers - Concurrent Sessions
Amelia Au, Marketing Specialist, Commercial Lighting Program, Manitoba Hydro
Amelia has worked with Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart Programs for the past four years. She began as a Marketing Analyst for the Commercial Lighting Program, where she also assisted with the Power Smart Design Standards Program, as well as researched, developed, launched and ran the Commercial Clothes Washers Program.
Amelia became a Marketing Specialist and worked with the Commercial Building Envelope and Parking Lot Controllers Programs before becoming the Marketing Specialist for the Commercial Lighting Program. She is a graduate of the I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba.
Dieter Bartel, Commercial Energy Specialist, Manitoba Hydro
Dieter Bartel is a Commercial Energy Specialist in the Customer Engineering Department with Manitoba Hydro, primarily providing demand side management guidance to commercial and industrial customers.
Dieter obtained his Certified Energy Manager designation in 1996 and has been certified through the University of Wisconsin as a Qualified Commissioning Process Provider. He is a past president of the Manitoba Chapter of ASHRAE, and he serves on the Standing Committee for Energy Efficiency in Buildings for the National Research Council; the committee is currently re-writing the National Energy Code for Buildings.
Sarah Chernis, Energy Modeler and Sustainability Coordinator, Smith Carter
Sarah is a LEED Accredited Professional who has developed a particular expertise in daylight simulations, LEED coordination and energy modeling. Her career in, and passion for sustainable design started in Atlanta, Georgia where she worked for a non-profit organization promoting sustainable design and educating contractors about environmentally responsible construction.
Her most recent project involvements include: compilation of the material-related LEED credits for Manitoba Hydro Place, Red River College Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre LEED submittal, and the wind study for the new Women’s Hospital in Winnipeg. Sarah also assisted in writing the SC3 Transportation Management Plan and conducted a water measurement and verification study for Smith Carter’s LEED Platinum certified office building.
Todd Craigen, Construction Manager, PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Todd possesses 15 years of experience in the construction industry, working in a variety of markets across Canada. Todd's cross-Canada experience includes projects in Regina, Fredericton, St. John, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, and Winnipeg. This experience demonstrates Todd's ability to adapt to changing environments all the while maintaining the level of service the PCL family of companies is noted for.
In addition to Todd's work on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights project, his major project experience includes the Milner Ridge Correctional Centre (Beausejour, MB), the Rideau Hall Restoration project (Ottawa, ON), the Regina General Hospital project (Regina, SK), and the Radisson Hotel project (Quebec City, PQ).
Glenn Crook, Vice President of Commercial Financial Services, RBC Investments
A native Winnipegger and a University of Manitoba Commerce graduate, Glenn Crook is currently Vice President of Commercial Financial Services for the Winnipeg market. He leads a team of commercial professionals who develop lending, investment and cash management solutions for all varieties of commercial operations and projects.
Glenn has had the opportunity to explore all corners of our great province which has created a deep appreciation for our environment and the importance of sustainability. He also understands the importance of community, and serves on the foundation boards of the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre and St. Amant.
Dennis Cunningham, Project Manager, International Institute for Sustainable Development
Dennis has worked with IISD on a variety of areas including communications, climate change, business and sustainable development and corporate social responsibility for almost a decade.
As a Project Manager with the Climate Change and Energy team he is engaged in providing policy expertise and project management to several provincial governments on greenhouse gas regulatory frameworks, leads IISD`s involvement with the Western Climate initiative, and participates in international meetings such as climate treaty negotiations as an official observer.
Marten Duhoux, Chair, Manitoba Chapter, Canada Green Building Council
Marten is the Chair of the Manitoba Chapter, CaGBC, an organization dedicated to promoting a sustainable built environment through education, advocacy and the development of benchmarking tools.
He is also a project manager at Friesen Tokar Architects, Landscape & Interior Designers, and is involved in a variety of projects, ranging from public buildings to affordable housing, community projects and interpretive centres.
Joe Geurts, Construction Team Member, Canadian Museum of Human Rights
Joe Geurts serves as the representative for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights on the construction team. Prior to this project, he worked in the federal public service in senior roles for 34 years, his last post being Director, Canadian War Museum, where he led the team responsible for the construction and opening of the internationally recognized new museum building.
Glen Klym, Architect and Project Manager, Smith Carte
Glen Klym is a LEED Accredited Architect and Project Manager with Smith Carter. He was the Project Manager and Sustainability Coordinator for Manitoba Hydro Place – the utility’s new $278 million corporate office building in downtown Winnipeg, and Project Manager and Sustainability Director for the CSEC Mid-Term Accommodation Project.
With a diverse background in architecture and construction, and a passion for sustainable design, Glen fosters enthusiasm for the setting of realistic goals early in a project. A strong proponent for the Integrated Design Process, Glen is a trained Charette Facilitator and most recently was the Certification Director for Smith Carter’s LEED Platinum Certified corporate headquarters building in Winnipeg.
Colleen Kuruluk, Manager of Power Smart Marketing Programs, Manitoba Hydro
Colleen has been with Manitoba Hydro for 14 years and in her current role is responsible for the team that researches, designs, and markets Power Smart Energy Efficiency programs to commercial and residential customers.
A graduate of the University of Manitoba's I.H. Asper School of Business, Colleen also serves as Director of Marketing on the Board of the Manitoba Chapter, Canada Green Building Council. She has also been appointed to the Building Standards Board of Manitoba and is chairing the subcommittee charged with determining how energy and water efficiency will be incorporated into the Manitoba Building Code.
Russell Lavitt, Senior Mechanical Engineer, SMS Engineering Ltd.
Russell is a senior mechanical engineer, project manager, and Partner with SMS Engineering Ltd., and has been with SMS for the past 12 years. He has been involved in the design and implementation of mechanical building systems since 1992.
Russell's design experiences have taken him through over forty HVAC control system designs and implementations at the University of Manitoba, three major fire protection and compartmentation upgrades for MTS Allstream, the new Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, the Richardson College of the Environment and Science Complex presently under construction, and most recently the St. Boniface College Nursing Pavilion.
Russell is a graduate of the University of Manitoba and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Mathematics, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Kathy Malkoske, P.Eng, CMA, CMA Manitoba
Kathy Malkoske has been in the Project Management field for over 5 five years with Boeing Canada and the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO). Her broad range of experience includes transportation design, construction and manufacturing management. She has been involved in a variety of projects ranging from airplane components, risk management implementation, and pavement investment planning.
Kathy graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and earned her CMA designation from Ontario in 2006.
Christina McDonald, Ph.D, Chief Operating Officer, Green Manitoba Eco Solutions
Dr. Christina McDonald is the COO of Green Manitoba, an agency of the provincial government delivering on environmental solutions focusing on climate change, water, energy, transportation and waste for our communities, businesses, municipalities, government and K-12 and post-secondary institutions.
Christina holds an interdisciplinary doctorate from the University of Manitoba focused on Sustainable Development. She has an interest in research and works with the International Institute for Sustainable Development to assess sustainable development knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Manitoba adults and students.
Leo Nicolas, Manager, Occupational Health and Safety, Pinchin Environmental
Leo Nicolas began his career with Pinchin in April 2004 as Project Manager of the Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Contamination group. He has broadened his field of expertise to include assessments, consulting and management responsibilities in the field of mould, indoor air quality and occupational health and safety. He has also been involved in managing client projects related to obtaining LEED credits and BOMA BESt certification.
Leo is a graduate of the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Microbiology and Master of Science in Soil Science.
Dr. Sadek Owainati, Managing Director, EDAMA Consulting
Dr. Owainati serves as Managing Director, EDAMA Consulting, which provides in the field of sustainability and green buildings in the Middle East. Among recent works in the UAE, he led a partnership to prepare the sustainability guidelines for the major project of Jumeirah Gardens City in Dubai. He has more than 43 years of experience in various fields of the construction industry with many multi-disciplinary projects in the Gulf.
Sadek is a co-founder of the Emirates Green Building Council, established in July 2006, promoting the transformation of buildings in the UAE to become a sustainable built environment.
Michael Rodyniuk, Senior Vice President & C.O.O., Winnipeg Airports Authority
Michael Rodyniuk is an international aviation executive with over 20 years of progressive industry experience. Originally an airline captain, Michael transferred from flying to management duties in the early 1990s.
Michael has held management positions with American Airlines and United Airlines in Chicago, and executive management positions with Swiss Air Group in Zurich and California. He was previously Vice President, Marketing and Sales for Air Canada Zip, and Director of Revenue at WestJet, before being appointed to Senior Vice President at the Winnipeg Airports Authority in 2005.
Michael is a graduate of the Aviation Management Institute at Concordia University, Mount Royal University, and the Royal Canadian Flying Clubs Association. He is a graduate student - MBA, Finance - at the University of Manitoba.
Christa Rust, Project Manager & CSIN Coordinator, International Institute for Sustainable Development
Christa Rust is a Project Manager with IISD's Measurement and Assessment team. She brings to the team a unique mix of skills and experience working with Aboriginal communities, industry and various levels of government in very challenging environments.
In addition to serving as Project Manager for "Peg", a pilot initiative being championed by IISD and the United Way of Winnipeg, Christa is involved in the coordination of the Canadian Sustainability Indicator Network. She holds a Masters' Degree in Natural Resources Management from the University of Manitoba.
Monica Samuda Poitras, Energy Manager, City of Vancouver
Monica Samuda Poitras is currently the Energy Manager for the City of Vancouver and teaches Introductory Energy Management at BCIT in a new program that she helped to develop.
Monica holds her Professional Engineering seal for both Manitoba and British Columbia and is a Certified Energy Manager. She has worked in industrial controls, both sides of the ESCO table and as Energy Manager for the City of Winnipeg prior to her family relocating to B.C. in 2008. Combining her technical expertise with people skills, she has focused on building strong cross-disciplinary teams with one goal in mind: make sure it works.
Joe Stano, GREEN UP Program Manager, Canada Green Building Council
Joe is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Canada Green Building Council's (CaGBC's) GREEN UP Program - an initiative focused on engaging building owners and managers to improve the operating efficiency of buildings in various sectors. Prior to his role as GREEN UP Program Manager, Joe led the development of LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED Canada EB: O&M).
In addition, Joe's work at the CaGBC has included coordination of the LEED Canada for New Construction Program, and involvement with the Energy and Engineering Technical Advisory Group.
Tom Sullivan, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management & Finance, GWL Realty Advisors
During his 30-year career, Tom Sullivan has been involved in several areas of investment including private equity financing, corporate and commercial debt underwriting, venture capital, and real estate investment in both Canada and the United States.
In his current role, Tom is responsible for the overall strategic direction, performance and relationship with GWLRA's largest pension fund client with over $5 billion in assets under management. He is also a member of GWLRA's Finance Committee that oversees the strategic direction and implementation of the Company's finance policies, corporate governance and information systems.
A member of the Board of Directors for BOMA Calgary, he is also current Chair of BOMA Canada's BOMA BESt Committee. Tom holds a business degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Manitoba, and holds a FCGA Professional Accounting Designation.
Nada Sutic, Manager, Environmental Initiatives, BOMA Canada
Nada Sutic has been working with the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) since 2007 as a project manager for environmental programs. As Manager of Environmental Initiatives, she oversees BOMA Canada's BOMA BESt environmental certification program for existing commercial buildings.
Nada brings a diverse array of environmental experience to BOMA and the commercial real estate sector. She has worked as a waste management consultant to industrial, commercial, and institutional properties, as an environmental educator delivering community-based programs, and as an ISO 14001 consultant to the auto parts sector. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo, and a certificate in Environmental Management and Assessment.
Grant Van Iderstine, Principal, Smith Carter Architects
Grant is a principal, project manager, and project design architect in the Winnipeg office of Smith Carter, where has worked since 1986. Over the past 2 decades, he has designed and managed complex institutional, commercial, residential and recreational projects across Western Canada and in Asia. His extensive local experience includes design of the Buhler Research Centre, the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital, the new Kleysen Institute for Advanced medicine, and several new YMCA projects.
In Smith Carter`s role as Executive Architect for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, Grant serves as the project architect.
John Wells, Partner, Crosier Kilgour and Partners Ltd.
John is a partner at the structural engineering firm of Crosier Kilgour and Partners Ltd. He has developed specific expertise combined with extensive experience in building science, building material failures, analysis of structural deterioration of duress, remediation desing and peer review.
John graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1990 with a Master's of Science degree in Structural Engineering and is currently working on his doctoral degree based on research that examines building science housing condition variables and its effects on the respiratory health of children.
Elizabeth Westbrook-Trenholm, Senior Officer, Buildings Division, Office of Energy Efficiency
Elizabeth Westbrook-Trenholm is a Senior Office with Stakeholder Relations in the Buildings Division of Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency. She joined the division in 2003, and has since served in a variety of communication and program delivery functions related to greenhouse gas reductions through improved energy consumption in commercial and institutional buildings.
In her current position, Elizabeth works with buildings industry stakeholders in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the northern territories.
Eric Witkowski, Senior Electrical Systems Engineer, Manitoba Hydro
Eric Witkowski is a Senior Electrical Systems Engineer with Manitoba Hydro, having been with the Crown Corporation since 2000. He has extensive experience in lighting, including design and manufacturing of lighting products (ballasts and fixtures).
Eric is presently in charge of technical support for the interior/exterior lighting sector for Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart Lighting Program. His responsibilities include the technical evaluation of lighting products, bench testing and field product demonstrations. He is also a voting member of CSA Technical Committee 419, which overlooks development of all lighting related standards in Canada.
Eric is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba (APEGM), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).