MEETING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
APEGS celebrated its award recipients with an online ceremony on Friday, April 30 as part of the APEGS 2021 Annual Meeting and Professional Development Conference. To view the ceremony or separate videos for each recipient, visit apegs.ca, under About Us / Annual Meeting and PD Conference.
The following members received other awards:
Chi Yung Chung, P.Eng., received the Gerry Zoerb Award for achieving the highest mark in the Principles of Professional Practice Exam for 2020.
Andrew Lockwood, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) received a certificate of fellowship and the privilege of using the designation Honorary Geoscientists Canada Fellow (FGC Hon.) from Geoscientists Canada upon recommendation from APEGS in honour of exceptional contributions to the geoscience profession.
The following members received a certificate of fellowship and the privilege of using the designation Fellow of Engineers Canada (FEC) from Engineers Canada upon recommendation from APEGS in honour of exceptional contributions to the engineering profession:
• Kwei Quaye, P.Eng., FEC
• Catherine Griffith, P.Eng., FEC
• Robert Cochran, P.Eng., FEC
• Jessica Theriault, P.Eng., FEC
• Ondiveerapan Thirunavukkarasu, P.Eng., FEC
• Sebastian Walrond, P.Eng., FEC
The following members received a certificate of fellowship and the privilege of using the designation Fellow of Geoscience Canada (FGC) from Geoscience Canada upon recommendation from APEGS in honour of exceptional contributions to the geoscience profession:
• Cory Belyk, P.Geo., FGC
• Erin Moss Tressel, P.Eng., P.Geo., FGC
Recipients of APEGS 2021 Awards:
DAVID MACDOUGALL,
P.Geo.
Brian Eckel Distinguished Service Award
Although David was born in Regina, he grew up and received his education in Britain; first at the Romford County Technical School in Essex, England, then at University College Cardiff, a constituent college of the federal University of Wales.
He graduated with a B.Sc. honours degree in geology in 1970. He did not get back to Regina until 1981 when he took up employment with the Saskatchewan Geological Survey in the Department of Mineral Resources.
Immediately after graduation, David was lucky to find immediate work as a field geologist in the West of Ireland, with Canadian Johns-Manville, the company that employed him as a summer student in Quebec in 1969.
It was in Ireland where he worked for 10 years, married and started a family. During that time, full-time employment with Canadian Johns-Manville changed to short-term contract assignments for that company, including two short seasons in Sudan and work in other parts of Ireland with Maugh Ltd. and Irish Base Metals Ltd.
His work for the Geological Survey was nothing if not varied. After an initial five months working on the Sub-Athabasca core project, he spent a year in Mines Branch clearing the backlog of assessment files that had accumulated during the uranium exploration boom of the previous decade.
His next project was compilation of a Metallogenic Map series. This was interspersed with teaching at the annual Prospectors’ School in northern Saskatchewan, preparing exhibits for national and provincial trade shows and scientific conferences and three- to six-week field seasons in the north.
Through his career, David was fortunate to have excellent mentors, whether at university, in industry or in government. He retired in 2007 after 37 rewarding years in geology.
Jeff Horan, P.Eng.
Outstanding Achievement Award
Jeff Horan works as a Division Manager for Associated Engineering (AE) in the Prince Albert office, where he is responsible for co-ordinating staffing and projects for that operation, an office he helped start and grow to more than 15 staff. He was born and raised in Kelvington, SK and is a proud, long-term Saskatchewan resident.
Jeff is an active project manager and engineer with more than 20 years of experience in design and construction of infrastructure, with a heavy focus on roadway projects. Some of his fondest early memories involved tagging along with his father to worksites and getting to ride in and later operate heavy equipment.
Through those early connections, he worked in the late 1990s in the contracting field before returning to school, where he initially completed a diploma from SIAST in 2001 and later a civil engineering degree from Lakehead University in 2005.
Previous to joining Associated Engineering, he spent several years working for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways in Saskatoon and Prince Albert as a technologist and engineer.
Since joining AE in 2007, he has had the opportunity to work with all levels of government and the private sector. He has led the design and construction of several hundred kilometres of highway improvements and close to 500 culvert sites across the province.
Jeff actively seeks northern project work and has completed planning for several hundred kilometres of new roads, including new roads to active mine sites and communities. Recently, he had the opportunity to continue working on the Wollaston Lake road project, which is a lifelong goal to complete.
Jeff is a member of the Associated Engineering Group board and is also active on several non-profit boards in Prince Albert. He has resided in Prince Albert since 2005 with his wife Shannon, daughter Kirsten and son Corbin. He is an active outdoors person and enjoys hiking and riding his snowmobile and dirt bike with his kids in the Nisbet forest near his home.
Harold Retzlaff, P.Eng.
McCannel Award
Harold Retzlaff, P.Eng., graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in 1982.
Following graduation, he began work with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure. He has been with the Ministry for more than 36 years.
He has held numerous positions with the Ministry, including Construction Project Manager, Design Project Manager, Policy Analyst, Regional Operations Engineer and Testing Standards Engineer. Currently, he is the Senior Project Engineer responsible for the geometric policies, standards and practices.
Harold has been involved with the design and construction of several hundred kilometres of highway, guided the planning for numerous highway corridors and developed policies and standards in geometric design and road safety.
Harold joined the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) in 1998. He worked with the Conference Organizing Committee that hosted the 1999 and 2015 CSCE Annual Conference. In 2000, he joined the local CSCE Section Board and was elected President, a position he holds today.
Harold is a strong supporter of community and church activities. He has been a member of the community recreational soccer board where he has served as secretary and president for more than 10 years. He has also held the role of chair for many committees at his church.
Harold is a registered professional engineer in Saskatchewan.
Blanket of Warmth – MacPherson Engineering Inc.
Exceptional Engineering/Geoscience Project Award
On Star Blanket Cree Nation, more than 60 per cent of the homes have thermal comfort and air-quality issues. Wendel Starblanket brought to the attention of MacPherson Engineering his concern for poor air quality and the cold, damp basements on the First Nation.
To address the issues, MacPherson Engineering Inc., made a strategic decision to form an informal partnership with Star Blanket Cree Nation, APEGS, the University of Regina Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Anaquod Plumbing and Heating, Uponor, Creative Services, Dr. Katherine Arbuthnott, Fries Tallman and United Nation Saskatchewan Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development.
The goal was to make improvements that were effective, affordable and eco-friendly and to incorporate Indigenous knowledge to create positive social values.
The ‘Blanket of Warmth’ project concept was to supplement the existing HVAC system with a hybrid radiant heating system that could take advantage of the thermal mass of a basement’s concrete floor and walls in a similar manner to how the teepee used rocks around a fire to store and release radiant heat.
The ‘Blanket of Warmth’ project broadened Indigenous knowledge of the teepee and used five of the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations: Goal 17 Partnership, Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Goal 3 Good Health and Well-Being and Goal 4 Quality Education.
It was on Dr. Amr Henni’s suggestion that this had the makings of a Capstone final-year student project where two existing Star Blanket Cree Nation homes could be compared; one with the hybrid heating system installed and one with a conventional HVAC system.
The following was achieved:
1. Compliance with ASHRAE Standard 55.
2. Saving the occupant $780 per year on power bills.
3. Added 900 square feet of livable space.
4. Implemented solutions that are cost effective (the payback period is 9.6 years).
5. Utilized the thermal mass of the home to provide 12.9 hours of built-in energy depletion to build adaptation and resilience during future power outages.
6. Removed the need for electric space heaters that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, cause 79 per cent of deadly home heating fires.
An article in The Professional Edge of July/August 2019 by Dr. Esam Hussein, P.Eng., titled Compassionate Professionalism and Social Sustainability closes with I have posed here more questions than answers, in the hope of generating a debate within the profession. What a better place to start this conversation than in Saskatchewan.”
Infusing the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals with Indigenous ecological knowledge is the pathway forward to build back better. It started in Saskatchewan with compassionate professionalism and social sustainability.
Lyle Hosler. P. Eng.
Environmental Excellence Award
Lyle was born in July 1955. Five months later, his father gave up farming after two consecutive crop failures due to record flooding. Water management became Lyle’s lifelong pursuit. After graduating in 1980, he started work at Nipawin’s Saskatchewan Agriculture Conservation and Development (C&D) Branch. This office had been the training ground for many engineers working on flood-control projects since the 1950s. Lyle gained valuable knowledge from the experienced staff.
Canoeing became a passion shortly afterwards. For the past 20 years, Lyle has enjoyed canoe trips regularly lasting seven to 10 days in northern Saskatchewan.
Between 1980-2002, his work with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Saskatchewan Water, Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and the Water Security Agency mostly involved flood-control and erosion issues, including design and construction.
The flood-control projects needed grade control structures like flax straw/rock drops, rock chute drops, sloping pipe drops, vertical pipe drops, grassed runways and reinforced grassed runways.
Later, Lyle worked with fishery biologists on several rock chute fishways at provincial dams and structures at a handful of lakes. During his work on various Water Security Agency dams – Lac La Ronge, Lac La Plonge, Theodore, Cowan and Makwa – he developed a good working relationship with Department of Fisheries and Oceans staff.
Lyle attended Bob Newbury’s five-day river course in Cypress Hills in 2001. In 2011, he attended his Stream Restoration Hydraulics course.
From November 2011 until his retirement in January 2017, Lyle worked on restoring the Upper Qu’Appelle Channel. Over this time, Lyle and Jeff Sereda, a fish biologist, became close workmates, as Dr. Newbury strongly recommended that biologists and engineers work together for a successful river channel design.
Lyle’s passion for canoeing contributed greatly to his understanding of differences between flood-control channel design and river hydraulics, thus resulting in a successful design for the Upper Qu’Appelle.
Lyle is married to Donna Miniely and lives a happy retirement life in Nipawin. He is a father to Amanda and Jason, step-father to Chinonso and grandfather to Elly, Archer, Cooper and Theo.
Lyle was a Scouts leader for 15 years. His lifetime highlights were attending a World Scouting Jamboree in Chile and two Canadian Jamborees. Lyle believes the easiest way for a person to be concerned about the environment is to teach them to canoe, which Scouts groups experienced.
Lyle was president of the Nipawin Lions Swim Club for 11 years and served on Swim Saskatchewan Executive for seven years.
Imteaz Bhuiyan, P.Eng.
Promising Member Award
Imteaz Bhuiyan, P.Eng., is a professional engineer and holds a permission to consult in civil and geotechnical engineering with APEGS. Imteaz was born and raised in Bangladesh. He moved to Regina in 2012 to complete his graduate studies. Imteaz and his wife Asma are parents of two boys. Imteaz refers to himself as a happy engineer who often dares to dream big.
Since 2013, Imteaz has been working in the technical services division at the Water Security Agency (WSA).
In early 2021, Imteaz moved into a new role at the WSA as the Manager of Geotechnical Engineering. Currently, Imteaz leads a team of engineers and technologists to deliver geotechnical services for dams and water management infrastructures across the province.
Imteaz is a lifelong learner and avid volunteer. He served in several volunteer leadership roles for the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, Canadian Geotechnical Society and Canadian Dam Association. Imteaz also volunteered in events organized by APEGS and the University of Regina.
At the University of Regina, he was the vice-president of Student Affairs for the Graduate Student Association. He also served as a member of the council discipline committee for the President’s office.
Imteaz published several engineering articles in numerous international journals and conferences from his research work and engineering experiences.
For his academic achievements and research innovation, Imteaz was awarded by the City of Regina in 2012 and by the Government of Saskatchewan in 2013. For his significant contributions in teamwork, he was awarded corporately by Water Security Agency in 2019 for cultural excellence in communication and collaboration.
Ron Genest
Friend of the Professions
Ron was born, raised and educated in Harris, Sask. He met his wife Peggy in 1965 when he was working on his first highway construction project. They have been together ever since. They have four children and eight grandchildren.
Ron worked 41 years at Saskatchewan Highways. He started in field surveying and soil and asphalt testing.
He then served as lab manager until 2003 and sampled and tested highway construction and maintenance materials, performed asphalt mix and structural designs and helped with design and construction of five central and several field labs.
The final three years on the job were spent as the provincial asphalt mix /paving specialist. He attended all paving jobs at startup to try to restore the quality that had deteriorated for some years.
Since retirement, Ron has contracted with MDH, SNC-Lavalin, Soli Solutions and others and assists with lab setup, technician training and project startup.
Ron served as a testing auditor on the Centre Port Canada Way in Winnipeg and design/ build highway projects in Saskatchewan.
He was pleased to be part of the pursuit teams on two major P3 projects – the Regina Bypass and the George Massey Tunnel replacement in Vancouver.
Ron’s exposure to engineering and testing helped him to serve on Village council for the past 39 years and 21 years as mayor.
He holds certificates in Level 1, Level 2 and wildfire fighting and Level 1 water/ wastewater treatment. He has held executive positions on numerous boards, committees and the Harris Lions Club.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling and attending his grandchildren’s activities.