ADVANTA - Key Persons
Alain loves all things sports and outdoors. Cycling, skiing, hiking, even skydiving are all on the list. He also loves combining these adventures with travel, like climbing the heights of Machu Picchu, Peru.
Job Titles:
- Expert
- Project Lead / Industrial Designer
Andre Huard is our most decorated Solidworks expert. With official certifications from Solidworks as a master user and surfacing expert, Andre can model almost anything. He is an excellent technical designer with advanced skills in designing for plastic, sheet steel, and other materials. Never one to repeat a task that can be automated, Andre has made a great contribution to Advanta by simplifying CAD processes and optimizing data management.
"Clear thinking, repeatable methods, efficiency, and performance: that is how I approach anything I'm involved with. This allows me to exceed expectations every single time."
Job Titles:
- Business Development - Alberta
Bruce Renton works out of our Calgary office in Business Development. An ace at finding promising leads, Bruce keeps us in touch with our network. Whether at a tradeshow, an event, or on the road, Bruce consistently communicates our key message that Advanta can help clients sell more by making their products attractive and easy to use. Additionally, we can help these same clients be more profitable by finding cost-effective manufacturing solutions.
"Every time I try to use a product that is hard to figure out, I feel like I've wasted my money. If only they had invested in industrial design!"
Job Titles:
- Design Manager / Business Development
Job Titles:
- Design Manager / VP Resources
Job Titles:
- Design Director
- Founder
- President
Kent sees his key role as providing a framework in which every staff member has a canvass to contribute their best...and they do! He has instilled a culture at Advanta in which the following matters: Really listen to clients. Be pragmatic. Create products that your client's customers want to buy. Design things that are makeable and efficient. Do such great work that your customers want to come back. Be a tenacious problem solver. Don't stop at the obvious solution, but push a little harder. Make room for the skills of others. Get stuff done on time. Do what you say...and if you can't, apologize and make it right. Along the way, be nice, enjoy people, and have fun. Do all you can so everyone wins.
As a sharp thinker and talented industrial designer, Maxime is a great Advanta asset. Maxime's strong mechanical background and willingness to get his hands dirty certainly help. When it comes to testing ideas with quick mock-ups, Maxime can't be beat. If you've got a complex mechanical issue to resolve, he is your man.
Job Titles:
- Design Manager / VP Operations
Patrick Boutet is a dynamo, completing every project with energy and excellence. He guarantees that things are well done, that our clients get what they need, and that projects stay on budget. Patrick has been instrumental in developing "The Advanta Way" - the methods by which we ensure our work is excellent and that our clients receive "stand-on-our-heads" customer service.
An Industrial Designer with broad experience in all aspects of product development and team management, Patrick makes certain that all projects are well thought-through both aesthetically (outside-in), and technically (inside-out). Patrick has direct experience with most production technologies, fast-paced development projects, and challenging design mandates, as well as a commitment to putting client value front and center.
Shannon Popplewell is our organization's bookkeeping powerhouse. Shannon started with Advanta in 2006 developing expertise with our accounting and internal systems. With offices in two provinces and clients around the continent, having Shannon's experience to help us keep it all straight is invaluable.
Vincent Hamelin is one of our expert Solidworks users and a cornerstone in our workflow management system based on the Solidworks PDM Enterprise platform. As a key production-documentation specialist, Vincent is involved in detailed technical development for manufacturing and early proof-of-concept prototypes. If a part is being manufactured or inspected by Advanta, there is a good chance that Vincent prepared the documentation. Vincent ensures that our manufacturing documentation and all the details are to specification, reflecting the quality of the Advanta Way.