MAKE IT SAFE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- VP, Operations - West / CKF Inc.
Amit has 22 years of senior manufacturing management experience in Plastics, Recycling, and Pulp Molding. He currently serves as the Plant Manager for CKF overseeing 350 employees in three Plants producing egg cartons and meat trays in Langley and Delta, BC
Under Amit's leadership CKF has completed WorkSafeBC's PACE program and achieved OSSE (COR) certification. He describes CKF as the most safety committed place he ever worked in. In 2020 the plants received several safety awards among them "Best Safety Record" and the "Most Improved Safety Record".
Amit holds a B.A. in Economics and Accountancy and is CPA, ISR.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President / Peerless Limited
- Senior Vice President at Peerless Limited
Andy McEachern is the Senior Vice President at Peerless Limited. He began his career in the defense industry in Ottawa as a Program Manager for military land vehicle projects before moving to BC in the mid-nineties. At Peerless, Andy has taken on the roles of Engineering Manager, General Manager overseeing and health and safety in the workplace and eventually Vice President with oversight of the operation. Peerless Limited is owned by Manac and is one of the largest employers in Penticton, producing over 500 heavy duty trailers per year.
Andy is passionate about health and safety and prides himself on turning around the company safety culture at Peerless transforming it into a model of excellence. The transformation required a complete reset of business processes and procedures as well as attitudes. He credits the achievements in health and safety culture and the successive years of company COR safety certification to listening to all employees and ensuring that everyone is fully engaged in the journey.
Andy holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from Carleton University and has completed the Kellogg Executive Development Program at Northwestern University. He enjoys the study and application of lean methods and has been a member of the Okanagan Peer Mentoring Group for over 15 years.
Job Titles:
- Learning and Development Specialist
- Member of the Institute for Performance
Arnold began his career as a Blackboard Course Builder while pursuing his M.S. in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University, USA back in 2013.
Since then, he has amassed over a decade of experience in instructional design for big organizations such as Cummins (Power Generation) or small as Pacific Blue Cross. He joined the Manufacturing Alliance of BC as a Learning and Development Specialist in 2022.
He oversees the maintenance and operations of the MSABC Learning Centre, a Learning Management System (LMS) and works collaboratively with the Training & Development team and other internal teams in curriculum development projects.
Arnold is more passionate than handy on varied topics such as AI, XR, automotive repair, Electric Vehicles (EV) and microcomputers (Arduino).
Arnold is a member of the Institute for Performance and Learning-Vancouver Chapter.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Safety, Health and Environment / BC Ferries
David is Executive Director, Safety, Health and Environment at British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. BC Ferries has 47 terminals, 36 vessels, a ship repair facility, six maintenance yards, food and retail outlets, and transports more than 20 million passengers annually with the support of more than 5,000 hardworking employees. BC Ferries' unique safety programs resulted in the globally recognized DuPont Safety award during David's tenure and he continues to work to find creative was of engaging all levels of the organization in Safety and Environmental sustainability conversations.
Job Titles:
- Health and Safety Specialist
- Safety Advisor - Specialist, Occupational Hygienist
Brendan is a Health and Safety Specialist with nearly a decade of experience garnered from a variety of industries throughout Canada, including Oil & Gas, supply chain distribution and heavy equipment manufacturing. Having held various technical and management roles such as Environmental Supervisor, EHS Manager, and Industrial Hygienist. He has penchant for troubleshooting and relies on the breadth of his experience to produce effective, practical, and sustainable solutions to workplace health and safety challenges.
Following the completion of his Master's degree in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Brendan specializes in Occupational Hygiene and is dedicated to the education and promotion of occupational health and the mitigation of occupational illness. Brendan enjoys all facets of health and safety, from conducting workplace ergonomic and chemical exposure assessments, to managing high-risk confined space entries. He is excited to work with B.C. manufacturing and food processing facilities to help create new health and safety programs, and optimize and enhance existing programs for the betterment of employers and employees alike.
Job Titles:
- Quality / Business Process Manager
Dareece has spent her career leading teams in the manufacturing industry for over 25 years. Her background is predominantly in client services and effectively managing diverse teams to ensure they meet and exceed client expectations. She counts herself fortunate to have had the opportunity to be involved in all sizes of companies from privately owned to a Fortune 500 company.
She has a proven history of creating and delivering client-driven programs that positively impact the performance of the organization and a strong operational understanding of cross-functional teams - customer service, manufacturing, health & safety and overall company operational requirements.
In her role as the OHS Services Manager, she helps facilitate the value we provide to the members, to ensure we are collaborating and connecting with them on a regular basis. Dareece develops strategies to maximize engagements that will drive improvement in their safety programs and improve their overall performance with WorkSafeBC and in their industries. By endeavouring to this goal, we will make the manufacturing industry a safer place to work and create a culture of safety wherein every worker safely returns home to their family each night.
Dareece is proud to be part of a team that is passionate and committed to providing the best health and safety practices to ensure the health and well-being of our clients.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner for the Burnaby Office of Norgaard Kratofil Professional Group
Darren Gibson is the Managing Partner for the Burnaby office of Norgaard Kratofil Professional Group, a BC-based accounting firm providing accounting, taxation and advisory services for private companies, high net worth individuals and not-for-profit clients in Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Previous to taking on his current position in 2018, Darren was a partner with one of the larger independent accounting firms in Vancouver.
Darren holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant) designation and has over 20 years of experience in public practice. He serves a diversified clientele but with a focus on some key industries including manufacturing and processing businesses, real estate developers and managers, and auto dealerships.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Safety, Health and Environment at British Columbia Ferry Services Inc
David is Executive Director, Safety, Health and Environment at British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. BC Ferries has 47 terminals, 36 vessels, a ship repair facility, six maintenance yards, food and retail outlets, and transports more than 20 million passengers annually with the support of more than 5,000 hardworking employees. BC Ferries' unique safety programs resulted in the globally recognized DuPont Safety award during David's tenure and he continues to work to find creative was of engaging all levels of the organization in Safety and Environmental sustainability conversations.
Aaron Derouin is a certified professional ergonomist in both the U.S. (CPE) and Canada (CCPE) with experience in various industry sectors, including: manufacturing, nuclear energy, and aerospace. In 2020, Aaron completed a doctorate in Occupational Biomechanics and Ergonomics from the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University's, where he examined the effects of night vision googles on helicopter aircrew performance and muscular demand. Aaron has co-authored numerous inspection reports, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and two regulatory documents.
Dr. Hassan Nedadahandeh is an experienced OHS audit manager with more than 18 years of experience and has conducted more than 500 audits in the food, space, automotive, and other manufacturing industries. He is a certified lead auditor and instructor in the fields of OHS, quality, and environment.
Hassan holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Industrial Engineering and a Doctorate degree in Business Management with research in risk and hazard management. He is a registered professional engineer (P.Eng.) in the field of management systems and cooperates with Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC) as a Statutory Committee Member and Competency Assessor.
Hassan has several professional designations including Six Sigma Black Belt, Scrum Master, ISO 9001/ISO 14001/ISO 45001/IATF 160494/Risk & Hazard Management certified lead auditor and instructor, and EFQM Award assessor.
He is passionate about leading the OHS audit program and supporting our precious clients to ensure that the entire OHS audit process from planning to implementation and reporting is conducted with maximum effectiveness and efficiency.
Hassan provides internal and external auditor training courses, as well as support for auditors to get qualified with maximum productivity.
Dr. Hassan Nedadahandeh is an experienced OHS audit manager with over 18 years of experience and more than 500 audits in the food, space, automotive, and other manufacturing industries. He is a certified lead auditor and instructor in the fields of OHS, quality, and environment.
Job Titles:
- Mental Health and Wellness Director
- MSABC Mental Health and Wellness Director
Dr. Steve Conway brings more than 30 years experience providing mental health services and leadership to his role as Mental Health and Wellness Director at the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC. Using his background as an educator and expertise in delivering mental health services to diverse populations and clinical issues in a wide range of settings, Steve will provide members with personalized workshops and leadership co nsulting and co aching on workplace mental health issues.
Steve is also a post secondary educator and former senior leader at the Director and Vice President level in a private not for profit university. Steve has a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and an MBA with a focus on leadership and teams. Steve is a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor and has coach training in an ICF accredited program.
For the previous 12 years, in addition to being a senior level leader, Steve has been a counselling therapist, leadership coach and consultant, workshop facilitator focusing on workplace mental health and leadership issues and a leadership fit to position assessment specialist.
Job Titles:
- Principal / GZ Mediation Inc.
Garnet Zimmerman has spent 35 years working in labour relations. He began as a Business Agent working his way up to 16 years as President of Teamsters Union local 31 and International Representative and Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for eight years.
Garnet has run his own company GZ Mediation since 2009. He has negotiated collective bargaining agreements in many different industries including manufacturing. He is an advocate for labour and understands the importance of health and safety for both the employer and employee.
Garnet sat as a director on a large national health benefits plan. In addition, he has served for 20 years as a trustee on a provincial as well as a national pension plan. He has completed courses in trustee management: plan governance and due diligence, collective bargaining, federal and provincial labor codes, and women's issues. He is a certified Employee Benefits specialist and has achieved his Advanced Trust Management Standards certification.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Member of the Institutions of Occupational Health
Gavin Thomas is a safety professional with more than 25 years' experience in emergency management, fire safety, and occupational health and safety. His expertise spans operational, tactical, and strategic emergency response, as well as fire and safety inspections, auditing, and enforcement.
A Canadian Registered Safety Professional, Gavin is a chartered member of the Institutions of Occupational Health and Safety and Fire Engineers. His achievements have been recognized through awards in fire and development and sustainability as well as outstanding contribution to safety. Gavin's rich experience makes him a valued consultant and trainer in emergency response planning and mitigation.
Job Titles:
- Maintenance and Continuous Improvement Manager / Andrew Peller Limited
Heidi Hare has more than 14 years of occupational health and safety experience, in safety training for utilities, construction, heavy industry, and post-secondary continuing education and occupational hygiene programs. She has developed staff orientation in health and safety practices for industrial, laboratory, and office and has been actively involved in strategic communications with government, provincial health, corporate partners, and scientific researchers. She has developed and contributed to research proposals, safe work procedures, exposure control plans, and scientific publications.
Heidi began her career in Health and Safety with the BC Cancer Agency and has expanded beyond safety services to adult safety instruction and project management. Her goal is to drive consistency, working collaboratively and providing solutions to continually improve worker safety.
Jennifer Wiebe is a client-focused leader with more than 25 years' experience in B2B technology and nonprofit brand marketing and communications. Her professional journey reflects her dedication to driving innovation and success.
Jennifer has directed marketing and corporate communications, or consulted on content strategy and development, for multiple Canadian and U.S. technology companies. At the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC, she has found her inspiration in the nonprofit sector, building awareness and creating opportunities to connect members with the health and safety advice, training, and tools they need. From developing conference programming to building partnerships to decoding regulation changes, making a difference for members and clients and developing the strengths of her talented team motivate her work.
Jennifer has a bachelor's degree in English and is a Canadian Marketing Association Certified Marketer.
Job Titles:
- Bakery Director
- Director of the Burnaby Aryzta
Ken Smith worked as a consultant in the IT sector for nearly two decades before joining Gambrinus Malting in 2013. The only industrial malting house in British Columbia, Gambrinus is known globally for its quality malt and customer service. Ken's role allows him to combine his background in technology with food manufacturing. He has spent most of his career modernizing operations, working closely with management to adapt processes to the needs of a rapidly changing workforce. He believes safety should be every company's highest priority and is committed to the physical and mental health of every employee, contractor, or visitor to the job site.
Ken started JSOK Trucking Ltd. in 2015 and still serves as its Director of Operations. He is a passionate and enthusiastic business leader with a decade of board experience and is currently serving as the treasurer for Organics BC, secretary for Pacific Agriculture Certification Society (PACS), board member on the Regional Advisory Council for Okanagan College, and trustee for Eagle Rock Water District.
While his educational background is in Computer Information Systems and Business Operations, Ken has a strong financial background and experience in IT, governance, branding, strategic planning, ED development, and compensation and performance reviews. He is skilled in a range of technologies and has earned various professional certifications, including Preventative Controls Qualified Individual, Confined Space and Vertical Rescue, Mental Health and Occupational First Aid, Contractor Safety, and Food Safety (ISO and Organic).
With over twenty-five years in industry and at the various levels of each organization she has worked with, Lesli has consistently maintained a strong belief that zero accidents are achievable. Lesli is currently the President of SunRype Products, an Okanagan-based company with 73 years of history.
Lesli was the Plant Manager and Vice President of Operations for nine years, responsible for all aspects of health and safety in the workplace. With a strong perspective on continuous improvement, Lesli provided focus and leadership in the implementation of behaviour-based safety as well as the journey towards OSSE certification. SunRype employs more than 300 people in Kelowna, running 3 shifts per day and has been certified for six years.
Lesli completed a Bachelor of Science in business management at the University of Phoenix. She also holds a Biological Food Science diploma from BCIT.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- CEO / Manufacturing Safety
- Founder and CEO of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
- Organizational Founder of the BC Safety Charter
Lisa is the founder and CEO of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC, the not-for-profit health and safety association that supports food processors and manufacturers across the province. Under Lisa's leadership, the organization has more than doubled membership.
Founder and CEO, Lisa McGuire oversees all management, governance, and strategic direction of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC, the not-for-profit health and safety association for BC manufacturers and food processors. Under Lisa's leadership, the organization more than doubled membership while growing a multi-layer infrastructure under a 14-director Policy Board.
Lisa is also the organizational founder of the BC Safety Charter, whose vision is to engage BC senior executives to create a culture of safety and well-being to make our province the safest place to live and work in Canada. The BC Safety Charter transitioned into an independent society, The Executive Health & Safety Council of BC, in 2020. Other important accomplishments include leading the development of a National Health & Safety Audit Standard and ongoing work to establish a national health and safety professional certification program in manufacturing.
Lisa's educational background includes an Agricultural Science education through the University of Saskatchewan and UBC. She is also a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and a certified Director (ICD.D) through the Institute of Corporate Directors-Rotman, Directors Education Program.
As CEO, Lisa is responsible for all fiduciary, management and governance issues as well as the day-to-day operations of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC.
Lisa's educational background includes a diverse Agricultural Science education through the University of Saskatchewan and University of British Columbia with recognition on the Deans honour roll. She achieved her Occupational Health & Safety certification ‘with honours' through the BC Institute of Technology and received her external safety auditor's certification through the Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships. Lisa obtained her professional safety designation through the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals in 2004.
Lisa served ten years in the poultry industry in food safety and cost process analysis positions with the latter six years in charge of the Occupational Safety Program of a poultry operation. In 2007 she led the task of securing support from the food industry to establish the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC (originally FIOSA) in 2007 and was appointed Executive Director then CEO. The organization has since expanded to serve members within the general manufacturing industry. She is one of the founders of the BC Food Processors Association which was originally composed of safety and human resource professionals.
Job Titles:
- CEO / Dinoflex Group
- Dinoflex CEO
As Dinoflex CEO, Mark provides leadership to engage and empower employees and increase customer interaction and satisfaction. He has created strategic brands for new channel access and created an environment that ensures all activities are aligned with the organization's vision and core values, the most important being Safety Above All. His leadership has led to expanded operations and a continued focus on automation to improve efficiencies and create a safer work environment for the employees.
Before joining Dinoflex in March of 2013, Mark Bunz was the Director of Sales & Distribution for Zep Sales & Service and was instrumental in positioning Zep as a leader in the cleaning and sanitation industry in Canada. His varied career with Zep spanned almost thirty years-the last twenty in management and executive roles.
In the last five years of his tenure, he gained valuable experience in a changing business environment meeting the needs of stakeholders through the development and execution of distribution expansion opportunities, business consolidation, and non-traditional profitable growth strategies. Of all his accomplishments at Dinoflex, Mark is most proud of leading his organization through the OSSE certification process in 2018 and a successful GMP audit in 2021 as he continues to champion safety discussions in the workplace and in the community.
Michael attributes his passion for food and manufacturing to his early years spent growing up in a bakery. He has more than twenty years of professional experience leading Distribution (logistics) and Warehouse Teams and transforming mindsets and culture to achieve health and safety excellence and build high-performance teams. He is currently serving as President of Puratos Canada, a global food manufacturer with locations in more than 100 countries. Puratos is committed to health and safety as its number one goal. Michael has held many positions within the company including field sales, management, and leadership. He is currently responsible for the Canadian business, which has 200+ employees and two manufacturing sites in Chilliwack, British Columbia, and Mississauga, Ontario.
Although Michael has not served on a board previously, he feels his skillset, experience, and passion for employee development, health and safety, and high-performance teams make him an excellent candidate. If successful, he is eager to learn from the Board and share his knowledge and experiences with both the Board and his extensive international business network. Michael's vision for Puratos Canada is to be the safest and best place to work and grow in Canada. He would be honored to be on the Alliance Board, as it would help him continue to develop his knowledge around health and safety while sharing his experiences, resources, and connections.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Operations
Monica Feregrino is an operations professional with 25 years' experience. An Electrical Engineer with a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering, her career has involved managing complex business initiatives, including daily operations, operational excellence, manufacturing, capacity, capital planning, team management, quality, supply-chain selection, contractor hour management, vendor partnership, and resource rationalization. Having lived and worked in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, with frequent travel to Europe, Asia, and throughout North America for business, Monica brings a strong understanding of global business practices to her role as VP Operations at MineSense Technologies.
Monica has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Influential Women in Canadian Supply Chain by the Supply Chain Canada Association, and as a 2020 Top Immigrant in Supply Chain. Monica is a Registered Professional Engineer, Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP), and Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification candidate. She also is a Board Director for the National board of Supply Chain Canada, advisory board
Muhammad delivers training programs on specialized topics to virtual and live audiences in collaboration with the training team.
Muhammad finds it rewarding to see the skills he learned as a student have a tangible impact on his member clients' corrective actions and evaluations. He is currently looking forward to completing a Registered Occupational Hygienist certification.
Muhammad comes to Alliance after completing a co-op with the National Collaborating Centre for Environment Health in environmental hygiene. He brings a broad range of skills to his role - including skills identification, evaluation, and control of exposure to chemical, physical and biological hazards. These skills include indoor air quality assessments, noise, and chemical exposure assessment and control.
Job Titles:
- Trainer With the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
Robert has managed safety as a tradesperson, shop manager, safety professional, and a learning and development professional. He began his career as a mechanic working in fleet maintenance for the Canadian Armed Forces. As a civilian employee at the Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, he was a member and co-chair of the Joint Health and Safety Committee for nine years.
After completing the Base General Safety Officer course, Robert did an acting term as the Base General Safety Officer. After the base closed, he ran the Hunter Education Program for the BC Wildlife Federation and subsequently held several roles in training and development for companies including the City of Edmonton, Saipem Construction Canada, and Skytrain.
As an OHS trainer with the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC, Robert delivers instructor-led courses in Joint Health and Safety, Risk Assessment, Hazard ID, and more. He also supports the development of courses.
Robert is passionate about life-long learning and has never stopped learning throughout his career. He has completed numerous programs in health and safety and training - including the Instructor Diploma Program at Vancouver Community College. He is an active member of the Institute for Performance and Learning.
Job Titles:
- Training & Development Manager
An industrial engineer by profession, Rosa chose to work in the health and safety field very early on. Her father had a workplace accident that affected the family in many ways and prompted her to dedicate her career to helping to prevent workplace accidents.
Rosa spent many years in health and safety roles but also led projects in lean manufacturing and operations analytics. After working in a variety of industries - including open-pit mining and textiles - she joined the Alliance as an advisor. Today you will find her leading a team of excellent instructional designers and trainers in the Training and Development department.
Her unique skills include seeing the opportunity of potential growth in both people and business, planning projects and action items and demonstrating leadership in her team and with clients who progress through their program implementation. Collaboration, creative problem-solving and adaptability are also skills Rosa brings to her many roles.
Rosa completed her education at the National University of Saint Augustine in Arequipa, Peru - graduating from the Industrial Engineering program. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and holds a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation.
"Protect your most valuable asset: your employees," Rosa advises. "Everything else in the workplace is replaceable, but people are not. They matter to your business and to their loves ones, so invest the time and resources to keep them safe and healthy at work."
Sasan is a highly skilled and motivated occupational health and safety professional with more than 8 years of experience specifically in safety and more than 25 years of work experience in the manufacturing industry. He has a proven track record of assisting employers in providing safe workplaces for their employees and is passionate about what he does. Sasan is dedicated to delivering high-quality results and providing exceptional services to his clients.
With extensive experience in pallet storage rack safety, safeguarding, and lockout programs, Sasan is highly knowledgeable in these areas and can offer expert advice to his clients. He has a strong attention to detail and is excellent at hazard identification, risk assessment, and identifying the best control measures. Sasan is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies to better serve his clients.
Terri was the Industry Services Manager for manufacturing, young workers and the hospitality sector during her tenure at WorkSafeBC. In this position, Terri was a strong advocate for health and safety associations and helped support them successfully to deliver their visions. During her tenure at WorkSafeBC, she also identified and introduced partnerships between Prevention and non-WorkSafeBC entities.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- President of the Garaventa Lift Group
Vince Sciamanna is the President of The Garaventa Lift Group an international company owned by Savaria, a Canadian public company. The Group specialises in the manufacture of home elevators, lifts for people with disabilities as well as stairlifts and compact elevators. Garaventa Lift employs 500 people around the world with just over 200 employees at their custom-built manufacturing location in Surrey.
Vince was born in Switzerland and grew up speaking several languages. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and began his career as a project engineer for a Swiss bridge component manufacturer. Vince left the Alps in 1999 and moved to the Rockies to join Garaventa Lift as the director of business development. In 2018 he took over the global lead of Garaventa Lift and regularly travels between Canada, the USA, and Europe.
Away from work, Vince is involved with the Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce and volunteers his time supporting several local community and charity events.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Chief Operating Officer of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
- COO / Manufacturing Safety
- Member of the Canadian Mental Health Association
Chief Operating Officer of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC, Wayne is an experienced leader in all areas of operations, manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain. A proven sales and marketing leader, Wayne has led multiple businesses serving the manufacturing, retail, and wholesale channels.
A teacher, mentor, and community supporter, Wayne is a member of the Canadian Mental Health Association board of directors and an instructor in the BCIT Operations Management Degree program. Past Chair of the Habitat for Humanity Canada board of directors, Wayne also served on the board of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and was a member of the 8th Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference of Canada.