Presenter Biographies
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24
Matching Supply Chain Strategies to the New Economic Reality
Time: 8:00 am
The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters will outline the current economic climate for Canadian manufacturers and help answer the pressing questions:
- Can Canadian manufacturers be part of global solutions?
- Are there still opportunities in the oil sands relative to the cost cutting companies are experiencing?
Speaker: Jayson Myers, President, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
Jayson Myers is the President of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Canada’s
largest industry and trade association. He is also the Chair of the Canadian
Manufacturing Coalition, a coalition of more than 43 industry associations that have come together to speak with a common voice on priority issues for
Canada’s Manufacturing sector.
Mr. Myers is a well-known economic commentator, and is widely published in the fields of Canadian and international economics, technological and industrial change. As CME’s Chief Economist, he led the association’s Manufacturing 20/20 initiative, the largest cross-country consultation ever convened by Canada’s business community on the future of manufacturing in Canada. He has been recognized by consulting firm Watson Wyatt as the most accurate economic forecaster in Canada.
The Oil Sands Developers Group
Time: 8:30 am
This presentation will include details on the dollars involved in both capital projects and MRO in the oil sands. Information on new owners, recently announced projects and new technologies will be presented. Details will include the size of future projects and supply chain opportunities and MRO. The discussion will also look at the people that will be required in the future development of the oil sands including the numbers and types of professionals that will be needed.
Speaker: Don Thompson, Chairman
Don Thompson is president of The Oil Sands Developers Group (OSDG). As president,
Mr. Thompson is chair of the OSDG’s Board of Directors, which determines the group’s
position on various issues that are brought forward by the members for collaborative
consideration, action and resolution.
Mr. Thompson is also a spokesperson for the OSDG and he is often called upon to interact with key stakeholders such as government ministers, mayors and councils. The OSDG is responsible for ensuring the 26-member group accomplishes its vision of energizing sustainable communities. The group’s mandate is to ensure information dissemination to government, key stakeholders and other interested parties about industry perspectives while consulting with stakeholders and bringing forward issues and challenges for the orderly development of Alberta’s oil sands deposits.
In Situ Project Owners
Time: 9:00 am
ConocoPhillips
A discussion on the past and present for the company as well as what the future holds – will future growth come through joint venture relationships. The company will share details on their current supplier relationships as well as the opportunities for new ones.
Speakers: Jess McConnell, Vice President, Canadian Capital Projects, ConocoPhillips Canada
Jess McConnell is Vice President, Canadian Capital Projects, for ConocoPhillips. He is accountable for the execution of all major projects in the region from conception through to operations.
Jess joined the company in 1983 as an engineering intern for Conoco Inc. in the Gulf of Mexico. He was hired full-time, and over the past 25 years has been an integral part of many high impact projects and operations across the company. He has held applied project management, engineering, engineering leadership, and production leadership positions in onshore and offshore projects in the United States, Venezuela and Canada.
Following 15 years in the United States (including Casper, Wyoming; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Lafayette, Louisiana) working in various engineering and leadership positions, Jess relocated to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. Between 1999 and 2005, Jess held positions as lead project engineer, engineering and construction manager, and throughput optimization manager for the Petrozuata heavy oil development and expansion projects. In Venezuela, Jess helped develop national staffing and resources, and established a fully nationalized engineering and construction organization supporting long-term field development.
In 2005, Jess was appointed project manager, Surmont Phase 1, a Canadian oil sands project. Two years later, following the completion and start-up of Surmont Phase 1, he became the project manager for the Surmont Phase 2 project. Under Jess’ leadership, these projects successfully progressed to the execution phase amid increasing regional market pressures and regulatory changes.
Jess was born and raised in Wyoming. He has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wyoming and a Masters of Science in Project Management from Boston University.
Cenovus
Discussion regarding the $2.3 billion dollar division of Cenovus being developed, that will be focused entirely on the oil sands. The company will talk about the advantages of splitting Encana and what supplier opportunities exist.
Ian Young, Vice President, New Resource Plays, Cenovus
Ian Young is currently Vice President, New Resource Plays at Cenovus Energy, where he is responsible for Cenovus’ portfolio of undeveloped thermal resources. He graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology from the University of Calgary in 1985.
He started with PanCanadian Petroleum immediately after graduation until December of 1990 when he joined Opinac Exploration. He was with Opinac until he rejoined PanCanadian in 1993, rising to the level of Exploration Manager. At the merger with AEC in 2002, Ian was named Vice-President of the Rangeland Business Unit at EnCana Corporation and was responsible for all cross-functional aspects of EnCana’s business in southern Alberta and SW Saskatchewan. Subsequent roles included Investor Relations and responsibility for EnCana’s Canadian exploration portfolio.
Ian has received diplomas and certificates in business administration from the University of Calgary (1989) and in Canadian Securities from the Canadian Securities Institute (1993). Ian was selected as PanCanadian's representative for the Governor General's Canadian Studies 2000 Conference (now the Governor General’s Leadership Conference).
Ian is a member of the CSPG, APEGGA and AAPG. He is Past-President of the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences, the umbrella organization for Earth Science in Canada.
Exel: Supply Chain Strategies
Time: 10:30 am
Supply chain strategies
- Reducing costs
- increasing Time on Tool in capital intensive plants
- Experience with Syncrude
- Exel’s ability to operate in current cost reduction environment
Speaker: Ed Smith, Senior Director, Customer Relations, Exel
Ed Smith has been with Exel for 5 years and is currently the Senior Director of Business Development, specifically responsible for Business Development in Energy Vertical for Canada and the US. Prior to that, he was with Eastman Chemical for 14 years in plastics sales, marketing, pricing and appointments in finance and supply chain. Smith graduated from the University of Tennessee and has also completed the Eastman Business Management Curriculum.
FT Services
Time: 11:00 am
Where has the company been, where are they going and what role has industrial asset management played? The company will discuss the successful strategies they have employed based on their global experiences in the North Sea, Australia and Northern Canada. Do opportunities exist for new supply chain relationships?
Speaker: Kevin Hawco, President, Business Sustainability, FT Services
Kevin Hawco has more than 28 years of financial, business and management experience in the oil and gas industry. Kevin received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He has held senior management roles in major oil and gas companies, and has experience in both oil & gas and development operations. His previous role was Vice President - Business Operations (Infrastructure Division) for Flint Energy Services Ltd. Kevin joined FT Services in May 2008.
CO2 Management and Sustainable CCS Projects
Time: 11:30 am
Enhance Energy will present the current state of CO2 management relative to heavy oil and the oil sands. The company will present an outline on the status of the economically sustainable CCS project. Do opportunities exist for new supply chain relationships?
Speaker: Susan Cole, President
Susan Cole, P.ENG, MBA, has an impressive career spanning over two decades in the oil and gas industry. Susan is the President of Enhance Energy, Inc. a private, Alberta-based company that specializes in enhanced oil recovery involving the permanent sequestration of CO2. Prior to Enhance, Susan’s career path led her to senior management roles on some of Canada’s leading oil and gas projects.
A significant career milestone was her selection as the Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year in 2001. This accolade was bestowed on Susan during her time as Manager, Weyburn CO2 Development. Susan spent five years working on the Weyburn project, where she was responsible for management of the Weyburn Unit and surrounding properties. The Weyburn CO2 Miscible Flood project, Canada’s largest flood, with a capital investment profile of $1.1B – was the largest single capital investment ever undertaken by PanCanadian. After her time in Weyburn, Susan managed the Great Plains Engineering Operation; the fastest growing Business Unit at PanCanadian, prior to its merger with AEC creating what is now EnCana.
In 2002, Susan moved into the role of Manager, Athabasca Oil Business Unit at EnCana, where she managed all of the engineering, operations and development in the Oil Business Unit, which focused on waterflooding and polymer flooding of the Pelican Lake heavy oil pool. After securing key career milestones, the time was right for Susan to start her own company. In 2005, Susan accepted the opportunity to create Enhance Energy. Enhance is quickly growing through acquisitions and joint ventures and is set to create a system that will be the catalyst for both significant greenhouse gas reductions and the development of large scale enhanced oil recovery in the province of Alberta.
Luncheon Keynote: Competitive Realities in the Oil and Gas Industry
Time: 12:30 pm
Peter Tertzakian will examine the transformation of the global energy sector through economic, environmental and geopolitical pressures. The presentation will delve into the critical energy issue of our time:
How can mankind bring its ever-growing demand for energy under control, reducing our energy appetite and carbon footprint?
Speaker: Peter Tertzakian, Internationally Recognized Energy Expert, Economist and Author, Chief Energy Economist of ARC Financial Corporation
Peter Tertzakian is Chief Energy Economist of ARC Financial Corporation and bestselling author of A Thousand Barrels a Second: The Coming Oil Break Point, The Challenges Facing an Energy Dependent World and The End of Energy Obesity: Breaking Today's Energy Addiction for a Prosperous and Secure Tomorrow.
Passionate about the history and direction of energy in society, Tertzakian blends three decades of experience in geophysics, economics, technology and finance to constantly analyze energy trends. Over the years his prescient advice to corporate leaders, policy makers and students has earned him many accolades for his work, including an asteroid in his name.
Always questioning the consensus view, Tertzakian writes a weekly journal, the ARC Energy Charts, and is often quoted or seen in the media (including an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), He is a sought after speaker at events around the world.
Tertzakian has an undergraduate degree in Geophysics from the University of Alberta, and a graduate degree in Econometrics from the University of Southampton, U.K. He also holds a Master of Science in Management of Technology from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.
THURSDAY, MARCH 25
Mining Project Owners
Time: 8:00 am
An overview of Suncor’s past, present and future in the oil sands. The company will provide details on the Firebag 3 project, including the size and the duration of the build and the new supply chain opportunities that exist. The presentation will look at whether suppliers have modified their costs over last year.
Speaker: Andrew Stephens, Senior Vice President, Business Services
As senior vice president, Business Services, Andrew Stephens is responsible for enterprise-wide business services and integration of technology and processes, including supply chain management.
Andrew Stephens was appointed Senior Vice-President, Corporate Relations at Petro-Canada in 2007. In this role, he led Petro-Canada’s human resources and communications with internal and external stakeholders. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Mr. Stephens also contributed to the strategic leadership of the Company.
Mr. Stephens began his career in 1977 as a Process Engineer with Gulf Oil Canada at the Port Moody refinery, focusing on projects, planning and economic evaluations. Since joining Petro-Canada as a Process Engineer in 1979, Mr. Stephens held senior leadership roles in the upstream, Downstream and Shared Services business units. He was an Officer of Petro-Canada from 1993 to 2009.
Mr. Stephens holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta.
Mr. Stephens has served on the Board and as President of the Youth Science Foundation, and is the past Chair of the Energy Council of Canada.
Bantrel Strategies
Time: 9:00 am
With the downsizing and cost reductions of EPCs everywhere in 2009, what lessons were learned and what are the new long-term strategies or the apparent upswing of the oil sands industry.
Speaker: Tim Maitland, Manager of Procurement and Quality, Bantrel Co.
Tim has over 29 years experience in the oil and gas industry; predominantly in Supply Chain Management within EPC and fabrication. He is currently the Manager of Procurement and Contracts for Bantrel.
Tim’s fields of expertise include: functional management, project procurement management, project business services, materials management, off site fabrication programs (which include module assembly, pipe spool fabrication, and structural steel fabrication).
Economics of the Oil Sands
Time: 9:30 am
An outline on the history of the banking industry relationship with the oil sands will be discussed. The discussion will include the bank’s economic outlook relative to the oil sands and hydrocarbons. They will explore the questions of whether returns are too long range for Canadian and Asian banks.
Speaker: Kent Ferguson, Corporate Finance, RBC Capital Markets
Kent Ferguson is a Managing Director in the RBC Capital Markets energy investment banking group and is responsible for senior client relationships with the E&P sector. He has been fortunate to be involved in numerous high profile M&A, equity and debt transactions for large capitalization entities. Oil sands has been a particular focus area for Kent over the last decade where he has been involved with a number of full cycle capitalization efforts (private equity, public equity, bank financing, bond financing, corporate sale) and has innovated a number of debt and equity financing structures.
Kent has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Saskatchewan, is a CFA charter holder and is a member on the Chef’s for UNICEF Patrons Council.Innovative Strategies in Challenging Economic Times
Time: 10:30 am
Waiward Steel
A deeper look at the past, present and future of Waiward Steel in the oil sands industry. The company will discuss what strategies have allowed them, as an Alberta company, to stay focused and innovative in these challenging times. The presentation will look at joint venture relationship opportunities.
Speakers: Don Oborowsky, President, Waiward Steel Fabricators Ltd.
Raised in Cactus Lake, Saskatchewan, and a 44-year resident of Edmonton, Donald Oborowsky is the Co-Founder and CEO of Waiward Steel Fabricators Ltd., an industrial steel fabricator, employing 500 employees, specializing in the oil and gas, pulp and paper, transportation and petro-chemical industries. Waiward Steel, currently celebrating 38 years in business, is recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies and regarded as one of the largest privately-owned automated industrial steel fabrication facilities in Canada.
Don is also the President and CEO of Waiward Construction Management Inc., involved in excavation services including water, sewer, and commercial site preparation, paving and hydrocarbon contamination clean up. He is also President and CEO of Hustle Holdings Ltd., a residential and commercial development company with land and property holdings in Edmonton and area. In a joint venture with Fort McKay First Nation, Waiward Management Inc. has developed a 250 acre industrial park in the Fort McMurray region providing facilities for the manufacture, processing and storage of mechanical electrical and steel products for industrial use.
Don and his son Shonn, own Characters Fine Dining, an exquisite offering of fine cuisine, located in downtown Edmonton.
He serves and has served as Chair/Past Chair and Board member on numerous industry, occupational, and community focused organizational boards and committees including Alberta Economic Development Authority, Workers’ Compensation Board, Manufacturer’s Health and Safety, Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Board, Canadian Construction Association, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), University of Alberta School of Business-Business Advisory Council, Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and Chair for the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction. He is the founder of the Alberta Diabetes Foundation, not to mention the Diabetes Research Center’s first donor to start the project and he is highly recognized for his philanthropic work in the community including Waiward’s $1 million dollar contribution to create a new centre for steel technologies and apprenticeships at NAIT’s Souch Campus. He is a strong supporter of the trades and apprenticeship and as such, after beginning his own carpentry apprenticeship in 1967, faithfully completed the examination process to receive his Carpentry and Red Seal Certificate in September of 2007.
Awards include WCB Alberta WorkSafe Award of Distinction, CCA National Safety Award, Premiers’ Award of Distinction, CCA Community Leader of the Year, Alberta Business Leader of the Year (JA), 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year, Prairies Region, 2009 CCA Person of the Year as well as honoured outstanding Albertan.
Don is very involved with family. He is married to Judy and they have two children, Shonn (Jenn) and Sharleen (Travis) and three grandchildren, Lola, Lennon and Lou. Free time is spent enjoying quality time with his grandchildren, special carpentry projects, and 18 rounds of golf every now and again. He is an avid fisherman who takes pleasure in fishing trips to the Great Northern lakes and to other destinations as far reaching as the Grand Amazon.
Ledcor Industries Ltd.
Dave Harper will discuss the background of Ledcor, both past and present with a focus on strategies that brought the company through a challenging 2009. He also will speak about the opportunities on the horizon and the supplier and/or supply chain opportunities available with Ledcor Industries Ltd.
Speaker: David Harper, Vice President, Ledcor Industries Ltd.
Canadian Oilsands Network for Research and Development (CONRAD)
Time: 11:30 am
Alan Fair will tell the story of CONRAD; what areas are going forward at the present time and what opportunities he sees for supply chain linkages resulting from tailing pond technologies being commercialized in the near future.
Speaker: Alan Fair, Chairperson
Alan Fair graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering. He spent one year working for a geotechnical consulting firm before joining Syncrude Canada Ltd. in June of 1979 at its Fort McMurray operation. In 1995 he completed his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Alberta. During his 31 years at Syncrude, Alan has held several different engineering and operations management positions within the mine, extraction and technology areas. He assumed his current position as the Manager of Research & Development in May of 2004.
As the Manager of Research & Development, Alan is responsible for both the technical direction and overall management of all research and development activities at Syncrude. Alan is located at the Syncrude Research Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.
In addition to his Syncrude position, Mr. Fair also holds several external positions with other organizations including CONRAD, the Canadian Oil Sands Network for Research and Development. He is currently the Chairperson of CONRAD’s leadership organization, the NCC or Network Coordinating Committee. A position he has held since January of 2009.
Luncheon Keynote: George Bezaire, Director of Corporate Planning, Imperial Oil Limited
Time: 12:30 pm
Georfe Bezaire will be outlining Imperial Oil's perspectives on the future of the oil sands and the advancing of their supply chain.
Forum Registrar: Pivotal Events Ltd. 11624 145 street. Edmonton, AB, T5M 1V8
Phone: +1 780-444-3929 • Toll Free Phone: 1-866-493-3929 • Fax: 780-454-3974 • email: nbsf@pivotalevents.ca