RC125 JulyAug 2026 - Magazine - Page 38
PEOPLE & EVENTS
EVENTS
Gord Johnston, Susan Reisbord
Stantec announced that Gord Johnston will retire as
president and CEO, effective October 1. Johnston will
remain on the Board, taking on the role of vice chair.
Susan Reisbord, currently chief operating officer of the
North America business, has been appointed as the next president and CEO. Reisbord
brings more than 30 years of experience in the industry, joining Stantec in 2021 with
the acquisition of Cardno, where she was the CEO. She became the business operating
unit leader for Stantec’s Environmental Services business line, before being promoted in
2025 to COO for North America.
Cheryl Nelms
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority welcomed Cheryl Nelms as president
of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, effective July 30, 2026. With more
than 25 years of experience delivering complex infrastructure projects
across Canada, Nelms brings proven leadership and deep expertise in
transportation, buildings, water infrastructure, and alternative delivery models.
Rick Jeffery, Derek Nighbor
The Canadian Wood Council (CWC) announced that
Rick Jeffery has retired from his role as president and
CEO, following a distinguished career of leadership and
service to Canada’s wood products industry. The Board
of Directors has appointed Derek Nighbor as president and CEO. Nighbor serves as
president and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), a role he has held
since March 2016 and has retained.
Paul Bird
The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) announced the appointment of Paul
Bird as president and CEO. Bird most recently served as Chief Commercial
Officer of the MPA until March 2026. Having joined the MPA in 2020 as
senior director of the Contrecœur expansion project and later serving
as CCO, he played a key role in securing environmental permits, finalizing design and
engineering, developing partnership agreements, and initiating preparatory work for the
terminal project.
Ghyslain Deschamps
EBC announced the appointment of Ghyslain Deschamps as president
and CEO. Deschamps, who joined EBC in 2018, has held strategic
positions, notably as executive vice president of the Building Group
and then as COO for the Civil and Building sectors. With 35 years of
experience in the construction industry, he has led large-scale projects in Canada and
internationally, in both the building and civil infrastructure sectors.
Darryl Harrison
The Winnipeg Construction Association (WCA) announced the appointment
of Darryl Harrison as president and CEO. Harrison previously served
as director of Stakeholder Engagement at WCA, where he led advocacy
efforts on key issues including procurement practices, labour policy,
prompt payment, and industry development for the past seven years.
38—RENEW CANADA – JULY/AUGUST 2026
David Thatcher
Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) announced the election
of its 2026-2027 president, David Thatcher. Thatcher is a
vice president with Stantec, based in Calgary. He is currently
responsible for overseeing Stantec’s Roadway Sector across
Canada and was previously responsible for leading Stantec’s Transportation
Planning and Traffic Engineering practice across North America.
He began his 25-year engineering career in the Philadelphia area but has
spent the past 17 years in Calgary.
Kurt Slocombe
The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) announced the appointment
of Kurt Slocombe as the organization’s next president and CEO.
Slocombe joined PRPA in 2019 as Vice President, Operations,
Planning and Infrastructure. He has an extensive background
in gateway operations. Residing in Prince Rupert with his family since 2007, Mr.
Slocombe moved to the community as part of the team that started operations
at the then newly converted Fairview Container Terminal. During his time at the
Terminal, he held successive roles including Director of Operations and Director,
Gateway Operations Centre, a joint venture between DP World and CN.
Farzad Moosavi
HKA announced the appointment of Farzad Moosavi as a
Director to its Construction, Claims, and Expert Services team
in Montréal, Canada. Moosavi brings two decades of experience
in planning, schedule delay analysis, project controls, and
leadership of major capital programs across the infrastructure, transportation,
energy, and industrial sectors. His experience includes some of the world’s
most complex capital projects, including 4D planning for a $40-plus billion
nuclear program.
Claire Robson
Mott MacDonald Canada announced the appointment of
Claire Robson as a Principal Specialist, Project & Programme
Commercial Management (PPCM), joining its Major Projects
team in Toronto. Robson brings deep commercial leadership
experience across complex rail and transit programs in Canada and the UK,
most recently on the Metrolinx GO Expansion—one of the largest infrastructure
and transport projects of its kind in North America.
Sarah Tacker
Shimmick Corporation announced the appointment of Sarah
Tacker as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer. Tacker will oversee Shimmick’s operational functions
and will be responsible for strengthening execution, improving
processes, and supporting consistent performance as Shimmick continues
to scale. Tacker joined Shimmick from FlatironDragados, where she most
recently served as Vice President, District Manager leading Northern
California operations including business strategy, pursuit leadership, financial
performance, client relationships, and workforce development.
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