MEET
THE TEAM

Leadership

Sean Penn

Chief Executive Officer

Sean Penn Chief Executive Officer 30 years in the construction industry, 20 involved in senior leadership To provide the best customer experience we have to have the best people, growing the best teams, building the best projects. Continual investment in safety and our people is the only way to create a strong long-term organization that we can all take pride in. My favourite project isn’t a building… it’s the growth and success of our people. When I retire, I won’t look back only remembering the amazing projects we have built. Instead, I will look back at the success of the people I have helped develop and the amazing company they have built.

Roger Babichuk

Chief Financial Officer

Roger Babichuk Chief Financial Officer 32 years in the industry, 25 at Chandos Relationships matter, admit when you make a mistake, surround yourself with great people, learn from failure, and embrace change and make it an opportunity. The Mosaic center. This project was a significant milestone for Chandos. Not only was it our first IPD and Lean project, but also the first IPD project in Alberta and one of the first in Canada. An achievement for the entire team, and a project that set us on a new path.

Nicholas Darling

Chief Operating Officer

Nicholas Darling Chief Operating Officer 22 years in the industry If being a General Contractor was easy, our clients wouldn’t need us. Things generally don’t go according to plan and it takes skilled people who care to get the job done. Plans are nothing, planning and great people are everything. The Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre. Collaborating with some of the smartest people in Canada to get a ‘first of its kind’ project into the ground has been a career high.

Ellie Choi

Senior Vice President, Risk and Legal

Ellie Choi Senior Vice President, Risk and Legal 25 years in the industry Don’t be afraid of a crisis. It can provide you with the best opportunity to show what you are made of. So don’t shy away from a crisis rather, run towards it and be integral to the path that gets the company successfully out of the crisis. I am most proud of the project that led to our current leadership and the board at Chandos. I believe we are an unstoppable team.

Oliver Dees

Senior Vice President, Strategic Services

Oliver Dees Senior Vice President, Strategic Services 25 years in the industry My biggest lesson learned was in my transition from focusing on building great buildings to focusing on building great people. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that the most meaningful builds don’t show up on a set of drawings—they walk through our doors every day, full of untapped potential My favorite project is the Calgary Lamborghini Dealership. Once in a lifetime build and arguably my fastest and best operationally executed project.

D’Arcy Newberry

Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations

D’Arcy Newberry Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations 29 years in the industry Regardless of the task or project I’m working on, I’ve learned the value of investing time upfront to create a detailed plan. Clear and consistent communication is essential throughout the process, and the ability to adapt when inevitable challenges arise. I strive to continuously challenge myself and others to push the boundaries and expand our intuitive fences. When it comes down to it, a projects success is because of the people. Surrounding yourself with great people and focus on teamwork, it’s worth the time. The Roxy Theatre is a project that I really connect with. The theatre is quilted into the fabric of the City of Edmonton. It’s an iconic project because it was a beloved, historic landmark and vital part of the performing arts community that was destroyed by a fire in 2015. Rebuilding it was a success in not only creating a new modern facility, but also through maintaining a connection to the original building’s heritage. This new build lets the city continue their commitment to our rich history of performing arts and culture.

District Leaders

Dennis Kuschminder

Vice President and District Manager, Vancouver

Dennis Kuschminder Vice President and District Manager, Vancouver 39 years in the industry Trust and verify. Svante Carbon Capture Research Facility and the University of Victoria Indigenous Law facility. Two very cool projects that are industry leading in the sustainability and Indigenous space.

Greg Stack

Vice President and District Manager, Chalk River

Greg Stack Vice President and District Manager, Chalk River 42 years in the industry Difficult issues are bound to arise, communicate and deal with them immediately. Science Collaboration Centre, AECL Chalk River Campus

Jason Towers

Vice President and District Manager, Red Deer and Kelowna

Jason Towers Vice President and District Manager, Red Deer and Kelowna 26 years in the industry You owe it to people to tell them the truth. It can be some of the toughest interactions you have, but if you are a true leader, it is your job. Totem Block in Cochrane.

Jesse Reynolds

Vice President and District Manager, Toronto

Jesse Reynolds Vice President and District Manager, Toronto 24 years in the industry When you need to go fast, go alone. When you need to go far, go with others. Georgina Island First Nation Early Learning Centre – working closely with some great partners to deliver much needed infrastructure that will positively impact the lives of an entire community. On top of that, the facility is a beautiful symbol of Indigenous culture. It doesn’t get much better than that in our field.

Padraig McCarthy

Vice President and District Manager, Calgary

Padraig McCarthy Vice President and District Manager, Calgary 24 years in the industry True success comes from intentionally designing a team environment where everyone can thrive early on. SAIT John Ware redevelopment project. My favorite project wasn’t defined by the final deliverable, but by the collective commitment of the team to put each other in a position to be successful throughput the process, from start to finish.

Todd Baker

Vice President and District Manager, Edmonton

Todd Baker Vice President and District Manager, Edmonton 17 years in the industry The biggest lesson I have learned in my career is that no matter what contract type the project is being delivered under, teams that collaborate well deliver the best project outcomes. The key to good collaboration is timely and honest communication paired with clear accountability and follow through. My favorite construction project was the Brewery District Heritage Rebuild. The project was a complex and challenging build that repurposed an Edmonton landmark for our community to enjoy for another 100 years.

Aleksi Makila

Vice President and Division Manager, Civil Construction

Aleksi Makila Vice President and Division Manager, Civil Construction

Shared Services

Jen Hancock

Vice President, Collaborative Construction

Jen Hancock Vice President, Collaborative Construction 18 years in the industry Collaborative Projects take a lot of effort but can produce great results for owners, and make the process more enjoyable for all team members. So, advocating for collaborative projects is advocating for better work for us all. Mosaic Center – this project was our first IPD and Lean project. It launched a new and innovative way of working for our company.

Stacey Vanovermeire

Vice President, Finance

Stacey Vanovermeire Vice President, Finance 17 years in the industry What you measure, changes. The Peter Hemingway project. Having used the facility before the renovation, it’s been really neat to see the transformation over the past couple of years!

Owen Nordmark

Vice President, Centre of Excellence

Owen Nordmark Vice President, Centre of Excellence 45 years in the industry, 6 years at Chandos Think Slow. Move Fast. Calgary Casino.

Vince Plourd

Director, Virtual Design and Construction

Vince Plourd Director, Virtual Design and Construction 20 years in the industry Active listening- listen to understand, not to have a rebuttal. When you listen to understand, you open a whole new world of opportunity. My favorite project at Chandos was my first project at Chandos. St Gregory the Great Catholic School, I was able to spend a ton of time on the construction site and learn how a project really gets built from design all the way to handover.

Lindsay Worton

Director, Collaborative Construction

Lindsay Worton Director, Collaborative Construction 20 years in the industry It can be tempting to jump head first into action at the start of projects. True alignment takes effort, intention, and courage. When we slow down, align expectations, and lean into tough conversations early, we achieve stronger results, together. It’s difficult to choose just one. I’ve had the privilege of working with many fantastic teams from coast to coast, including our Halifax Water IPD team, our City of Barrie IPD teams, the CNL IPD teams, and our Kamloops Aquatic Centre IPD team, to name a few. It’s been especially rewarding to support these projects as they navigate complex issues, have the tough conversations, and build the early alignment that ultimately drives successful outcomes.

Kevin Englert

Director, Information Technology

Kevin Englert Director, Information Technology 28 years in the Information Technology industry Show patience and consideration, since not everyone handles situations the same. The Rice Howard Place project. It’s where my first job was coming out of school. Such a great transformation and terrific team!

Tim Laronde

National Director, Indigenous Strategies

Tim Laronde National Director, Indigenous Strategies 5 years in the construction industry, 25+ years in the business services industry Building authentic relationships with all project participants is essential for achieving success and fostering repeat business. Maintaining effective communication throughout the partnership builds trust, while actively seeking feedback from everyone involved reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement and shared success. Indigenous projects that start with collaboration, transparency, clear communication, and meaningful consultation consistently lead to wealth creation and capacity building within the community. The Frog Lake First Nation Water Treatment Project is a strong example of how early collaboration and innovation help ensure these core principles are achieved.

Zach Moe

Director, National Sales

Zach Moe Director, National Sales 15 years in the industry The best projects start with the right clients. I’ve learned that taking on work that doesn’t fit our strengths or culture can erode team morale and compromise success. Construction is a long-term commitment, and my priority is finding the right work to ensure our teams spend those years building something they’re proud of. Watching Chandos expand across Canada has been an incredible journey, and I’ve been fortunate to play a role in some remarkable projects. From the SAIT Program of Projects to Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ new builds and Advanced Nuclear Research Materials Centre, Barrie Simcoe Emergency Services Campus, and BC Housing’s 1st and Clark, these pursuits represent the best of collaboration and innovation.

Noelle Devlin

Director, Human Resources

Noelle Devlin Director, Human Resources 25 years in Human Resources Our jobs are ever changing and complex – embrace a growth mindset and be ready to dynamically steer. William Hawrelak Park. Being from Edmonton and spending lots of time in the river valley, this is such a cool restoration of an iconic park in the heart of the city with a lot of Chandos self-performed work!

Neil Solankurkar

Director, Quality Management

Neil Solankurkar Director, Quality Management 25 years in the Construction and Engineering industry Well defined processes and cutting-edge technology set the stage, but excellence is achieved when the team is committed, clear on priorities, and aligned in understanding. True operational excellence starts with people. OKIB Cultural Immersion School in Vernon, BC. Located in the Okanagan Nation, this was a complex project that was executed collaboratively by the entire project team.

Audrina Lim

Director, Sustainable Construction

Audrina Lim Director, Sustainable Construction 23 years, with 12 years in Canada in both architectural and construction sustainability Learning how to research is critical, and from there; looking at how we translate and communicate with all who participate in the industry, and not being afraid to ask questions and be inquisitive. I’ve been extremely lucky to be involved in many projects at Chandos. One of my favourites was our Ottawa Operations Center project, it was challenging as a Mass Timber, Net Zero, Zero Carbon, and LEED project. I really saw the amazing performance of the team and the endurance it takes to navigate a lot of complexity and performance targets, as we build sustainable buildings and build them as sustainable as possible.

Lyle Brookes

Senior Legal Council

Lyle Brookes Senior Legal Council 24 years. I have spent the bulk of my career, both in private practice and as in-house counsel in construction, both as a litigator and a solicitor. The best litigation is litigation avoided. Prompt, candid and fulsome communication is often the best tool to help parties avoid disputes. Our IPD projects. The contract delivery model is still new to many of our subcontractors and owners. The process of negotiating an IPD contract is almost always an opportunity to share our experience and work collaboratively with other counsel to mitigate risk for all parties.

Dominic Ries

Director, Technical Solutions

Dominic Ries Director, Technical Solutions 29 years in the industry, 7 years with Chandos Teamwork is at the heart of everything we do. The old adage that ‘there is no I in team’ truly resonates with me. I learned early on that teaching our team members the processess and procedures was the best way to be sure we all understand why we are building the project. Everyone pulls in the same direction. Peter Hemmingway Aquatic center was built in 1971, this iconic award winning building stands as a symbol of the Organic Modernism movement. The shape mimic’s the crest of a wave, the rolling prairies, and the mountain landscape of Alberta. I have a love for this facility. It was where my high school team won our gold medals in Water Polo for the City of Edmonton. The Chandos team rolled up their sleeves during the project renovation, which turned into more of a historic preservation. I’m so proud of how the team kept this iconic building important in the City skyline.

Shawn Gardener

Director, Business Solutions

Shawn Gardener Director, Business Solutions 26 years in the industry Planning your work is an integral part of doing your work, it is the best way to ensure you meet your commitments. The St. John Ambulance Provincial Headquarters in Edmonton. It was Chandos’ first LEED Silver accredited building, and Edmonton’s first as well, marking an early and meaningful milestone in Chandos’ commitment to sustainable building.

MEET THE TEAM