Tell us about your background and why you chose to dedicate your time to the Building Transformations community?
I was first introduced to the organization through my friend and colleague, Thomas Strong. At the time (2010) I was working in the film industry as a film producer, so it was all new to me. Thomas explained to me what BIM was and the value of technology for the building and infrastructure industry. I was not only impressed by the significant value technology could bring to what seemed like an antiquated industry, but the scale of impact technology could have in terms of dollars and overall efficiency. I always wanted to be part of something significant and impactful...so when Thomas invited me to organize the first event for what was Canada BIM Council (CanBIM), at the time, I jumped at the opportunity. From there, I grew new relationships within a community of professionals who were very passionate about the subject. I was drawn to the idea of helping to build an important community that would mature into a movement that could change how the industry operated, ultimately make the world a better place. I enjoyed the process of working with industry members to bring them together to share and collaborate on how to improve the industry. What drove my interest to participate was the community and providing value to its members, this for me the most important aspect of the organization - events and community activities about innovation and technology were the vehicle to deliver the value.
In your long history with Building Transformations, what were the most valuable lessons you would like to share?
The importance of community and ensuring that you deliver value to them. I enjoyed every aspect of building the community, however there were many challenges to bringing people together. Given the broad nature of technology and all the different stakeholders we tried to support and serve, it was very challenging to focus our efforts on just one subject matter. Every topic we touched was critical to the building and infrastructure industry. To address this dilemma, we focused our efforts on serving the need for innovation and technology for all stakeholders. Architects, Contractors, Owners, Trades, and the many other contributors to the community were connected through the need to innovate and technology was at the centre of that conversation. What I learned throughout my time is that community is where it all begins. Bring people together who have a common interest to build better and to innovate, give them valuable content and experiences, which could be a presentation, a job site tour, a dinner or even just a conversation on the show floor and you will provide value to the community. Over my time at Building Transformations I learned that building a community is about nurturing meaningful connections and relationships and giving people a place to grow and learn. You can never underestimate the value of human connection and in a world filled with technology.
What does it mean to you to have received the 2024 Professional Achievement Award?
It means a great deal to me to have received this award. We all worked hard to build the community of Building Transformations and I put a lot of effort into the organization over the years and I had a lot of fun doing it. The camaraderie that was established early on from the Board of Directors was very rewarding for me personally. We travelled from city to city meeting the members and establishing a community of people who I consider to be friends and people whom I respect a great deal. To receive this award from this group means a lot to me – it means they appreciate the dedication and the community we built together. I would not have been able to do what I did without their participation so I would like to thank all the Members, Board of Directors, Team members and Partners who made it all possible over the years. This award has a special place in my heart and I will always reflect fondly on my time at CanBIM and Building Transformations.
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