Speakers

Jean-François Tremblay joined NRCan as Deputy Minister in September 2020.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Tremblay served as the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services from 2017 to 2020, the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Communities from 2016 to 2017 and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TIC) from 2015 to 2016.

Before joining the TIC portfolio, he was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Operations, Privy Council Office, since April 2013.

Mr. Tremblay spent time at Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, where he held the positions of Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Treaties and Aboriginal Government (2012 to 2013) and Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction (2010 to 2012). He also worked with the Privy Council Office, serving as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Priorities and Planning (2007 to 2010) and Assistant Deputy Minister in Intergovernmental Operations (2006 and 2007).

Mr. Tremblay joined the federal public service in 2000 as a policy analyst with the Privy Council Office. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Université Laval.

Sudbury
Paul Lefebvre was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Sudbury in 2015.

An accomplished tax lawyer, business owner, and former Commissioner to the Human Rights Commission of Ontario, Mr. Lefebvre is a resident of Northern Ontario with a passion for improving his community.

He owned the local private French-language radio station, 98.9 FM (Le Loup), and expanded its reach by establishing a new station in the Nipissing area. He also owned the francophone newspaper, Journal Le Voyageur, where he transformed the weekly publication into a regional newspaper, increasing its circulation from 8,000 to 18,000.

Mr. Lefebvre is the past chair of the Sudbury Community Foundation and the 2011 Canadian Francophone games, and the past Vice-President of the Association de la presse francophone. A music enthusiast, he is also a founder and past chair of the Jazz Sudbury Festival.

Mr. Lefebvre taught international taxation at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, and has written articles on taxation that have appeared in numerous publications, including Lawyer’s Weekly and the Canadian Tax Journal.

Mr. Lefebvre is married to dermatologist Dr. Lynne Giroux, and they have three young children.

Biography

Born in Thetford Mines on November 11, 1965
Spouse of Carole Lafontaine and father of 2 children (William and Alexandre)

Education

• Certificate in Marketing - Les Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) (1990) (1990)
• Bachelor's degree in political science, Université de Montréal (UDM) (1988) (1988)
• Diploma of College Studies, Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue (1985)

Professional Experience

• Conseiller en voyage et entrepreneur, Club Voyages Plamondon (2015-2018)
• Directeur général, Centre Local de Développement de la Vallée-de-l’Or (CLD) (2008-2015)
• Directeur administratif et marketing, Club de hockey Les Foreurs de Val-d’Or (2004-2008)
• Directeur général, Pro-Ab Équipement (2003-2004)
• Directeur général, La Corporation du Village minier de Bourlamaque /La Cité de l’Or et L’Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Val-d’Or 1992-2003 * fusion des deux organismes en 2001
• Directeur marketing, L’hôtel-motel le Château d’Amos (1991-1992)

Community and Political Involvement

• Membre du comité, Classique Dave Bertrand (2016 à aujourd'hui)
• Président, Filon de Malartic bantam AA (2010-2016)
• Administrateur Chambre de Commerce de Val-d’Or (1996-2015)
• Administrateur, Société des Attractions Touristiques du Québec (SATQ) (2001-2003)
• Vice-président, Société des Musées Québécois (SMQ) (2001-2002)
• Président, Regroupement des sites et monuments historiques de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (1996-2001)
• AUTRES IMPLICATIONS :
  • Consultant pour l’exposition du Roc au Métal, Musée de la civilisation
  • Conférencier dans plusieurs événements pour le Patrimoine Industriel minier
• HONNEURS :
  • Administrateur de l’année - Trophée John-Horman 2006-07, remis dans la Ligue de Hockey Junior Majeur du Québec (LHJMQ)
  • Prix de la Relève 1997, Société des Musées Québécois (SMQ)
  • Finaliste Prix de la Relève d’Excellence 1997, Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC)
  • Innovation touristique de l’année 1996, Grands Prix du Tourisme Québécois

Kevin Anderson is the Vice President, Operations at Canfor Pulp and joined in April 2020. He brings a wealth of experience in both Canadian and international pulp and paper operations.

Prior to joining the company, he served as General Manager at the Australian-based paper, packaging and recycling company, Visy Industries. Throughout his 27 years in the industry, Kevin has held a variety of technical and leadership roles with companies such as Mercer International, J.D. Irving and Norske Skog. He has been instrumental in managing strategic initiatives, improving performance and sustainability of operations, developing and executing capital upgrade programs, and transforming safety culture at mills. He has a proven track record of delivering results and developing collaborative teams.

Kevin earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering and Master of Engineering in Pulp and Paper from the University of British Columbia.

Entrepreneur and field researcher, consultant and leader devoted to the development of resource regions, specializing in biomass recovery and obtaining bio-based products, and benefiting from a large network of multisectoral contacts - the University of Quebec awarded him in August 2018 the very first UQ Partnership Award recognizing the exceptional service to the community of one of its professors

The City of Victoriaville grants it a municipal research chair in sustainable cities, a very first of its kind, so that its scientific approach to cities can serve as a model for university and college researchers across Quebec and the world and that they can train future researchers who collaborate more with the community, especially cities, their elected representatives, their decision-makers and their citizens.

Biography

EDUCATION

• Post-Doctorate – 2006 NRC Postdoctoral Fellow – NIST
• Doctorate – 2004 University of Minnesota
• Masters – 1999 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Bachelors – 1998 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

ABOUT THOMAS H. EPPS, III

Prof. Epps is the Director of the Center for Research in Soft matter & Polymers and the Thomas and Kipp Gutshall Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware (UD) with a joint appointment in Materials Science & Engineering and an affiliated appointment in Biomedical Engineering. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 1998 and an M.S. from Chemical Engineering from MIT in 1999. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2004. Prof. Epps was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at NIST from 2004-2006, prior to joining UD in the Fall of 2006.

His research interests include nanostructured soft materials from biobased feedstocks, nanotemplating of polymer films and coatings, polymeric materials for ion-conduction membranes (batteries and fuel cells), polymer/MOF composites, and nanostructured assemblies for targeted drug delivery and gene therapy. Prof. Epps has received several honors and awards including: the John H. Dillon Medal from APS (2016); the Owens-Corning Early Career Award from AIChE (2015); named a Kavli Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences (2014); the Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award (2014); the Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Professorship at MIT (2012); the Thomas & Kipp Gutshall Professorship at UD (2012); the UD Alison Society, Gerard J. Mangone Young Scholars Award (2011); the DuPont Young Professor Grant Award (2010); the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) (2009); the Air Force Young Investigator Award (2008); the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) Lloyd N. Ferguson Young Scientist Award (2007), and a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award (2007) among others. Prof. Epps also is active in the American Chemical Society (ACS Board of Directors Development Advisory Board), American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Physical Society (Polymers Division), and Sigma Xi. He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2017 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2018. He is a member of the Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) and an associate editor for Science Advances.

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

1. Peterson, G. W.; Au, K.; Tovar, T. M.; Epps, T. H., III Chemistry of Materials 2019 “A Multivariate CuBTC Metal-Organic Framework with Enhanced Selectivity, Stability, Compatibility, and Processability” DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b02756
2. Peterson, G.; Browe, M.; Durke, E.; Epps, T. H., III Applied Materials and Interfaces 2018 10(49) 43080-43087. “Flexible SIS/HKUST-1 Mixed Matrix Composites as Protective Barriers against Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants”
3. Wang, S.; Shuai, L.; Saha, B.; Vlachos, D. G.; Epps, T. H., III ACS Central Science 2018 4(6), 701-708. “From Tree to Tape: Direct Synthesis of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives from Depolymerized Raw Lignocellulosic Biomass”
4. Morris, M. A.; An, H.; Lutkenhaus, J. L.; Epps, T. H., III ACS Energy Letters 2017 2(8), 1919-1936. “Harnessing the Power of Plastics: Nanostructured Polymer Systems in Lithium-ion Batteries”
5. Greco, C. T.; Akins, R. E.; Epps, T. H., III; Sullivan, M. O. Advanced Biosystems 2017 1, 1700099 “Attenuation of Maladaptive Responses in Aortic Adventitial Fibroblasts through Stimuli-Triggered siRNA Release from Lipid-Polymer Nanocomplexes” (co-corresponding author)
6. Holmberg, A. L.; Nguyen, N. A.; Karavolias, M. G.; Reno, K. H.; Wool, R.P.; Epps, T. H., III ACS Macro Letters 2016 5(5), 574-578. “Syringyl Methacrylate, a Hardwood Lignin-Based Monomer for High-Tg Polymeric Materials.” (corresponding author)
7. Holmberg, A. L.; Reno, K. H.; Nguyen, N. A.; Wool, R. P.; Epps, T. H., III Macromolecules 2016 49(4), 1286-1295. “Softwood Lignin-Based Methacrylate Polymers with Tunable Thermal and Viscoelastic Properties.” (corresponding author)
8. Kuan, W. F.; Remy, R.; Mackay, M. E.; Epps, T. H., III RSC Advances 2015, 5, 12597-12604. [invited special issue on electrochemical storage] “Controlled Ionic Conductivity via Tapered Block Polymer Electrolytes” (corresponding author)
9. Foster, A. A.; Greco, C. T.; Green, M. D.; Epps, T. H., III; Sullivan, M. O. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2015 “Light-Mediated Activation of siRNA Binding and Release in Diblock Copolymer Assemblies for Controlled Gene Silencing” (co-corresponding author)
10. Kelley, E. G.; Murphy, R. P.; Seppala, J. E.; Smart, T. P.; Hann, S. D.; Sullivan, M. O.; Epps, T. H., III, Nature Communications 2014 “Size evolution of highly amphiphilic macromolecular solution assemblies via a distinct bimodal pathway.”

PATENTS

1. Angela L. Holmberg, Kaleigh H. Reno, and Thomas H. Epps, III, “Functionalized Dimethoxyphenol Monomers and Methods for Preparing Such Monomers” U.S. Pat. #10,253,131 – Issued 04/09/2019.
2. Peterson, T. H. Epps, III, “Multivariate HKUST-1 Based Metal Organic Frameworks with Reactive Amine Group” U. S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/781938, 12/19/2018.
3. Morris, T. H. Epps, III, “Bio-based copolymer electrolytes and binders for batteries” U. S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/713571, 08/02/2018.
4. Wei-Fan Kuan and Thomas H. Epps, III, “Tapered Block Copolymer Electrolytes.” U.S. Pat. #9,935,332 – Issued 04/03/2018.
5. Wang, L. Shuai, B. Saha, D. G. Vlachos, T. H. Epps, III, “Lignin-Based Pressure Sensitive Adhesives” U. S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/615040, 01/09/2018.
6. B. Gordon, G. E. Knappe, S. Wang, N. J. Wagner, T. H. Epps, III, C. J. Kloxin, “Stress-Responsive Compositions and Uses Thereof” Internat’l. Pat. Appl. PCT/US2017/47375, 08/29/2017.
7. W. Peterson, A. X. Lu, J. S. Epps, T. H. Epps, III, “Layered Mixed Matrix Membranes from Metal-Organic Frameworks and Metal Oxides” U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/545559, 08/15/2017.
8. T. Greco, M. O. Sullivan, T. H. Epps, III, “Hybrid Formulation of Responsive Polymeric Nanocarriers for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Delivery.” U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/362085, 07/14/2016. Patent application, 07/14/2017.
9. M. Shelton and T. H. Epps, III, “One-Step, Continuous Device and Approach to Solvent Cast and Shear-Align Block Copolymer Nanostructures” U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. 62/264986, 12/09/2015. Patent application, 12/08/2016.
10. Angela L. Holmberg, Joseph F. Stanzione, III, Richard P. Wool, and Thomas H. Epps, III, “Bio-Based Block Polymers Derived from Lignin and Fatty Acids.” U.S. Pat. #9,512,249 – Issued 12/06/2016.

AWARDS

1. Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow (FRSC), 2018
2. American Physical Society (APS) Fellow, 2017
3. Texas A&M University, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Lindsay Lectureship, 2017
4. John H. Dillon Medal, American Physical Society (APS), 2016
5. Owens Corning Young Investigator Award, AIChE, 2015
6. Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, 2014
7. Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, 2014
8. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Professor Award (MIT), 2012
9. DuPont Young Professor Award, 2010
10. PECASE Award – Department of Defense (AFOSR), 2009

RESEARCH AREAS

Five main areas of interest include: (see Research Group website for more information.)

1. Biobased materials from waste feedstocks to create performance-advantaged polymers
2. Ion-conducting battery membranes
3. Nanostructured polymers – linking structure/property/processing relationships in thin film and coatings fabrication
4. Polymer/MOF mixed-matrix composites and nanoscale templating
5. Stimuli-responsive polymers systems for targeted drug delivery and gene therapy applications

I am the principal consultant at EnVertis, co-founded company. I spent 5 years as a project director in the Chemical Engineering Department at École Polytechnique of the University of Montréal at the NSERC Environmental Design Engineering Chair entitled Process Integration in the Pulp & Paper Industry. Originally from France and a graduate of Bordeaux University with a Masters degree in International Trade (2005), I obtained my MBA in innovative project management at Lyon University (2006). In 2004-2005, I worked for SCION (New Zealand), where I developed a passion for multidisciplinary projects including the practical application of marketing tools for evaluating innovative and predominantly environmental projects through to business model definition.

I am currently working with industrial partners on the development of the symbiotic biorefinery in the forestry and agricultural sectors, focusing on competitive analysis and commercial feasibility for strategic decision-making relative to product diversification and biorefinery implementation. My major contributions are related to the development of market-based methodologies supporting the identification of promising marketing pathways and business plans for implementing the biorefinery. I am leading strategic partnership discussions between key biorefinery players, i.e. chemical companies and forestry companies, in order to identify winning business models profitable to each party.

My consulting activities focus on defining market-based strategies to lead the forestry industry towards the identification of company-specific product portfolio.

Specialties:

• Diversification strategy via new product portfolio definition, including traditional products and biorefinery product family
• Market-based analysis and competitive analysis including preliminary process design constraints.
• Regional value chain analysis.
• State-of-the-art product and process database.
• Business model definition for company transformation.
• Quality partnerships definition for development and commercialization of biorefinery strategies.

Véronique Proulx possède une solide expertise du milieu de l'exportation et de l'économie manufacturière québécoise, ayant œuvré pendant 14 ans au sein de Laval Technopole où elle occupait le poste de directrice des affaires internationales, et quatre ans à titre de présidente de Commerce International Québec où elle assurait les relations gouvernementales et publiques.

Elle s’est jointe à Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ) en mars 2015 à titre de directrice des communications, affaires publiques et stratégie. Nommée vice-présidente Affaires Corporatives et Stratégie en janvier 2016, elle fut ensuite promue au poste de présidente-directrice générale en septembre 2017. Madame Proulx est d’ailleurs la première femme à occuper ce poste. Elle a été nommée récemment à titre de vice-présidente principale, Communication nationale et Marketing pour la maison-mère, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.

Véronique Proulx continue de s’impliquer auprès de La Dauphinelle, un organisme sans but lucratif venant en aide aux femmes en difficulté, notamment celles victimes de violence conjugale, après avoir siégé 10 ans à titre de présidente du conseil d’administration.

Elle est détentrice d’un MBA exécutif de l’université Paris-Dauphine et de l’UQAM.

Experience:

• Various positions at Domtar since 1997, from Supervisor to Operations Manager, Production Manager, General Manager.
• Managing a team of over 800 employees’ staff and unionized with his direct group of directors. Maintain work relationship harmonious and motivating.
• Managing continuous operation activities in a mill size of 1,850 st/d of fine papers.
• Realize annual objectives of production, health and safety, cost controls, revenues, environmental regulations, quality and customer services.
• Improve and implement maintenance and operation processes to meet budget goals and maintain assets.
• Develop strategic plans as a function of corporate programs and objectives
• Participate in the socio-political aspect’s regions.

Education:

• Executive MBA, Queen’s School of Business, Ottawa
• Master, Pulp and Paper Engineering, McGill University
• Bachelor’s Degree in chemical engineering, École Polytechnique

Title: Research Scientist
Groupe: Industry/Industrial Systems Optimization
Education Background: PhD in Process Engineering, Université de Technologie de Compiègne in France

Current Projects: Integration of forest biorefinery into Kraft mills; water recovery from tailings and purification and drying of food ingredients and nutraceutics.
Areas of Expertise: Thermal process intensification; agricultural, forestry and municipal biorefinery; energy analysis and optimization of industrial processes; bioseparation; supercritical CO₂ extraction and purification; and industrial drying.

Publications:

• International Journal of Energy Research
• Applied Energy; Separation and Purification Technology
• Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
• Journal of Food Engineering; Drying Technology
• Food Research International
• 2^nd International Green Energy Conference
• 8^th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
• The 2008 ASME International Mechanical Congress
• The 2009 AIChE Spring National Meeting
• 23^rd International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation & Environmental Impact of Energy Systems.

Dr. Stuart is a Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at École Polytechnique de l’Université de Montréal, where he is Chairholder of an NSERC Environmental Design Engineering Chair entitled Process Integration in the Pulp & Paper Industry. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Stuart worked in design consulting as Company Associate and Director of Process Engineering at Beak Consultants Limited, as Partner and Director of Environmental Services at Simons Environmental Group, and as Director of the Process and Environmental Engineering Group at H.A. Simons Limited in Montreal (now AMEC).

Dr. Stuart received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal. He is Past President of the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering (CSChE), was Vice-Chair of the Canadian Design Engineering Network (CDEN), serves on Canada’s National Advisory Board on Energy S&T (NABEST), and is Principal Consultant for his one-man consulting firm, Processys Inc. His major contributions are in the development and application of process integration tools for systems analysis to address problems that are critical and unique to the pulp and paper industry.

Dr. Stuart joined École Polytechnique to become Chairholder of the first NSERC Design Engineering Chair in Canada, which has recently been renewed for a second term.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The various research areas addressed by Dr. Stuart’s research group reflect the multidisciplinary and applied characteristic of its activities.

1. Application of the set of design methodologies related to implementation of the forest biorefinery in retrofit to pulp and paper mills.
2. Application of the set of design methodologies related to implementation of increased DIP production and cogeneration at integrated newsprint mills.
3. Development of design methodologies related to on-line data processing and reconciliation for mill-wide mass and energy balances.
4. Development of design methodologies related to heat exchange network (“Pinch”) analysis.
5. Development of design methodologies related to multivariate analysis (MVA) for newsprint quality improvement.
6. Development of design methodologies related to dynamic mill-wide process analysis for process optimization.
7. Development of design methodologies related to “Life cycle thinking” in the pulp and paper industry.
8. Development of design methodologies related to supply chain optimization in the pulp and paper industry.
9. Research and development in the sludge biodrying process.

Mouloud Amazouz currently works as a program manager at the CanmetENERGY Varennes, Natural Resources Canada. Mouloud does research in Artificial Intelligence for decision support in the process industry. He is also responsible for the development and the transfer of the data analytics EXPLORE software.

Doct. 3e cycle (Paris), Ph.D. (Laval)
President
General Directorate
Full Professor
Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering

BIOGRAPHY
Prof Philippe A. Tanguy is the CEO of Polytechnique Montreal. Between 2009 and 2017, he worked for the international energy company Total in France and Germany, serving in several top R&D executive positions. His activities focused on the strengthening of corporate science policy including open innovation, the internationalization of research expertise sourcing, and the establishment of links with public research globally. He also promoted strongly the development of clean energy pathways and supporting technologies in advanced materials, new processes, and system analysis. Prior to this, Prof Tanguy had pursued a 25-year academic career in several universities in Canada, including 15 years as an industrial research chairholder and head of a R&D center in process engineering at Polytechnique Montreal. He is presently the Chairman of the World Council of Chemical Engineering, an elected member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a fellow and founding member of the Hassan II Academy of Sciences and Technologies of Morocco, and an honorary fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (UK). Prof Tanguy's education background includes a doctorate degree in physics, a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, an industrial post-doctoral year experience for GE Canada and a managerial training at the MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Prof Tanguy is a registered engineer in the Province of Québec.

Areas of expertise

• Industrial engineering
• Management of technology
• Open innovation
• Energy
• Environment
• Industry 4.0

Patrice Mangin is director, Innovations Institute in Ecomaterials, Ecoproducts, and Ecoenergy, bio-economy/bioenergy industry chair holder, and professor, chemical engineering department at University of Québec in Trois-Rivières (UQTR). He is the CEO of BioEnergy La Tuque (BELT) whose main objective is to build the first Canadian large scale biorefinery to convert harvest forests residues into renewable fuels (around 1 Billion $ CAD project). He is also the CEO of Effensys, a start-up company which develops high energy efficiency systems.

He is an associate member of the Hydrogen Research Institute (IRH), a board member of AQPER, the Quebec Association for the Production of Renewable Energy, and of the “sustainable development interdisciplinary centre” (CIRODD). He holds a Ph.D. in process engineering from Institut National Polytechnique (INP) of Grenoble and an engineering degree from PAGORA, INP. He demonstrates over 40 year experience successful track record in the forest products, paper and printing industries. He has previously managed projects up to 300 M$ CAD.

Jean Roberge a joint Greenfield Global Inc. en 1997 et dirige actuellement l’unité d’affaires Énergie renouvelable. Jean supervise tous les projets d’énergie renouvelable de Greenfield : du développement de technologies au rôle de premier plan dans l’élaboration de politiques gouvernementales pour un avenir durable. Jean a auparavant occupé les postes de directeur d’élaboration de projets, de directeur général de l’usine de Greenfield à Varennes, puis de vice-président des stratégies d’énergies renouvelables.

La brillante carrière de Jean repose sur une solide expérience en matière d’élaboration, de conception, de construction et d’exploitation de projets industriels complexes. Avant de se joindre à Greenfield, il a été ingénieur de projet pour Hydro-Québec, vice-président de l’ingénierie pour une importante société d’experts-conseils établie au Québec et dirigeant de son propre groupe de consultants entre 1992 et 1997.

Jean a obtenu un baccalauréat ès sciences appliquées en génie électrique avec grande distinction de Polytechnique Montréal.

EVP of VTT’s Solutions for natural resources and environment business area since 2016

Member of the Board of Clic Innovation Oy

Previous positions: VTT, various positions since 1999. Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Program Director 2014-2016.

Extensive experience in government, academia and multinational companies in R&D, management, engineering, product development and marketing, in the fields of energy production and use, as well as renewable energy.

Citizenships: Spanish, Canadian and Brazilian.

I work closely with all the Forestry, Pulp, Paper, and Packaging companies around the world to help them achieve the goal of a digital mill, and digital transformation. Ask me about what operational data can do to transform the way you make decisions and improve the bottom line.

The Forest and Paper Industry is transforming itself with new digital technologies, and I am excited to be part of that process. Since my early days with OSIsoft, I realized that operational data available in real-time is crucial to make timely decisions and run better operations. Now, with the new capabilities of technology, the rise of things like machine learning and cloud analytics, the options are even greater. It all comes with its challenges, and this is what I deal with day to day. I look at how to help our customers to tackle those challenges and be successful.

I started in Latin America, and now I travel all over the world. Economics and government dynamics play a big part on the adoption of the new trends, and add more spice into the conversation. I love to learn from my customers' cultures, language, hobbies, food, and yes, even their special drinks.

My areas of expertise are digital technologies, specially the PI System. I am a Forest and Paper Products manufacturing process connoisseuse. And just started the mode of new mom in the fast track learning module.

Background: MBA with Economics concentration from University of St. Thomas and Chemical Engineering from UANL. First language is Spanish, followed closely by English, and a distant 3rd and 4th, Portuguese and French (I know enough of both to get in trouble).

David began his career in the Pulp & Paper Industry with Valmet Automation in 2009 as a performance improvement engineer focused on Advance Process Control (APC) solutions for power boilers and steam networks. He’s had the opportunity to work on multiple large scale greenfield projects including two of the largest biomass power houses in North America. His expertise involves designing and commissioning APC’s for combustion optimization systems, steam networks and building process simulators. He has also worked as a Sales Manager for Valmet’s Automation group in North America and has most recently taken on the role of Business Manager for Valmet’s Industrial Internet Solutions.

David holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Anna University in India and a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. David is currently based in Atlanta and enjoys traveling, Formula 1 and classical history.

"Towards Wireless Process Control"

Alf Isaksson received his MSc and PhD from Linköping University, Sweden in 1983 and 1988 respectively. After graduating he stayed at Linköping University until 1991 as an Assistant Professor. From 1991 to 1992 he spent one year as a Research Associate at The University of Newcastle, Australia. Returning to Sweden in 1992 he moved to the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, where eventually in 1999 he was promoted to full Professor. In 2001 he made the shift from academic to industrial research and joined ABB Corporate Research in Västerås, Sweden. After a specialist career culminating in an appointment to Corporate Research Fellow 2009, he is now since January 2014 Global Research Area Manager with the responsibility of internally funding all research in Control at all ABB’s research centers world-wide. At the same time he still kept a connection to the academic world as Adjunct Professor at Linköping University for 10 years 2006-2015.

As a Director with ISED's Innovation Superclusters Initiative, I get to work with great leaders who bring together small, medium and large companies, academic institutions and not-for-profits in order to supercharge five Canadian economic ecosystems. Most recently, in response to Covid-19, the Superclusters supported leading-edge innovations and initiatives that keep Canadians safe and help our economy recover, such as projects that manufacture PPE in Canada and digital health solutions that help Canadians get the care they need. I'm proud to be working on the delivery of this exciting initiative that is changing Canada's economic landscape.

As a Manager of Policy Development with ISED's Science Research Sector, I led a team in establishing Canada's Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Strategy. DRI includes the supercomputers that support Canada's global excellence in scientific research in traditionally data-intensive fields such as AI as well as in fields that rely more and more on DRI, such as the humanities and social sciences.

My work as an intellectual property expert at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) afforded me the opportunity to represent CIPO and the Government of Canada in negotiations with national and international stakeholders such as other government departments, industry associations, and foreign governments. I set and implemented the strategic vision for my program and transformed its delivery by consolidating different functions and simplifying our approvals processes, resulting in improved program delivery and better outcomes for clients and the Canadian public. I also had the opportunity to lead a Division of approximately 100 employees for eight months - as the Acting Director, I ensured that the Division's key performance indicators were met, including a reduction in turn-around-times for the over 10,000 patent applications examined by the Division each year.

My private sector experience in the automotive industry has provided me with an in-depth understanding of private industry, which is invaluable in my work and as a contributor to the Government of Canada's Innovation Agenda. My extensive training in conflict management serves me well in all aspects of my work and contributes to my effectiveness in achieving results.

Logistics executive with extensive experience leading operations of retail and direct sales companies in more than 12 countries in Latin America.

Areas of transformation and responsibility: Omnichannel, Warehouse, Fulfilment, Transport, Planning and S&OP, International Trade, Retail Operations, Contract Manufacturing, Direct and Indirect Procurement and e-commerce platforms.

Profile with strong communication skills, project management, strategy view & change management.

Fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish.

Experienced with senior management and board direct report, managing large teams and more than 20 Distribution Centers, 50 stores and >1Bi budget.

Implemented The Supply Chain School for the Coca Cola Northeast.