Mr. Bob Giroux, Chairman
Bob Giroux has over 25 years in the forest industry. He is the founder and President of the Soanbert group of companies; Soanbert Corp. is the sales and marketing division, and Soanbert Consulting Group specializes in Management Consulting, primarily within the forest product industry. Mr. Giroux is on this board as a representative of Garden River Truss Company Inc.
A native of Northern Ontario and a graduate of the Lake Superior States University with a Master in Business Administration, he began his career with Dubreuil Brothers. He held a number of mid to senior management positions with the Buchanan Group, Malette Inc and Tembec Forest Product Group. He then left Tembec in order to complete his Masters of Business Administration degree and begin his consulting career.
Since then, Bob has accumulated a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of the wood industry that stretches far beyond his initial 15 years of sales & marketing experience within the forestry industry. He has traveled extensively around the world exploring new opportunities for Canadian wood products and is happy to be of assistance to the OWPEA.
Mr. Mike Murphy, Vice-Chairman
With 30 years of experience in the pre-manufactured log home industry, Mr. Murphy, President and Co-owner of 1867 Confederation Log Homes, has overseen the company’s growth from a regional supplier to a highly recognized international firm with sales throughout the United States, Asia, South America, and Europe. He is President and a founding member of Canadian Housing Exporters Association. Mr. Murphy has travelled extensively throughout Japan, Korea, the United States, and Europe, and participated in the highly successful Team Canada Trade mission in 1997.
Mr. Joe Mayer, Secretary / Treasurer
Having spent the last 44 years in the construction business, Mr. Mayer has operated Canadiana Homes Inc. an exporter of pre-engineered and panellized homes since 1992. He is also the owner of Mayer Developments, a Tarion registered homebuilder since 1985. Mr. Mayer has operated L & M Developments, a land development company since 1989. He is vice-president and founding member of Canadian Housing Exporters Association and a founding member and director of the Ontario Building Products for Export Association. Mr. Mayer also sits on various committees to promote value-added wood products, such as the European Codes and Standards Working Group and the Germany National Sector Team for DIBT Approval of Canadian Housing Systems.
Mr. Steve Allen, Director
Over 30 years working experience in the Softwood and Hardwood lumber business. Aside from working in the family owned wood business, Mr. Allen started his career grading hardwood and softwood lumber. After a few years in the furniture industry with the Dylex Group and Sklar Furniture, his interest in sawmilling led him to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., working for Weyerhaeuser Company. Working his way through the ranks which included manufacturing supervisor, he moved into sales in 1993. He has travelled to Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Italy, and China promoting both Hardwood and Softwood lumber. In 1996 he became Sales Manager for Domtar Wood Products Hardwood Division. More recently Mr. Allen designed and supervised the construction of a new hardwood sawmill in Kincheloe, MI. and once complete, managed its day to day operations. Presently he holds a sales position with Midway Lumber Mills Ltd.
Ms. Sam Kewen, Director
Sam Kewen has over twenty years experience in the timber frame industry. As the Business Manager for Normerica Building Systems, she has been involved in every aspect of the business from sales and project management through design coordination, client liaison and marketing and communications. Normerica is a “single source” supplier, handling projects from structural design, through in-house manufacture to on-site construction. Their award winning buildings have clients throughout North America, and around the world including Japan, Turkey and the Caribbean. With extensive practical knowledge in residential, recreational and commercial projects, Sam is an outstanding promoter of the benefits and functionality of Canadian made wood products.
Mr. Mark Angelini, President and CEO
With more than 37 years experience, primarily in various senior management roles in the chemicals and wood products sectors, Mr. Angelini has successfully led of a number of production operations and entire business units, in addition to two major international wood products associations and a limited partnership. Throughout his past experiences, he has implemented and improved various programs to increase productivity and control costs, generating millions of dollars in savings for his firms. Special care and dedication has been taken by Mr. Angelini throughout his career to advance health and safety policies as well as to implement improved environmental policies. Most recently, Mr. Angelini served as President and CEO of the Structural Board Association, the Structural Board Association Inc. in Washington, D.C. and the Wood Panel Bureau successfully developing export and domestic markets for panel products, negotiating substantial financial partnership contracts with governments, and positively turning around association finances. Mr. Angelini is a Chartered Chemist with the Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from McMaster University, a Marketing Management Course designation from the University of Western Ontario, and is a Kepner-Tregoe certified course instructor in problem-solving,trouble-shooting and decision analysis.
