The Workshop presented by Aplin Martin

Today we are joined by Max Rast, M.Plan, B.GIS, B.Eng., Program Manager, Community Planning & GIS. Max recounts his professional experience from his time in Russia to Canada and his transition from the public to the private consulting realm. With the evolution of GIS technology, municipal policies, and public engagement, join Max as he dives into the exciting world of community planning and how it shapes his visions for the department with Aplin Martin.

On today’s episode of The Workshop, we are joined by two members of Aplin Martin’s development planning team, Samira Khayambashi, MCIP, RPP, Senior Project Manager, and Stella Xie, MUD, Development Planner. Often confused for an infrastructure planner or even a party planner, urban planners play a highly complex role in the land development process. From submitting applications with various municipalities, liaising with technical consultants, or engaging with the public, planners are involved from project start to completion to formulate plans for a built environment to improve and sustain a lasting quality of life for the communities around them.

For the first time in The Workshop, we’re sitting down with a member of our water/wastewater team to discuss pump stations. Ethan Rossnagel, AScT, Project Manager, demonstrates how a day in the life of a non-linear infrastructure professional is just that—non-linear!

Proximity does not dictate similarity, and the world of consulting on Vancouver Island relative to the Lower Mainland proves just that. Overseeing Aplin Martin’s Nanaimo branch, Scott Lewis, P.Eng., Branch Manager and Senior Project Manager, and Matt Jansen, AScT, Project Delivery Services Lead, recount their professional trajectories and what has led them to life on the island. From stories of the early days setting up shop to their visions of the future, be sure to catch Scott and Matt in The Workshop.

It’s a new year, so let’s kick things off with a brand-new episode of The Workshop! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Zuzana Rijken, Manager, BC Survey, and David Craik, Provincial Survey Lead – Alberta. Aplin’s survey leaders share their accounts of a career in surveying geomatics, from the day-to-day challenges to the growth of their respective teams to the rapidly changing landscape of technology in survey; it’s an episode you don’t want to miss.

The Edmonton land development scene is a burgeoning playground, and our team is positioning itself at the frontier of change. Lindsey Trufyn, P.Eng., Engineering Lead, Edmonton, and Omar Abdel-Jabbar, P.Eng., Senior Project Manager, are talking to us about the exciting changes in Alberta's development industry. While being one of Aplin Martin's smaller offices, the Edmonton office is exemplative that a small headcount does not mean a shortage of knowledge and expertise. Lindsey and Omar delve into what makes the team special and how their combined niche and broad-ranged experiences make them just right for the city's evolution.

We are back with another very special episode as Joseph Kyllo, Chief Strategy Officer of Primary Engineering and Construction, joins us on The Workshop. Joseph and Aplin’s Don Bevacqua, Manager, Surrey Land Development, discuss their successes as strategic partners across years of project collaboration. The two highlight the importance of building trust both at the personal and professional level and prove that the cornerstone of any solid relationship is shared values.

In today’s episode of The Workshop, we are joined by Aplin Martin’s very first directors, Ben Rawlinson, Director, Interior BC/Alberta, and Scott MacDonald, Director, Architecture. Ben and Scott are esteemed professionals in their respective disciplines, with both having practiced in engineering and architecture for 20 and 40 years, respectively. As the two have progressed within their responsibilities, they can agree that the challenges never quite stop, but how they handle them has changed throughout the course of their careers. Join us today to learn just what it takes to be a director.

Today we are back with a very special episode because, for the first time, we have brought in an external guest to The Workshop. Tom Woodward, PMP, Senior Manager, Civil & Infrastructure of Wesgroup Properties, joins Robert Lew, Manager, Vancouver Engineering, as they dive into the variables that have made for a successful, long-lasting client-consultant relationship.

In today’s episode of The Workshop, Jordan Beach, P.Eng., Infrastructure Planning Lead/Project Manager, and Josh Graff, AScT, Engineering Lead, Kelowna, are sharing their experiences at the rapidly evolving Aplin Martin Kelowna office. Having been with the company for nearly ten years, both Jordan and Josh have quickly come to understand that as managers, you might be taking a backseat to some of the technical parts of your job, but working with people requires a whole host of other skills. After all, being a leader is so much more than a title.

It’s time for a brand-new episode of The Workshop, and we’re sitting down with two of our dynamic land development team members, Keaton MacKay, Construction Services Lead, and Mark Boston, Field Inspector. Having each spent over a decade in the construction industry, Keaton and Mark are proof that civil inspectors are the ultimate bridge in a project team that gets the job done safely. Be sure to tune in and learn more about what it takes to connect those with their boots on the ground to the design team in the office.

It has been an incredible journey here on The Workshop, and we are thrilled to announce that the first episode of season 2 is live! We’re kicking things off with two Aplin Martin powerhouses, David Chan, President, and Derek Hull, Chief Operating Officer. David and Derek began their Aplin journey as two bright-eyed co-op students in ’94 and ’06, respectively. Even after decades of experience, the two can agree that the learning has not stopped. Now navigating the corporate landscape, David and Derek reminisce on their come-up within the company and how it continues to shape their visions for Aplin’s future.  

Whether you bike, drive, or take public transit, you can thank a transportation engineer for getting you to your destination, and today we’re sitting down with members of Aplin Martin’s newest service division, transportation! Steve Carney, Manager, Capital Works/Transportation, and Saavin Khurana, Senior Transportation Engineer, share their stories as professionals in the industry and what it takes to get people moving in the most efficient, safest, and accessible way possible. So, make a move, and don’t miss out on today’s episode.

We are sitting down with Francesca Cusati, Design Engineer, and Meghn Khurana, Project Engineer, two Aplin Martin powerhouses on our Surrey Land Development team. Both Francesca and Meghn began their professional lives with the firm, and in today’s episode they detail the journey from school to being new employees and now, as future leaders, mentoring Aplin’s next generation. What is clear from the duo is the dedication they put forth to create a meaningful experience for themselves, their colleagues, and clients.

We are excited to kick off the new year with a brand-new episode of The Workshop. Today, we are sitting down with two of our talented engineering co-ops from our Vancouver office, Adelaide Zhang and Brian Castillo. Adelaide, a UBC student, and Brian, a BCIT student, share how their skills continue to develop in school and work to help their evolution as civil engineers. From writing professional emails for the first time to networking amongst industry professionals, the two dive deep into the self-empowerment a co-op placement creates to lay the groundwork for life in the “real world.”

In today’s episode of The Workshop, we are sitting down with former Aplin Martin President and current Corporate Advisor Ed Fujii, P.Eng., and Joshua Smith, P.Eng., Engineering Lead of our Ottawa region. Under Ed's leadership, Aplin has grown significantly in headcount, location, and service offerings. With such tremendous growth, there naturally are many changes along the way, much like with Josh's story of leaving and then re-joining Aplin. Ed and Josh never lost touch during Josh's days away from the firm, and now the two sit down today to share their aspirations for the Ottawa region and how they hope to see the Aplin name grow in Ontario's burgeoning market. 

What happens when you combine the elements of an artist, a dreamer, and a pragmatist (to taste)? Well, you have got yourself an architect! Today, we are delving into Aplin Martin’s creative realm with special guests Ryan Foote, DAT, Branch Operations Manager, and Zachary Myers, DAT, Program Manager of our Oakville office, to discuss architecture. The duo illustrates the varying requirements to keep a project on course and expands on common perceptions of the discipline. They may be creatives, but our architects know how to colour in the lines to take their clients’ visions from the drawing board to the real world.

In today’s episode, we are chatting with Chelsey Blahut, Engineering Lead, GTA, and Andrew Farina, Project Manager. Chesley and Andrew were tasked with the very ambitious feat of setting up Aplin Martin’s very first Ontario office back in 2017. Establishing Aplin Martin’s latest brick and mortar had its fair share of triumphs and tribulations. From administrative growing pains to growing a client base in a new territory and creating a team, the two reflect on the dynamic evolution of A&M Ontario and their own professional development as civil engineers. 

Being chased by a bear isn't a typical workday for most of us, but for Tracy Anderson, it is one of many crazy tales she has to share from her 20-year career as an environmental professional. In today's episode of The Workshop, we have special guests Maggie Koka, MCIP, RPP, and Tracy Anderson, B.Sc., R.P. Bio., discussing the need for environmental services to be introduced to Aplin Martin’s repertoire of services and how they hope to see it evolve. Tune in to hear more about the exciting world of environmental services, available to stream wherever you get your podcasts. 

In today’s episode, we are diving into all things Young Professionals Group (YPG) with special guests David Lu, P.Eng., PMP, ENV SP, and Catherine Zhang, P.Eng., Chair and Vice Chair of YPG. The dynamic duo chat about the formation and evolution of the YPG group at Aplin Martin and delve into the value of creating a space for young professionals to learn, network, and play amongst their colleagues and peers in the industry. Since the recording of this episode, David Lu is now pursuing another opportunity within the industry. He agreed that there was no reason to hold back from releasing this episode, and we are very grateful to David for his time with the firm and his major efforts in bringing the YPG to life here at Aplin. We are also excited to see how the talented leaders in YPG, such as Catherine Zhang, Sajjad Rostami, and many others, continue to grow and advance the initiative. We know you will enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the YPG in Aplin.

Today we are sitting down with Jordan Lui and John Tanahara, two of our public sector Project Engineers based in our Surrey Central office location. The duo delves into the various elements that mold great mentor-mentee relationships and the intricacies required to prevent a culture of co-dependence. Jordan and John’s stories demonstrate the valuable connection that exists between a mentor and mentee and how it functions to deepen the relationship you have with yourself and develop the knowledge and confidence to succeed in your profession.

In today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Roy Skeet (Senior Project Manager) and Robert Lew (Manager, Vancouver Engineering) to discuss the ways in which they foster work-life balance. The two share their insights on how priorities have evolved as their lives have progressed both personally and professionally and how setting boundaries can be your key to success.

Today we are sitting down with Sarah Kean and Sean Wilkinson, two project managers from our Calgary land development team. They share their journeys as they navigate the dynamics of a smaller office and how their time working as designers has only enhanced their abilities as leaders in design mentorship for both employees and clients alike. 

In today’s episode, Carlos Marcondes (Project Engineer) and Ryley Dewar (Project Engineer) from our Vancouver branch office delve into the lessons they have learned throughout the proposal and pre-design process and all that it takes to manage expectations before a public sector or land development project comes to life. 

In this episode Julian sits down with Don Bevacqua (Senior Project Manager) and John Bennie (Project Manager) from the Aplin Martin Surrey Land Development Division to discuss starting a land development project, their dream location to design a project, and what it means to have your work leave a lasting impact on your community.   Visit us at: www.aplinmartin.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/aplin-&-martin-consultants-ltd/

Candid conversations amongst Aplin Martin network professionals.