The Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) recently announced the appointment of Walid Abou-Hamde as Executive Director of ORBA effective August 1, 2023. On behalf of ORBA, President, Mario Villeneuve expressed “the Board’s pleasure that Walid has accepted this exciting and pivotal role at a time when the province is embarking on an unprecedented investment in transportation infrastructure. This marks a significant new chapter in ORBA’s ongoing pursuit of excellence and innovation, underpinned by our commitment to being the leading advocate for sustainable transportation infrastructure that meets the needs of Ontarians”.

Further, Mario Villeneuve and the ORBA Board want to “extend their gratitude to Michael McSweeney who undertook a 12-month contract with ORBA and who worked tirelessly to restructure, reposition and realign ORBA’s priorities to better match those of the governments ORBA works with”.  Michael will remain CEO of ORBA until October 31, 2023 at which time Walid will assume the position of ORBA CEO.

Walid, who holds an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in chemical engineering, brings an impressive career history that will well position our association with both the provincial and municipal governments across this province.  Walid has worked with the Provincial government in the Infrastructure and Labour portfolios, as well as Skilled Trades Ontario. “We are convinced that Walid will be able to leverage the strengths that he has achieved over the past 7 years to benefit ORBA and Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council (OAPC) members. ORBA/OAPC priorities over the next several years will focus on contract and risk management, workforce development and sustainability. Walid’s background and experience will serve our members and position the association as the leading voice for the transportation infrastructure industry in Ontario,” said Mario Villeneuve. Walid served as Director of Stakeholder Relations to the Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. He most recently served as Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Partnerships at Skilled Trades Ontario, where his leadership significantly enhanced corporate governance and partnership cultivation. Walid’s leadership style, characterized by strategic planning, innovative problem-solving and collaborative teamwork promises to usher in a new era of growth and innovation at ORBA.

Over the past nine months our CEO, Michael McSweeney, restructured the ORBA/OAPC team.  It is never easy to make change in an association, but the ORBA Board was resolute that the association must change and have team members who are client centred and customer focused. With an eye to what the Members wanted Michael restructured ORBA and is pleased to announce the following promotions that took effect on May 1, 2023:

Jasvinder Singh has been promoted to Director of Membership Services and Events Planning at ORBA. Jasvinder has quickly become a leader in providing customer service and events planning to ORBA/OAPC.  Jas has been with ORBA for 5 years is responsible for leading our events/sponsorship division that raised over $1.3 million annually to ORBA/OAPCs revenue. Jasvinder holds a Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business, York University, as well as a Master of Business Management degree in 2017. A dynamic, passionate person with a tireless work ethic, Jasvinder is committed to revolutionizing membership services and event planning strategies in her role.

Guru Missar has been promoted into the role of Director of Marketing and Communications at ORBA. Guru has a long relationship with ORBA/OAPC having worked for the past 18 months as a Marketing Specialist and later, a Marketing Manager. Guru’s educational background underpins his professional prowess. He holds a BBA in Marketing Management, and further completed a Master’s in Marketing from the Schulich School of Business, York University. Blending analytical insights with marketing management expertise, Guru consistently demonstrates his passion for data-driven marketing strategies. With Guru’s expertise steering our marketing and communication efforts, we anticipate achieving new milestones in ORBA’s mission to promote sustainable transportation infrastructure in Ontario.

Xin Chen joins the ORBA team as Head of Finance, where she brings over a decade of experience in the key financial areas of internal auditing, costing analysis, and financial modeling. Prior to ORBA, she made significant contributions as a Senior Financial Analyst at Carlsberg Group and improved supply chain efficiency as a Senior Inventory Accountant at Celtrade Canada Inc. With foundational roles at Avnan and China Shipping (Group) Company, Xin’s expertise is backed by an MBA, a Master’s in Professional Accounting, and certifications in CMA and PCP. As a forward-thinking leader, Xin consistently seeks to modernize financial management practices in her roles.

Abhinav Gupta has been promoted to Senior Manager of Membership Services and Events Planning. Abhinav’s journey at ORBA is a testament to his exceptional growth and unwavering dedication to professional excellence. With a BBA in Accounting and Business Management under his belt, Abhinav joined the association in 2018 as an Accounting & Administrative Clerk. Abhinav effectively led Finance & Administration as a Supervisor from 2019 to 2021 before transitioning into a supervisory role in Member Relations, a position he held until his recent promotion in May 2023. His ability to adapt and excel in various roles is a testament to his versatility and professional resilience. With a commitment to innovative approaches in membership services and event planning, Abhinav is a significant asset to the evolving operations of the organization.

Ashley Manson has been promoted to Head of Human Resources, Administration and Governance.  Ashley has been with ORBA/OAPC for over 5 years and has successfully led the transition to making ORBA a leading employer in the association world.  Working closely with the Board and the CEO Ashley will ensure the organization develops an open and transparent team-based culture and that the ORBA/OAPC team are continually implementing the strategic plan and that the culture of success and meeting key performance indicators is driven down from the Board/CEO to all employees.

Simarpreet Kaur is currently serving as the Manager of Human Resource, Governance & Administration while Ashley Manson is on parental leaver. This role enables Simarpreet to exhibit her exceptional administrative skills and her acumen in financial services. As part of her wide-ranging responsibilities, Simarpreet is leading the development of a new employee manual, demonstrating her dedication to enhancing governance services within the association.

Doubra Ambaiowei, as the Director of Technical Services, continues to provide invaluable expertise and leadership to ORBA/OAPC. Bringing over five years of commitment and service, Doubra’s extensive knowledge in the field of Civil Engineering profoundly influences our technical strategies. Doubra holds a doctorate degree in Civil Engineering, a master’s degree in construction management, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering. These strong academic credentials coupled with his research and prior practical engineering consulting experiences make him a pivotal figure in our organization. His technical leadership continues to guide ORBA/OAPC towards new heights of excellence in sustainable infrastructure development.

As we turn this exciting new page in ORBA’s journey, we look forward to the future with confidence, knowing our growth and member service enhancements are in the capable hands of this dynamic leadership team.

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