Imperial Oil

My first employment after graduating from university was with Imperial Oil Limited. I chose Imperial based on its reputation as a good company to work for but also because of my interest in automobiles and because I worked for an Esso service station part time while attending university. Much to my surprise I never worked for their automotive division but held numerous other positions involving marketing, safety, distribution, aviation with a large part of my career focusing on developing, evaluating and exercising emergency response and crisis management teams. I am pleased to say, it was a very rewarding career.

Safety & Distribution

Various positions in Imperial Oil's products and chemical divisions provided me with experience with distributing oil and chemicals via truck, rail, pipeline and marine modes and to aviation refuelling. Some positions involved responsibility for distribution of products, other positions focused more on safety and developing emergency response plans.

Emergency Management

Establishing a well equipped emergency operations centre at Imperial Oil's head office in Toronto and training crisis management team members significantly improved our capability to manage emergencies of any type. It was rewarding to see how effectively it worked as we used it to support numerous emergency simulations and real incidents.

Emergency Response

This response unit and a response team was set up in Manitoba as part of a nation wide chemical industry Transportation Emergency Assistance Plan (TEAP). Working with other companies within the chemical industry to improve response capability for emergencies, provided many rewarding work experiences and opportunities.

Positions

  • 1994 - 2001 - Advisor Emergency Response - Imperial Oil Limited, Toronto, ON
  • 1984 - 1994 - Manager Emergency Preparedness - Esso Chemical Canada, Toronto, ON
  • 1983 - 1984 - Safety & Regulatory Coordinator - Esso Chemical Canada, Toronto, ON
  • 1982 - 1983 - Distribution Safety Coordinator - Esso Chemical Canada, Toronto, ON
  • 1978 - 1982 - Distribution Supervisor - Esso Chemical Canada, Toronto, ON
  • 1977 - 1978 - Aviation Account Executive - Esso Petroleum Canada, Toronto, ON
  • 1976 - 1977 - Assistant Terminal Manager - Esso Petroleum Canada, Dartmouth, NS
  • 1974 - 1976 - Operations Specialist - Esso Petroleum Canada, Halifax, NS
  • 1967 - 1974 - Senior Sales Representative - Esso Petroleum Canada, Woodstock, NB

Assignments (some of these beyond career)

  • Member - Canadian Standards Association Municipal Infrastructure Project task group 2010
  • Member - Canadian Standards Association B 149.2 Task Force (propane facility emergency response plans) 2009
  • Member - Canadian Standards Association Technical Committee for the Canadian Standard on Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs 2006 - present Chairman - Program Evaluation Task Group
  • Healthcare Emergency Preparedness - Federated Press Lecturer - Emergency Management Standards 2005 - 2006
  • Moderator - Panel presentation on "The Who and What of Public Alerting" - World Conference on Disaster Management 2005
  • Member - Board of Directors, Ontario Association of Emergency Managers (OAEM) Chairman - OAEM Professional Development Committee 2003
  • Project Coordinator - Shelter in Place or Evacuation During an Environmental Emergency. Development of Mini-Guide and training . Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs / Health Canada 2002
  • Partnerships Toward Safer Communities web site upgrade project. Partnerships Toward Safer Communities Program funded by Environment Canada 2002
  • Response Service Standards Development Project - Environment Canada 2002
  • Management and operational support - Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs - Partnerships Toward Safer Communities Program 2001 - 2005
  • Chairman - Hazmat Recommendations Working Group - Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Partnerships Toward Safer Communities Program 2000 - 2001
  • Chairman - ER-2000+ Steering Committee (Hazmat Visioning Project) Major Industrial Accidents Council of Canada (MIACC) 1993 - 2000
  • Chairman - Emergency Response Committee, Canadian Chemical Producers' Association 1991 - 1994
  • Emergency Response Assessment Team - Exxon Chemical Americas, Houston TX 1995 Aerial Surveillance - Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Response Team, Valdez and Kodiak Alaska 1989
  • Chairman - Transportation Emergency Response Plan (TEAP) Training Committee 1988 - 1991
  • Bhophal Aftermath Review - An Assessment of the Canadian Situation, Environment Canada 1986