Robert Kulhawy
Executive Chairman, Calco Environmental Group
Board Member
Leadership Team Member
Robert is President and CEO of Calco Capital Corporation, a private venture capital firm. Robert had the vision and idea for the Calco Environmental Group, which he co-founded in 1992. Robert has been involved in the vision and strategic direction and as the active Executive Chairman since Calco’s inception. Calco Environmental group is the largest manufacturer of environmental remediation equipment in North America.
Robert is the Founder, President and CEO of Commerx, a complete internet services provider including web design and development, intranet development, graphic design, content management systems, web and email hosting, email newsletters, ecommerce solutions, and eBuy, eSell, eProcurement, web monitoring (AMF), Material Assets Tracker (MATwerx), Commerx EMS product (Quickchart) and custom software applications.
Robert is a former International President and the structural architect of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization (now EO); currently a member of Young President Organization International (YPO) and a member of L-3; former board member and Chairman of the Environmental committee of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Robert is a regular judge of the finals of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards held annually in Chicago. Robert and his wife Jill have founded a number of programs including the YPO Homes of Hope program and the YPO marriage Program. . Robert advocates businesses donating their excess capacity to charities.
Robert founded HFI Hardwood Flooring Inc., a national distributor of floor covering (sold in 2001). Robert has been featured in a number of publications including Profit magazine, Nikkei, Japan times, Japan Venture, Nation (Bangkok), Calgary Herald, Financial Times (Barbados) and numerous others. Robert has been featured in number of publications and is a featured speaker on the internet, environment, business, entrepreneurship, wine, and business process automation.
Bruce Lounsbury, P. Eng., M.M.S.
President and CEO, Calco Environmental Group
Board Member
Leadership Team Member
Bruce Lounsbury co-founded the Calco Environmental Group in 1992. He currently fills the role of President and CEO of Calco and is responsible for the strategic direction for the firm. Bruce is a member of the Calco Environmental Group Ltd. Board of Directors. The Presidents of the Calco operating companies report to Bruce. In his tenure with Calco he has been intimately involved in all aspects of the operation from equipment design and manufacture to sales, sales partner development, field service, operations and accounting.
Prior to founding Calco, Bruce held a variety of roles with Imperial Oil/Esso Resources in Calgary, AB. His early experience was in operations engineering for oil and gas production. He then held roles in business management, culminating with three years in Esso’s small but highly successful mergers and acquisitions team. While in the M&A role, he led the evaluation and acquisition of several smaller oil companies. He then returned to Operations Engineering/Management, where he lead a team that redefined the business model for the large Redwater oil field, turning it from a money losing operation into one of the key revenue generators in Esso’s conventional oil and gas production division.
During his time in Imperial Oil/Esso Resources Operations Engineering, Bruce worked on the development of environmental action plans for Esso’s oil and gas operations. He was also one of the leaders in the efforts to improve the environmental practices in the Calgary head office and developed his keen interest in the environment that contributed to the formation of MLEE.
Robert Kennedy, P. Eng., MBA
President
Board Member
Leadership Team Member
Bob Kennedy joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 1993 to lead sales development. Bob was appointed President of MLEE in January 2011. Bob is a member of the Calco Environmental Group Ltd. Board of Directors. Prior to this appointment Bob filled the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of MLEE. In his tenure with MLEE he has been intimately involved in all aspects of the operation from equipment design and manufacture to sales, sales partner development, field service, operations and accounting.
Bob in addition to his role as President of MLEE provides leadership for the technology direction for MLEE. As a member of MLEE’s Leadership Team Bob brings strong technical and project management skills to projects as well as a fresh and innovative approach to system design and problem solving. Bob has spearheaded MLEE’s development of PLC control systems and has been instrumental in the use of remote telemetry equipment. Bob leads the design and development of the MLEE Automated Production and Engineering System (APES).
Prior to joining MLEE, Bob had experience in manufacturing management, manufacturing systems implementation, project engineering and management, and plant engineering. Bob held the position of Operations Manager for Gilbarco Canada, a world-class manufacturer of fuel dispensing equipment with annual sales of $15M. In that capacity, Bob was responsible for engineering, production, information technology, inside sales and purchasing with a combined staff of about 60 people. Bob was also Manufacturing and Systems Manager for Diffracto Ltd., a high tech manufacturer of vision systems, Manufacturing Systems Manager for Hunt Windows, and a Project Engineer for Fluor Corporation, a worldwide engineering and construction firm.
James Iglesias, BSc. (Mech Eng), MBA, CMA
Secretary Treasurer, Calco Environmental Group
Board Member
Leadership Team Member
James Iglesias joined the Calco Environmental Group in 2001 as an investor and Board Member. He currently fills the role as Secretary Treasurer of Calco Environmental Group. James is responsible for the leadership process – organizing and facilitating the annual planning meeting to develop objectives, monthly leadership calls to review objectives and scorecards, quarterly board meetings, annual shareholders meeting, and the annual operating plan.
James founded Persatt Systems Inc. in Toronto in 2000. The focus of Persatt Systems is to provide organization and planning services to companies to achieve their corporate development and business development objectives. Persatt helps organizations to develop the strategy, align compensation plans with the strategy, develop annual objectives, develop monthly action plans and scorecards, and to execute those action plans. Persatt helps organizations to develop their Leadership Teams to have a culture of execution.
James was an early member of the Firepond senior management team in Mankato, Minnesota. In ten years with Firepond, he held positions as Senior VP of Sales, President of International, and Board Member. In this time period, Firepond grew to $50M in sales and 400 personnel. James was directly responsible for sales, marketing, and professional services; as well as international operations in Europe and Japan/Korea. James began his career with Caterpillar Inc. In the twelve years with Caterpillar, James moved through positions in Management Training (Peoria), Application Engineering (Geneva), Dealer Sales Management (Johannesburg), and Marketing Systems Development (Peoria). In this last position, he gained systems experience by leading the team that developed and implemented Caterpillar’s first PC based sales and marketing applications.
Jeremy Dayment, B. Tech
Vice President of Sales
Leadership Team Member
Jeremy Dayment joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 2002 as an applications engineer. Jeremy was promoted in 2010 to Vice President of Sales. In this role Jeremy provides leadership for the sale of systems, parts, service, and rental; supports the continued development of the sales partner network, and provides leadership for the national account strategy and sales development objectives of the firm. Prior to this role Jeremy held the positions of National Sales Manager and Applications Engineering Manager. Jeremy is a member of the MLEE Leadership Team, participating on the monthly leadership calls, setting of annual objectives, and evolving the five-year operating plan.
Since Jeremy joined MLEE he has contributed in many key areas. He developed hands on experience supporting the MLEE sales force, sales partners, and customers in preparing technical solutions and price proposals ranging from simple part orders to large upscale soil remediation systems. He developed the standard template system which allows the Applications Engineering group to prepare cost proposals in an accurate, consistent, and time efficient manner. He developed an extensive technical information package for the MLEE sales partners, which details MLEE standard equipment packages, specification sheets, drawings, pictures, and costs.
Prior to joining MLEE, Jeremy gained his early experience with a large electronics circuit board manufacturer first as a process engineer and then later as a project manager.
Jason Downey, P. Eng., MBA
Vice President – Major Projects
Leadership Team Member
Jason Downey joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 1997 as a mechanical engineer. Jason was promoted in 2010 to Vice President of Major Projects. In this role Jason provides leadership for major projects, technology, and Intellectual Property for all of the Calco companies. Prior to this role Jason held the positions of Engineering Manager and Technical Services Manager. In these roles Jason provided leadership for the rental line of business, the field services line of business and the major projects group. He has developed hands-on experience in all phases of the design, manufacturing and field commissioning of MLEE process systems Jason is a member of the MLEE Leadership Team, participating on the monthly leadership calls, setting of annual objectives, and evolving the five-year operating plan.
Jason has been commonly referred to by MLEE customers as the “submittals guy” for his achievement in developing a clear and detailed design submittal package which is generated for the customer at the early stages of the project. Jason was the leader in the development of our continuous improvement initiative which today is the cornerstone of our quality program.
Prior to working for MLEE Jason gained his early engineering experience in mining, oil and natural gas production and distribution.
Steve Howard, B. Adm.
Vice President – Western Region
Leadership Team Member
Steve Howard joined MLE Equipment in 2006 as Vice President Western Region and became a member of the Leadership Team. In January 2007, Steve officially launched the western sales region in Calgary. In this role, Steve is responsible for working with the Board of Directors to develop the strategic direction for MLE Equipment and to build and lead the team to execute the operating plan. MLE Equipment Western Sales Region provides products and services from Maple Leaf Environmental Equipment, Filter Innovations, Pacwill Environmental, QED Environmental, and Catalytic Combustion in Western Canada.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Steve was based in Singapore and gained his experience in the resource industry in business development executive roles for Cat Tech Asia Pacific, Canatex Field Services Pte Ltd, and Contract Resources Pte Ltd. In these roles Steve gained extensive experience in providing specialized industrial products and services, and the treatment of hazardous materials in the refining and petrochemical industry throughout South East Asia in the Far East.
Steve started his career with the Federal Container Corporation moving through positions as Sales Representative for Canada, Territory Representative for North America, and then Regional Manager based in Singapore. In these roles Steve led business development and alliance partner relationship management for sales to catalyst manufacturers, regeneration and precious metal reclamation companies.
Deanna MacLean, P.Eng.
Applications Engineering and Technical Support Manager
Leadership Team Member
Deanna MacLean joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 2005 as an inside technical sales engineer. Deanna currently fills the role of Manager of Application Engineering and Technical Support. In this role Deanna provides leadership for the continuous improvement of the inside technical sales support process and customer technical support, and provides leadership for MLE Equipment’s product and process improvement initiative (PPI). Prior to this role Deanna held the position of Applications and Engineering Manager. She has developed hands on experience supporting the MLE Equipment sales force, sales partners, and customers in preparing technical solutions and price proposals ranging from simple parts to large upscale soil remediation systems. As a member of the MLEE Leadership Team, Deanna participates in the monthly leadership calls, setting of annual objectives, and the evolution of the five-year operating plan.
Since Deanna joined MLE Equipment she has contributed in the following key areas: She has improved the standard template system which allows the inside sales group to prepare cost proposals in an accurate, consistent, and time efficient manner. She has improved the process for transferring the knowledge about a project to engineering, in turn increasing the quality of the communication between sales and engineering. She has worked with engineering to implement a process for customer logic reviews of projects prior to submittal approval increasing MLEE’s ability to ensure the system meets the customer’s needs and therefore reducing re-programming issues in the field.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Deanna gained her early experience with a global automotive company first as an Environmental Engineer and then later as a Policy Advisor for Corporate & Environmental Affairs.
Brad Gaffney, P.Eng.
Design Engineering and IT Manager
Leadership Team Member
Brad Gaffney joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 2004 as an Electrical Engineer. Brad currently fills the role of Design Engineering and IT Manager. In this role Brad provides leadership for mechanical and electrical engineering, control systems, information technology, and research and development. Prior to this role Brad held the position of Electrical Engineering Manager. Brad has gained hands-on experience in all phases of the design, manufacturing, and field commissioning of MLEE process systems. As a member of the MLEE Leadership Team, Brad participates in the monthly leadership calls, setting of annual objectives, and the evolution of the five-year operating plan.
Since joining MLE Equipment Brad has made key contributions to MLEE, most notably the implementation of an electrical design program used to improve the electrical control drawings to meet industrial standards. He has also implemented MET Laboratories (NRTL Registered) certification for all MLEE products, this includes system and panel approvals.
Prior to working for MLEE Brad gained his early engineering experience in security, in industrial & commercial building controls, and in electrical metrology.
Robert Browne, Diploma of Mechanical Technology, MMP
Manufacturing, Materials, and QA Manager
Leadership Team Member
Robert Browne joined MLE Equipment (MLEE) in 2005 as an Application Engineer. Robert was promoted to Manufacturing, Materials, and Quality Assurance Manager in 2011. In this role Robert is responsible for providing leadership to the manufacturing team members, materials team, leading the quality assurance process, providing feedback to engineering for design enhancements, and implementing the MLEE Health and Safety Program. Prior to this role Robert gained experience as Supervisor of Manufacturing providing leadership for all aspects of mechanical assembly, health and safety, and quality; and as an Application Engineer supporting the MLE Equipment sales force and customers in preparing technical solutions and price proposals ranging from simple parts to large upscale soil remediation systems. Robert is a member of the MLEE Leadership Team, participating on the monthly leadership calls, setting of annual objectives, and evolving the five-year plan.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Robert gained his early experience in several industrial and telecommunications manufacturing companies – steadily gaining responsibility through successive roles as Manager of Plant Maintenance & Facilities, Tool Room Manager, Senior Manufacturing Engineer for Automated Assembly Engineering, Manufacturing Engineer for Fiber Optics Product Group, Manufacturing Engineer for Automated Assembly, and Maintenance Technician. In these roles Robert gained experience in providing technical support to the manufacturing process, new process development, mechanical tooling design, manufacturing process design and documentation, interfacing with customers for scheduling and shipping, working with engineering to develop cost reductions within the product design, implementing continuous improvement for employee health and safety, implementing a Total Quality program, and employee development.
Wendy Deugo
Accounting Manager
Leadership Team Member
Wendy Deugo joined MLE Equipment in 1992 as the first employee, filling a general administrative role. Wendy currently fills the role of Accounting Manager. Wendy’s responsibility with MLE Equipment has evolved through multiple areas of the company operation including office management, shipping, receiving, bookkeeping, accounts receivable and accounting. She was promoted to Senior Accountant in 2002 and joined the leadership team, and in 2004 was promoted to Accounting Manager. In this role Wendy is responsible for the accounting operation and leadership control system of the company. In her time with MLE Equipment Wendy has been a key resource in the growth of the business, developing many of the policies, procedures, and management control systems used in the operation of the business.
As a member of MLE Equipment’s Leadership Team, Wendy brings a strong sense of financial responsibility to all aspects of the company operations. MLE Equipment has been commended for having an accounting and financial management control system seldom found in a small to medium sized business, largely as a result of Wendy’s efforts. These efforts along with her devotion to the success of MLE Equipment have made her a key contributor to the success of the company.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Wendy gained her early experience with Shell Canada Products Limited, Proctor and Gamble and Shoppers Drug Mart where she held administrative management roles.
Nathan Richard, P. Eng.
Rental Business Manager
Extended Leadership Team Member
Nathan Richard joined MLE Equipment in 2006 in the newly created role as Rental Business Coordinator. In 2008 Nathan was promoted to Rental Business Manager and joined the MLE Equipment Extended Leadership Team. In this role Nathan provides leadership for the strategy, sales and marketing, operation, and continuous improvement of the MLE Equipment rental business. Nathan has developed hands on experience supporting the MLE Equipment sales force, sales partners, and customers in preparing technical solutions and price proposals ranging from simple parts to large upscale soil remediation systems.
Since Nathan joined MLE Equipment he has contributed to the successful growth of the rental fleet of equipment to include carbon treatment systems, dewatering systems, large flow vapor treatment systems, oxidizers, pilot test systems, and remediation systems. In this time the rental business has grown steadily to over one hundred units in the fleet being used by clients across the United States and Canada. The main rental fleet is located in Brockville with rental sales and service depots in Alberta, Northern California, and the South East.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Nathan gained his early experience in the automotive parts manufacturing industry first as a Process Engineer then advancing through Project Engineer, Maintenance Manager, and Technical Services Engineer. In these roles Nathan developed extensive experience in understanding customer requirements, designing the engineered products, and building the capacity to meet those requirements to very stringent quality standards.
Steve Deslandes, P. Eng.
Field Service Manager
Extended Leadership Team Member
Steve Deslandes joined MLE Equipment in 2006 in the newly created role of Quality Coordinator/Testing Technician. After six months, Steve joined the technical service team as a Technical Support Specialist where he helped support our customers and technicians in the field. In 2009 Steve joined the MLE Equipment Extended Leadership Team after assuming the role of Field Service Project Coordinator. In March 2010, Steve was promoted to Field Service Manager where he provides leadership for the strategy, sales and marketing, operation, and continuous improvement of the MLE Equipment field service business. Steve has quoted and managed numerous field service projects ranging from small system modifications up to large scale on-site installations.
Since Steve joined MLE Equipment he has contributed to the successful growth of the Field Service Department to include four field service technicians who supply various services all over North America. These services include general maintenance and troubleshooting support, maintenance contracts, carbon swap out services, small and large system modifications, and large scale on-site system installations.
Prior to joining MLE Equipment, Steve gained his early experience in the automotive parts manufacturing industry. In this role Steve developed experience in quality control and continuous improvement techniques applicable to the manufacturing industry.
