2009 Awards Newsletter - Wood Manufacturing Council

The Newsletter of the Wood Manufacturing Sector Council of Canada
A Note from the President
Human Resource management is a challenging
occupation at the best of times, and it is made even
more challenging during difficult economic
conditions. For the past two years, the
Wood Manufacturing Council has
recognized outstanding leaders in
HR management field through our
annual awards program.
There are many people that we would
like to thank. First, we would like to
recognize the support provided to us
by Vance Publishing and the WMS show.
We really appreciate their interest in our
event and all the assistance in putting on this ceremony.
We also want to thank the Government of Canada’s
Sector Council Program and the Awards Committee for
helping to promote the event and select the recipients.
Innovation in Human Resources Award
Nienkämper
Nienkämper is a family owned Canadian manufacturer of
high-end corporate office and public space furniture,
which includes upholstered and case goods.
Nienkämper currently employs a diverse group of
skilled individuals representing over 35 different
cultures. They encourage promotion from within
and assist staff in achieving their short and longterm professional and personal goals. Their
commitment to their people and to providing
“better than industry standards” has enabled them
to keep their annual turnover rate at less than 3%.
(continured on page 2)
This year, we recognized outstanding individuals or
companies who continue to embrace innovation and best
practices under these difficult economic circumstances.
Enjoy this special issue of our newsletter as we highlight
the exemplary work being done by the industry and
share their stories in an effort to inform and inspire
others.
Richard Lipman
3rd Annual
WMC HR Awards 2009
September 24, 2009
In This Issue:
• Innovation Award (1)
• Equity Award (2)
• WoodLINKS Success Award (3)
Cristina Leyden receives the Innovation in HR Award from WMC Board
Chair Gary Williams; Timber Systems on behalf of Lisa Sanguinetti and the
team at Nienkämper.
• WMC Award of Distinction (4)
Funded by the Government of
Canada’s Sector Council Program.
Wood Manufacturing Council
Suite 1016, 130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Phone: 613-567-5511
Fax: 613-567-5411
www.wmc-cfb.ca
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Nienkämper (cont.)
For years, the company tried unsuccessfully to
recruit trained tradespersons. With the recognition
of the skilled trades shortages experienced in
Ontario as well as the misconceptions perceived
within secondary schools regarding the trades,
many years ago Nienkämper forged a formal
partnership with the Toronto District School
Board to address the issue. They began annually
accepting high-school co-op students, including
those engaged in the WoodLINKS Program, into
their manufacturing and office environments.
Hours accumulated in the plant are eligible for
Ontario apprenticeship programs, including
OYAP. This year, they offered co-op placements to
ten students in various disciplines throughout their
facility – fully 5% of their workforce. Many of
these students have successfully continued on into
post-secondary education or apprenticeships.
Regular training, seminars and “lunch and learn”
sessions are offered free to all staff and students,
covering such topics as:
• Diversity education
• Wellness initiatives such as diabetes and
blood pressure clinics
• Self-defense courses
• Financial training and assistance
• Environmental education
• Health and safety
The entire company participates in the selection of
the Annual Spirit Awards recognizing outstanding
individual performance in thirteen categories,
including special awards for innovation and
quality. The company also has an “Innovator’s
Award”, granting staff a 10% reimbursement
for suggestions made resulting in cost savings or
improved working conditions.
WoodLINKS Success Award
Robert Aucoin; Rideau High School
Bob Aucoin has been a technology teacher at Rideau High School
for approximately 19 years. His devotion to his profession and
the woodworking program at Rideau is commendable. In addition
to the Ministry of Education’s curriculum requirements, Bob also
teaches his students the value of community work and its rewards.
One area his nominators wished to bring to our attention is the
“Child’s House of Dreams” project. Bob has been integral in
making this activity a success both for the students of Rideau High
School and for the community. For the past five years, Bob and his
students have voluntarily committed many hours of hard work to the
“Child’s House of Dreams” project, which is a community service
project that touches many a parent’s heart.
Fundraising activities help the Ronald McDonald House to provide
a “home-away-from-home” for out-of-town families with children
being treated at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The “Child’s
House of Dreams” has raised $250,000 since the first raffle ticket
was sold six years ago. The “winning” raffle ticket gives a family
a chance to win a uniquely designed playhouse created by some
of Ottawa’s professional builders and finest high school students.
Rideau High School is one of only two Ottawa high schools to
participate in the “Child’s House of Dreams” project.
Bob has managed to negotiate supplies (most of it donated by a
variety of Ottawa companies) needed to construct, decorate and
furnish the play structures. No small undertaking, this has required
that Bob attend meetings, make phone calls, network with local
businesses and donate his personal time. All of this hard work and
dedication to supporting his students has resulted in the success of
completing such attractive play structures.
Equity Award – LakeCity Woodworkers
For 27 years LakeCity Woodworkers,
located in Halifax, NS, has been leading
the way toward equity for people living
with mental illness. LakeCity runs a
successful woodworking and furniture
business making high quality products
and promoting employment for people
living with mental illness.
The purpose of LakeCity Woodworkers
is to create equity in the workforce for
people living with these challenges.
LakeCity began as a drop-in centre
for clients of mental health support
services. In the late 70s when “work”
was identified as a key factor for clients
to re-establish themselves, they started
on what has become a successful solid
wood, hand-crafted furniture company
which has made a huge difference in
the lives of several thousand people.
Work is completed by program
participants and staff working
together. The 50 participants in the
woodworking program (individuals
who are living with a mental illness) are
not paid a wage but receive a stipend.
The staff (30% are also living with a
mental illness) work in production and
provide training and support to the
participants as they work together.
As this business developed, the
Community Employment Program was
established in 1988 for individuals who
Chris Fyles
receives the
Equity Award on
behalf of LakeCity
Woodworkers.
Bob is also a trail blazer, seeking out the WoodLINKS program and
implementing it in his high school, the first in the Ottawa area.
Robert Aucoin; Rideau High in Ottawa receives the
WoodLINKS Success Award from Gary Williams
Offcuts Awards Issue 2009
Offcuts Awards Issue 2009
were interested in finding employment
in the larger community. LakeCity
Employment Services (the parent
company) serves 400 clients in finding
jobs and educational opportunities in
the community.
LakeCity’s business continues to grow
year after year and quality has also
improved. This has put some strain
on the system as they continue to
adapt to the situation. Lately, lean
manufacturing principles have been
the key to matching supply to the ever
increasing demand. Their ability to
meet this demand will ensure a strong
future for LakeCity and the individuals
that they support.
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WMC Award of Distinction
Our recipient for the 2009 WMC Award of Distinction
has been one of most dedicated volunteers for the cause
of looking out for the education and training of Canadian
woodworkers and those that would become the next wave
of employees in our businesses. This year, the WMC is
extremely pleased to present the Award of Distinction to
Blair Tullis.
Blair Tullis was active in publishing for thirty-five years and
in the wood products manufacturing industry in Canada for
the past twenty-one years. For many of us he was a fixture
of that important component of our sector. In support of the
Canadian industry, and out of his interest in the business, he
has traveled extensively, seeing many plants across North
America, China and Europe and visiting wood industry
trade shows.
Since the late 1980’s, he has shown an interest in, and
commitment to the needs of the industry, working with the
Canadian Woodworking Machinery Distributors Association
on many issues and sitting for many years on the Board of
the Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. Blair also sat
on the program advisory committee of the Woodworking
Centre of Ontario for 12 years and currently sits on
the Board of the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing
at UBC.
The scope of the projects to develop a world class training
centre, develop a new degree in wood processing and to
work with multiple levels of government and all the subsectors and various stakeholders to create a sector council
is tremendous.
Blair’s remarkable perseverance, his focus to achieve a goal
that would provide benefit to many, his ability to lead the
committed and to bring together diverse interests – these
things typify what his friends and colleagues recognize in
him, and why they wanted the WMC to recognize him with
this award.
Through his extensive efforts he has become recognized as
one of most trusted and respected individuals in the value
added wood products business in Canada. He is likely
the most connected person in our sector and has made
a significant number of good and close friends along
the way.
“It has been my good fortune to have worked so closely with
Blair – and I cannot thank him enough for his friendship, his
leadership and for making the WMC what it is today.”
– Richard Lipman
In 1992, he joined with industry leaders to
form the National Educational Initiative for
the Furniture and Wood Products Industry
in Canada to build a program of wood
production engineering based on the
German model at Rosenheim University
in Bavaria. That body established–in
co-operation with the University of British
Columbia–the Centre for Advanced Wood
Processing to train the future leaders of
Canadian wood products manufacturers.
Since that time, the NEI has become the
Wood Manufacturing Council, of which
he is the Past Chair.
Award of Distinction recipient Blair Tullis (centre) with his family: Alison, Ginny, Cam and Lise.
Offcuts Awards Issue 2009