VRCA Board of Directors
The governance of the VRCA is vested in a Board of 14 directors elected by the membership.
The Board’s composition includes representatives from four Divisions:
- General Contractors
- Trade Contractors
- Manufacturers and Suppliers
- Professional Services
Each Division has a Council comprising a Chair and two Vice Chairs. The Chair and 1st Vice Chair of each Division are appointed by the Board. The 2nd Vice Chair is appointed by the members of each Division.
2023/24 Board of Directors
At the association’s 57th Annual General Meeting on February 7, 2023, the membership elected the 2023/24 Board of Directors. At its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors elected its Officers, Division Chairs and Division 1st Vice Chairs as follows:
Officers
Chair - Will Pauga
Southwest contracting ltd
Will has been working in the construction industry long before he moved to Canada in 2003. In 2006 Will started working at Southwest Contracting Ltd and in 2014, his partners and him took over the company that have been in business ever since 1972.
Will became actively involved in the VRCA in 2017 because of a need to improve a system that isn’t working effectively. As a member of the Trade Contractor Council, he has met other business owners who were dealing with the same issues, in construction, that he was.
Will has worked in most facets of construction, from the trenches all the way to the boardroom. It has been a challenging and satisfying career and he encourages all young people to choose construction as a successful path in their own careers.
Vice Chair - Derek Fettback
Western Pacific Enterprises (WPE)
Derek has more than 24 years of experience in the electrical construction industry. He joined Western Pacific in 1997 as an apprentice, commencing a progressive career managing a diverse set of commercial, industrial, and utilities projects. Currently, Derek is responsible for the Heavy Industrial and Utilities district as well as Western Pacific’s central estimating for projects between British Columbia and Manitoba. Derek currently serves on the VRCA Board, ECA Board as Vice Chair and WJETS Training Board.
Secretary/Treasurer - Regina Marklund
Turner Construction Company
Regina has been with Turner Construction Company for 18 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hofstra University. She has had a variety of roles within the company, including but not limited to; estimating, project management, project superintendence, business development, interiors division management and construction management.
In 2016, she had the opportunity to come to Vancouver and help grow the Turner office. This is also the year she had her first experience with the VRCA by attending the leadership summit in Whistler BC. For the following years, Turner continued sending high performing employees to have the opportunity to learn and network with their peers. Turner has been an active member of the VRCA since and Regina is excited to be a member of the board working with like-minded industry professionals and providing value to this market.
Past Chair - Craig Mitchell
BLACK BOX Offsite Solutions
VRCA
Board of Directors (Chair) 2022 – 2023
Craig Mitchell is passionate about modular and off-site construction. He has spent the last decade in senior management roles in the permanent modular construction field working with clients in both the US and Canada.
He is currently the Principal of his offsite construction consulting company – BlackBox Offsite Solutions Ltd. He has held board roles with both the Modular Building Institute (MBI) and has been a board member with the VRCA since 2017. He currently holds the role of Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and was previously Secretary Treasurer, and Vice Chair of the M&S Division.
General Contractors Division
Division Chair - Oliver Nicklin
Beedie Construction
Oliver Nicklin is a NEBOSH and PMP Qualified, Project Management professional with 10+ years’ experience managing complex projects across various business sectors. Oliver Nicklin brings great depth of experience to the Board, he is commercially aware and efficiency focused, understanding what is required to deliver good margins in an increasingly challenging environment. Oliver is a proven analytical and strategic thinker with the ability to present ideas to secure support for change projects. As a member of Beedie since 2017, he is now the Senior Director of Project Management.
Division Vice Chair - Scott Adkins
PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.
Scott Adkins is a professional engineer and has been in the industry for over 27 years working in Western Canada and the Northwest US within the heavy civil, commercial and institutional sectors. He has been with PCL since 2005, having spent the majority of his tenure in their BC office.
Actively involved in corporate committees including employee growth and development, pension investment, recruitment and most recently PCL’s Canadian DEI council he is excited to leverage these experiences in serving the local construction industry. Collaborating with fellow VRCA board members Scott hopes to build on past success while defining and achieving new outcomes towards sustainable economic growth for member companies and local business that provide livelihoods for thousands of families across the lower mainland.”
Regina Marklund
Turner Construction Company
Regina has been with Turner Construction Company for 18 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hofstra University. She has had a variety of roles within the company, including but not limited to; estimating, project management, project superintendence, business development, interiors division management and construction management.
In 2016, she had the opportunity to come to Vancouver and help grow the Turner office. This is also the year she had her first experience with the VRCA by attending the leadership summit in Whistler BC. For the following years, Turner continued sending high performing employees to have the opportunity to learn and network with their peers. Turner has been an active member of the VRCA since and Regina is excited to be a member of the board working with like-minded industry professionals and providing value to this market.
Trade Contractors Division
Division Chair - Mike Wallis
Flynn Canada Ltd.
Mike Wallis has nearly 20 years of experience in the construction industry covering all aspects of the construction life cycle. Mike has held positions in pre-construction and business development, as well as project management and now in a senior management role. Mike has been engaged with specialty trades throughout his career with a focus on building envelope specifically roofing, architectural cladding, and glazing.
Mike has consistently served his community and industry by volunteering his expertise. He has served as a board member of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, Southern Interior Construction Association, and the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants. Mike is a founding member of the VRCA u40 committee, a local network of young construction professionals. He has served as a coach and executive in both boys and girls minor hockey for over 20 years.
Mike is currently managing the wide-ranging Service Department in Vancouver for the Flynn Group of Companies. With 35 offices across Canada and the United States, Flynn is the preeminent commercial roofing, glazing, & cladding contractor in North America.
Division Vice Chair - Paul Demeule
Modern Niagara Vancouver
Paul has been in the Construction industry for more than 25 years, largely as a mechanical contractor but also spending time as a general contractor and owner’s representative. Paul is currently the Vice President and Area Manager of Modern Niagara Vancouver.
As a certified tradesperson, and experienced project and team leader committed to operational excellence, Paul has a deep understanding of project and industry challenges from both a trade, project management, and senior management perspective.
Paul is passionate about his work and believes strongly in lifelong learning and continuous improvement. While I enjoy all aspects of my job, I particularly enjoy team building, leveraging leader/ leader and servant leadership principles to successfully build high performance teams.
Paul believes that everyone in our industry has two obligations:
- The responsibility to learn.
- The responsibility to teach.
He looks forward to the opportunity to serve with the VRCA board, working collaboratively with other stakeholders to improve our industry and association.
Geoffrey Beukema
Houle Electric
As VP, Projects at Houle Electric Ltd. – Geoffrey leads the Commercial, Institutional, and Residential Project group operations to deliver excellent customer service and prompt, high quality professional workmanship. Geoffrey joined Houle in 2015 as a Project Manager. He was promoted to Regional Manager for BC Interior and Lower Mainland for commercial and institutional projects in 2019.
Geoffrey was promoted again in 2021, to his current role as VP, Projects – Commercial/Institutional/Residential. As an Interprovincial Red Seal and FSR A with over 29 years of experience in the electrical industry, Geoffrey has obtained a vast knowledge of both the administrative and hands-on aspects of electrical projects. Geoffrey enjoys the challenges that come with working in this industry and has successfully overseen over 20 significant industrial and commercial projects throughout his career.
Will Pauga
Southwest contracting ltd
I have been working in the construction industry long before I moved to Canada in 2003. In 2006 I started working at Southwest Contracting Ltd and in 2014, my partners and I took over the company that has been in business since 1972.
I became actively involved in the VRCA in 2017 because of a need to improve a system that isn’t working effectively. As a member of the Trade Contractor Council, I have met other business owners who were dealing with the same issues, in construction, that I was.
I have worked in most facets of construction, from the trenches all the way to the boardroom. It has been a challenging and satisfying career and I encourage all young people to choose construction as a successful career path.
Derek Fettback
Western Pacific Enterprises
Derek has more than 24 years of experience in the electrical construction industry. He joined Western Pacific in 1997 as an apprentice, commencing a progressive career managing a diverse set of commercial, industrial, and utilities projects. Currently, Derek is responsible for the Heavy Industrial and Utilities district as well as Western Pacific’s central estimating for projects between British Columbia and Manitoba. Derek currently serves on the VRCA Board, ECA Board as Vice Chair and WJETS Training Board.
Manufacturers and Suppliers Division
Division Chair - Jeff Adams
Fuelex Energy Ltd.
Jeff Adams’ career started in a family business as a Canadian distributor of document finishing equipment. Jeff knows firsthand the challenges of wearing many hats as an owner, and was successful in assembling a great team, building a company with a strong reputation for service, expanding across Canada, and successfully selling the business. With a work hard, play hard philosophy, Jeff volunteered with Canadian Power Squadron for 15 years, promoting education for safe boating. Currently he is an active member and volunteer with Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.
When Jeff started with Fuelex, the Esso Branded fuel and Mobil branded Lubricant supplier in BC, his background provided a fast track to learning the industry. Jeff joined a number of industry associations BCGSA, WCTA, BCSSGA, BC Road Builders, WMABC, AED, Concrete BC, BCSSGA and ICBA. He rolled up his sleeves to serve on the boards of AED, Concrete BC, BCSSGA, VRCA and Chair of the Concrete BC AGM planning committee. Jeff is committed to help grow local businesses and by participating in diverse associations he can bring fresh ideas that keep up with the changing markets.
Division Vice Chair - Corey Dandurand
Victaulic Company
Corey Dandurand is the Regional Manager, British Columbia for Victaulic, a leader in mechanical piping solutions for over 104 years. Originally from Nova Scotia, Corey’s 13-year construction industry tenure has led him to positions in Alberta, Saskatchewan, South Africa, and Vancouver while specializing in building services, mining, maritime and infrastructure. He brings with him, several industry passions, including building controls systems, BIM processes, fabrication & modular building strategies, engineered pipe movement and lean manufacturing expertise. He thoroughly enjoys collaborating with various industry partners and stakeholders to reduce labour, ensure on-time project delivery and mitigate risk on piping projects of all varieties.
Corey has engagement with ASHRAE, MCABC, CIM and is a past member of the Edmonton Construction Association. Upon joining ‘Your VRCA,’ he has become captivated by the strength through collaboration that the VRCA cultivates.
Victaulic takes pride in its long-standing involvement with the VRCA and rarely miss an event. Corey very much looks forward to serving with the VRCA Board of Directors as we continue to evolve the construction industry toward a safer, leaner, and more sustainable future.
Jeff Block
Moduloc
Jeff has been with Modu-Loc since 2010, and in his 13 years with the company he has worked at three different locations: Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver, where he currently resides. Jeff began his career at Modu-Loc as an Outside Sales Representative. He was instrumental in establishing a Modu-Loc branch in Winnipeg, leveraging his keen networking skills to build a loyal client base. After leaving Winnipeg to move to Toronto, Jeff saw great success in his ability to foster relationships with our event clients – a skill he developed in his prior work experience as an Account Executive at Toronto Argonauts Football Club.
When Modu-Loc recognized the need for a dedicated sales presence in western Canada, Jeff jumped at the opportunity. He moved to Vancouver to take on the position of Western Canada Sales Manager in 2016, shifting his focus to driving growth within the British Columbia construction market.
Jeff has made a name for himself in that market, becoming actively involved in local associations and building an impressive network of industry contacts. Notably, Jeff is a fixture of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, and served as the Chair of the Young Construction Leaders group from 2019 through 2022. Most recently, Jeff was the winner of the Kuchurean Memorial Award as part of Modu-Loc’s 2023 Employee Awards program. The Kuchurean Memorial Award recognizes an individual who has left a lasting and positive impact on those around them by offering support and assistance to others in their time of need, and by going above and beyond to help people.
Sunbelt Rentals of Canada acquired Modu-Loc fence rentals in November of 2022 where Jeff now holds the role of Strategic Account Manager.
Professional Services Division
Division Chair - Craig Mitchell
Black Box Modular Solutions
Craig Mitchell is passionate about modular and off-site construction. He has spent the last decade in senior management roles in the permanent modular construction field working with clients in both the US and Canada. He is currently the Principal of his offsite construction consulting company – BlackBox Offsite Solutions Ltd. He has held board roles with both the Modular Building Institute (MBI) and has been a board member with the VRCA since 2017. He currently holds the role of Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and was previously Secretary Treasurer, and Vice Chair of the M&S Division.
Division Vice Chair - Scott Harcus
Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP
COMING SOON
Kai Fraser
Turner & Townsend Inc.
COMING SOON
YCL Network
Jeff Block
Moduloc
Jeff has been with Modu-Loc since 2010, and in his 13 years with the company he has worked at three different locations: Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver, where he currently resides. Jeff began his career at Modu-Loc as an Outside Sales Representative. He was instrumental in establishing a Modu-Loc branch in Winnipeg, leveraging his keen networking skills to build a loyal client base. After leaving Winnipeg to move to Toronto, Jeff saw great success in his ability to foster relationships with our event clients – a skill he developed in his prior work experience as an Account Executive at Toronto Argonauts Football Club.
When Modu-Loc recognized the need for a dedicated sales presence in western Canada, Jeff jumped at the opportunity. He moved to Vancouver to take on the position of Western Canada Sales Manager in 2016, shifting his focus to driving growth within the British Columbia construction market.
Jeff has made a name for himself in that market, becoming actively involved in local associations and building an impressive network of industry contacts. Notably, Jeff is a fixture of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, and served as the Chair of the Young Construction Leaders group from 2019 through 2022. Most recently, Jeff was the winner of the Kuchurean Memorial Award as part of Modu-Loc’s 2023 Employee Awards program. The Kuchurean Memorial Award recognizes an individual who has left a lasting and positive impact on those around them by offering support and assistance to others in their time of need, and by going above and beyond to help people.
Sunbelt Rentals of Canada acquired Modu-Loc fence rentals in November of 2022 where Jeff now holds the role of Strategic Account Manager.
To view past Chairs of the VRCA Board of Directors, please click here for the photo gallery.