FOR COUNCIL Manon Plante, P.Eng., MDS, CD1
Good day, APEGA Members. My name is Manon Plante and I am seeking a councillor position on APEGA’s Council. You may be wondering why you should consider me as a potential Councillor. Well, I am someone who is dedicated, fair, honest, innovative, and driven. This means that I will work hard for the Association and you, as its Members, and will look to challenge the status quo to get things done.
Forces College, where I obtained a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies. The degree focused on strategic planning, leadership, and ethics. I retired in 2013, and later that year I joined APEGA as the Director of Operations. I learned a lot about the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act , and its regulations and bylaws, and the role of governance in our Association. Late in the spring of 2014, I moved to the Government of Alberta’s Transportation Department, where I took the leadership role of Assistant Deputy Minister of Delivery Services. Here, I lead the delivery of all road and bridge construction projects (including the ring roads), and all highway maintenance services for summer and winter. Recently, I attended the Senior Public Servants Leadership Program at the Ivey Business School at Western University, where I completed the first of three modules. I have been an active councillor and treasurer with parent school boards for the last 10 years. I have three lovely boys and a supporting husband. We are avid hikers, mountain bikers, and skiers. In conclusion, I want you to remember three things: our Council is the key to the successful self-regulation of our profession; you have the power to select the Council members that will uphold this crucial duty; and your vote is important — make sure you take the time to utilize your right to do so! I hope you will provide me with the opportunity to be a part of a Council that will continue to govern one of the most respected and progressive professional associations in the country. I will make a difference by bringing a breath of expertise that is unique and refreshing. Thank you.
I believe that the successful self-regulation of our professions starts with a robust, visionary, and focused Council. In fact, our Council’s most important role is to provide leadership and strategic direction to address the current and anticipated challenges of our Association. How should our Council achieve this? Firstly, the APEGA Council needs to demonstrate strong leadership in clearly understanding and defining those challenges. Secondly, Council must create realistically attainable yet forward- thinking strategic goals. And lastly, the objectives need to be aligned with their designated timelines in order to achieve focused and measurable outcomes. The “how” shall be left to our Association’s operations leader, the CEO, and his very qualified and capable staff. I believe that my unique experiences and background have prepared me to fill the duties of a Councillor. As the daughter of a mechanic and a seamstress from a very small Quebec town, my upbringing may have been modest, but it has taught me lessons I still use to this today. My father was an entrepreneur, having his own gas/mechanic/towing business shop. I learned at a very young age to not take anything for granted, focus on the job at hand, work hard, and be dedicated. I also learned the importance of establishing strong employee and client relationships, and most importantly, providing superior workmanship (yes, I have towed vehicles, provided oil changes, and rotated tires!). I am a proud graduate of McGill University where I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering in 1989. Following this, I pursued a career as a Military Engineer with the Canadian Armed Forces until 2013. This was an incredible and amazing opportunity where I served my country, travelled the world, and had the pleasure to work alongside great soldiers and multi-national forces. Throughout my career, I received extensive training on leadership, strategic and operational planning, finance management, business and budget planning, risk management, human resources management, and performance management. In 2008, I attended the Canadian
APEGA Activities • Member (2014–present)
Affiliations, Corporate or Community Service • Trésorière, École La Mission, Société des Parents, St. Albert (2009–present) • Conseillère, École La Découverte, Société des Parents, Orléans, ON (2006) • Conseillère and Spokesperson for the construction of a new school facility, École Madeleine de Roybon, Société des Parents, Kingston, ON (2004) • President, Edmonton Garrison Climbing Club, Edmonton Garrison Gymnasium, (organized and coordinated the stand-up of the club), Edmonton (1997–2000)
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