MANAGEMENT
Bruce Thorlakson, GSC
PRINCIPAL-PRESIDENT
Bruce started as an apprentice plumber in 1973 on the Northlands Coliseum project in Edmonton. His field experience included running field operations primarily on commercial & institutional projects, with a large focus on laboratories. In 1978 he moved into the office as an Estimator, becoming Chief Estimator in 1980, and a Project Manager in 1983. He was part of the eleven member employee group that purchased the company from the Johnson family in 1988. In 1991 he became Vice President & Branch Manager, and moved to Vancouver, BC in 1993 to open the Vancouver office and oversee all BC operations. In 1996 the company decided to focus on Southern Alberta which brought Bruce & family to Calgary. Bruce became President & sole owner in 2004 and is celebrating fifty years with the company & industry in 2023.
Kris Kurtenbach, P.ENG. LEED AP
VICE PRESIDENT
Kris has been in the construction industry for fifteen years and has experience in both large and small commercial projects on both the construction and design side of the industry as well as hotels and residential towers. Kris is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan’s Mechanical Engineering program and has his Professional Engineering designation as well as being LEED AP certified. He has been with S.E. Johnson for ten years and has managed several jobs including the Eighth Avenue Place West Tower and associated tenant works, Great Plains Rec Centre, YYC Mariott hotel at the Calgary airport, the Park Central residential tower and various others. He is currently managing the Two Park Central project in downtown Calgary.
PROJECT MANAGERS
Gary Lister
PROJECT MANAGER
Gary has been in the construction industry for the past twenty six years. Twelve of those years have been in project management, the past eight years with our firm. He holds Alberta journeyman certification in Plumbing and Gas fitting. His experience ranges from commercial & institutional to residential condominium projects and research laboratories. He has strong and proven organizational skills with a focus on service to the client.
John Birzgalis, GSI
PROJECT MANAGER
John has been in the trade for 15 years and is well versed in every aspect of the Commercial and Light Industrial Mechanical field. From mechanical design to full build out of plumbing, gas fitting, HVAC, and refrigeration. He takes great pride in devoting exceptional attention to detail and providing the highest quality of service for each and every project.
ADMINISTRATION
Patty Vold
ADMINISTRATION
Patty has been an integral part of our team for the past thirty three years running our day to day administration requirements. Her responsibilities involve dealing with our field and office payroll, supplier invoicing, accounts payable and apprenticeship requirements.
Shari Belden
ACCOUNTING
Shari joined our firm in October 2021 as Accountant to administer our accounting department. She manages all of our financial requirements on a daily basis.
Steve McKenna
PURCHASER
Steve has been with S.E. Johnson for twelve years and has forty five years of experience in the plumbing industry. Steve’s past work history includes 27 years working in the plumbing wholesale business prior to taking a position of purchaser in the mechanical contracting business.
HR & SAFETY
Becky Rogers, NCSO, GSC
HR & SAFETY
Becky is responsible for all field staff recruiting and full administration of our safety program. Becky has eighteen years of safety coordination experience. She has her certification as an NCSO and is Gold Seal Certified. Becky is a First Aid & CPR and Fall Protection Instructor and an Alberta Certified Peer Health & Safety Auditor. Becky is responsible for our entire field recruiting along with full management of our safety program.
BIM
Adrian Manquenahuel, RSE
BIM MODELER
Adrian has been in the trade for 10 years. He began his career in Vancouver, British Columbia and eventually came to Alberta in 2014. He graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and currently holds a red seal certification for plumbing and a red seal certification for class-B gas. His experience in mechanical installation ranges anywhere from custom home projects to commercial and industrial projects. Adrian is operating in our new BIM department where he is designing mechanical systems for coordination and fabrication purposes.
Estimator
Mark Filek
ESTIMATOR
Mark, who has been a member of the SEJ team for the past 15 years, entered the field in 1997 in Kamloops BC where he attended a 9-month Plumbing Pre-apprenticeship program. With over 25 years of field experience in our industry, Mark has experience both implementing and overseeing the mechanical installations on a wide variety of projects including 5 years of Residential Plumbing, 5 years of Industrial work in Fabrication Shops, and Oil and Gas Infrastructure projects. In addition, he has over 10 years of management experience in commercial construction. Mark holds a Red Seal Alberta journeyman certification in Plumbing, and Gas fitting.