New Executive Director and Registrar shares vision for the future

Stormy Holmes, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) is APEGS’ new Executive Director and Registrar. Holmes is the association’s first female executive director.

By Karen Brownlee

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS) began 2022 with a new leader.

Stormy Holmes, P.Eng., FEC, FGC (Hon.) stepped into the role of Executive Director and Registrar on Jan. 4, taking over for a retiring Bob McDonald, P.Eng., MBA, LL.B.

“I am so excited to carry forward my volunteer experience with APEGS as I move into the administration of the association,” said Holmes.

“Solid work has been done over the last few years around the governance of APEGS, and I recognize the great honour and privilege of leading APEGS through the next steps and into the future.”

As Executive Director and Registrar, Holmes will be responsible for providing executive leadership to key governance and operations activities of APEGS, including regulating the professions, effective governance and strategic alignment, executive oversight of the association, staff management and stewardship of APEGS’ assets.

APEGS’s purpose is regulating the professions of engineering and geoscience in the public interest, which means taking responsibility for ensuring that those doing engineering and geoscience work in Saskatchewan are competent and qualified and that they are committed to the safety and well-being of people and the environment.

While Holmes keeps that responsibility front and centre, she is pleased to lead a transformation of the APEGS’ administration, modernizing its business processes while maintaining the association’s focus on the public interest.

She is interested in all those who interact with APEGS – from the public to those in the professions registered with APEGS as well as staff working for the organization – feeling that this modernization is beneficial and that they are treated fairly by the association.

Holmes was introduced to engineering as a child. She found her own place in the profession by obtaining the necessary education, volunteering and working to gain experience to qualify for increasingly senior roles.

“I grew up in the engineering world,” said Holmes, whose parents are technologists that worked in engineering consulting, her husband as well as other family and close friends are also professional engineers.

“It feels like engineering, in particular, has always been a big part of my life.”

She also has an appreciation for geoscience, the other profession regulated by APEGS. It was 25 years ago that geoscientists were welcomed into the association under the newly-proclaimed The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.

“Just as is done with engineers, APEGS works to make sure that it is regulating geoscientists in the best interest of the public,” said Holmes.

“We are helping the public understand that there is a regulator that’s involved with geoscience and that APEGS is ensuring that Saskatchewan has qualified, competent people doing that geoscience work.”

Being a woman in the role of Executive Director and Registrar for APEGS is an opportunity for others. It makes sense to Holmes that the people working in the professions should mirror society. Anyone in society wondering if they have a place in engineering or geoscience are more likely to find it if they identify that other people who share their life experience are already there.

“Helping to create more visibility is really important and helps create those pathways that maybe other people didn’t think were there for them before,” said Holmes.

Having obtained a B.A.Sc. in Environmental Systems Engineering from the University of Regina in 1998 and a Certificate in Administration in 2001, Holmes registered as a Professional Engineer in Saskatchewan in 2002 and obtained Permission to Consult in 2006.

Holmes held various leadership roles over the last 13 years, working for the City of Regina and AECOM. Her leadership responsibilities have ranged from local to North American and required her to work in the private and public sector, progressively increasing her responsibilities across disciplines.

Volunteering was a critical part of Holmes’ professional development over the last 20 years and helped her gain the qualifications required for this role she now fills. Holmes’ name may be familiar to APEGS’ members, especially those who follow the association’s volunteer activities. Over the last 15 years, she has energetically contributed to the work of Council and numerous committees, including being:

• APEGS’ President from 2018-2019;
• Council member from 2000-2003 and 2013-2020;
• Committee member since 2004.

Prior to taking on the Executive Director, she was the APEGS representative to the Engineers Canada board of directors.

Joining APEGS as a volunteer was a continuation of Holmes’ dedication to the engineering and geoscience professions that began when she was a student at the University of Regina. She found volunteering allowed her to expand and deepen her circle of connections in Saskatchewan and beyond. She has served numerous organizations dedicated to the professions since then.

She has been recognized for her contributions by being awarded APEGS’ Promising Member Award in 2004, which honours members who have accomplished exceptional achievements in the early stages of their career. In 2009, she was awarded the Fellow of Engineers Canada designation, which recognizes individuals who have given noteworthy service to the engineering profession through their work with either Engineers Canada or its provincial and territorial engineering regulators. She was also awarded honorary Fellow of Geoscientists Canada in 2019.

This story was created by Martin Charlton Communications, on behalf of APEGS.