Presented By
Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic/Joint Task Force Atlantic
Director General Naval Force Development
Senior Vice President, Global Government Services, American Bureau of Shipping
President & Chief Executive Officer
Project Manager Joint Support Ship
Founder, Innovator, Thordon Bearings Inc.
Vice President, Business Development, VARD
Capital Programme Coordinator
MSc CEng CMarEng FIMarEST CMIOSH
Director of Innovation Operations, Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
VP Delivery, Thales Canada Defence & Security
Vice President Government Programs, Heddle Shipyards
Project Director Light Icebreaker, Canadian Coast Guard
Editor in Chief, Vanguard
Area Sales Director, SH Defence
Marine Engineer, Department of National Defence
Associate Consultant, CFN Consultants
Copyright ©2019 Vanguard Canada Media
RAdm Brian Santarpia, CD
Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic/Joint Task Force Atlantic
RAdm Santarpia enrolled in the Canadian Forces, under the Officer Candidate Training Plan as a Maritime Surface Officer, in 1986. After completing his training, he served in a succession of operational postings.
He has also been posted to numerous training billets, including Navigation Instructor, Head of the Warfare Training Division at the Canadian Forces Fleet School (Esquimalt), Operations Officer of Sea Training Pacific, and in 2008, Commanding Officer of Sea Training Atlantic. Following his promotion to Captain(N) in 2009, he was appointed as the Special Advisor to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff. In 2010, he assumed command of Canadian Forces Base Halifax until his departure to attend the National Security Programme in 2012.
RAdm Santarpia was promoted to Commodore in July 2013 and appointed Director General Naval Personnel. He led the transformation of that organization and assumed the duties of the first Director General Navy Strategic Readiness in April 2014. He was deployed to Bahrain in December 2014 where he commanded a multi- national group conducting counter-terrorism operations. Upon his return to Canada, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff and later Director General Plans at the Strategic Joint Staff in July 2016. In May 2018, RAdm Santarpia joined the Canadian Joint Operations Command as the Chief of Staff.
RAdm Santarpia was appointed Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic / Joint Task Force Atlantic in June 2020.
In addition to being a graduate of the National Security Programme, RAdm Santarpia holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) Victoria, and a Masters of Defence Studies from Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston.
Shaun Padulo
President & Chief Executive Officer
Shaun Padulo joined Heddle Shipyards in 2017 and assumed the role of President in June 2018. In June 2022 Shaun added Chief Executive Officer to his title.
Shaun brings 10 years of experience in the marine and offshore contracting sectors. Starting his career as a deckhand on tugboats sailing on the Great Lakes, Shaun departed Canada in 2011 and held various commercial roles for the Dutch firms Dockwise Shipping B.V. and Boskalis Offshore B.V.
During his time at Dockwise, Shaun lived and worked in the Netherlands where he specialized in logistical management as well as the transportation and installation of offshore production structures. While at Boskalis, Shaun lived and worked in Houston, Texas, and focused on offshore installation projects, offshore decommissioning projects and subsea inspection, repair
and maintenance projects.
Shaun is an alumnus of the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and McMaster University in Hamilton. Shaun holds a Master of Science in Maritime Economics and Logistics.
As President & CEO, Shaun leads the Executive Team and is responsible for developing, communicating, and implementing the company’s strategic plan, culture, values and vision.
Blaine Duffley
Project Manager Joint Support Ship
A native of Saint John, New Brunswick, Blaine joined the Public Service in 2008 after a 26-year career in the RCN as a Combat Systems Engineer, attaining the rank of Commander. He has been the Project Manager for the Joint Support Ship (JSS) project since 2019.
Upon graduation from the Royal Military College, he embarked on an engineering career in submarines, training in Australian and Canadian submarines. He subsequently served in HMCS Onondaga, CF Naval Operations School, and Maritime Command Headquarters. After graduate studies in the field of satellite antenna design, he served in HMCS Windsor during her reactivation and acceptance from the UK Royal Navy. After serving in various capacities in support of the Victoria Class Submarine program, he was Director Maritime Equipment Program Management (Submarines) and Submarine Design Authority. As such, he was responsible for third line support, implementation of capability upgrades, and initial project management for the Victoria Class Modernization.
George A. ‘Sandy’ Thomson
Founder, Innovator, Thordon Bearings Inc.
Sandy attended Northrop University in Inglewood, California studying Aircraft Maintenance Engineering but graduated as a Mechanical Engineer. In 1965, he decided to join the family business, Thomson-Gordon Ltd., in Hamilton, Ontario. At the time, this company was primarily a distributor of Engineers Supplies. Looking for a niche where engineered mechanical products made from rubber and plastic components could be designed, they developed the Thordon polymer in the late 1960’s.
Sandy’s focus on innovation and developing export markets has been the key to Thordon’s success. Today, Thordon has become a global leader in seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings and seals as well as offering a complete range of non-metallic sleeve bearing solutions for marine, clean power generation, pump, offshore, and other industrial markets. Thomson Gordon Group has evolved since its formation in 1911 and today comprises a factory in Burlington, Ontario, one in Slupsk, Poland and warehouses in America. Plans to construct an additional factory in Temiskaming Shores are being considered. In 2015, Sandy transferred sole ownership to his daughter, Anna who now serves as CEO.
Cmdre Jason Armstrong, MSM, CD
Director General Naval Force Development
As the son of a career soldier, Cmdre J. S. Armstrong grew up in various army and air force bases throughout Canada, but calls Sault Ste-Marie, Ontario his hometown. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a Maritime Surface Officer in 1989. Upon completion of Naval Warfare Officer training in 1994, he joined the Pacific Fleet. Since then, he has served onboard HMC Ships on both coasts conducting a number of international deployments including NATO, WESTPLOY, Op AUGMENTATION, and Op ALTAIR. He has had the honour and privilege of commanding three of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships during his command tour and deployed onboard HMCS Toronto as Commanding Officer for Op REASSURANCE in 2014-2015.
Cmdre Armstrong has served in staff positions at Maritime Pacific and Canadian Fleet Atlantic Headquarters. He has served in the National Capital Region in Naval Force Development and as the Chief of Staff for the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
RAdm Bruce Baffer, USCG (Ret’d)
Senior Vice President, Global Government Services, American Bureau of Shipping
RAdm Baffer, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret’d) currently serves as Senior Vice President for Global Government Services at ABS where he is responsible for ABS support for military and government-owned vessels worldwide.
Baffer joined ABS in 2021 from Fincantieri Marinette Marine, where he led design teams on the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vessel and Light Amphibious Warship Programs as well as the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter and Polar Security Cutter Industry Studies.
During his 33 year active duty career with the U.S. Coast Guard, he served as Chief Engineer, providing life-cycle logistics, maintenance and repair for the organization’s 243 ships, 201 aircraft, 1,800 boats and $18B shore plant. As the Assistant Commandant for Acquisitions, Program Executive Officer and Vessel Acquisition Program Manager, he oversaw the ongoing recapitalization of the Coast Guard’s operating fleet, delivering the first National Security Cutter (418’) and first Fast Response Cutter (154’). Additionally, he oversaw the conceptual design development of the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter (360’).
Afloat assignments on numerous OPV sized ships include Command of Cutters STRATTON (418’), CHASE (378’) and THETIS (270’). Additionally, he served as Executive Officer of JARVIS (378’) and Engineer Officer of THETIS (270’) and as an Engineer in Training on RELIANCE (210’).
Baffer holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a Master’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, a Master’s in the Management of Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the Marine Corps War College. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and Level III Acquisition Professional.
Derek Buxton
Vice President, Business Development, VARD
Mr. Buxton has been with Vard Marine Inc. since July 2018; he is the Vice President of Business Development and leads our Ottawa office. Leveraging his 32-years of combined service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard, and his considerable experience with major acquisition and support programs, he is spearheading the development of new opportunities for VARD in the global government shipbuilding sector.
After completing his Engineering degree at the Royal Military College of Canada, Derek started his career in the military serving in many sea-going and shore-based roles including as the Engineering Officer on HMCS Onondaga, an Oberon Class submarine. He spent four years on exchange duties in Australia with the Collins Class submarine program within the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation. Upon returning to Canada he subsequently worked on the acquisition and in-service support of Canada’s Victoria Class submarines, finishing his military career in 2007 as the Design Authority for Submarine Platform Systems. Derek has received numerous awards for his distinguished service throughout his Naval career, including citations for his efforts during Operation Deliverance in 1992 and his work on submarine acquisition in 2005.
Derek then spent eleven years with the Canadian Coast Guard in key leadership roles supporting their fleet renewal program, including serving as the Program Manager for the Canadian Polar Icebreaker program. Most recently, as the Senior Director for Future Capability Development, he was responsible for the requirements definition and concept development for the Coast Guard’s future fleet.
Commander Greg Zuliani
Capital Programme Coordinator
Cdr Zuliani was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He joined the Naval Reserve in 2003 as a Naval Warfare Officer before transferring to the Regular Force in 2008. Sailing primarily on the East coast, his tours at sea have included: HMCS Shawinigan and Glace Bay as a Bridge Watch Keeper, HMCS Summerside as the Navigating Officer, HMCS St. John’s as the Navigating Officer and Deck Officer, and HMCS Halifax as the Operations Officer and Combat Officer. Prior to returning to Ottawa, his latest sea-going appointment was as Commanding Officer in HMCS Kingston.
His tenure in Ottawa has seen him enjoy a posting at the Directorate of Naval Requirements which had him intimately involved in the introduction of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to the Royal Canadian Navy. He also worked within the Chief of Programme staff which provided him significant insight into the strategic governance across the Department. These postings have provided a unique perspective which he now brings to his latest posting as the Capital Programme Coordinator for the Royal Canadian Navy.
Cdr Zuliani has deployed to all three Canadian coasts on Operations LAMA, NANOOK, and PODIUM. He has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Philosophy from Queen's University, and a Master’s in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. He is also a graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario.
Ian Schumacker
MSc CEng CMarEng FIMarEST CMIOSH
Ian is a retired Royal Fleet Auxiliary Engineer Officer, having completed 43 years’ service, achieving the rank of Commodore (E). Following a short retirement, he set up his own Consultancy business and was the Principal Test and Commissioning Manager for Cammell Laird on the new build RSS SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH and Royal Navy T45 HMS DAUNTLESS. Moving to part-time working, he joined SERCO UK as a Technical Lead on New Build Bids in late 2021.
As Commodore Engineer RFA Ian was responsible and accountable as Platform Duty Holder and Platform Authority for the provision of materially sound and 'Safe to Operate' Platforms for the RFA and RN Hydrographic & Patrol vessels (22 ships). These complex platforms involving a balance between Naval Authority and Commercial Third-party regulation and assurance. Ian ran a multi-disciplined team of Civil Servants, Commercial Staff and RFA Marine and Electrical Engineer Officers. He was responsible for managing the Through Life Support contracts with associated fiscal responsibility and accountability for those vessels formally delegated to him.
Achieving an MSc in Occupational Health & Safety Management at Brunel University he became Fleet Safety Health and Environmental Officer (FSHEO) leading the Safety and Environmental Audit teams for the RN, RFA and Royal Marines. A further number of sea and shore appointments continued before his final sea going experience ended in 2007. Ian moved into RFA Technical Superintendency, achieving Chief Technical Superintendent and then Commodore (E) in 2014, until his retirement from service in 2019.
Ian has experience sailing on a range of platforms, interspersed with a number of Safety and Technical shore appointments involving; day to day Operational Support, preparation and undertaking of Major Dry Dock Projects, Ship Life Extension Projects (SLEP) and New Build.
Kristina Proulx
Director of Innovation Operations
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
Kristina is the Director of Innovation Operations for the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program. She joined the team in March 2020 and is charged with ensuring the operational effectiveness of the Program’s five funding elements that facilitate third-party innovation relating to the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence.
Prior to this role, Kristina worked with variety of government programs and services advising on change management, business renewal and employee engagement. Most recently, Kristina served as the Chief of Staff to the Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence.
Richard Gravel
Vice President Government Programs, Heddle Shipyards
Richard (Rich) Gravel joined Heddle Shipyards in October 2022 in the role of Vice President of Government Programs. Prior to this, Rich was a senior naval officer as a Maritime Engineer, having completed a 35-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN); he retired at navy Captain rank in 2014.
After his retirement from the navy, Rich started his own consulting business, primarily providing business development and bid submission support to Canadian and international clients. From 2018 to 2022, Rich was at Thales Canada as the AJISS (AOPS and JSS In-service Support) Halifax Manager, and Coastal Operations Manager.
Rich’s naval experiences include Naval Attaché to the USA in Washington, DC, Commanding Officer of Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Scott in the RCN Dockyard in Halifax, Deputy Project Manager for the HALIFAX Class Modernization / Frigate Life Extension Project, and an exchange with the Royal Navy in the UK. Rich has a Bachelor of Computer Engineering, and a Master of Defence Studies, from the Royal Military College of Canada and the Canadian Defence Academy.
Capt Travis Borchuk
Project Director Light Icebreaker, Canadian Coast Guard
Captain Borchuk started his Coast Guard career more than 20 years ago as a deck hand on the remote waterways of the Mackenzie River. A graduate of the Canadian Coast Guard College in 2007, he began serving as a large fleet Commanding Officer in 2017 working on science, Icebreakers and Buoy Tending vessels notably for two years as the Commanding Officer of CCGS Samuel Risley. In 2021 he transitioned to a shore position overseeing the requirements for new vessel builds, namely the Program Icebreaker. Upon arrival of the Light Icebreaker in Canada, Captain Borchuk took on the role of Project Director/Captain where he oversaw compilation of the conversion requirements and fulfilled duties as the Commanding Officer leading up to its first operational period currently underway. Presently Captain Borchuk is assigned to the Light Ice Breaker, renamed CCGS Judy LaMarsh which is undergoing capability testing on the Great Lakes for this winter navigation period.
Terri Pavelic
Editor in Chief, Vanguard
Wayne Brewster
VP Delivery, Thales Canada Defence & Security
Wayne Brewster is Vice President, Delivery at Thales Canada Defence & Security, where his teams ensure not only successful delivery of the company’s programs, but also excellence in execution. He has forty-three years of defence-related engineering and program management experience with Thales and the Canadian Department of National Defence.
Wayne holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada, a Master’s of Science in Physics (with Distinction), and a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from the USN Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.
Before joining Thales, Wayne served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) for 26 years as a Combat Systems Engineer. He held significant program and engineering responsibilities during his military career, including:
• Underwater Warfare Systems Section Head, responsible for all weapon systems and sensors for both the surface and sub-surface fleets.
• Program Director for the Maritime Security Operational Centers project.
• Chief of Staff for the Director General, Information Management Strategic Development.
On retirement from the RCN in 2005 Wayne joined Thales as the Manager, Naval Programs. He was more recently the VP, Maritime before accepting his current role in January 2022.
Cdr Nicole Robichaud, MSM, CD
Commanding Officer, HMCS Margaret Brooke
Commander Robichaud joined the Canadian Forces in 2002 as a Naval Warfare Officer and upon completion of her initial training she joined HMCS Vancouver where she obtained her Bridge Watch Keeping certificate. Specializing in navigation she completed several seagoing appointments in HMC Ships Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as HMNZS Canterbury. In 2016 she assumed command of the Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, HMCS Moncton, which deployed to the Canadian Arctic, as well as later to West Africa. In 2018, she was appointed as the Executive Officer in HMCS Fredericton which included executing a high readiness programme and a deployment to the Mediterranean in 2020. In 2021, Commander Robichaud assumed command of HMCS Margaret Brooke, the RCN’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) and the RCN’s newest commissioned warship, which has recently completed operations under her command in the Canadian Arctic during Operation NANOOK in the summer of 2022.
Jens Flarup
Area Sales Director, SH Defence
Jens Flarup is employed Area Sales Director with SH Defence in Denmark.
Jens joined the Danish armed forces in 1984 and left in 2007 after having held different administrational, operational and command posts.
One of Jens’s last posts in uniform was as a part of the procurement team for the Danish Acquisition and Logistic organization, working on procurement of a Joint Service Tactical Data Link Capability.
Jens left a permanent post in uniform and joined a job with Thales UK followed by a permanent post as a consultant with Combitech, a SAAB owned company, before joining Terma A/S, where he has worked for 8 years on Naval Combat Management System, amongst others, turning parts of Combat Management System into product elements in order to facilitate an incremental and modular upgrade capability for a nation, thus fulfilling the immediate requirement, but keeping the capability infrastructure open, so additional capabilities could be procured at a later stage. Jens took this approach with him, when he joined SH Defence late in 2022, the global “CUBE” supplier.
Today Jens works for SH Defence, delivers custom or off-the-shelf ISO size rugged containers “The Cube”, providing modular mission capabilities for navies around the globe as well as opening for “smart” procurement of support, non-combat and combat systems, fully interchangeable between maritime and naval platforms.
René Blais
Marine Engineer, Department of National Defence
Bio is coming soon
Dave Hatherall
Associate Consultant, CFN Consultants
Mr. Dave Hatherall joined the Government of Canada in 1986 as a procurement officer at the New Shipborne Aircraft Project. Mr. Hatherall led the procurement of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Project and the Weapons Effects Simulation Project until 2011, when he joined the executive cadre.
As Director, Mr. Hatherall led the Public Services and Procurement Canada team on the successful Halifax Class Modernization Project. Promoted to Senior Director in 2016, he was responsible for the creation of the Marine Sustainment Directorate to support Marine in-service procurement of the Royal Canadian Navy. Mr. Hatherall’s last role in the public service was Director General of the Major Marine Construction Sector with responsibility for major marine construction; and the acquisition and support of new large vessels for Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Mr. Hatherall has worked in the procurement domain for the past 35 years, including negotiating contracts with Israel, Australia, Germany, England, France and the United States. His procurement and project management background has been effective in managing projects for the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. He has also been instrumental in supporting the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through a number of projects over his career