chapternews» » W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 | E T O B I C O K E C H A P T E R

IN THIS ISSUE: »» CHAIR’S MESSAGE »» NOMINATION COMMITTEE REPORT »» 2013 SLATE OF CANDIDATES »» PEO ETOBICOKE CHAPTER TEAM AT THE TERRY FOX RUN »» CHAPTER REPRESENTED AT REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONIES »» GOLF »» ENGINEERING IDOL 2013 »» IN MEMORIAM »» ETOBICOKE CHAPTER LUCKY DRAW FOR KINDLE »» STEM CELLS–DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE »» RETIRED OR RETIRING–HOW TO CUT YOUR TAX BILL »» LICENCE PRESENTATION CEREMONY

Chair’s MessageHello, my name is Roy Fernandes and I am the current Chair of the Etobicoke Chapter of PEO. I joined the Chapter Executive in 2009 as a volunteer, and was very grateful to be asked to be the Chair of the chapter in 2011. My goal is to make the chapter a social greeting place for engineers.

As in all years past, there are a lot of exciting things happening in the chapter through the hard work of our Executive Committee. Notices of these events are always emailed to your registered address. If you are not receiving these, please email us through our website to have your contact information updated.

The spring Licence Presentation Ceremony was held on May 15 and the fall ceremony was on November 13. In total, we presented PEO licences to 10 new engineers from our Etobicoke Chapter. Congratulations to them all!

I must give a special thank you to long-time Executive member Linda Drisdelle, P.Eng., who has put this newsletter together again, so that we can communicate with you, the chapter members.

Our next event is our Annual General Meeting that will be at the Islington Golf and Country Club on January 31, 2013; wine and cheese starts at 6:30 p.m. Please register through our website.

We are looking to meet new people at our events, and for new members to join our Executive team. If you are interested in any of the events or in joining the Executive Committee, please contact us through our website www.etobicoke.peo.on.ca.

I look forward to meeting you at our next event.

Regards,Roy Fernandes, P.Eng.

Chair, Etobicoke Chapter

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Past Chair Subhi Alsayed, P.Eng.

Chair Roy Fernandes, P.Eng.

Vice-Chair Paul Short, P.Eng.

Secretary Tirun Biju, P.Eng.

Treasurer to be nominated

Executive Member James Aiken, P.Eng.

Executive Member George Comrie, P.Eng.

Executive Member Humberto DaSilva, P.Eng.

Executive Member Linda Drisdelle, P.Eng.

Executive Member Zeke Fedun, P.Eng.

Executive Member Jerry Fridrich, P.Eng.

Executive Member Robert Mayer, P.Eng.

Executive Member Faizul Mohee, P.Eng.

Executive Member Harvey Pellegrini, P.Eng.

Nominees for Chapter Executive–2013

Nomination Committee ReportThe Etobicoke Chapter will be pleased to accept nominations to its Executive for 2013. Executive members will be elected at the 2013 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held at the Islington Golf and Country Club on January 31, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Please contact George Comrie, P.Eng., at (416) 624-1047, or g.r.comrie@sympatico.ca, should you have questions about getting involved with the Executive, or wish to have your name added to the slate of candidates for the AGM. Nominations will also be accepted during the meeting itself. Thank you to all the Executive members who have already agreed to stand for election to the 2013 Executive of Etobicoke Chapter.

PEO Etobicoke Chapter Team at the Etobicoke Terry Fox Run Sunday, September 16, 2012

For the third consecutive year, the PEO Etobicoke Chapter Team helped keep Terry Fox’s dream alive by raising over $470

for cancer research. The Etobicoke run took place on a clear and sunny day at West Deane Park. Participants submitted donations and then walked, ran, rollerbladed or biked on the park’s trails. During the event, the public could enjoy music from a live band, watch a Frisbee-catching dog show, bid on items donated by spon-sors in a silent auction, or buy a BBQ hot dog or hamburger cooked by M&M Meat Shops. Participants on the PEO Chapter Team received complimentary tickets for the BBQ.Team members who were the first to raise over $25 also received an Engineering

Idol tee-shirt. Tara Chevrier was the fundraiser raising the most money on the Etobicoke Chapter team. Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope started on April 12, 1980 in St John’s, Newfoundland, and ended just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, on September 1, 1980. He ran 5,373 kilometres in 143 days. To date, close to $500 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry’s name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world. Although great progress has been made, cancer is the cause of 70,000 deaths in Canada annually.

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PEO Etobicoke Chapter Represented at Remembrance Day Ceremonies

PEO Etobicoke Chapter launched a new community outreach initiative this year by participating in the Remembrance Day Ceremony held at the Etobicoke Civic Centre. The ceremony began indoors with O Canada, hymns and prayers, and then proceeded with a parade to the outdoor cenotaph where the wreaths were dedicated and laid.

First to lay the wreath on behalf of Toronto City Hall was Doug Holyday, Deputy Mayor of Toronto, who is a city councillor representing Ward 3, which is part of Etobicoke Centre. Ted Opitz, a retired Canadian Forces Lieutenant-Colonel and MP from the electoral district of Etobicoke Centre and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada, laid a wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada. Donna H. Cansfield, MPP representing the riding of Etobicoke Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party, then laid a wreath on behalf of the Government of the Province of Ontario.

There were three members of our Etobicoke Chapter Executive Committee participating at the wreath-laying cer-emony: Paul Short, Linda Drisdelle and Jerry Fridrich. After the two minutes of silence and on behalf of all Etobicoke Chapter engineers, Paul laid the wreath with assistance from Jerry to pay homage to all young Canadians who made the supreme sacrifice so that we may live in freedom.

If there are any veterans who are members of Etobicoke Chapter and would like to participate in next year’s ceremony, they are encouraged to contact one of the members of the Executive.

GolfYork Chapter held its inaugural golf tourna-ment on July 21 at the Bethesda Grange Golf Course. Etobicoke Chapter showed some support by rustling together a team who put in a valiant effort, scoring +4 in the “best ball” format. Thanks to York Chapter for the great weather and dinner, and for hosting this overall great event. See you next summer.

Jerry and Paul prepare to lay the wreath at Etobicoke Remembrance Day Ceremony with Lloyd Dean, Sergeant-at Arms, Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 210.

Roman, Jan, Linda and Rachel form “Team Etobicoke” at the York Chapter golf tournament at Bethesda

Grange Golf Course on July 21.

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Engineering Idol 2013The gears are spinning in preparation of

the chapter’s sixth Annual Engineering Idol Event, set for Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Ryerson University. The topic for 2013 is kept secret until it is “unveiled” to the schools in mid January. The topic does, however, involve an “innovator” element that has not been used before in prior com-petitions.

Engineering Idol is a competition devel-oped by Etobicoke Chapter for high school

students to experience the profession of engineering, in which teams of four to six students are required to design, test and build a technical project in a team setting within a short time frame. The timelines and team requirements mimic some of the stresses experienced by professional engineers in real life.

As with prior years, the Executive is plan-ning to award two scholarships to last year participants who chose to enroll in an engi-neering program in September 2012.

In addition to running the technical aspects of the event and networking with the schools, the Executive is charged with both advertising and fundraising. If you have an interest in helping with any of these efforts, we would love to hear from you at EngineeringIdol2013@gmail.com.

In MemoriamGeorge Senkiw, P.Eng., December 13, 1946–September 23, 2012

George Senkiw, Etobicoke Chapter Secretary (2011-2012) and past Chair (2006-2009), died suddenly on September 23. George was a mechanical engineer from the University of Toronto and was active on the chapter executive for 10 years. During that time, we enjoyed George’s good humor and positive outlook on life. As well, we enjoyed his co-ordination of many excellent events for Etobicoke and other chapters, including the Dinner Boat Cruise, Tax Planning, Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, Advances in Treating Heart Disease and OPG’s New Niagara Tunnel. George was a leader on our Executive and Chair of the Government Liaison Committee for many years, and was successful in bringing both Donna Cansfield and Howard Hampton to our chapter to speak on energy issues facing the province. He managed the fundraising activities for all five years of our successful Engineering Idol competition and was co-editor for the chapter newsletter. George will be very much missed by those of us active in PEO and Etobicoke Chapter and who knew George as a friend and colleague.

George Senkiw and Captain Don from Etobicoke Chapter’s Boat Cruise in 2009.

Etobicoke Chapter Lucky Draw for a KindleEtobicoke Chapter will be holding a lucky draw for a Kindle at the AGM on Thursday, January 31, 2013.

To qualify, please send your contact information to etob13draw-peo@yahoo.com, along with the correct answer to the following skill testing question, which can be found either in the Summer Newsletter or on the Etobicoke Chapter website www.etobicoke.peo.on.ca: “What was the name of the speaker for Etobicoke Chapter’s Nanomaterials Event, held on February 16, 2012 at the Islington Golf and Country club?”

Good luck!

Stem Cells–Delivering on the Promise

On Thursday, November 27 at the Islington Golf and Country Club, 52 members of Etobicoke Chapter, other chapters and their friends gathered for a talk by Professor Peter Zandstra from the University of Toronto Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering. Prof. Zandstra educated the audience on various aspects of stem cells, tech-nologies in this field and some of the most current advances in this science. It was interesting to learn that there are, in fact, several varying types of stem cells and satisfying to know that Canada has led the research with several stem cell-related

discoveries over the past years. The audience came to appreci-ate that engineers play a large role in advancing this field of science, due to their ability to design the appropriate bio-reactors, and to invent technologies required for both the seg-regation of stem cells in the manufacturing process and their delivery to the patient. It was a pleasure having Prof. Zandstra visit our membership. As with all events, it was also a great opportunity to network and visit with engineers from our neighbouring chapters as well.

Professor Peter Zandstra from the University of Toronto Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering demonstrates the varying types of stem cells in the human body.

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Retired or Retiring–How to Cut Your Tax Bill

On November 8, 2012, 50 members and guests–36 from Etobicoke, the remainder from five surrounding chapters–attended a tax planning presentation. The evening started with an acknowledgment that the late George Senkiw had laid the groundwork for the evening.

Scott Millar and Patrick O’Reilly of Ten Star Financial gave a commendably commercial-free and highly informa-

tive presentation. They showed where to invest savings, and how and when to withdraw money from the various savings instruments so as to minimize the tax effect. The wealth of questions before and during the formal talk, and the feedback from members afterward, indicated that the information pre-sented was well received by our members.

Scott Millar discusses financial preparations for retirement.

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Licence Presentation Ceremony

On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, seven new professional engineers were welcomed to Etobicoke Chapter at the Licence Certificate Presentation Ceremony at the Islington Golf and Country Club:Matthew Castiglione, P.Eng.Dave Chesser, P.Eng.Todd Miller, P.Eng.Jonathan Mohacsi, P.Eng.Carl Montone, P.Eng.Rajendar Peddi, P.Eng.Srijana Sigdel, P.Eng.

Congratulations and warm welcome to these new Etobicoke Chapter members.

Executive members and new licensees at the November 13 ceremony are, from left to right: Tarun Biju, P.Eng., Roy Fernandes, P.Eng., Carl Montone, P.Eng., Srijana Sigdel, P.Eng., Todd Miller, P.Eng., Jonathan Mohacsi, P.Eng., and Rajendar Peddi, P.Eng.

Professional EngineersOntario

topicNetworking and Connecting to Others

program6:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese

7:00 p.m. Annual General Meeting

7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker, Kevin Crone, Managing Partner, Dale Carnegie Group

Networking can seem intimidating for some, but the ability to network can be an invaluable resource for every career-minded individual, as it can help propel our careers and business opportunities to newer and

greater heights. From meeting within our industry to successfully connecting with prospects, the ability to network can be an incredibly powerful skill.

This Effective Networking and Connecting to Others workshop will help us develop some fundamental skills to make the most out of our next networking event and help us build long term relationships with key stakeholders.

Registration: Pre-register by contacting Harvey Pellegrini, P.Eng., at hpellegrini@rogers.com or by telephone at 416-626-3922, no later than January 25.

Note: This free event is open to members and guests of any PEO chapter

etobicoke chapter agmThursday, January 31, 2013

Islington Golf and Country Club, 45 Riverbank Drive, ON, M9B 5B8(first street north of Dundas St, running west off Islington Ave.)