Gord Winkel, Fort McMurray, Member

One-year term. Vice President on loan from Syncrude Canada Ltd. to Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil. Former Board Member, Northern Lights Health Region

Gord Winkel is no stranger to the health and business environments.

A Vice President with Syncrude Canada Ltd., Mr. Winkel recently joined the Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil organization as a member of the Kearl Project Management Team.

Mr. Winkel has extensive experience in the oil sands. He was Vice President, Aurora Bitumen Production at Syncrude Canada Ltd. for five years, served as General Manager of Extraction also for five years with Syncrude, and was Manager of Extraction Operations and formerly Manager of Mine Maintenance/Operations again with Syncrude.

Mr. Winkel graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and also has a Masters of Science degree in the same field.

His work to improve workplace safety led to a Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Canadian Institute of Mining in 2002. His work to advance the Surface Mining Industry through sharing knowledge, technology, best practices and innovation has led to a second Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Canadian Institute of Mining in 2008.

Mr. Winkel's past community efforts have included membership on a local church board and leading associated children's and adult classes; serving as chair of the board for the local YMCA; and participating as a school board member. Mr. Winkel also served as a board member for the Northern Lights Health Region, where he also participated on four standing committees including: chairing the Board Resource Committee, co-chairing the Board Physicians Liaison Committee, and serving on the Board Executive Committee and Board Safety Committee.

Mr. Winkel recently joined the Canadian Mining Innovation Council where he champions a subgroup on Innovations Systems and Culture. He additionally chairs the Surface Mining Association for Research and Technology (SMART). He has also accepted a position on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Canada Centre for Mining and Energy Technology (CANMET) laboratory for Mining and Material Sciences.