Association of Consulting Engineering Companies names new president

After eight years as president of Consulting Engineers of Ontario, John Gamble is poised to relocate to Ottawa to become president and chief operating officer of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada.

Associations

“It’s an exciting opportunity, the kind that doesn’t come along with any great frequency,” he said in an interview.

‘“It also would seem to be a logical progression in my career. I didn’t want to spend the next 10 years wondering ‘what if’ if I had passed on it.”

He assumes his new position Oct. 4.

Gamble, whose career has included a blend of government affairs, association management and on-the-ground experience as a consulting engineer, sees his new position as an opportunity to serve the industry “on perhaps a different canvas.”

“At the provincial level, you’re dealing with a lot of day-to-day procurement issues, on sometimes a client by client, contract by contract basis,” he said.

“While there is an element of advocacy on individual issues at ACEC, there is a much greater policy focus. For someone who has worked at Queen’s Park, that certainly has a certain appeal.”

Gamble has been active in ACEC circles for the past several years, chairing the association’s task force on procurement.

He also helped organize last year’s FIDIC conference in Quebec City.

“At ACEC, I’m going to have the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned over the years in a slightly different context.”

A professional engineer by training, Gamble joined CEO in 2002, after working as manager of government affairs at Professional Engineers Ontario.

Prior to that, he spent three years as a policy adviser and special assistant to the Ontario environment minister and before that, 10 years as an environmental engineer at then Gore & Storrie Ltd.

Gamble’s selection as ACEC president was announced Monday by association chair Andy Robinson, president of Ottawa’s Robinson Consultants Inc.

In an e-mail, Robinson said Gamble has been an effective association manager as well as a well-respected advocate of the industry.

“His strong support of ACEC and his collaborative approach with the member organizations has been evident over the past several years,” Robinson said. “When called upon, he has enthusiastically taken on many initiatives on behalf of ACEC.”

ACEC recognized Gamble’s contributions by making him a co-recipient of its inaugural chairman’s award in 2006 for his leadership in promoting qualifications-based selection.

In an interview, Robinson said the association considered some other candidates. But the board of directors felt Gamble was the best candidate for the position at this juncture, possessing “the key qualifications and competencies” required for the position.

Gamble replaces Jeff Morrison, who resigned last month. ACEC represents 600 consulting engineering firms and 12 provincial and territorial organizations.