People and company news: Walker Projects, Smith + Andersen, IBI, Associated Engineering

Milt Walker, P.Eng., president and chief executive officer of Walker Projects and the Century Group of Construction Companies, is the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Meritorious Achievement Award in Saskatchewan. The award, which was established in 2002 by ACEC-SK recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the consulting engineering and geoscience industry in the province.

Walker has over 40 years of experience as a consulting engineer. He has worked for both public and private clients in a range of sectors, from industrial projects to highways, municipal infrastructure and buildings. The award was announced November 4.

The Smith + Andersen Group, mechanical and electrical engineering consultants based in Toronto, have opened a new office in Winnipeg. Graeson Wright will be principal of the new location.

In October, the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) gave an honorary life membership to Neal Irwin, co-founder of the IBI Group. The tribute recognized more than 50 years of Irwin’s involvement in TAC. He founded IBI Group in 1974 and served as its managing director until 2003 when he became chairman and finally chairman emeritus in 2006. During his career he pioneered the use of computer forecasting models for urban and regional development, and participated in designing the world’s first digital computer controlled traffic signal system for metro Toronto in the early 1960s.

Associated Engineering has made a number of appointments. Ian Wright, who was senior vice president of water is now taking on a new role as senior water specialist. His former role leading the water practices division is taken by Doug Olson. Garry Drachenberg has been appointed vice president of water solutions, and Dean Shiskowski is now vice president of water resource recovery.