2025 Conference Speakers

Session 1: Overview of the Regulatory Environment in 2025
Presenter/Panelists:

Tim Edwards, Technical Consultant - NSBA
Beth Campbell, Engineering and Science Manager - Labour, Skills and Immigration - Occupational Health & Safety Division

Tim Edwards is a Professional Engineer and a Lifetime Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. He has been working in the ship and boatbuilding industry since 1973. A driving force behind the establishment of the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association in 1998, Tim was Executive Director until his retirement in 2019. He provides the NSBA with technical advice from time to time.

Tim still loves “simply messing about in boats” and enjoys sailing his small, open yawl with his family on St. Margaret’s Bay in the summer.

Beth Campbell is the manager of the Engineering and Science team in the Nova Scotia Government Occupational Health and Safety Division. This team provides specialized support to both the public and staff within the Nove Scotia Government to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. Beth graduated from McGill University with an applied Master of Science degree in Occupational Health and began working in the Occupational Health and Safety Division as an occupational hygienist in 2010. Beth has several years of experience conducting workplace health and safety inspections, promoting compliance with the provincial health and safety rules, and raising awareness about workplace health hazards, such as noise and chemical products. Beth is committed to promoting workplace health and safety at workplaces in Nova Scotia and grateful for the opportunity to speak at the 2025 NSBA conference.

Session 2: Propeller Sizing & Selection
Presenter: Dave Gerr, CEng, FRINA - Gerr Marine

Moderator (if applicable): N/A

Dave Gerr is a naval architect with over four decades of experience designing a wide variety of vessels. A Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (FRINA), Gerr served as the director of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology from 2003 through 2015. For the past ten years, he has been a senior lecturer at SUNY Maritime College, where he teaches naval architecture. The author of Propeller Handbook, The Elements of Boat Strength, Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook, and The Nature of Boats, Dave has also published over 400 articles on boats and boat design.

Session 3: Supports for Market Growth & Diversification
Presenter/Panelists:

Stéphane Crépeau, Trade Commissioner - Global Affairs Canada Atlantic Region
Marc Garcia, Director, Client Services - Ryan
Dan Surette, Regional Business Advisor, Western Region - Invest NS
Tom Giilgan, Industrial Technology Advisor - National Research Council Canada

Moderator: Kris Campbell, Vice-Chair - NSBA

Stéphane Crépeau is a Trade Commissioner working at the Atlantic regional office of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Halifax. He has been responsible for the Aerospace & Defence sectors in Atlantic Canada since August 2018 and has more than 17 years of experience in international trade.

Before moving to Halifax in 2008, Stéphane worked at GAC headquarters in Ottawa as a Senior Economist responsible for investment policy. He also held different positions as economist at Industry Canada and the Department of Finance.

Stéphane is a graduate of HEC Montréal holding a Master’s Degree in Management Sciences, Applied Economics option and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Université de Sherbrooke.

Marc Garcia, Director, Client Services at Ryan, has 6 years of experience in providing solutions in tax and funding. Ryan, an award-winning global tax services firm, specializes in identifying tax mitigation opportunities, recovering savings, and finding new funding. Marc will summarize Government Funding in Canada, including future looking grants as well as retroactive tax credits, while sharing some of the processes and strategies used by large businesses in this space.

Dan Surette is a business development professional with nearly 15 years of experience across finance, entrepreneurship, and economic development. An MBA graduate and entrepreneur himself, Dan brings a deep understanding of the challenges local businesses face and a practical approach to finding solutions that drive growth. As the Business Development Advisor for Southwestern Nova Scotia, he supports entrepreneurs and business owners across Digby and Yarmouth counties, helping them navigate opportunities and overcome obstacles. Passionate about Nova Scotia’s economic potential, Dan is committed to building stronger, more resilient businesses that anchor prosperity in the communities he proudly serves.

Tom Gilgan is an Industrial Technology Advisor with the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program. Prior to joining the federal government, he was an entrepreneur that founded and led companies to both successful exits and turnarounds. He has been at IRAP for 9 years, and began his career with the military. He is a graduate of Dalhousie Math and Computing Science.

Session 4: Changing Fisheries & the Potential Impact on Boatbuilding
Presenter/Panelists: Alan Chandler, NS Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture

Alan holds a Master’s degree in Marine Management from Dalhousie University and has 37 years of experience with the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. He currently serves as the Department’s Senior Marine Advisor, offering insight and guidance to support key strategic decisions and future planning initiatives. An avid boater, Alan also enjoys restoring boats and recently completed the restoration of a 24-foot Bluenose-class sailboat.

Session 5: Vessel Fire Safety: Regulations and Installation Best Practices

Presenter: Allan MacDonald, Engineer - Don Brenton's Fire Protection

Allan MacDonald is Professional Engineer working with Don Brenton’s Fire Protection. Allan has a combination of years of firsthand field experience as well as direct OEM training for the inspection, maintenance, service, installation and commissioning of various Special Hazard Fire Systems. In addition, Allan has undertaken past study with the University of Waterloo Fire Research Group.

Allan currently assists in a Project Management role for D.R Brenton Ltd and develops all technical design data for new Fire Suppression and Fire Detection Systems.

An avid sailor and lifetime lover of the sea, Allan spends his time racing and cruising sailboats around Nova Scotia and beyond.