The Dean’s Advisory Council for Smith Engineering provides guidance and support to the Dean of Smith Engineering in the advancement and execution of strategy and key priorities, including but not limited to Reimagining Engineering Education. The Council will leverage this period of momentum and transformational support to drive impactful change. Advisory Council members serve at the invitation and discretion of the Dean.
The Dean’s Advisory Council operates on principles of collaboration, inclusiveness, and strategic insight, ensuring that the Faculty’s strategic initiatives remain responsive to emerging technologies, global needs and societal priorities. Members are committed to fostering innovation, excellence, and leadership within the broader Smith Engineering and Queen’s University communities.
Industry and External Partnerships: Facilitate collaborations that enhance the Faculty’s research, experiential learning experiences (internships), and talent pipeline
Advocacy and Government Relations: Support advocacy efforts to influence policy and secure governmental support (e.g. supporting initiatives such as increased funding for research or student programs).
Philanthropic Partnerships: Identify and engage potential supporters and funding opportunities to advance the mission and impact of Smith Engineering and Queen’s University.
Rick McCreary, Chair
Non-Executive Director; Retired Mining Executive & Investment Banker, Board Member Alamos Gold Inc, ATEX Board of Directors
Rick has over four decades of experience in the resource sector both as a principal in executive and board roles with various corporates, as well as a financial advisor in investment banking. On the corporate side, Rick started his career with Gulf Canada as an exploration geophysicist later working with the Noranda-Falconbridge Group in engineering, technology-development, and metals marketing; and most recently as Senior Vice President Corporate Development with Barrick Gold. Rick's most-recent investment banking role was Deputy Chair Investment Banking at TD Securities, and prior, Head of CIBC’s Global Mining Investment Banking Group. During his career, Rick has acted as principal or lead financial advisor in marquee transactions for Placer Dome, Barrick, African Barrick Gold (Acacia), Goldcorp, Kinross, Franco-Nevada, IAMGold, Evolution, Northern Star, Orezone, Noranda, Falconbridge, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Teck, Lundin, Aur, Inmet, Ivanhoe, HudBay, Equinox, Quadra, Baffinland, Dominion Diamond, and Noront. Rick holds an MBA in Finance and Strategy from McGill University, and an M.Sc. and B.Sc.Hons in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University.
Michele Harradence, Vice-Chair
EVP & President, Enbridge Gas
Michele Harradence is an Executive Vice President at Enbridge Inc., and President of Enbridge Gas, North America’s largest natural gas utility. Under Michele’s leadership, Enbridge Gas serves 7.1 million customers in Canada and the United States, including homes, schools, hospitals and businesses. Before assuming her current role, Michele was the Chief Operations Officer for Enbridge’s Gas Transmission & Midstream business unit, based in Houston, Texas. Michele has more than 25 years of experience in the energy value creation chain, including the upstream, midstream, downstream, retail and oil and gas services sectors.
Michele has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University, a law degree from the University of New Brunswick, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. She has successfully combined her engineering, legal and business background to become a strategic leader with a demonstrated track record in successful business and operational transformations. Michele is Vice- Chair of the Canadian Gas Association, a Board Member of the American Gas Association and past Chair of the Ontario Energy Association.
Carol Plummer
Carol Plummer is Executive Vice President – Sustainability, People & Culture at Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. With Agnico Eagle since 2004, her roles have included Executive Vice President – Operational Excellence (2022 – 2024), Senior Vice President – Sustainability, People and Culture (2021-2022), Senior Vice President, Sustainability (2020) and Vice President – Corporate Development (2017-2019) as well as other key positions such as General Manager at the Lapa, Kittilä and LaRonde mines, Corporate Director – Mining, Senior Corporate Director, Engineering and Project Development – USA and Latin America and Vice President, Project Development – Southern Business.
Carol worked for Noranda Inc from 1988 to 2004 at mines in New Brunswick and Quebec.
Ms. Plummer is Agnico Eagle's representative on the Mining Association of Canada’s (MAC) Board of Directors and currently serves as its Chair. She holds a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering (Queen's University) and is a licensed Professional Engineer (Quebec).
Scott Parkes, P.Eng
Chief Executive Officer, Taggart Group of Companies
As CEO of the Taggart Group of Companies, Scott Parkes leads one of Eastern Ontario’s most established family-owned enterprises, guiding its diverse operations in construction, general contracting, realty management, land development, and home building through the expertise of its five sister companies.
Prior to becoming CEO, Scott served as President of Tamarack Homes for 30 years, where he guided the company through a period of significant growth and strengthened its reputation as a leading homebuilder in Ottawa and Kingston.
A graduate of Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering (1992), Scott brings a practical, solutions-driven mindset to his leadership. He has also contributed his time and expertise to the community, having most recently served on the Board of Directors for Christie Lake Kids for 10 years. Today, through the Taggart Parkes Foundation, Scott and his family continue a legacy of philanthropy, focusing on health care, at-risk youth, and fostering strong, healthy communities through several partnerships.
Recognized as a key industry leader in both Ottawa and Kingston, Scott remains deeply engaged in advancing the construction and real estate sectors while supporting the communities where the Taggart Group has been rooted for three generations.
Dan Trepanier
Adjunct Lecturer, Information Systems & Analytics
Dan was most recently CEO of Xambala, an electronic market maker in US Equities where he led Xambala’s pivot from a hardware fabless semiconductor vendor to a proprietary trading firm. He built the team for the new business model, grew the revenue and ultimately sold the firm to Final, an Israel based trading firm. Prior to Xambala, Dan was founder of Quake Technologies, a semiconductor firm that led the development of 10 G Ethernet networking technology. He sold the firm after growing it to profitability.
Dan received a BScE (Electrical) from Queen’s University and his MBA from NYU. In his spare time Dan enjoys running, yoga, and sailing.
Kevin J. MacIntosh, B.Sc., M.Eng., ICD.D
Coastal Engineer
Kevin MacIntosh is a Principal at Baird and Executive Chair of its Board of Directors. Kevin held the position of President and CEO at Baird from 2010 to 2025 during which time he led its worldwide strategy and project implementation. He has also been responsible for Baird’s Caribbean region for over 30 years.
Working exclusively in coastal engineering and science for over 40 years has provided Kevin with worldwide experience. It has also provided an incredible career and the opportunity to participate and develop relationships with extraordinary professionals in many other related fields. Kevin’s project work has involved on-site participation with civil engineers, marine ecologists, economists, social impact specialists, and numerous other professionals concerned with sustainable development. This team approach has resulted in creative field programs and innovative, cost effective, solutions to coastal challenges around the world.
Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith is one of Canada’s leading entrepreneurs in the financial services industry. He is renowned for innovation in information technology and financial structuring in the Canadian mortgage industry. He earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University (’72) and a Master of Science (Economics) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Stephen is currently the Chairman and CEO of First National Financial Corporation (TSX: FN), Canada’s largest non-bank lender of residential and commercial mortgages, a business which he co-founded in 1988 and now has over $90-billion of mortgage loans under administration. He is also the Chairman and co-owner of Canada Guaranty Mortgage Insurance. Formed in April 2010 after he acquired AIG’s Canadian mortgage insurance business in partnership with the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan, Canada Guaranty is currently the country’s third largest mortgage insurance provider. Stephen is also the largest shareholder in Equitable Bank, Canada’s ninth largest bank and one of the country’s leading alternative lenders. Stephen received Ernst & Young’s “Ontario Financial Services Entrepreneur of the Year” award in 2007 to recognize the success of First National.
Stephen is an avid supporter of post-secondary education. He began his philanthropic relationship with Queen’s in 1997, when he established a financial award to support students in Electrical Engineering and Economics. Since then, more than 250 students have received financial support through this bursary. In 2013, Stephen funded a Chair in Public Policy in the Department of Economics.
Having spent his career in the mortgage finance and insurance industry, Stephen believes business has a social responsibility. Successful businesses fuel a healthy economy, and a healthy economy is critical to a strong and well-functioning social infrastructure. Through his $50-million investment in business education at Queen’s in 2015, Stephen aims to equip the leaders of tomorrow with the skills to sustain Canada’s business, economic and social development.
With a passion for the arts and history, Stephen is Chair of Historica Canada, a Governor of the Royal Ontario Museum, and member of the Advisory Council of the Royal Conservatory of Music. In 2014, Stephen and his wife donated $3-million to help establish the “Myseum of Toronto,” which chronicles the evolution of one of Canada’s oldest cities.
Stephen also holds a variety of leadership positions in corporate and public governance. He serves as a director of The Empire Life Insurance Company, a board member at the C.D. Howe Institute, a member of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, and a member of the Smith School of Business Advisory Board at Queen’s. In 2012, Stephen was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for contributions to Canada.
Originally from Ottawa, Stephen currently lives in Toronto with his wife, Diane Blake, and their three children.
David Robins
David Robins is an entrepreneur, engineer, and executive with over three decades of experience in chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology innovation. His expertise is bridging chemistry, engineering, and medtech to bring innovative devices and drugs to market. His work emphasizes practical, scalable solutions that address real-world challenges in physiologic monitoring, regulatory navigation (FDA clearances), and commercialization.
David brings deep operational and commercialization expertise from his leadership at DavosPharma, where he has served as Co-CEO since the early 2010s. Under his guidance, DavosPharma has expanded from specialty chemical manufacturing to a key partner supporting biotechnology and medical device companies in scaling products from clinical trials through FDA approvals and commercialization. Davos is responsible for bringing manufacturing solutions of over 60 drugs to market from inception.
David co-founded LifeLens in 2014 and is currently Chairman of the Board to create simple, commercially viable technologies for personal health monitoring, including advanced wireless sensors focused on physiologic data. The company targets critical needs in military and (e.g., soldier readiness and hazard detection programs like WARP) and healthcare, leveraging AI/sensor fusion for robust, wearable platforms. LifeLens is currently deployed in the US Military and rapidly expanding into the US Healthcare system.
Earlier in his career, David worked as a Process Engineer at Bristol-Myers Squibb.
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