Biographies
Wajid Chishty
Wajid is a gas turbine combustion engineer and serves as a Technology Leader at the National Research Council Canada. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, a MSE in Aerospace Engineering and an MBA in Finance. Wajid has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of gas turbine research and MRO.
 
Manfred Klein
Manfred Klein retired in 2013 after 33 years in the federal government, most recently with the Gas Turbine Laboratory of the National Research Council. He spent 16 years with Environment Canada, involved with CCME industrial air emissions guidelines for Gas Turbines, using output-based environmental standards. Mr. Klein also helped to develop new taxation incentives to encourage cogeneration and district energy, provided inputs to environmental assessments, and organized various industrial training functions on gas turbine and cogen systems. Prior to that he was with the National Energy Board for 11 years, dealing with natural gas pipeline and compressor station certification. He works now as an independent consultant on a wide range of environment and energy issues. Memberships have included; • Former Chair of IAGT Industrial Gas Turbine Applications Committee • Former Chair of ASME / IGTI Environment & Regulatory Affairs Committee • Environmental R&D group of Canadian Gas Association (CEPEI) Bach. of Mechanical Engineering (1980), Carleton University
 
Rainer Kurz
Rainer Kurz is the Manager, Systems Analysis at Solar Turbines Incorporated, in San Diego, California. His organization is responsible for predicting compressor and gas turbine performance, for conducting application studies, and for field performance testing. Dr. Kurz attended the Universitaet der Bundeswehr in Hamburg Germany, where he received the degree of a Dr.-Ing. in 1991. He joined Solar Turbines in 1993, and holds his current position since 1995. Dr. Kurz is the past chair of the ASME/IGTI Oil and Gas Applications Committee, a member of the Gas Machinery Research Council Project Supervisory Committee, the GMC Conference Organizing Committee, the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Symposium Advisory Committee, the Asian Turbomachinery Symposium Advisory Committee, and the SDSU Aerospace Engineering Advisory Committee. He was elected ASME Fellow in 2003 He has authored numerous publications about turbomachinery related topics, with an emphasis on compressor applications, dynamic behavior, and gas turbine operation and degradation. Many of his publications were considered of archive quality and were accepted for publications in Engineering Journals. He has received several ‘Best Paper’ and ‘Best Tutorial’ Awards at the ASME TurboExpo Conferences and is the recipient of the 2013 Industrial Gas Turbine Technology award.
 
Amanda McAlorum
Amanda McAlorum is currently the Senior Maintenance Engineer in the Union Gas Storage and Transmission group. In her role, Amanda works with 10 reciprocating and 26 centrifugal compressor units, driven by Siemens/Rolls Royce and Solar engines. She supports maintenance planning and development, failure root cause analysis and continuous improvement. Previously, Amanda worked with large Union Gas industrial customers developing energy management programs and control systems. Prior to working at Union Gas, Amanda spent 19 years in the automotive industry in quality assurance, engineering and project management, and 4 years at the Robarts Medical Research Institute at Western University.
 
Jim Noordermeer
Mr. Noordermeer has over 35 years of international experience in the design, repair, upgrade and modification, layout, installation and construction, commissioning, startup, testing and servicing of gas turbine power and steam turbine generator power plants, including cogeneration and combined-cycle plants and associated equipment, at Westinghouse Canada – Turbine & Generator Division, SNC – W.P. London and Gryphon International Engineering Services Inc.
 
Matthew Rickert
Matthew Rickert is the Regional Director of Business Development for Siemens gas turbines based in Houston, Texas. His 18 years of experience includes compressors, gas turbines, and reciprocating engines with roles in business development, engine research, new product introduction, aftermarket sales and service, and new equipment sales. He has experience in the Oil & Gas, LNG, and Power Generation markets. Matthew graduated from Bradley University with a degree in electrical engineering and has worked for Caterpillar, Rolls-Royce Energy, and Siemens.
 
Pascal Robichaud
Pascal is a professional mechanical engineer with 20 years of experience in Power Generation. Fluent in both English and French, Pascal has extensive experience in the engineering consulting field, specializing in gas turbine power generation and thermodynamic energy distribution systems. Pascal has experience in research, analysis, drafting, design, installation, and maintenance of plant operations with extensive hands-on experience in the field. Pascal also has experience in the installation and maintenance of equipment and processes in both manufacturing and power generation industry. Pascal is CEM’s Director of Cogeneration and is supporting his team in the development of technical solutions to address CEM’s Client’s energy targets applying latest best practices. In addition to Ontario, Pascal also holds license to practice engineering in both British Columbia and Alberta.
 
Bob Wellington
Bob Wellington has more than 16 years of experience in the natural gas industry, and has spent his career working at Union Gas at various locations in South Western Ontario. He has spent more than 10 of those years focused on design, construction and maintenance of gas compression facilities; and now holds the position of Manager, Station Design for Union’s Major Projects department. Bob has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently the acting Chairman of the Gas Turbines for Energy Network.