A natural leader who listens to those around him, Patrick Tremblay is a devoted father to his young daughters as well as a role model and supporter for his teams.
The holder of a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University and a master’s degree in engineering management from the University of Sherbrooke, Patrick Tremblay, the co-director of the water treatment department, has been with gbi for nearly 17 years.
Why did you choose water treatment?
“I enjoy playing a role in the environmental issues we face today: water purification and drinking water quality,” Patrick explains. “These are important challenges.”
Although he was initially more interested in fluid mechanics and the thermodynamics of aircraft turbines, he seized an opportunity that arose at gbi.
He interned with the company after completing his studies and was offered a position as a junior mechanical engineer in the water treatment department. He was later promoted to the position of project engineer and continued to make the most of every opportunity that came his way through his leadership skills.
What are you most proud of in your career?
“I must say that I’m particularly proud of the red water treatment plant project for the Bloom Lake Mine in Fermont. It was a major project for gbi, in a new field, and it is still our largest water treatment project to date,” he says. “The complicated schedule was a big challenge, but I was able to successfully manage the implementation and the launch.”
In a broader sense, his greatest pride is the progress of the water treatment team, which, in his unbiased opinion, is one of the best teams in Quebec.
What motivates you in your work?
“I’m someone who thrives on challenges and gets bored quickly with a routine,” says Patrick. “Mentoring is one of the three things I enjoy most.”
Patrick believes that being there for the youngest employees and helping them is essential. He tries to find a balance between freedom and supervision. He adds that a leader should always be available, especially when issues arise, to support, listen, advise or take charge of projects.
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in the field?
“It’s a competitive and productive field that requires efficiency,” explains Patrick. My advice is to focus on being technically sound and making sure you get it right before you think about the number of hours and the budget. The rest will come with time and experience.”
What do you think sets gbi apart?
For Patrick, the thing that sets gbi apart is the expertise of the teams in the various disciplines, as well as a less cumbersome structure than that in larger companies.
“gbi’s administrative agility and simplicity allows us to be very competitive on the market, which gives us a good batting average,” he explains.
“gbi’s size gives it all the advantages of both larger and smaller firms, with a wide variety of services available,” he adds. “We have professionals in every engineering discipline, so we have someone in-house who can respond when there are technical challenges.”
gbi in 3 words for Patrick
Agility, human, challenges
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