2013 Award Winners

CANADA MEDAL

This award is presented for outstanding service to a Canadian industry that is based on chemistry for its processes and/or services.

Grant Thomson, senior vice-president, and president, Olefins and Feedstock, NOVA Chemicals

Grant Thomson has been a key member of NOVA’s Board and Executive Team as the company transformed itself from a business with a limited future in 2008, to being selected by ICIS — the global weekly magazine for commodity chemical and polymer markets — as company of the year in 2012.ICIS cited the company’s outstanding financial performance in 2011 and continued success in 2012. NOVA, under Thomson’s direction, has been creative in its Alberta sourcing, contracting, for example, output from N. Dakota shale and ethane/ethylene containing off-gases from oil sands. Thomson has clearly demonstrated attributes that are highly regarded in the Canadian chemical industry: -leadership and innovation combined with teamwork; dedication to development in Canada; and strong corporate responsibility as demonstrated through participation in the Chemical Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), working with governments and Responsible Care®. He is currently CIAC vice-chair.

INTERNATIONAL AWARD

This award is given to acknowledge outstanding service to an industry that is based on chemistry for its processes and/or services, in the international sphere.

John Bianchini, CEO, Hatch Ltd.

John Bianchini had just graduated with his BASc in engineering from the University of Toronto in 1985, when he was hired by Hatch Ltd. He was quickly assessed as a potential leader in the company and given every opportunity to demonstrate his leadership and management skills. Bianchini, a process engineer, carried out work in South Africa and Australia, and was named Hatch’s Global Managing Director, Metals in 2004. He has expertise in process development and the evaluation of hydrometallurgical and chemical processes in the base metals industries. He has been particularly effective in introducing clients and colleagues to innovative process design, new methodologies and emerging technologies. More specifically he led the charge for advancing pilot plant facilities through design, disciplined project execution, and operation of the facilities. The Richards Bay Mineral’s million-ton expansion project in South Africa was completed in 19 months, and remains one of the fastest expansion projects of comparable size in the history of Hatch.

PURVIS MEMORIAL AWARD

This award is given for a major contribution to development and implementation of strategies, which have resulted in the strengthening of Canadian industry or academic or research institutions in the field of chemistry.

Jon Hantho, president and CEO, Maxxam Analytics

Jon Hantho has been President and CEO of Maxxam Analytics for the past six years. Under his leadership, the company has doubled in size, both in terms of revenue and number of employees. Annually, Maxxam’s 2,400 employees perform over 14 million tests and generate over 40 million test results. Hantho’s skills in the areas of corporate strategy and customer service development reinforce Maxxam’s mission to deliver good science through exceptional service. Today, Maxxam leads the analytical services industry in depth of technical and scientific knowledge, and has a proud history of delivering scientific achievements, breakthrough ideas and innovative solutions to the energy, environmental, food and DNA industries. In 2012, Hantho won Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He also received a Special Citation for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the National Entrepreneur of the Year Awards ceremony in January 2013.

LESUEUR MEMORIAL AWARD

This award is given for developing technical excellence, in either a university/research institute or industrial setting in Canada.

Janusz Pawliszyn, professor, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemistry

Janusz Pawliszyn is a professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in new analytical methods and technologies at the University of Waterloo. Pawliszyn is the inventor of a technique named solid-phase microextraction (SPME) which has transformed chemical analysis by rendering sample collection and extraction simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly. SPME has been widely adopted by environmental agencies, forensic scientists, clinical labs, and the fragrance industry since its discovery and commercialisation. Pawliszyn is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the CIC and was the 2008 winner of the Encana Principal Award from the Ernest Manning Awards Foundation.

KALEV PUGI AWARD

The award is presented to an individual or a team for specific R&D projects, performed during the previous 10-15 years, that embody the qualities of creativity and determination, good experimental design and project management, and which have had a significant beneficial impact on the sponsoring company or on society.

R. Tom Baker, professor, University of Ottawa, Department of Chemistry

Tom Baker is a world leader on the application of catalysis science to the development of efficient energy applications. He has a proven track record in homogeneous catalyst development and is now investigating supported molecular catalysts and catalysis science for important renewable energy applications. In his 30-year research career, Baker has made broad contributions to green chemistry. He has been an editorial board member for Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis since its inception and served as co-organizer for several major green chemistry and engineering conferences. As Director of the Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation, and Canada Research Chair in Catalysis Science for Energy Applications since 2008, Baker has led the University of Ottawa in its commitment to sustainability and research in areas that address global environmental and energy problems. Baker won the CIC’s Canadian Green Chemistry and Engineering Award in 2011.

JULIA LEVY AWARD

This award recognizes successful commercialization of innovation in Canada, in the field of bio-medical science and engineering, with a particular focus on the synergistic relationship between university and business.

Julian Adams, President, Research and Development, Infinity Pharmaceuticals

Julian Adams is a native of Montreal and graduated with a BSc from McGill University and received his PhD from MIT. Adams is a renowned medicinal chemist, drug developer, and entrepreneur. While Director of medicinal chemistry at Boehringer Ingelheim’s Laval site in Quebec he headed the team that created the drug Viramune for HIV treatment: a drug grossing $370 million (US) annually. Adams is particularly known for spearheading the discovery and development of the blockbuster drug bortezomib (marketed as Velcade). It was the first successful boron-containing drug, and is often the drug of choice for patients — about 75,000 in North America — suffering from multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer). More than 160,000 patients have been treated. It is approved in 90 countries and sales in 2009 were $1.9 billion, with projected sales for 2015 of $3.0 billion. Adams is currently the president of research and development of Infinity Pharmaceuticals.