ChatterHigh profiles

	Current role at Irving Oil Technology Rotational Graduate
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Chemistry and Math

Interests and activities 
I enjoy playing cricket outdoors in my free time. I’m also very interested in experimenting with new AI and technology developments, especially finding practical ways to use them to make everyday life more efficient. 

Background

I grew up in Ahmedabad, India. As a child, I aspired to become a professional cricketer. I moved to Canada a few years ago and initially lived in Halifax while completing my studies before relocating to Saint John.

My career path wasn’t heavily planned from the beginning. I was genuinely fascinated by how computer science principles translate into real-world solutions and create meaningful impact. Seeing how technology improves people’s lives motivated me to pursue computer science − and that curiosity ultimately led me to where I am today. 
 

Career

What attracted me to my current role was the structure and exposure offered by the New Graduate Rotational Program. I was excited by the opportunity to explore different areas of technology at Irving Oil, understand how technical concepts drive business and societal outcomes, and build a strong foundation through hands-on learning. I often relate my career journey to my mindset as a cricketer. In cricket, you don’t always start with a fixed role − you grow through practice, observation, teamwork and adapting to new situations.  

Similarly, my career journey hasn’t followed a rigid path. I’ve been driven by curiosity, a desire to learn and an appreciation for the impact technology can have. Through my education as well as the rotational program, I’ve focused on strengthening my fundamentals, learning from experienced professionals and embracing new challenges as they come. Cricket taught me patience, discipline, teamwork and continuous improvement − values that strongly shape how I approach my career today. I focus on contributing meaningfully, learning from each experience and steadily improving with every opportunity.

I chose computer science because I was drawn to how its principles drive development and create meaningful impact in people’s lives.

A key part of my journey was completing three co‑op placements, which allowed me to apply theoretical concepts in real‑world environments. Each co‑op placement helped me build technical fundamentals, understand how organizations operate and learn how to work effectively within teams and stakeholders. They also helped me become more adaptable and confident in navigating unfamiliar problems.

Joining the New Graduate Rotational Program built on that foundation by giving me broader exposure, structured learning and opportunities to contribute at scale. Together, my education, co‑op experiences and the graduate program shaped how I approach problem‑solving and growth in my current role.

	Current role at Irving Oil Lead Inspector
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Physics and Math

Interests and activities 
Fishing, reading and motorcycling

Background

I grew up in Alexandria, the second largest city of Egypt and the most important port by the Mediterranean.

I aspired to be a manufacturer as a child. I always had a dream of building a factory, hiring 1,000 people and creating a business under my name that would live on for many years. I find it funny now when I realize that I am now working  for someone who may have had the same dream!

My mom always wanted me to be a physician. However, by the time I graduated from high school, I was sure that engineering was going to be my path, though I wasn't sure which branch of engineering I wanted to pursue. After attending just one lecture in Thermodynamics on my first day, I was charmed with the magic of mechanical engineering!

I graduated with good grades and was very lucky to get a job right after graduation in one of the best oil and gas companies in Egypt. My parents always supported whatever decisions my brother and I took pertaining our futures. I am very lucky.

My current role is a natural continuation in my professional experience in the field of inspection and asset integrity assurance that I started 19 years ago. 

Career

In 2008, right after graduation, I joined a Natural Gas liquefaction plant outside of Alexandria as part of a one-year internship program. I was preparing to become part of the Machinery Engineering team, but at the end of the internship, the post was cancelled and I was offered a job with the Inspection Team instead. I had no knowledge of what inspectors do. I was frustrated and blamed myself because of this compulsory detour in my plans. I considered rejecting the offer and leaving. Thankfully, I was rational enough to override my emotions and follow the logic of “Why don’t you give it a try?” The beginnings in the inspection department weren’t smooth at all. I had to read a ton of codes and standards, which I had never came across, and learn so many technical topics that were brand new to me. After slow steps, things became better and I started to love the field and become good at it. The lesson I learned is not to judge a book by the cover. When you get stranded with few options, do your best and let the results of your hard work lead the outcomes.

2019 was a turning point for me, personally and professionally. It was the year I decided to pursue a new life in Canada. I quit my good job in Egypt after 13 years, left my family and flew to Ontario. After research into the Canadian market and the challenges that I might face before landing a good job matching my experience, I decided to get an academic degree from a Canadian institution. I registered for a master's degree in Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

Not only did I have no income during my studies but I had to spend most of my savings to sustain a living. I had a strong belief I was doing the right thing and was determined to keep going down that path. Just a couple months into my degree, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, bringing everything to a halt. The oil and gas market shrank drastically. I compressed my studies, doing three post-grad courses per term and was able to graduate after only one year. However, the market was still recovering too slowly. I worked a minimum-wage job for about a year to sustain a living for my family until I was contacted by the Irving Oil Human Resources team for a job interview. I truly feel this happened at the "destined time." I have now been with Irving Oil for five amazing years, doing the best job with the nicest team I have ever worked with. I enjoy every day working here at Irving Oil. If there are any lessons I have learned along the way, they would be to never lose hope, trust your gut and hold onto your dreams.

	Current role at Irving Oil Engineer in Training − New Graduate Rotational Program
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities 
I grew up playing competitive soccer, at one point playing for Team Nova Scotia. It taught me teamwork, leadership and how to handle setbacks − especially coming from a small town and facing bigger teams. I still enjoy playing and watching the sport.

These days, I stay active by going to the gym, which helps me stay grounded and healthy. I always encourage students to find an activity they enjoy because it really boosts overall well‑being.

In my downtime, I’m also a big fan of true crime documentaries and podcasts.

Background

I grew up in the small town of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and attended North Nova Education Centre for high school. I always enjoyed math and science courses such as physics and chemistry, and I also played on the varsity soccer team.

Like a lot of students, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do after high school (and that’s completely normal). I just knew I enjoyed problem-solving and technical subjects so I decided to apply to the Engineering program at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

At Dalhousie, all engineering students take the same courses in the first two years before choosing a specific discipline. I initially chose Environmental Engineering because I was interested in renewable energy and sustainability. However, after starting the program, I realized the courses weren’t quite what I expected so I made the decision to switch.

I ended up moving into Chemical Engineering because the courses aligned more with my interests and I found the variety of career paths really exciting. Chemical Engineering combines math, chemistry and physics to help turn raw materials into products we use every day; and it opens doors to industries such as energy, food production and pharmaceuticals.

One thing I’ve learned is that it’s okay if your path changes along the way. Like many other fields, Engineering is really about learning how to think, solve problems and adapt. The specific knowledge needed for your job often comes later; it is the core skills that stay with you no matter where you go.

Career

During university, I was part of a co-op program at Dalhousie that allowed me to gain 16 months of work experience before graduating. This was incredibly valuable because it helped me figure out what I liked (and didn’t like), while also building connections. Co-op terms are like a “long interview,” when you get to show your work ethic, willingness to learn and ability to be part of a team.

Through this program, I completed an eight-month work term as a Project Controls student with the Engineering Services team at Irving Oil in Saint John, New Brunswick. At Irving Oil, I gained experience in areas such as cost estimation and scheduling. Just as importantly, I got to experience the company culture. I really valued the strong focus on safety, teamwork and opportunities for growth. After returning to school for my final year, I was offered a full-time position in the New Graduate Rotational Program at Irving Oil.

The New Graduate Rotational Program is a three-year program where I get to work in three different roles across the company. Each rotation lasts about a year and it’s a great way to explore different career paths, build a strong understanding of the business and meet people across the organization.

In my first rotation, I worked as a Risk-Based Inspection Analyst at the refinery in Saint John. I learned how inspection plans are developed and used to keep everything operating safely and reliably. This role gave me valuable hands-on experience and helped me better understand how things work in the field. I’m currently in my second rotation as a Process Safety and Risk Management Engineer-in-Training, where I help assess risks related to our marine terminals. I’m excited to keep learning about a new part of the business.

What I love most about my job is solving real-world problems as part of a team. Engineering is ultimately about figuring things out and managing risk, but it’s also very people-focused. Building relationships, asking questions and learning from others are all a big part of the job.

I’ve also learned that it’s okay to not have everything figured out and it’s okay to make mistakes − that’s how you learn and grow. Being open to new experiences, being a good teammate and staying curious are some of the most important things you can do early in your career.

	Current role at Irving Oil Talent Acquisition Partner
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects English and Psychology

Interests and activities 
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time on hobbies that help me recharge and stay connected to what matters most. I love baking, reading and RV camping trips with my family. We also take day trips to explore the many beautiful areas our province has to offer.

Background

I was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. After attending St. Malachy’s Memorial High School, I continued my education at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, where I completed a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English and Psychology.

Wanting to further develop practical, hands-on skills in supporting individuals, I then completed a postgraduate program in Human Service Counselling at the New Brunswick Community College. This experience strengthened my ability to connect with others, actively listen and provide meaningful support − skills that have been foundational throughout my career.

As my interest in Human Resources grew, I returned to the University of New Brunswick to complete Human Resources coursework through the business program. This allowed me to formalize my HR knowledge and complement the operational and leadership experience I had already gained.

Career

I spent most of my working career at Xerox Canada. After graduating from university, I focused on finding a role that would allow me to support myself. I began my career as a Customer Service Representative and, after only nine months, I was promoted to a Learning Activity Facilitator (team coach and new hire trainer).

In that role, I discovered a passion for developing others. I facilitated new hire training classes, new manager school, conducted quality assurance audits, and coached and supported front-line employees. I later transitioned into the Workforce Management Team, where I was responsible for scheduling and reporting. While it wasn’t a role I was deeply passionate about, it provided valuable insights and strengthened my analytical and operational skills.

Throughout my time at Xerox, I had a clear goal: to become a People Leader. It took perseverance. I applied three times before successfully securing a leadership/management role. That experience reinforced an important lesson: never give up. Take the feedback you receive and actively work to close your gaps.

I spent several years as a Work Group Manager and eventually took on oversight of the North American Customer Relations Team. This role gave me extensive experience managing complex and sensitive cases, further strengthening my leadership and decision-making abilities.

During this time, I began to develop an interest in Human Resources. To support this career shift, I found a mentor and returned to the University of New Brunswick to complete HR-specific coursework. Shortly after, I successfully transitioned into an HR Manager role, where I was able to combine my operational experience with my passion for people development.

I remained in that position until the nature of the role began to shift toward a more centralized HR helpdesk model, with less opportunity for direct employee interaction. Recognizing that my strengths and interests were in more people-focused work, I made the decision to explore new opportunities in Saint John. While this was a challenging transition, it also provided an opportunity to reflect, reset and explore new directions in my career.

Following my time at Xerox Canada, I had the privilege of working across multiple sectors, including Health Services, Long-Term Care and the not-for-profit space. Since 2021, I have been with Irving Oil, where I initially joined as an HR Business Partner. I have since pivoted into a role within the Recruitment Team. This opportunity has allowed me to deepen my expertise in talent acquisition while also expanding my network and building strong connections across the organization.

	Current role at Irving Oil Residential Channel Manager
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street Office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Culinary Tech, English, History

Interests and activities 
Swimming, bodybuilding, cooking, baking, health and fitness

Background

I grew up in Grand Bay-Westfield, graduated from Harbour View High School and studied to be a Nursing and Health Care Aide at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) Saint John. After working in the health-care industry for a few years, I still was not sure what I wanted to do. I took an opportunity to work for Irving in 2008 and became interested in a career here. 
 

Career

I started working for Irving in 2008 as a Customer Service Representative and quickly moved up to become Residential Sales Representative and then I became a Commercial Account Manager for about five years. 

I was out sick with cancer for two years and, when I returned to work, I was a changed person. I got very serious about my own health and wellness journey and was determined to be the best version of myself. I decided I needed to take another career path and worked in a fitness gym, took a personal trainer course and opened my own business selling healthy protein cookies. I competed in my first bodybuilding competition and won an inspiration award. After a year and a half of this journey, I was ready to come back to Irving and landed back in Residential Sales for about eight years. 

In May 2024, a new job opportunity came up and I became a Residential Sales Channel Manager. This has been my favourite job in my whole career by far. I maintain strong relationships in working closely with business owners of Hearth Shops (business that sell propane fireplaces). Once a customer purchases a fireplace, their information is sent to me. I will ensure the customer has propane service set up and follow through with them until they take their first propane delivery, ensuring a smooth transition. I also get to work with a marketing partner to create and tailor marketing material that will drive sales under our employee discount program. The program is designed to provide our business owners' employees a discount on home heating fuel for their residence. I love this career path, and I am learning a lot along the way.

The advice I would give to anyone thinking about their career is that it might not all go as planned or be in a straight line. Follow your instincts, try new things and don't be hard on yourself if things don't go as planned. Do what makes your heart happy and it will all work out in the end.

	Current role at Irving Oil Senior Manager Customer Technologies
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math, History and Phys-Ed

Interests and activities 
I've been very active my whole life. I played volleyball in high school and ran marathons in my twenties. Now, I spend most of my free time golfing or watching my 10-year-old son play hockey, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and football.

Background

In high school, I excelled in many subjects, most notably math, history and physical education. I did not have a clear career path in mind when I graduated from high school. In fact, I was enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program at my local university simply as a default. I didn't know what else to do.

Prior to starting university, I transferred to the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at the suggestion of my high school math teacher. It was a good move. Based on my performance in high school, I was given the option to complete a BBA co-op program. The work experience and connections made in the co-op program were invaluable.

During my four years completing my BBA, I discovered a passion for data analysis. However, I didn't equate my love of data to a profession in IT at the time. Once I had the opportunity to work on IT projects at Irving Oil, it started to make sense and my career path became clear. Technology is about improving, enhancing or automating processes. Knowing where opportunities exist and measuring success is all in the data. 

Career

In my current role, as Senior Manager of Customer Technologies, I have the opportunity to work with my team and many other teams throughout Irving Oil to enhance and improve the various digital and physical customer touchpoints with technology. This includes technologies supporting sales teams, websites, mobile apps, customer portals and point-of-sale (payments) systems. In the Customer Technology space, we need to be acutely aware of new technologies and changes in regulations and laws. This makes for a fast-paced, constantly changing environment. There is continuous opportunity to work on challenging initiatives and expand your knowledge. This is what I love about my job!

	Current role at Irving Oil Propane Delivery Driver
	Current work location Halifax Irving Home Heat & Halifax Harbour Terminal
	Favourite school subjects Economics, IT, Geography, Mathematics, Business Studies

Interests and activities

I play football and soccer, and ride bikes and motorcycles. I love travelling, adventure and sharing stories with my friends about places I have visited − especially about the food and geography. I also enjoyed helping my father with his business (a furniture shop, operated since 1993). Most recently, I have become a volunteer fire fighter for Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.

Background

I was born in a village in Kerala, India, and chose to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mahatma Gandhi University Kerala after high school. I tried a few sales roles in India, but didn’t find the right fit.

I later moved to Canada and pursued a Diploma in Project Management and Strategic Leadership in 2017 and then a Diploma in Supply Chain Management, 2018 to 2020, at Lambton College in Ontario.

I have always been interested in automobiles and maintenance, and I enjoy reading magazines about cars. My uncle was a milk truck owner and operator, and I often helped him with his job during my vacations. This really sparked my interest!

With this identified interest in driving, I decided to pursue a job with a school bus company, which trained me to get my class 2 licence and a job as a school bus driver. When school was out for the summer, I was successful in getting an aircraft fueler role at the Halifax airport. I worked closely with the Irving Oil drivers delivering jet fuel to the airport. Many of them worked for Irving Oil for several years. They were always so happy, positive and evidently enjoyed their jobs. 

The pilot who regularly transported Irving employees on their flight also encouraged me to consider applying for Irving Oil because of my safety mindset, focus and professionalism. This motivated me to apply for a truck driver role with Irving Oil and continue to pursue my interest in professional driving.

Since joining the Irving Oil team, I have upgraded my licence to a class 1 which can open doors for more opportunities. I believe I have an advantage when it comes to understanding logistics and supply chain financial management because of my background in business.  I also have two important certifications to do my job: Bulk Plant Operation Certification, and Propane Rail, Car, Unloading Certification.

Career

I love my job as a truck driver because I enjoy travelling, financial stability and have a sense of responsibility. It has provided me with many growth opportunities, and I have learned a lot about the fleet and maintenance. I enjoy working for Irving Oil because of its strong roots, great customers and hardworking employees who make the working environment even more enjoyable.   

As a truck driver, my job duties include driving and delivery, customer service, tank maintenance, safety compliance, record keeping, route planning, maintenance of vehicle or fleet, and coordination/communication between dispatchers and other team members.  

I start my day by checking my delivery schedule and identifying any special delivery instructions. I then head to the propane bulk plant in Dartmouth to do my pre-trip inspection, load the truck, if needed, and one final personal protective equipment and truck safety check.

Throughout the workday, I unload propane from my truck to residential or commercial clients, conduct inspections of propane tanks and connections. I have lots of customer interactions along the way. Once I have safely completed all my deliveries, I return to the bulk plant, fuel the truck, check the truck’s fluid levels, and check/clean the equipment for the next day’s route. Safety is my top priority − making sure to follow all regulations and procedures to safely handle and deliver products.

	Current role at Irving Oil Human Resources Business Partner − Corporate
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Economics and Computer Science

Interests and activities 
I enjoy staying active through basketball, swimming and fitness activities such as spin classes. I also have a passion for dance and am a trained Jazz Level 1 dancer. Through these activities, I’ve developed teamwork, discipline and confidence.

Background

Growing up in New Delhi, India, I became a people-oriented person from a young age. I watched my mother work as a social worker and I saw how much she enjoyed helping people. This had a strong impact on me and inspired my interest in working with others.

I began my university journey by pursuing a degree in Computer Science, as I had a strong interest in technology. However, after completing my degree, I realized I wanted a career working more closely with people. I decided to pursue a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), specializing in Human Resources and Marketing. During my final semester, I was successfully placed in a multinational organization, which marked the start of my career in HR.

By being very involved in sports I have furthered my skills. I was a basketball champion and served as the leader of my college team, where I developed strong leadership and teamwork skills.

After gaining experience in India, I moved to Canada in 2018 with my husband to explore new opportunities. I continued my HR career in Talent Acquisition with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, further developing my skills in working with people and supporting hiring and development. I was later recruited to join Irving Oil for an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I currently work in HR Operations, where I enjoy supporting employees and coaching leaders to build strong, effective teams. Looking back, I feel confident that I made the right career choice and look forward to continuing to grow in my HR journey. 

Career

Throughout my career in Human Resources, I have taken on a variety of roles that have built a well-rounded understanding of working with people and supporting organizations. I began my journey in Talent Acquisition, where I was responsible for end-to-end recruitment, helping organizations attract and hire the right talent. This experience gave me a strong foundation in understanding people, building relationships and aligning hiring decisions with broader business needs and long-term organizational goals.

I then expanded my experience by working as an HR Generalist, where I supported a wide range of HR functions, including employee relations, performance management and day-to-day HR support. This role helped me develop a broader perspective on how HR not only supports employees and leaders but also contributes to creating a positive and productive work environment that drives overall business success. Over time, I moved into HR Operations, where I continue to build on my experience by supporting employees, coaching leaders and contributing to building strong, effective and high-performing teams while aligning people strategies with organizational priorities.

What I love most about my job in HR is the opportunity to work closely with people every day, while making a meaningful impact on the organization. I enjoy helping employees grow in their careers and supporting leaders in building positive, high-performing teams. HR allows me to combine my passion for working with people with a strategic approach to guiding, supporting and influencing decisions that benefit both employees and the business. Looking back, I value the variety of experiences I have had and how each role has helped shape my career and growth in Human Resources.

	Current role at Irving Oil Propane Driver
	Current work location Irving Energy in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History, Science and Social Studies

Interests and activities

My favourite physical activity is jiu-jitsu! I have trained two to three times a week for the last seven years. I also enjoy hiking and camping with friends and family.

My other favourite activity is playing guitar. I've been playing for 30 years and have never stopped learning.

Background

I was born in Canada but moved to the United States when I was 12. I have been back in Canada for almost 20 years now and moved to New Brunswick in 2022 from Ontario. New Brunswick is the most beautiful place I have ever lived and I don't ever plan to move away.

Truck driving is my third career now. Most of my life, I have worked as a retail and grocery manager. I also spent some time selling insurance. 

When I was 35, I began working part-time on an orchard in Niagara and, after a few years, the farmer asked me to upgrade my licence so I could make deliveries with the larger trucks on the farm. I immediately fell in love with truck driving.

Career

I enjoy being on the road, seeing new places and delivering to interesting customers. As a delivery driver, you get to go places where the general public doesn't usually go and I learned a lot of new things.

Eventually, when I moved to New Brunswick, I brought my licence and my experience with me and was able to get a job working at Irving delivering diesel, heating oil − and now propane.

I feel very lucky. Irving is the best company I have ever worked for because of its focus on safety, employees and customers. Delivery of propane is my favourite job that I've ever had.

	Current role at Irving Oil Technology Rotational Graduate
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math, Business Administration and Phys-Ed

Interests and activities

I enjoy staying active and trying new things. In high school, I played basketball, and now I like to play tennis and I am learning boxing. I also enjoy expressing my artistic side through activities such as dancing and painting.

Background

I grew up in Quito, Ecuador, and moved to Canada in 2021 to pursue my bachelor’s degree. I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering program at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. Since math was my favourite subject in high school, I knew I wanted to study engineering. As I explored different disciplines, I realized that software engineering offers limitless opportunities to work in almost any field − and this inspired me to choose this path.

During my studies, I completed two co-op terms with Irving Oil, where I learned about different roles in the industry and had the chance to connect with people across various areas of the business. During my co-op terms, I learned about Irving Oil’s New Graduate Rotational Program. It stood out to me as a great opportunity to explore different areas of IT, especially since I was still figuring out which path I wanted to pursue. I decided to apply.

I graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and a diploma in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship. After graduating, I returned to Irving Oil to begin my first rotation in the New Graduate Rotational Program.

Career

My first rotation was with the Corporate Technology Team (specifically the Microsoft 365 team). In this role, I developed solutions using the Power Platform, including building Power Apps and Power Automate flows, improving and rebuilding Power BI reports, preparing and organizing data in Microsoft Fabric, and creating SharePoint sites and lists. I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects focused on modernizing and automating processes.

In June 2026, I transitioned to my second rotation with the Data Strategy Team. In this role, I focus on translating analytics, forecasting and modeling requirements into various system solutions.

What I enjoy most about the New Graduate Rotational Program is the opportunity to work with and learn from people across the company, discover what I’m most interested in and continue developing both my technical and interpersonal skills.

	Current role at Irving Oil Human Resources Manager, Refining and Supply
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Social Studies

Interests and activities

I enjoy playing and watching hockey and golf. I also love music and playing the guitar.

Background

I grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland. After graduating high school, I moved to New Brunswick to attend the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, where I enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Administration program, with a concentration in Human Resources and International Business. When I began university, I didn't really know what I wanted to do but I took a couple of Human Resources classes, which really interested me.

I also enjoyed understanding different cultures, so I also leaned towards International Business. I thought that when I completed university, I would never have to study again. But, as I started my career, my curiosity grew and, later in life, I completed a Human Resources Management program and also an online Master's of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resources Management.

Career

After graduating university, I thought it was important to explore the world and live in another country for a year, so I accepted a teaching position in South Korea. That was an amazing experience and one I highly recommend.

When I returned to Canada, I moved into a Human Resources Consultant role with TD Insurance which allowed me to put my studies into practice. After five years, I was provided the opportunity to move into Retail Banking and for the next seven years, I was a bank manager. This was a very scary move at the time but it's a move I am forever grateful for. It took me out of my comfort zone and allowed to me to grow and push myself outside of my self-proclaimed boundaries.  

In 2019, I was fortunate to join Irving Oil. Today my role is HR Manager, Refining and Supply.  In my role, I work closely with HR Professionals to support the business with day-to-day tasks. We also collaborate as thinking partners. We focus on performance, development, coaching and succession planning.  What I love about my role is that every day is different and you get the opportunity to collaborate with some really smart and talented people.  

	Current role at Irving Oil Customer Service Representative
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History and Phys-Ed

Interests and activities

Video games, movies, spending time with family

Background

I grew up in three very different places − Burlington, Ontario, Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and Saint John, New Brunswick − and each one helped shape who I am today.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a police officer because I liked the idea of helping people.

I spent 12 years as a stay‑at‑home dad, which was an important part of my life. When it was time to return to work, I felt ready for a new challenge and motivated to support my family, so I took the leap.

Career

I am a Customer Service Representative (CSR) with the Customer Contact Centre, serving as the first point of contact for our customers. In this role, I assist with billing inquiries, payment support and scheduling service or delivery appointments for home‑heating needs.

I take great pride in what I do. Helping customers have the best possible experience with our company is genuinely rewarding and, after three years here, I still look forward to coming to work every day. I joined the team after applying online and completing the interview process, and it has been one of the best career decisions I’ve made.

Our team may be small but we work exceptionally well together. We support one another, share knowledge freely and always step in to help − whether it’s for a colleague or a customer. My time with the company has been fulfilling and I continue to learn everything I can to better serve our customers.

Looking ahead, I aspire to grow within the organization and eventually join the training department, where I can help new team members develop the same passion for customer care that I’ve found here.

	Current role at Irving Oil Inspector
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities

Reading, video games, board games that require strategy

Background

I grew up in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, dreaming of becoming a marine biologist. I attended university for two years before realizing I could not envision myself in that career. I decided to step away from university, took a year off, and worked at Circle K.

During that time, I applied to the New Brunswick Community College for both the Medical Laboratory Technician and Chemical Laboratory Technician programs, with Medical Lab Tech as my first choice. Although I was initially accepted into the Chemical Lab Technician program, I later received an offer for Medical Lab Tech. After careful consideration, I chose to remain in the Chemical Lab Technician program, feeling it was the right fit for me. This decision led me to secure my first co-op position with Irving Oil in the Oil Movements area of the Saint John refinery.

Career

After graduating from NBCC, I began my professional career working at Graymont in Havelock, where I spent three months before receiving the opportunity to interview at Irving Oil’s main laboratory. In October 2017, I was thrilled to return to Irving Oil and have never looked back.

In 2024, while exploring new learning and growth opportunities online, I noticed the opportunity to apply for a new job as an Inspector at the refinery. I was excited for this new challenge and thrilled to jump on the opportunity. I love my work and attribute much of my success to the skills and foundations gained during my college education.

For high school students − I would encourage you not to be afraid of trying different things. I truly believe in challenging yourself, growing in every possible direction and remembering that growth is never linear. Most importantly, I want to remind students not to be afraid of making mistakes because that is simply part of the journey.

	Current role at Irving Oil Service Propane Technician
	Current work location Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities

Baseball, hockey, basketball, fishing, spending time outdoors, Xbox video games

Background

I grew up in the South End of Saint John and enjoyed spending my time in with my friends at the Boys and Girls Club. I was always very involved in sports and recreational activities at the club.

At 21 years old, I started working for Irving Oil in the service department. In this role, I handled a variety of customer and technician calls which varied from booking service calls for broken equipment to maintaining customer equipment. This team was responsible for relaying vital information from the customers to the service technicians to ensure they could fix the equipment efficiently.

Irving was an excellent choice for me as there were so many opportunities for growth. While I worked for the service department, I took an interest in learning from the technicians about troubleshooting problems. I spoke to my manager about my aspirations to become a technician, and from here I enrolled in the gas technician course which was offered at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) in Saint John in 2008.

Career

Once I graduated from NBCC in 2009, I worked in the gas industry for a couple of companies in the Saint John area, until I had the opportunity to move to Inuvik, a small town in the Northwest Territories. I stayed there for two years and worked in the natural gas industry, until finally securing a job back with Irving Oil in the Maritimes.  

Irving has helped me achieve many goals for my role, such as obtaining multiple gas licences, including my G1-L endorsement which allows me to work on a variety of equipment in the field, such as fireplaces, cookstoves, furnaces, boilers, or even asphalt plant roof top units for commercial kitchens. We also work on vaporizers or dispensers. I have even been given the opportunity to acquire a Propane Plant Operator Licence (PPO1) which allows me to run the Bulk Plant (distribution centre).  

I love the job path that I chose because it is very fulfilling to be able to go to a customer’s home and supply them with heat, hot water and their basic everyday needs. I enjoy seeing how happy they are to receive this service. You get to meet so many people and make so many new friends.  

	Current role at Irving Oil Business Rotational Graduate
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math, Science and Phys-Ed

Interests and activities

I enjoy playing and watching hockey; Montreal Canadiens are my favourite team. I also like to play soccer, watch football, read and bake. 

Background

I grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, and thought I wanted to become a doctor. I was drawn to the challenge of becoming a doctor, the topics of study and being able to help people. Graduating high school, I received the Arthur and Sandra Irving Primrose Scholarship and went to the University of New Brunswick, Saint John, to obtain my Bachelor of Science, with a double major in Biology-Psychology.

After graduating with honours, I spent a summer working for Irving Oil as a student in the accounts payable department. I then went back to school at St. Thomas University to get my Bachelor of Education, as I had an interest in teaching and wanted to take a one-year program while I figured out what I wanted to do next.

Nearing the end of the program, I decided that my place was in business. I reached out to my manager from my summer job, wondering if she knew anyone hiring, and I was able to secure a one-year contract with my old team as a full-time employee, with the understanding I would only be there for a short period of time while I tried to find a more permanent role that better suited my career aspirations.

Once joining Irving, I reached out to managers who were hiring in areas I wanted to potentially start a career in. After a few months, I found out about the New Grad Rotational Program, which would allow me to work as a Business Analyst for three different teams on a one-year rotation. Once accepted, I spent my first rotation with the Market Intelligence Team and am moving into my second rotation with the Government Relations Team.

Career

My career path, while short, has not been very linear. My background in science and education has helped me build many soft skills that I use in my job today. The ability to do research, data validation and data presentation has carried over from my science background, while a lot of management soft skills can be learned in education.

My current position as a Business Rotational Graduate for the Market Intelligence Team has exposed me to the inner workings of the oil industry, and I enjoy it greatly. At its core, the Market Intelligence Team’s job is to help the senior leadership of Irving Oil to make better decisions on commercial operations, refining inputs and outputs and trading/hedging strategies − by providing them with the understanding of the markets they are involved in and what factors at play could positively and negatively impact their part of the business, as well as the business as a whole. My role in this is to help with research and data analysis on these tasks.

	Current role at Irving Oil IT Production Controls Manager
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and History

Interests and activities 
Reading, skiing, and running

Background

Emily grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, and studied Business at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. Initially uncertain about her career direction, she embraced the opportunity to explore a diverse array of specialty classes. This exploration ultimately led her to discover her interest in Marketing and Human Resources.

Career

After earning her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with a major in Marketing and a minor in Human Resources, Emily felt uncertain about her future. She decided to move to Calgary, Alberta, where her unexpected journey in Information Technology began. Seizing an opportunity to work in the IT department of a large corporation, she took a leap of faith and discovered a passion for a field she had never previously considered. It was there that Emily realized she could leverage her business skills in the field of IT, focusing on process management. 

After six years in Calgary, Emily returned to New Brunswick and joined Irving Oil's IT department. Today, she is the IT Production Controls Manager, responsible for the creation and fulfillment of IT processes and procedures that drive efficiency.

	Current role at Irving Oil Talent and Organizational Development Specialist
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Latin and Choir

Interests and activities

I love walking my dog, going to the beach (when weather permits), listening to music/podcasts and reading. As a native Texan and newcomer to Canada, I'm surprised by how much I like watching hockey (in-person especially!).

Background

I grew up in Houston, Texas. In high school, I enjoyed all my classes, especially AP English, Music Theory, Latin and Choir, as well as my time on the swim team. I graduated from Baylor University in 2008 with a degree in Classics, which focused on the languages, literature, culture and history of ancient Greece and Rome. I was then accepted to the University of Kansas Master of Arts in Classics where I had the opportunity to become a Teaching Assistant for a Greek and Roman mythology course and eventually taught my own sections of Humanities and Western Civilization to undergraduate students.

After completing my degree in 2011, I took a big left turn and moved to South Korea to teach English. I spent seven wonderful years in the city of Gwangju, teaching English to students ranging in age from 6 to 60. I learned quite a bit about multicultural teaching and learning and enjoyed immersing myself in Korean culture, travelling to beautiful places and eating delicious food. I met my Canadian husband in Korea and we moved back to his hometown of Saint John, New Brunswick, in 2018.

Since living in Canada, I've continued teaching English to adult learners, online. I completed my Master's in Adult Education from the University of New Brunswick in 2021. While living in Saint John, I've worked at the Offline Board Game Café, Newcomer Connections at the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick and finally found a home here at Irving Oil as a Talent and Organizational Development Specialist

Career

My career path has *NOT* been linear! Hindsight is 20/20 but it's fascinating where a mindset open to learning and change can take you. 
When I majored in Classics, I would not have been able to predict what I'd end up “doing with it.” At the University of Kansas, I found my love of teaching. While I didn't have any clarity or specifics, I knew that my future career would involve teaching and learning in some capacity. During my undergrad, I had a summer job that provided me with extensive experience in direct sales (80 hours/week for 10 weeks each summer!). While this doesn't seem related to teaching, I developed strong communication skills, learned the value of persistence and positivity, and honed the craft of making connections and helping others find value. These transferrable skills have absolutely helped me in teaching and in all other areas of my life.

Along the way, I took opportunities to lead teams in various sectors − sales, education and non-profit − giving me a unique perspective on the ways leadership is both challenging and rewarding. This helped shape my philosophy that leading others is a huge responsibility and privilege. As a Talent and Organizational Development Specialist at Irving Oil, I'm able to use the skills I've developed over time in unexpected ways every day. I'm a member of a team that designs and facilitates training on leadership capability areas such as building accountability, leading others through change, developing your direct reports, fostering team collaboration and more. I get to work with leaders across our company with a wide range of teams and in many different locations, listening to them, learning from them and supporting them in their development.These days a “career squiggle” is more common than a “career ladder.” Many people find themselves in a very different place from where they started and are often amazed at how they got there. I'm grateful that while I couldn't see a straightforward career path when I was in high school or even university, I kept learning and growing as much as I could and saying yes to unexpected opportunities that crossed my path.

	Current role at Irving Oil Lead Technical Maintenance Specialist − Central Processing
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Mathematics, Algebra, Calculus − anything related to numbers and solving problems.

Interests and activities 
Travelling and reading books. I love being exposed to different cultures and trying new things. 

Background

Beginning at a very young age, I enjoyed working with numbers and solving problems. In high school, I took a career exploration class that included assessments to identify strengths and potential career paths. Based on my results, Mechanical Engineering was recommended. I applied to the program and I never questioned my choice. From the very beginning, it felt like the right fit for me.  

I completed my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in Mexico. As part of my studies, I participated in an exchange program in Germany that ultimately led me to meet my husband. After moving to Canada, I pursued a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.  

Career

I joined Irving Oil in 2015, right after completing my Master’s. My first role was in Reliability, working on a project that allowed me to learn the refinery equipment while collaborating with multiple departments. This experience gave me a strong foundation in understanding equipment, people and engineering principles in a real-world environment.

From there, I transitioned into Day-to-Day Maintenance where I held several roles including Planner, Coordinator, and Scheduling Team Lead. Each position allowed me to develop new skills, learn more about maintenance execution and gain leadership experience. All of this helped me to prepare me for my current role.

As a Maintenance Specialist, I’m responsible for ensuring equipment operates safely and reliably, responding to breakdowns, developing long-term reliability strategies, ensuring regulatory compliance and managing a maintenance budget.

Once I was exposed to the Area Maintenance Manager role early in my career, I knew that was my long-term career goal. I thought about where I started, where I wanted to go and identified gaps in my experience and knowledge. I was also curious about the people already in the role and the different paths they took to get there.

Early in my career, I received advice that has stayed with me: let people know what you are interested in, so they think of you when opportunities arise. I have consistently followed that advice and it has played a key role in my trajectory. I’ve been in my current role for three years and I’m still learning every day. You don’t need to have all the answers but you need to be willing to learn, adapt and step outside your comfort zone. That’s where growth happens. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Business Insights - Market Intelligence
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Economics and Math

Interests and activities 
I love volleyball. I've played competitively since high school and coach the University of New Brunswick men's team in Saint John. It has taught me a lot about teamwork and good communication over the years. Coaching allows me to pass that on to others as well.

Background

I grew up in St. George, New Brunswick, and went to Fundy High School. I originally wanted to be an architect when I graduated. I took general sciences for one year at McGill University to apply to their program.

By the end of my first year, I found that I was much more comfortable in understanding and explaining business concepts. I especially was drawn to economics, which took a much more scientific approach to the study of business and delved even further into human behaviours. At the time, I found it to be a middle ground between business and psychology, and it really clicked with me. I ended up finishing my undergrad in Economics at UNB Saint John and a minor in Mathematics with high honours, becoming the first on the campus to write a thesis paper in the program. I went on to complete my master’s at the University of Calgary.

After completing my master’s, I returned home to work in a few companies that my family ran at the time, while also teaching courses at UNB Saint John.

Career

I currently manage our Business Insights - Market Intelligence Team at Irving Oil. During the 15 years that I've been with the company, 11 of them have been with this team. I started as an analyst, moved into an economist role − and left to with our financial trading team for a while. I returned to manage the team three years ago.

The team is responsible for being knowledgeable about the market trends and behaviours of the oil industry: what drives prices up or down, or drives people to buy less or more gasoline and other oil products, and so on. We also look at what others are doing in the market, product trends, regulatory impacts and many other interesting economic impacts to our business. One of the bigger responsibilities that I am proud to share is that I designed and started was internal forecasts for our annual planning and strategy work, advising many parts of the business on what can be expected in the next five years for prices, in order to properly help plan out business strategies throughout the company.

Every role I've had at Irving has been something I love doing − but after spending more than 10 years on the same team, there must be something special about it that keeps me so attached to it. I love big picture stuff and helping put it all together. Being on, and now managing, the Business Insights - Market Intelligence Team allows me that opportunity. The world's oil markets are huge and volatile so there’s never a dull day when there isn't something new to try to understand or explain. Learning all of that and helping others do so as well is why I love coming to work every day. Now that I am in a leadership role, I get to help others reach those same goals and love their work, too. It is similar to how I find joy coaching rather than playing the sport I've loved for so long.

	Current role at Irving Oil Irving Energy Driver / Gas Fitter Apprentice / Peer Coach
	Current work location Halifax, NS
	Favourite school subjects Social studies, law, science and biology

Interests and activities

Exercising, basketball, video games and working on project cars

Background

I grew up in Dartmouth and graduated high school in 2013. After high school, I took a year off and did a few different jobs working at a call centre and landscaping/construction. After my year off from school, I went to Nova Scotia Community College for Diesel Engine Mechanics, hoping it would take me to Alberta for work. Working on cars and trucks was always something I enjoyed and something I could see myself doing for a living until the price of oil dropped and most prospects for work in that field dried up for a few years. I continued to try out a few other jobs until I discovered the opportunity to drive trucks as a career!   

Career

I started working at Irving Oil in 2017 as a truck driver, delivering diesel to construction sites for five years and later becoming a peer coach for my colleagues. I decided I wanted more out of my career and, after looking at various options (both inside and outside of Irving), I decided I wanted to learn a trade and take an apprenticeship in gas fitting. With Irving’s support, I now split my week up between driving my truck for a few days a week and working towards my apprenticeship on the other days, while doing schoolwork on my own time in the evenings.  

I love that Irving is a diverse company with lots of career options and opportunities. Where I am a seasoned driver with an important role on our team, I get to mentor some days and on other days I get to be a student and learn new skills to further my own career.   

	Current role at Irving Oil Process Engineer
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Chemistry and Math

Interests and activities 
Cooking, running, adventures with my dog and travel

Background

Hannah grew up in Nova Scotia and first attended Acadia University to study chemistry. As she neared graduation, Hannah wasn’t sure what career to pursue but became interested in engineering. A career in engineering would involve solving interesting problems and provide diverse career opportunities. She decided to continue her education in engineering at Dalhousie. It’s never too late to change directions in life!  

Throughout university, Hannah was a teaching assistant in chemistry labs and volunteered with the SMILE program. Hannah participated in the co-op program through Dalhousie to help pay for university and discover what careers might interest her. These co-op terms took her to the Department of National Defence and the Irving Oil refinery. Hannah graduated with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Dalhousie University.

Career

Hannah is an engineer with Irving Oil’s Process Engineering Group. She enjoys a mix of field work and desk work, while working with a diverse team. Hannah uses her math and chemistry skills to troubleshoot plant operations, develop a solution and execute the plan. This involves participation from many teams. In the field, she might supervise certain activities or climb through equipment to perform inspections. Findings must be captured and communicated through reports and presentations to ensure the equipment continues to operate well.  

Every day is different and Hannah enjoys continued education through course and conferences. One of her favourite activities is mentoring students and engineers-in-training as they begin their engineering journey. She is also pleased to be a Junior Achievement New Brunswick volunteer with Irving Oil and delivers financial literacy programs to local high school classrooms.

	Current role at Irving Oil Customer Service Representative
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street Office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and English

Interests and activities 
Spending time outdoors, campfires, reading and movies. I spend a lot of time on my computer and enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons. 

Background

I grew up in Waterloo, Ontario. When I was in middle school, I liked the idea of being an Actuary. My uncle taught that subject at the University of Waterloo and my cousin became one.

However, over the years of looking for a career, I eventually realized that my skill set aligned well with sales and customer service. I am good with people and problem solving. When I embraced that, I naturally gravitated towards those jobs.

Upon moving to Saint John in 2022, I was excited to successfully land a job with Irving and have been enjoying myself since coming on board in 2023.

Career

The key for me was to understand and accept that the soft skills of sales and customer service are legitimate. From there, it is only a matter of using that lens to focus all my previous employment and personal experience.

I have explored a number of opportunities within Irving. I have had the opportunity to sample roles and continue to enjoy that opportunity. For now, I am quite content in the role I was originally hired for.

	Current role at Irving Oil Process Engineer
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History and English

Interests and activities 
Mountain biking, camping, hiking and travelling

Background

 I spent my early childhood in Bangladesh, then went to a boarding school in Darjeeling (a small mountain town in India, close to Nepal) from Grade 4 to 10. After that, I came to Canada to finish high school at Saint John High School. After high school, I enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering program at University of New Brunswick Saint John, hoping to pursue a career in the aeronautical/car design world. I soon realized my skills were more suited to a career in Chemical Engineering, so I transferred to the Chemical Engineering program in my second year. After my third year at University of New Brunswick Fredericton, I did a 12-month co-op term at the Irving Oil refinery in the Project Definition Management Group, which cemented my interest and drive to pursue a career in the oil refining industry.

Career

My co-op term with the Project Definition Management Team allowed me to learn about the different units and processes at a high level. After my graduation in 2018, I joined the Delivered Natural Gas Team as a Facilities Technician. This role helped strengthen my field/panel operation and production/maintenance planning experiences. I was then hired back in the Saint John refinery in January 2020 as an Area Contact Engineer where I've sharpened my process engineering skills by ensuring the safe, reliable and profitable operation of the process units under my supervision.

What I love best about my job is being challenged with and solving technical problems every day. The ability to get away from the desk/computer and do field work is also great fun, especially during turnarounds. Lastly, occasional travelling for work is one of my favorite perks. I went to Chicago for a week-long training session this year and went to Ireland for two months to support the turnaround at the Whitegate refinery.

	Current role at Irving Oil Engineering Team Lead − Field Inspection
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Fashion Design

Interests and activities

I like to say my hobby is “collecting hobbies.” I enjoy learning how to do new things but often move on once I understand the basics. Some examples include pottery, crochet and baking. What I enjoy most is learning how things work and how they are made. 

Background

I grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, with my mother and two older siblings. My family relied on social assistance while my single mother worked her way through university. We lived below the poverty line and, as a result, my main goal as a child was not a specific job but financial stability and comfort.

I struggled with reading and writing throughout school, but I excelled in math and science. Even though those subjects could be challenging, they became a source of pride for me, especially when compared to the areas I struggled with.

I did not have much guidance at home when it came to choosing courses or planning a career. Fortunately, some of my friends had parents who were very involved and I followed their lead. I registered for advanced courses such as Advanced Math, Physics, Chemistry and Calculus − not because I knew where I was headed, but simply because my friends were taking them.

By the middle of Grade 12, I had to decide what to do next. I chose engineering, even though I did not really know what engineers did. My decision was influenced by an uncle who was an engineer, lived in Florida, and had a pool. To me, that represented a comfortable life, which was something I really wanted.

Thankfully, taking those harder courses meant I still had many options available when it was finally time to choose my path. I studied Mechanical Engineering at UNB Fredericton. 

Career

After university, I started my career in the Alberta Oil Fields as a Wireline Engineer. While the work was technically interesting, the lifestyle was extremely demanding. I often worked anywhere from 8 to 30 hours at a time, without breaks, and had very little control over my schedule. Although I learned a great deal in technical areas, the most important lesson was how much I value work-life balance and being home at the end of the day.

After about a year and a half, I moved to Shell Canada and became a Static Equipment Engineer, where I was finally able to apply my Mechanical Engineering degree. In this role, I learned how to take the engineering fundamentals from university and apply them in real-world situations such as piping design, equipment replacements and rerating equipment.

Because I have always been interested not only in how things work, but why things happen, I transitioned into an Incident Investigator role at Shell. This role focused on understanding why decisions and actions were made − not blaming people but learning from incidents. It also showed me how workplace culture and expectations can strongly influence outcomes. This experience taught me the importance of honest communication, strong corporate culture and realistic expectations.

Around this time, I realized how important family was to me. I was fortunate to be able to move back home and join Irving Oil as a Reliability Engineer. In that role, I learned about strategic thinking, program planning and the difference between being proactive versus reactive in a business.

I have always enjoyed working in teams and often found myself naturally stepping into a supportive or leadership role − what some people jokingly call the “team mom.” Once I had gained enough experience, I started looking for opportunities to officially step into a team lead position. I feel very fortunate to be in a role that provides constant learning opportunities while working alongside many highly skilled and high-performing subject matter experts. I have now been in my current role for five years, supporting a critical team at the refinery. I continue to learn every day from the people I work with and continue to grow as a leader.

I took challenging courses somewhat by chance − but that decision kept my options open. My advice to students is to keep as many doors open as possible, especially if you are still unsure of where you want to go. You do not need to have everything figured out right away, but setting yourself up with options can make a big difference later.

	Current role at Irving Oil Director, Wholesale and Specialty Products
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Anything but Math

Interests and activities

Sports − Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Blue Jays 
Video games − Xbox (Fallout and Assassins Creed) 
Music − Hard rock and metal (ACDC to In Flames) 
Reading − Fantasy fiction (Lord of the Rings) and politics/business 
Daughter − University (karate and music)

Background

I grew up in South River, Newfoundland – population 200. It was about an hour from St. John's. I attended Memorial University of Newfoundland and got my Bachelor of Arts (double major in English and Religion). I really like to read and didn't know what else to do after high school.

I then decided that I needed something more practical − so I decided to enroll in a one-year Information Technology Certificate program. This led me to a job with an international technology company. I learned that I liked to talk and could build relationships well, so this company put me through their internal two-year sales school. That training, in addition to life experiences, set me on this career path in sales. 

While working for the tech company, I lived in Halifax and Saint John. When it was time to move again, California, Oregon, Washington, Vancouver and Toronto were all possibilities. However, Irving Oil approached me and I seized the opportunity to work for a new company, based in Saint John.

I completed my master’s in business administration (MBA) while with Irving and have had several sales and management roles over the last 17 years.

Career

I am responsible for the sales of unbranded gas, diesel and heating oil in Canada and USA. “Unbranded products” are the products that don’t go into our Irving stores. I am also responsible for the sales of specialty products such as jet fuel and asphalt in Canada and the United States, as well as marine gas oil or diesel that we sell to boats in Atlantic Canada. I have a team of about 80 people, and I spend a lot of time travelling, meeting customers and working with my team to continue to sell these products to our customers and/or find new products and new places to sell.  

My job has something different to do every day. It is also challenging, with lots of problem solving. I am never bored. That’s what I like most about my job − in addition to meeting lots of new people, seeing new places and having fun working with my team.  

	Current role at Irving Oil Heating Service Technician (Gas Installer/Oil Service)
	Current work location Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History and geography

Interests and activities

Snowboarding, kayaking, being outdoors, renovations, working on projects with my twin brother, coffee with friends, watching sports/nature/science shows

Background

I grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, and went to Saint John High School. Growing up, I really enjoyed history and decided to pursue a business degree at the University of New Brunswick. At that stage in my life, I faced some challenges with my time management and ultimately decided to step away from my studies to gain more real-world experience.

I transitioned into the working world and had a few different jobs over the years, including a role with an industrial supplier. I worked in this position for five years before changes in the company occurred that would require a relocation to another province. I wasn’t ready for a move at the time and learned about the natural gas industry in New Brunswick through this job. I thought this might be something I would be interested in, so I applied to the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) for the natural gas technician course.

I was excited to be accepted into the natural gas technician course because this was a newer industry for our province, and I felt there would be lots of opportunities for me.

After graduating, I got my first job in Fredericton working for Rebel Gas. I was responsible for installing heating equipment and gas lines for a new Costco in Fredericton.  

After a long summer of driving back and forth between Saint John and Fredericton, I got a job with a company in Saint John and began working on commercial and light industrial heating systems. This experience was tremendously valuable as it gave me a diverse skillset in working on a wide range of different types of equipment. I also had the opportunity to work with the oil technicians, which opened my eyes to experience other forms of heating systems.  

After five years there, I became aware of an opportunity to join Irving Oil and obtain my licence to be an oil technician. I hadn’t studied to be an oil technician in school, but I was proficient in servicing oil equipment at this point in my career. Irving hired me and indentured me into the oil apprenticeship program. Over the next 5.5 years, I earned a Red Seal Oil Burner Technician License. I am proud to say that I studied hard and put in many hours to obtain this licence.  

Career

Today, I work as a Dual Fuel Technician for Irving Oil. I primarily install propane heating equipment during business hours, as well as after-hours service calls on oil-burning equipment that fail or servicing broken electronic devices that make a heating system function. I’m installing furnaces, boilers and light commercial heating equipment that run on propane. I am also responsible for upgrading propane tanks and doing leak and pressure tests on gas piping systems, servicing cook stoves, clothing dryers and decorative fireplaces that burn gas.

	Current role at Irving Oil  Talent Acquisition Partner
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Language Arts, Social Studies and Art class

Interests and activities

I’m passionate about staying active, expressing my creativity and connecting with the world around me. I love trail running, kayaking and taking on art projects, especially furniture makeovers and painting. Travelling is another passion of mine and I enjoy learning about different people, foods and cultures wherever I go. I’m also fascinated by languages and I regularly listen to podcasts to improve my Spanish, Swedish, French and Japanese. Giving back to my community is also important to me and I am proud to be a member of Irving Oil’s All-In Committee, which helps foster diversity, inclusion, employee engagement and a workplace culture that celebrates the unique voices and experiences of all employees.

Background

I grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and while my career path has been anything but linear, it has taught me that growth often comes from unexpected places. After graduating from Fredericton High School, I spent a transformative year in Sweden as a Rotary International Exchange student, which sparked a lifelong curiosity about people, cultures and the world beyond my own. Like many young adults, I struggled to determine what I wanted to do with my life after returning home, including an unsuccessful stint in the Business Administration program at UNB. 
What felt like failure ultimately became an important lesson in self-awareness and perseverance. After working for several years (I was a cashier at an Irving Oil retail store!) and saving money, I pursued my passion for creativity by studying Graphic Design at NBCC, before returning to university to complete a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on languages.

Determined to make the most of my second chance, I immersed myself in volunteerism and experiential learning. This led to my selection as one of only 20 students across Canada for the Uniterra international development program, where I spent two months in Burkina Faso supporting the work of an AIDS organization.

That experience reinforced my commitment to helping others and led to a career supporting newcomers. I earned my designation as a Certified Career Practitioner, became a CPHR candidate and spent many years in employment counselling.

In my mid-thirties, a charitable running program changed my life and inspired me to become a volunteer leader to support initiatives across New Brunswick. However, after a devasting layoff from what I considered my "dream job", it ultimately became the catalyst for my next chapter. Transitioning into recruitment and the corporate world taught me that some of life's greatest opportunities arrive disguised as setbacks.

Career

As a Talent Acquisition Partner, I love that I get to help people navigate career transitions, recognize their potential and pursue meaningful opportunities. What I enjoy most about my role is connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds around the world every day. My own career journey has taught me that success is rarely a straight path; rather, it is built through resilience, adaptability and a commitment to continuous growth.

I take pride in making a positive impact by leveraging relationship-building, strategic sourcing, stakeholder engagement, technical assessment and recruitment technology to identify top talent and create positive hiring experiences. I believe that successful recruitment is about more than filling roles − it is about building meaningful connections that help individuals and organizations thrive.

In this fast-paced and ever-evolving field, where excellence and innovation are essential, I am constantly learning, growing and embracing new challenges, which makes talent acquisition both a rewarding profession and a fulfilling career.

	Current role at Irving Oil Human Resource Business Partner
	Current work location Irving Blending & Packaging in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Art, Music and History

Interests and activities 
Animals, nature, music, being creative

Background

I grew up in Barnesville, New Brunswick, and attended Hammond River Valley Elementary School. I moved to town during middle school and attended a few different high schools. I received a scholarship to the New Brunswick Community College but was unsure what I wanted to pursue. I decided to enroll in the Business Administration program with a focus on Accounting, as it seemed like a great place to start.

Career

After NBCC, I worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for a short time before returning to retail. It was a better fit for me at the time. I was very strong in sales and loved bringing people joy, one pair of shoes at a time! I opened and managed several retail stores in McAllister Mall in Saint John and worked with many others, including Boathouse, Spring, Garage, The Shoe Company and Journeys. During my 18 years at the mall, I progressed from a part-time sales associate to a District Manager. I truly enjoyed opening new stores, hiring and training great teams and creating positive shopping experiences for customers.

In 2020, I left the mall and began my career with Irving on the Commercial Acquisition Team, selling heating oil, propane and diesel in New England. I performed very well in this role; however, after a few years, I realized I wanted to help people in a different way. In May 2024, an internal opportunity in Human Resources opened up and I felt it was the right next step for me. Although I was initially hesitant to apply because I did not have the formal education typically required for the role, I brought many years of real-world experience from my leadership roles in retail. I had an interview, was offered the position − and the rest is history.

I love my new role and the opportunity to be a trusted partner to the business, helping employees navigate their careers within Irving Oil.

	Current role at Irving Oil Manager, Engineering – E&I Reliability
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math, Physics and Chemistry

Interests and activities 
Hockey, baseball, golf, woodworking

Background

I grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, before moving away to play hockey at the Junior level. While playing hockey, I enrolled at Mount Allison University to study Sciences. Following the completion of my first year of courses, I made the decision to transfer to the University of New Brunswick to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering.

In 2016, I graduated from UNB with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a minor in Mathematics and a diploma in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship.

Career

I have been incredibly fortunate throughout my career to be involved in several exciting opportunities as Irving Oil continues to evolve for the future. I initially joined the Energy Transition Strategy Team, where I helped develop plans to support the decarbonization of Irving Oil's facilities. My role later evolved into Project Engineer, where I managed engineering disciplines and stakeholders to support the successful delivery of Energy Transition and capital projects.

In September 2025, I transitioned into the role of Manager, Capital Portfolio, where I was responsible for overseeing the planning, prioritization and governance of Irving Oil's capital project portfolio. This role gave me the opportunity to lead a talented team, improve portfolio management processes and help ensure capital investments were aligned with the company's strategic objectives.

In May 2026, I transitioned into my current role as Manager of our E&I Reliability Team. In this position, I lead a team of Electrical and Instrumentation engineers responsible for supporting the safe, reliable and efficient operation of Irving Oil's assets. My focus is on developing people, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, and providing technical leadership to help solve complex business challenges. I work closely with operations, maintenance, and project teams to advance engineering excellence and deliver solutions that create long-term value for the organization.

What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to support the growth and development of others while helping shape the future of engineering within Irving Oil. I continue to embrace new challenges every day and look forward to advancing engineering capabilities, supporting operational excellence and contributing to Irving Oil's long-term success.

	Current role at Irving Oil Process Safety Engineer
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Chemistry

Interests and activities 
Yoga, reading and board games

Background

Josie grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick, and studied Chemical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Josie wasn't sure what she wanted to do after high school but was encouraged to try engineering because of her interest in math and science. She started off in a generic engineering program and, during her first semester, was introduced to each engineering discipline. After seeing what the courses and potential careers looked like in each discipline, she decided on Chemical Engineering. Josie graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering in 2015 and started working at Irving Oil four months later. 

Career

Josie started her career as an Area Contact Engineer at the refinery. She was responsible for troubleshooting problems in her operating units and providing technical support on several interesting projects. The best part of this job was being able to climb through equipment such as distillation columns, tanks, furnaces, etc. during outages and seeing how they worked from the inside out.  

She then moved on to become the Energy Engineer within the Process Engineering Team at the refinery. She was responsible for raising awareness of energy-saving opportunities at the refinery and working with various teams to implement these changes. The best part of the Energy Engineer job was having the opportunity to travel to Ireland to spend time at the Whitegate refinery learning about their Energy Management Program.

Josie is currently a Process Safety Engineer within the Process Safety Management team at the refinery. She has been involved in interesting projects such as a study on the refinery’s flare header relief system, and a project to identify and solve potential risks around pumps in a certain operating area of the refinery. The best part about the Process Safety Team is that every day is different, and you get to learn about all areas of the refinery.

	Current role at Irving Oil Senior Human Resources Business Partner
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities 
I enjoy music, going for walks and watching a variety of different sporting events (live and on TV).  

Background

I grew up in Hampton, New Brunswick, and attended the University of New Brunswick in Saint John. Throughout school, I excelled in Math and Science, which led me to initially pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. However, after beginning the program, I quickly realized that engineering was not the right fit for me. I ultimately changed direction, retaining courses such as Calculus and Physics, while exploring other academic paths.

I then transitioned into the Bachelor of Business Administration program, where I discovered a strong interest in Human Resources. The HR courses consistently stood out as the most engaging and rewarding, which led me to choose HR as my major.

Supporting and helping others has always been important to me. Both of my grandmothers were nurses, so caring for people is something that runs in my family. While I chose a different career path, I found my own way to make a positive impact on people's lives through Human Resources.

Career

My current role is Senior Human Resources Business Partner, where I provide strategic HR support and guidance to leaders and employees across designated areas of the business. My career path into Human Resources was not a direct one. After graduating from university, I quickly learned that breaking into the HR field without prior experience could be challenging.

At the time, I was working as a Customer Service Representative and recognized that expanding my leadership experience could help position me for a future career in HR. I subsequently moved into a management role and later had the opportunity to work in Marketing within the same organization. These experiences broadened my business perspective and strengthened my understanding of organizational operations.

Eventually, I secured an HR Coordinator role within the Contact Centre, which marked the beginning of my formal HR career. After spending several years in that position, I joined another organization as an HR Coordinator and progressively advanced through roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately becoming a Senior HR Partner.

In 2020, I was fortunate to join Irving Oil as a Senior Human Resources Business Partner, a role I have held ever since. What I enjoy most about my work is the variety it offers − no two days are ever the same and there is always a new challenge, opportunity or project to tackle. Most importantly, the role allows me to support and help people every day, which has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.

	Current role at Irving Oil Senior Residential Account Manager
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street Office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects English and Social studies

Interests and activities 
I am a morning person so I enjoy going to the gym every morning before work. I also enjoy hiking on the weekend and travelling. I recently became interested in learning the art of boxing and skating.  

Background

I grew up in the countryside in the Philippines. When I was a child, I wanted to be a doctor. I am very independent and have always been very persistent in navigating life based on what I want to achieve. I think I found my path by believing in myself and knowing that I can do whatever I set my mind to.  

I enjoy talking to people − it feels very natural for me to hear and handle people’s concerns, sentiments and be the person who can provide assistance and solutions. 

Career

I had always dreamed of working for Irving Oil so when the opportunity finally came, I was genuinely ecstatic. My time here has completely reshaped the way I view the oil and gas industry. I’ve gained a deep understanding of the business and have seen firsthand the meaningful impact this company has on the community.

I began my journey at Irving Oil as a Customer Service Representative on a fixed‑term contract. Just a few months before my contract was set to end, a position for Senior Residential Account Manager opened up. The moment I saw it, I felt a spark of excitement − I knew I had to go for it. I applied without hesitation, stayed hopeful and within a couple of weeks, I was offered the role. It felt like everything I had worked for and envisioned had fallen into place at exactly the right time.

As a Senior Residential Account Manager, I handle customer escalations and complaints − everything from billing disputes and pricing concerns to general dissatisfaction. A big part of my role is helping customers see the value of staying with our company and making sure they feel heard, respected and supported.

Finding solutions that work for both the customer and the company can be challenging − but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Turning a difficult situation into a positive outcome is what makes my job fulfilling.

	Current role at Irving Oil Facility Technician
	Current work location Irving Oil Saint John Refinery
	Favourite school subjects Business and History

Interests and activities 
Soccer, volleyball and hiking

Background

I grew up in different parts of India. We moved around to different states every few years as my dad was in the army. I always had an interest in learning about business and accounting, so I chose to study Commerce. I did my Bachelor of Commerce from D.A.V College, Jalandhar. After finishing my bachelor's degree, I decided to come to Canada for further education and went to the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) in Saint John to study in the Administrative Professional Executive program. Attending NBCC helped me understand various career pathways and how I could pursue them.

While I was searching for a job, I came across Amspec, a company that does petroleum inspections for Irving Oil. Knowing nothing about the oil industry, I was intrigued and felt challenged to learn more. I applied and was successful in getting a job as a petroleum inspector. Working with Amspec helped me gain meaningful experience in the industry and, despite my education in commerce, I decided that I would like to pursue a career in this field. This helped me land a job with Irving Oil at Canada's largest refinery − in Saint John, New Brunswick. 

Career

I started with Irving Oil in 2022 as a Measurement and Sampling Technician. After working for a year and half, I was presented with the opportunity to become Facilities Technician with the Area Field Operations Team. As part of the Operations Team, I am currently working at the Wastewater Treatment Unit. The Wastewater Treatment Unit treats the refinery’s wastewater from all different plants and units and then facilitates management of storm water. 

What I love most about my job is having new challenges every day and overcoming those challenges with different approaches. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Easy Move Sales Representative
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street Office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Chemistry

Interests and activities 
Reading, puzzles, watching movies and going on walks

Background

I was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, and I’ve always had a genuine passion for helping people − often going out of my way to make sure they’re supported. After graduating from St. Malachy’s Memorial High School, I began the Automotive Service Technician program at the New Brunswick Community College before transitioning into the workforce full‑time. It was in the customer service industry that I discovered how much I truly enjoy working with and assisting others.

My experience in customer service management played a key role in helping me secure an Easy Move Sales Representative position with Irving Oil, where I’ve been proudly supporting customers since 2023. The role has allowed me to continue doing what I love − helping people − while growing professionally within an industry I value.

Career

I began my career with Irving Energy in 2023 as a Customer Service Representative, supporting customers with general duties like deliveries, account maintenance, and services. After accumulating and honing sales skills in the customer service department, this allowed me to obtain my current role as an Easy Move Sales Representative, where I work with customers who are selling and purchasing homes serviced by Irving, and connect with their lawyers and realtors to provide a seamless transfer of services. Every day, I have the opportunity to connect with a wide range of customers and help resolve their concerns − a responsibility that can be challenging but always rewarding.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many wonderful people and collaborating with an exceptional team. That combination of meaningful customer interactions and a supportive work environment is exactly why I love what I do.

	Current role at Irving Oil Team Lead, Talent & Organizational Development
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects English and French Language Arts

Interests and activities 
I love watching NFL games, driving Mini Coopers, going to concerts (Taylor Swift) and walking beaches to hunt for sea glass.

Background

Originally from Ontario, I grew up in the Saint John area. I learned early that I enjoyed creative writing and using visuals to tell a story.  When I was in middle school, I participated in a speech contest and learned I had a passion for talking in front of groups. Although I was nervous, I enjoyed communicating compelling ideas and that same passion has carried into my career.  

Career

I have had a unique experience with my career path: I've only had one employer so far. My first job was working at an Irving gas station where I made many great friends and learned about responsibility.

After graduating from the New Brunswick Community College, I found myself working for Irving again in the Customer Contact Centre. I was given an opportunity to not only help customers but to help my teammates in a training and coaching role. This led me to my career path as a Learning Specialist.

Over the years, I've taken courses in Adult Education and Executive Coaching but I learned the most in the projects and on-the-job challenges that my job has given me.  
After nearly 30 years, I've stayed in learning roles but never felt bored. Each project gives me the opportunity to work with new people and learn new things; this is what I enjoy the most about my job.

	Current role at Irving Oil Senior Manager, IT Security − Operations
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History and Computers

Interests and activities 
I enjoy travelling and exploring new places. I also enjoy playing outdoor sports and activities.

Background

I grew up in Dubai, UAE. As a child, I wanted to join the military services, just like many of my family members.

My interest in technology started in an unexpected way. In 1997, I lost access to my very first email account. While trying to recover it, I became fascinated with computers and how technology worked behind the scenes. That curiosity slowly grew into a passion for technology and cyber security.

What inspired me to pursue cyber security was the combination of technology, problem-solving and continuous learning. Cyber security gives me the opportunity to help protect organizations from cyber threats while continuing to learn new skills and technologies. 

Career

I started my professional journey as a Technical Support Engineer for a leading networking company. Over time, I continued learning, building technical skills and gaining experience across different areas of IT and cyber security, eventually moving into leadership roles.

One of the biggest lessons I learned is that technology changes very quickly so continuous learning is extremely important. Throughout my career, I had to constantly adapt to new tools, systems and security challenges to stay current in the industry. Cyber security can sometimes be a high-pressure environment. Staying calm under pressure, communicating clearly and working as a team are all very important in this field.

I reached where I am today through continuous learning, hands-on experience and staying curious about technology. I started with technical support roles and gradually expanded my knowledge in networking, IT operations and cyber security. Over time, I took on more responsibilities, learned from experienced mentors and continued developing both technical and leadership skills.

	Current role at Irving Oil Manager, Front End Engineering
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics

Interests and activities 
I love team sports such as basketball, volleyball, hockey and rugby. I have learned a lot about being an effective member of a team.

Background

I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and realized I wanted to be an Engineer in Grade 9. I was inspired by a close family friend who won the Canada Scholarship when she graduated high school and pursued an engineering degree. I started my university career at the University of Manitoba, where I was a co-founder of the Lady Bison Hockey Team. I was enrolled in Mechanical Engineering, but it became apparent to me that I couldn't visualize things in 3D and had a passion for Thermodynamics. 

I decided to change directions. After two years at the University of Manitoba, I transferred to the University of Calgary and enrolled in Chemical Engineering. Through the engineering program there, I worked several summers in various engineering roles and then opted to enroll in the internship program...mainly because I was running out of scholarship and bursary money. However, it turned out to be a fantastic decision.  

The internship program helped me decide that the area of the oil and gas industry I wanted to pursue was refining. Upon my graduation from Chemical Engineering (with a minor in Petroleum Engineering), I had a job lined up with Chevron Canada in Burnaby, BC, as a Process Engineer. During my time at Chevron, I gained experience in the refinery technical space, operations, reliability and long-term project planning. After 15 years with Chevron, my family and I moved to New Brunswick where I became the Area Technical Manager of North Process with Irving Oil. After 5.5 years in that role, I moved into my current role as the Group Lead for Front End Engineering. 

Career

Throughout my career, I have held many positions and ensured that I was working on broadening my knowledge base. My process role helped support me in my operations role and I was the first woman to pursue a role in that space, which paved the way for others to follow and succeed. My roles in process and operations helped me bring insight into my role as Refinery Reliability Engineer, a role typically held by Mechanical Engineers with no prior operations or refinery technical experience. My experience helped the team prioritize significantly impactful operational risks in our pursuit of achieving high-reliability targets.  

My current role is one I previously had at Chevron and is a role I truly enjoy. Not because I didn't LOVE all the other roles I have held, but this role gives me balance. It allows me to apply all the things I have learned over the years with the time needed to make the best decisions for the organization. It allows me to lead a team of excellent engineers and help them achieve their individual goals and our goals as a team. Teamwork is something I have learned from a very young age and a team is something I cherish being a part of each day. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Fuel Delivery Driver
	Current work location PEI
	Favourite school subjects Math, Engineering, Mechanical

Interests and activities

Driving, sight-seeing, exploring, hiking, problem-solving, fixing things, mechanical, building, creating and fishing 

Background

I grew up in Alberton, Prince Edward Island, and spent most of my time on my grandparents’ farm driving tractors, repairing trucks, spending time with horses and lots of fishing. I really enjoyed mathematics and was interested in numbers, angles and engineering. I graduated from Westisle High School and really enjoyed working in a fast-paced environment to figure things out, on the go. 

Career

I work for Irving Oil as a Fuel Delivery Driver, mainly covering western PEI. I assist in keeping our Harbour Keylocks up and running at an efficient pace. I also help keep our fishing and farming communities running with my fuel deliveries. 

I love my job, customers and our company’s approach to safety. My job makes me very happy, always keeps me interested and constantly challenges me with its ever-changing fast pace and changing seasons. It also provides me with beautiful scenery while I drive! I have met so many fantastic people along the way and work with a great team. I come home safely every day to my partner, son and daughter. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Engineer in Training – New Graduate Rotational program
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math, Physics, Visual Art, Drama and History

Interests and activities 
Nail art, sewing, fashion, crochet, dance and yoga

Background

Melanie grew up in Leamington, Ontario. During high school, she wanted to pursue a career in a creative field. She initially attended Dalhousie University where she earned a Diploma in Costume Studies. She then studied Fashion Design at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), earning a Bachelor of Design. 

As much as she enjoyed the creative outlets of costume design, she struggled with finding a sense of purpose and wanted to work to make a difference in the world. She returned to Dalhousie as a mature student to earn her Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering. Through her course work and various co-op work terms, Melanie has found that engineering offers numerous problem-solving opportunities that require creative solutions. 

Career

Melanie worked as a freelance costume designer and as a retail manager for several years. She enjoyed many of the creative aspects of the work, but especially the combination of creative design and the technical execution of creating costumes and apparel. Melanie thrived at problem solving and agility and hoped the pivot to engineering would allow her to flex those skills.

Melanie worked as a reliability engineering student with Irving Oil. She enjoyed her work terms so much that she wanted to continue working with Irving Oil after graduation. Melanie is currently an Engineer in Training within Irving Oil's New Graduate Rotational Program. In her first role as a new graduate, she was part of the company’s Engineering Services Mechanical Engineering Team, she works on project teams to design and procure new and replacement equipment for the refinery. Currently, she is in her third rotation as part of the New Graduate Rotational program, and works with the Machinery Analysis Group at the Saint John refinery. Melanie loves that she gets to work on multidisciplinary teams to complete a variety of different projects to make the refinery more reliable and efficient using all the skills she has developed throughout school and her previous career path. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Commercial Account Manager
	Current work location Irving Oil Crown Street office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Biology, Anatomy, History and Phys-Ed

Interests and activities 
Music, volleyball, travelling, concerts, cheering my kids on in their activities

Background

Mellita grew up in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Since she loves the water, especially the sound of the waves and smell of the fresh ocean air, growing up on an island was perfect. Mellita moved to Saint John to attend the Saint John campus of the University of New Brunswick. She enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology program because of her interest in Anatomy and how the body moves during athletics. She played both basketball and soccer her first year and then went to Fredericton to continue her second year of studies.

Mellita realized after two years she wasn't on the career path she wanted to pursue so she made the decision to move back to Saint John where she looked at more unconventional paths to obtain certifications in fitness theory and fitness instructing. She loves learning, so is always looking for opportunities to learn about new things. 

Career

Mellita found she was interested in working in the banking industry. She worked for TD Bank and then TD Insurance prior to taking some time off to start a family. During her time away from a traditional work environment she became a sales representative for a direct sale company. This really sparked an interested in sales and she realized she was pretty good at it.

When Mellita was ready to go back to working outside the house, she wanted to follow the sales path. About a year and half after re-entering the workforce, she joined the team at Irving Oil and now works as a Commercial Account Manager, responsible for managing 2,000 businesses in Cape Breton, Northern Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Irving Oil delivers Furnace Oil, Propane, Diesel, and Gas to these commercial customers to use in the running of their businesses − everything from heating their stores, to running restaurant equipment, or fuelling their tractors and fishing boats.

Mellita's favourite part of her job is building strong relationships with her customers and co-workers. She says it's rewarding when a customer reaches out to you to help with an issue they have and you're able to solve the problem with them.

	Current role at Irving Oil Team Lead, Technical Maintenance − Continous Improvement
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Physics and History

Interests and activities 
Hockey, boating, travel and spending time with family

Background

I am from Saint John, New Brunswick, and attended Bishop’s University and the University of New Brunswick. My studies began with physics, morphed to geology, then the combination of exploration geophysics. After graduating, the job market in that field was challenging. I was fortunate enough to discover the field of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). NDT is a relatively unknown career, where scientific principles are used to check the integrity of a material without damaging it. This allows for testing of things like pipes, buildings, and various types of equipment and still use them afterward.  

Career

I began my career as an NDT contractor at the Saint John refinery and furthered my experience at some truly exciting and diverse sites. Over the years, I have worked at mines, nuclear plants, coal power plants, cargo ships, navy warships, oil rigs, paper mills, pulp mills, sawmills, bridges, buildings, and various other construction sites. 

In 2010 I start receiving American Petroleum Institute (API) inspector certifications and then focused my career on the oil and gas sector at various sites. I returned, as an embedded contractor, to the Saint John refinery in 2015. During this time, I worked in various areas of asset integrity including turnarounds, minor outages, tank work, corrosion under insulation (CUI) and risk-based inspections (RBI). 

In 2021 I became an Irving Oil employee acting as the team leader for the Preventative Maintenance inspection program. In 2025, the Asset Integrity Group created a Continuous Improvement Team, which I now lead, focusing on modernizing processes and implementing digital solutions to streamline operations.

I believe that a university degree doesn’t always have to directly align with the career path you ultimately choose. I want to emphasize to students that post-secondary education teaches you how to learn, which is an important skill in itself − and means that doing well in school still matters. I also believe people can be trained to do almost anything. What truly sets someone apart is their soft skills, such as their communication and their ability to accept feedback. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Facilities Technician
	Current work location Irving Oil Saint John Refinery
	Favourite school subjects Physics and Chemistry

Interests and activities

I played on my high school hockey team, and I played lacrosse. When I wasn’t busy playing sports, I was usually hanging out with my friends. I still love spending time with my girlfriends, but I also love to cuddle up on the couch with my cats and read a book or play board games.

Background

I grew up in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, and started university immediately after graduating high school. It took me a bit of time to find the path I would like to follow for a career. Eventually, I ended up making the decision that I was not benefiting from university as I expected and wanted to pursue something with more hands-on learning experience and smaller classes.

I enrolled in the Power Engineering Technology Program at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) and graduated in 2022 as a 4th Class Power Engineer. Throughout my time at NBCC, I had the opportunity to complete various work terms, including working in the boiler room at the college, which supplied heat and hot water to the campus, and a second work term at Irving Pulp and Paper. These work terms gave me exposure to different work environments and daily tasks. Ultimately, I loved the industrial workplace setting, which led me to my career at Irving Oil. I am now working full-time at the Saint John refinery as a Facility Technician.

Career

My responsibilities in operations vary each day; in a typical day, I can expect to prepare equipment for maintenance, communicate by means of walkie-talkie, sign on work orders, monitor levels, temperatures and pressures within various units to ensure peak operational efficiency and to ensure everyone is working safely. I collect samples and perform a variety of tests on different products that we make.

My favourite part of the job so far has been participating in turnarounds. During a turnaround, we follow different procedures to safely shut down and de-inventory drums/vessels and equipment for maintenance. The maintenance required could be repairs, replacement of equipment, cleaning or inspections. I enjoy that no two days are the same, that we are always problem-solving and learning each day.

	Current role at Irving Oil Technical Maintenance Scheduler
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and History

Interests and activities

When I was younger, I enjoyed playing volleyball and swimming. Today, I spend my time reading, being outdoors and gardening.

Background

I grew up in East Saint John and have never left! In fact, I have gone back to the exact location where I grew up.

I always did well in school and graduated with high honours. After taking a quiz provided by a guidance counselor, my career path seemed clear. Accounting.  

I enrolled at the New Brunswick Community College in Saint John in the Business Technology Program and graduated two years later with an accounting diploma. I did a work term through the college and was offered a full-time accounting position when I graduated.  

I continued at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John (UNBSJ) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to get my Bachelor of Applied Business Administration degree. In 2009, I was successful in obtaining my professional accounting designation.   

Career

I began at Irving Oil in 2003 and worked in the finance department to support the Saint John refinery for 17 years. During this time, I held various positions and was responsible for billings, forecasting, preparation of budgets, expense reporting, variance analysis and a wide range of other reports. I learned a lot about our day-to-day maintenance at the refinery. Since I was responsible for reporting our maintenance spend, I often went out to the field to see where our budget was being spent. I knew then that I enjoyed a fast-paced environment where each day was always presenting new challenges.

Given my interest in maintenance and operations, I took every opportunity to learn, which ultimately led me to a different career path. In 2020, I joined our Process Safety Group, leaving the finance world and moving closer to maintenance and operations. Here I was responsible for recording and analyzing leading indicator metrics and upcoming and overdue action and incident reporting. I was exposed to many instructions that are used and enforced to keep our employees safe and to run our refinery safely.
I then moved into a role where I was responsible for coordinating a key group of individuals involved in planning and executing project and maintenance work that involved making changes to pieces of equipment or process. My role was to coordinate a review to ensure we were in a safe position to bring the unit back online. This expanded my overall refinery knowledge and increased my exposure to many different groups.  

In 2023, I was encouraged to apply for a role that was very much outside of my background. I accepted a position as a Technical Maintenance Scheduler. I am responsible for scheduling maintenance jobs within a particular area of our refinery. There are many variables, including resource and material availability, production windows and operation restraints.  My finance background has helped me tremendously. I am cost-effective, detail-oriented, organized, accountable and able to complete time-sensitive tasks effectively.
The relationships I have built to date have also helped me succeed in this role. I do not have a trades background, nor experience in the field, but I did not allow that to be a hurdle. I know who to ask questions and where to get support when needed. This role challenges me to continue to learn new things, ask a lot of questions and creates an opportunity for me to be part of an ever-changing industry. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Engineer in Training − New Graduate Rotational Program
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Thermodynamics and Transport Phenomena

Interests and activities

Travel, swimming, running, spin and yoga classes 

Background

I grew up in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, and graduated from a small high school with a class of 40 people. Growing up, I had to no idea what I wanted pursue for my career path. At one point, I wanted to be a veterinarian and at another time in my life I really wanted to be a tattoo artist. It wasn't until I was in grade 12 and applying to universities that I decided to give engineering a try. I really enjoyed calculus, physics and chemistry in high school − and was told by teachers that if I liked those courses, engineering might be a good fit. I was accepted into Dalhousie's Bachelor of Engineering program without really knowing what an engineer does, but I was excited to learn.

At Dalhousie, the first year of a Bachelor of Engineering is generic and provides you with an introduction to multiple engineering disciplines. Then, at the end of your first year you apply to the discipline you want to study for the rest of your degree. Both Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering interested me but after I took my first thermodynamics course I knew that Chemical Engineering was the discipline that I wanted to continue pursuing.

Through Dalhousie's co-operative education program, I completed four work terms during my degree, two of which were with Irving Oil with the Front-End Engineering Team. Co-op allowed me to learn more about what an engineering role can look like day-to-day and how what we learn in school is applied in the workplace. Working with the Front-End Team showed me that I enjoy working in the project space. When I had the opportunity to rejoin the team as part of the New Graduate Rotational Program after I graduated from Dalhousie, I was more than happy to say yes!

Career

I graduated from Dalhousie University in June of 2025 and started working with Irving Oil as an Engineer-in-Training in their New Graduate Rotational Program that same month. The New Graduate Rotational Program is a three-year program that allows people fresh out of school to work in three different areas of the company for one year each. This gives new graduates a chance to gain a lot of diverse experience across multiple business groups early in their career. When I finish the program, I will have a broad range of experience that can go towards applying for my professional engineering licence (P.Eng).

My first year in the program was with the Front-End Engineering Team at home office. This entailed working with stakeholders and developing scope for the early stages of projects. This group has been called the "Idea Factory" of the company and I loved working with the team and getting to engage with different business areas while working on projects.

My second work term will be with Oil Movements at the Saint John refinery. I will be doing more of the day-to-day tasks, overseeing the tanks and pipe racks in the refinery. I am looking forward to gaining more hands-on and technical experience in the field to provide me with a more well-rounded skillset and knowledge base. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Irving Energy Delivery Driver and Peer Coach
	Current work location PEI
	Favourite school subjects History and Automotive Mechanics

Interests and activities

I was interested in getting into the workforce at a young age. I started by doing a paper route and then moved on to food service employment throughout high school. I worked at a Chinese restaurant washing dishes and then moved on to working at Tim Hortons for the rest of high school. I took an early interest in motorcycles and purchased one as my first vehicle. I kept working hard in high school to upgrade and buy my first car before graduating. I really enjoyed the auto mechanics course I took in high school, learning the basics about cars and small engines. I was very interested in being able to diagnose issues and repair my own vehicle. 

Background

All through high school I knew I wanted to work in the trucking industry. I started early, while still in Grade 12, by working on garbage trucks when I wasn’t in school. This was a big steppingstone to gain experience in the field. After high school, I worked full-time in the garbage industry for a number of years before moving into the agricultural field. I learned a lot working on the farm, including how to drive and repair all the different types of trucks and equipment. From here, I then moved on to the building supply industry, operating boom trucks. I enjoyed this position very much, along with the opportunity to take on a management role in busy lumber yards for 15 years. While I was working in the lumber yards, an opportunity to join Irving Oil presented itself. After long consideration, I jumped on board as a driver with Irving and have never looked back! 

Career

For my first six years with Irving Oil, I was responsible for a residential furnace oil route, delivering home heating oil to residents. More recently, for the last four years, I have been responsible for the commercial diesel run, delivering to farmers, fishermen and various other commercial accounts. I travel around the Maritimes and often help out in other areas as well.  

Irving Oil is the best company I have ever had the opportunity to work for. After getting some experience with the company, I accepted a role as a Peer Coach, giving me the opportunity to train and mentor new employees. I am responsible for the initial onboarding of new drivers, including Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training and Transportation of Dangerous Goods training. I also do ride-along truck training until the new employee is ready to work independently.   

As an employee of Irving Oil, I enjoy the healthy work-and-home balance, which allows for plenty of time to spend with family and still do the things I enjoy, such as riding my motorcycle and travelling.  

	Current role at Irving Oil Gas Service Technician
	Current work location Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities

Football, skateboarding and video games

Background

I grew up in the South End of Saint John and worked full-time at a pizza restaurant to save money for when I decided to pursue post-secondary education. My plan was always to go back to school after graduating high school, but I wanted to make sure I was financially prepared for when that time came. I talked to friends who had already gone to post-secondary education in those years to gauge my interest in the courses available to me. Networking is very important! This is how I found out about the Fuels Technician course which was offered at NBCC Saint John at the time. I chose this course because I have always enjoyed the challenge of problem solving and troubleshooting.    

Career

As a Gas Service Technician, I am responsible for installation, service and repairs of propane and natural gas systems in residential and light commercial settings. Along with those duties, my role is to ensure all safety and regulatory compliances are met. What I love most about this role is that no two jobs are the same. Each job presents its own challenges and problems to solve. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Distillate Delivery Driver
	Current work location PEI
	Favourite school subjects Shop class

Interests and activities

Spending time with family, woodworking, welding, building unique furniture with wood and metal, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding

Background

From a young age, I was exposed to the trades through time spent with my father in his cabinet-making shop. This early experience sparked an interest in working with materials and tools, which later led me to a role at a lumber yard. During my time there, I gained a wide range of hands-on experience. With the encouragement from my manager, I then pursued the qualifications to operate a boom truck.

Career

Later in my career, I left the lumber yard altogether to pursue a career in cabinet making after being inspired by my dad. I started an apprenticeship and attended the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton to further my education.

I moved to Prince Edward Island, and after doing many side jobs building cabinets on my own, I learned about a new opportunity from my next-door neighbour who worked for Irving Oil. He encouraged me to explore the driving opportunities with the company, so I submitted my application and the rest is history!

More than 14 years later, I am still working for Irving Oil in PEI and loving it. Irving Oil cares very much about its employees, and I have great co-workers and managers who I look forward to working with each and every day.

	Current role at Irving Oil Senior Program Manager − Turnaround
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Material Science and Calculus

Interests and activities

Gaming and 3D printing, spending time with my 2 daughters, boating and ice fishing

Background

I was raised in a bilingual household in rural, Northern New Brunswick. Although I attended an English school, I took French Immersion; and with consistent exposure to French influences from my family, I was provided with a unique cultural perspective.

Growing up in a small village, I spent a lot of time outside, tinkering and learning how to use the tools in my father's woodshop; often disassembling old electronics. This early passion for mechanical problem-solving laid the groundwork for my career, leading me to pursue Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, specializing in Mechatronics.

Following graduation, I started working for a local mechanical contractor. My first assignment was assembling a scrap metal recycling plant in Saint John. This was an interesting introduction to the industry; however, my goal was to build my career and invest locally. I was thrilled to join Irving Oil in 2012 and I have been with the company ever since.

Career

My journey with Irving Oil began in the Maintenance Engineering Group. For six to seven years, I was embedded in the refinery process units, providing direct support to the maintenance teams. This period was crucial for developing proficiency across key areas, including online and offline repairs, piping design and extensive operational support.

The core of my professional growth, however, has been rooted in a deep passion for leadership and team optimization. I first noticed this passion when I took on the role of Engineering Student Supervisor; and in 2019, I moved to the Turnaround Group as a Team Lead for the Turnaround Engineering Team. This leadership experience allowed me to focus on people management. I developed strong relationships, fostering an environment where my team members felt supported and empowered. The experience, professional interactions and relationships I developed within the Turnaround Organization naturally prepared me for my current role as the Senior Program Manager − Turnaround.

Looking back, this story encapsulates what is truly amazing about working at Irving Oil: the opportunity for continuous growth. Each position and team I have been a part of has consistently paved the way for new, challenging and exciting professional opportunities.  

	Current role at Irving Oil Irving Energy Oil Delivery Driver
	Current work location PEI
	Favourite school subjects Math

Interests and activities

I have a keen interest in Canadian history and exploration. I have an insatiable thirst for adventure and travel. I have travelled to all 10 provinces and hope to see the territories soon. Some of my hobbies include hiking, camping, kayaking, motorcycling and spending time with family. During my school years, I also played hockey and soccer.  

Background

I was born and raised in Summerside, PEI. Since I came from a long line of truck drivers, I planned to carry on the family legacy. Having my own family caused me to pump the brakes on my career goals for the short term. During that time, I returned to college and received my diploma in Account Technology. The next 15 years were spent working various positions from payables, payroll right up to the controller of a petroleum company. After that, I was a parts and service manager for a local trucking company. This role gave me the opportunity to drive trucks on a regular basis and obtain my trucking licence. For several years, I drove a potato truck each harvest to obtain more experience behind the wheel. By the fall of 2021, I was ready to make driving my permanent job and set the wheels in motion to achieve this goal. I wanted a job driving that was more than operating a truck. Driving a fuel truck would give me the exercise I needed to stay in shape as well as the ability to work in different locations each day. As soon as a job posting became available, I applied immediately.

Career

My current role as an Oil Delivery Driver gives me the ability to realize my life goal. I now drive trucks, meet new people and travel to different locations every day. I love working for a company that strives towards safety excellence. No two days are ever the same and that by far is my most favourite aspect of the job. For me the adage stands true: “Do the job you love, and you will never work another day in your life.” I am currently in my third winter as an Oil Delivery Driver and the only regret I have is not making the switch sooner! I absolutely love my job and cannot imagine ever doing anything else.

	Current role at Irving Oil Irving Energy Driver
	Current work location Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History

Interests and activities

Being in the outdoors, hockey, baseball, video games, editing videos and firefighting.

Background

I moved to Nauwigewauk when I was 14, where I lived and worked on a farm every day for 13 years. After graduating high school, I started working night shifts at the Superstore and at my local fire department. After seven years at the Superstore, I decided to go back to school to take Information Technology at Eastern College. I got a job right out of college as a Service Desk Technician and worked for about six years before deciding I needed a change.  

With the fire department, we needed to get our Class 3 licence for the new truck that was being purchased. Since I had this licence, I thought about taking a chance in driving a fuel truck. I started working for Irving Oil as a driver in 2023. I had wanted to work for Irving ever since benefiting from the Fuel the Care program when my son was born. He stayed at the IWK for about five weeks.  

Career

In my role as a driver for Irving Oil, I deliver fuel to construction sites, bus garages, big equipment and residential homes. Being outdoors is a big part of the job. Every day is different. My son is very proud of me for driving for Irving.

	Current role at Irving Oil Fleet Sales Representative
	Current work location Irving Oil home office in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects Math and Science

Interests and activities 
My main interests are cricket and football, with cricket being my primary focus after moving to Canada from South India. During the summer, I play at Exhibition Park, utilizing the outdoor grounds for matches and practice. In the winter, we continue playing indoors, ensuring that the passion for the game never stops. I’m also an active member of a cricket club that competes with teams across Canada, which allows me to connect with like-minded players and stay engaged in the sport year-round.

Background

I grew up in South India, in a beautiful city called Pondicherry, which has a rich history as a former French colony. This unique background allowed me to learn three languages: Tamil, French and English. 

After completing high school, I developed a strong interest in both chemistry and computer science, ultimately choosing to pursue chemical engineering. While studying in college, I worked part-time in various sales roles, which gave me invaluable experience and shaped my career path. One of my key roles was managing a guest house that catered primarily to European customers. I handled bookings, provided information about local tourism and ensured guests had a great experience. 

After graduating, I started as an apprentice in a chemical company, but I quickly realized that working in that environment wasn’t for me. I decided to follow my passion for sales and joined Bell Canada’s outsourcing operations in India. I started as a Customer Service Representative, progressed to a quality role and, after six years, became a Team Leader. 

In 2019, I moved to Canada and started over from scratch. I started out as a Customer Service Representative with Sitel in Saint John, New Brunswick, supporting customer service for Michelin Tires. After some time in that role, I gained lots of relevant experience and was motivated to be more challenged and seek out more growth opportunities to progress in my career. After two years working in customer support, I applied to a fleet sales role with Irving Oil and was successfully hired in 2021. 

Career

I’m currently working as a bilingual Fleet Sales Representative at Irving Oil, managing a portfolio of 2,000 gas and diesel commercial customers. My role involves maintaining strong relationships with existing customers by ensuring they receive accurate pricing based on market intelligence, as well as speaking with new customers to increase our sales volume. Additionally, I engage with inactive customers, working to win back their business and boost overall sales. 

What I love most about my job is its dynamic nature. Fuel prices fluctuate daily based on the global market, which means every day is a learning opportunity. I enjoy staying informed about market trends and understanding the unique fuel regulations in different provinces, which keeps the work both challenging and rewarding. It’s exciting to be part of an industry that’s always evolving and to contribute to providing value to our customers. 

	Current role at Irving Oil Lead Emergency Response Specialist
	Current work location Irving Oil refinery, East Saint John Terminals, Canaport Crude Terminal, in Saint John, New Brunswick
	Favourite school subjects History and Art

Interests and activities 
Kayaking, fishing, artwork, wood working, spending time with my family and church community

Background

I grew up in East Saint John, just a short distance from the Saint John refinery. As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a fireman − not surprising, considering I lived only two houses away from the local fire station. As I got older, I initially planned to pursue a career in art but my interest in emergency response never really left.

I volunteered as a firefighter at Bradley Lake and when I joined the Irving Oil refinery as a Facility Technician, firefighting became a key part of my responsibilities. Over time, I advanced to Deputy Chief. It was then that the Fire Chief approached me about applying for the Chief position. Given how much I’ve always enjoyed every aspect of emergency response and helping others, applying for the role felt like a natural next step.

Career

My career path has taken many twists and turns but the journey that led me to where I am today truly began in 2003 when I was hired as a Facility Technician at Irving Oil. I started in the Product Loading Area, eventually becoming the Team Leader, before moving into Central Process, where I was responsible for signing off on all outside jobs. At the time, every employee received training in incipient firefighting and advanced hose handling, which became a foundational part of my skill set.

In 2005, Irving Oil established an official Fire Brigade and I served as a Captain and later as Deputy Chief on my shift. In 2014, I stepped into the role of Lead Emergency Response Specialist − a milestone shaped by years of hands‑on experience and a deep commitment to emergency response.

Reaching the position I hold today was only possible because of the mentorship and support I received along the way. My team leaders, shift managers and co‑workers consistently encouraged me, both in operations and within the Emergency Response Team. The former Fire Chief also guided me on which courses would best prepare me for transitioning into a full‑time emergency response role. Above all, the unwavering support of my wife and kids has been the driving force behind every career change and accomplishment.