EXECUTIVES & COUNCILLORS
BIOGRAPHIES

EXECUTIVES

Anthony Sani, President

Anthony (Tony) Sani is the President of Sani-International Technology Advisors Inc. (a Canadian surveying, mapping and consulting company) and of Spatial Geo-Link Limited a software company marketing remote sensing products in Canada).

He holds a Master of Applied Science degree from University of Toronto, Department of Civil Engineering and pursued full-time Doctorial studies at the University. He is a Chartered Land Surveyor, an Ontario Land Surveyor, Canada qualified in the disciplines of Photogrammetry and Geographic Information Management and a Commissioned Land Surveyor, Jamaica.

Tony has over 30 years of professional land surveying experience since migrating to Canada and has worked at engineering and mapping companies in positions ranging from Mapping Supervisor to General Manager and Vice President.

He has been very active in the surveying and remote sensing professions. Some of his more recent involvement includes: Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Association of Ontario (AOLS), Chair of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, Toronto Branch, President of the Ontario Association of Remote Sensing; Member Board of Examiners of the AOLS and Director of the Geomatics Industry Association of Canada.

Tony has presented and published in the Americas, several technical papers in remote sensing, digital photogrammetry and Geographic Information Systems, one of which was published by the United States National Institute for Standards and Technology, Publication 4688, 1991.

Other achievements include: Winner of the Harold F. Edwards Prize for the highest overall marks in Land Surveying in 1974, University of Technology, Jamaica; winner of the Crawter Prize for the second highest overall marks in the final Chartered Surveyors examination in the British Commonwealth. 1978, U.K. , and the University of Technology, Jamaica - Distinguished Alumnus, 2006.

George P. McFarlane, President Elect

George P. McFarlane was elected as President of the Canadian Hydrographic Association in February 2007 and was reelected for a second three year term in February 2010. George is an Ontario Land Surveyor (June 1979) and a Canada Lands Surveyor (April 1983), as well as an Ontario Land Information Professional and Geographic Information Manager. He is also licensed in several Caribbean jurisdictions as a Professional Land Surveyor.

He is a Past President of the Land Surveyors Association of Jamaica, past Vice-President Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) representing Canada and the Caribbean in Land Surveying. He also served as a member of the Land Surveyors Boards of Jamaica and of the Cayman Islands and of the Advisory Committee (Land Surveying) at the College of Arts, Service and Technology (now UTECH), Jamaica. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Building Construction Engineering Committee and as a member of The Town and Country Planning Association of Jamaica.

George began his career in Hydrography in 1964 when he was assigned to the Hydrographic Unit of the Survey Department of Jamaica. More recently, he served several years as the Manager of the Hydrographic Section of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), Architecture and Engineering Services, Ontario Region, overseeing shallow water surveys in harbours, rivers and the interconnecting channels of the Great Lakes. He is presently Head, Surveys and Mapping of PWGSC’s Real Property Geomatics Services, Ontario Region.

He has been a Canada Lands Surveyor for over 28 years, and a long-standing member of the Canadian Hydrographic Association (CHA) and is a regular attendee at National and International Conferences. He served as CIG’s Head of Delegation to the recent FIG Working Week in Marrakech, Morocco and is currently Canada’s representative on FIG’sWorking Group on Voting Rights.

George previously served as CIG’s Toronto. Branch Chair and South Central Group Chair of the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors. He remains active as a member of the latters Underground Utilities Committee and as one of their representatives (Co-Primary, Land Surveying) on the Best Practice Committee of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA).

He is also a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Brampton Ontario.

Steeve Guillemette, Vice President

For a period of three years, Mr. Guillemette was an account manager for two Quebec geospatial companies during which he increased his network of contacts in both Canada and the United States. Since 2010, he has worked as an information systems consultant for the city of Quebec with responsibility for the integration, distribution and support the 3D model of Quebec City. In addition, Mr. Guillemette coordinates daily operations of the Geomatics Division of the Systems Division of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure.

Mr. Guillemette is a member in good standing of CIG since 2005. In 2008, he joined the executive of the Champlain Branch, becoming involved in several activities such as the GéoGolf, the Champlain Night, and the map contest for high school students in the province of Quebec. He has participated in radio programs to talk about the world of geomatics to the general public. Steve Guillemette has a passion for geomatics.

---------------------------------------
My vision for the CIG is to build a strong foundation for recurring funding. Certification is certainly one of my priorities because it is imperative to have national standards for geospatial projects. In addition, the public needs to know what geomatics can bring to them and what they can bring to geomatics. Nor should we overlook our future workforce in geomatics. Canada is a fertile ground for geomatics brainpower and our expertise is recognized worldwide. We should be proud of our achievements and show them off so that young people get interested.

Matthew P. Tait, Past President

Matthew is a Civil Engineer who specialized in close-range Photogrammetry for his doctoral thesis at Leeds University, England. After graduation, he spent several years in Belgium employed by Globe NV, developing the business of 3D measurement for clients such as BASF, Norsk Hydro, and Veba Oil. During this time he managed Photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and CAD products for projects in Norway, Germany, Belgium and Italy.

Matthew returned to University in late 2001 as an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, Department of Geomatics Engineering. He studied laser scanning, radar Interferometry, micro-scale DTM, and vision measurement systems. During this time, he received two awards from the engineering students’ society for teaching excellence.

Since January 2008, Matthew has been the Manager of Projects for WorleyParsons Geomatics (formally Colt Geomatics Solutions Ltd.).

Matthew has been an advocate for Geomatics for many years; he has been on conference committees and chaired sessions for CIG, Geotech, and FIG. He was a founding member of the Calgary Geomatics Cluster.

Gilles J. Champoux, Treasurer

Mr. Champoux is a graduate of the first Survey School at Algonquin College and has worked for survey firms in the private sector before joining the federal government. He has gained extensive knowledge in photogrammetry, aerial photography, orthophoto mapping, and geophysical, control, topographic, construction, and engineering surveys. An honours economic geography graduate from Ottawa University (Bachelor of Arts & Sciences—Cum Laude), Mr. Champoux is a member of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, former Treasurer on the Board of Executive of the Real Property Institute of Canada, and the departmental delegate on the Geographical Names Board of Canada, Co-Chairing a Working Group and member of three other working groups and has represented Canada at two UN meetings (Vienna and New York) of geographical experts and member of three UN Divisions. He has recently completed a Certificate of Achievement in Leadership at the Canadian Management Centre.

Mr. Champoux joined the Federal Public Service in 1982 with the Department of National Defence where he became the Survey Plan Examiner and in late 1984, Head of Surveys & Property Plans. Since then he has held a variety of progressively more responsible administrative positions including the Acting/Director of Property Information & Legal Surveys and later, Acting/Director Aboriginal Claims & Property Information. In 1998, he became the departmental Program Manager—Zonings for the zoning of military airfields, military communication facilities, ammunition storage facilities and wind turbines on military radars. Mr. Champoux was the departmental representative for Canada on the 3D Noise Model for the
Joint Strike Force International Noise Working Group and part of the departmental team on the Radio Advisory Board of Canada. He has been a member of the USA/Canada Bird Strike Committee and the NATO Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society and its five Sub-Committees dealing with impacts of noise on health, wildlife, domestic animals, humans and structures, etc.

Since September 2005 to April 1, 2010, he was the departmental representative on several Aboriginal Land Claims files including Land Use Planning and Land Management Regime for the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut files, Mr. Champoux has been the departmental Senior Advisor for Aboriginal Affairs under the Director of Realty Facilities Management group and was the departmental representative on the federal Interdepartmental Working Group on Consultation and Accommodation. In 2010, he returned to his substantive position as the Program Manager- Zonings.

Mr. Champoux’s volunteer activities have included Secretary/Treasurer and President Circle K (University of Ottawa), Member of Treasury Board Advisory Committee on Real Property, Member of Treasury Board Real Property Management Information System Sub-Committee, Member of Executive Committee for Annual Conference on Real Property, coach of Gloucester Hornets soccer team; goalie coach, assistant coach and Treasurer of Vanier Minor Hockey Association, Alternate Chair and Interlock Coordinator for District 6 for Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association, and President/Owner of the East Ottawa Thunder Junior “C” Hockey Club with two back-to-back Eastern Ontario Junior “C” Hockey League championships (2006-2007 and 2007-2008).

COUNCILLORS

BRANCH CHAIR

Peter Burns, Vancouver

Peter Burns is the Chairman for the Vancouver Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics. He is a Canada Lands Surveyor and a Professional Engineer. He studied at the University of New Brunswick and completed his Bachelor of Science in Surveying Engineering in 1983. Peter joined the Department of Natural Resources Canada, Legal Surveys Division, in November of 1983 and has worked within this organization in Yellowknife, Toronto and Ottawa. Soon after joining Legal Surveys he received his commission as a Canada Lands Surveyor and a Professional Engineer. He is currently located in Vancouver, where he manages legal survey projects for Indian Reserves and National Parks. Whenever possible, he enjoys getting away from his desk and into the field to do some real land surveying.

Peter has been a member of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics for many years and has served as the Chairman for the Vancouver Branch for the past two years. He joined CIG when he was a student at UNB; back then, it was known as the Canadian Institue of Surveying and Mapping.

As the Chairman of the Vancouver Branch he is committed to providing Vancouver CIG members with informative and interesting events each year. This fall the Vancouver Branch started a brown-bag lunch series for the students at BCIT. Vancouver has a vibrant Geomatics industry and Peter would like to see a growth in CIG membership from this region.

Annick Jaton, Champlain

Annick Jaton has been the chair of the Champlain Branch of CIG since June 2004 (www.acsg-champlain.ca). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Remote Sensing from Sherbrooke University. She has been working at Laval University in Quebec City since 1989, after a few years in the private sector. She is currently assistant director for the undergraduate programs in Geomatics, as well as the research advisor for the Department of Geomatics Sciences. Annick has contributed in the organization of many activities in geomatics in Quebec; most notably, she helped in creating the GEOIDE Network of Centres of Excellence. She has been involved in different national and international initiatives/associations like the new French Federation of Surveyors. Annick was the co-president of the GeoCongress Quebec 2007, held in Quebec City in October 2007: www.Quebec2007.ca.

John Donner, Ottawa

Yves Léger, New Brunswick

After completing his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the Université de Moncton, Yves went on to obtain his M.Sc. in Geography from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Yves has over 12 years Geomatics experience in the private and public sectors and also has some international experience having worked in the Côte d’Ivoire.

Yves has worked as a Project Manager, Geomatics Specialist and GIS Consultant before taking on his current role as GIS Manager with the City of Saint John. Yves has been the GIS Manager for the City of Saint John since 2000.

In addition to being a member of CIG, Yves is also a member of URISA and GITA. The Canadian Remote Sensing Society has recognized him as a Certified Mapping Scientist in GIS and he has also been certified as a GIS Professional by the GIS Certification Institute.

Tim Webster, Nova Scotia

Tim Webster is a Research Scientist with the Applied Geomatics Research Group at the Centre of Geographic Sciences of the Nova Scotia Community College. He obtained his PhD in Earth Sciences from Dalhousie University in 2006, where he is working on using LiDAR to aid in mapping geological landforms. His research interests are in the area of high-resolution digital elevation models and satellite and airborne imagery, and the application of those technologies to environmental and natural resource problems. Prior to this research role, he taught in the Remote Sensing and GIS programs at COGS, since 1991. He has a Master’s Degree in Science from Acadia University, an Advanced Diploma in Remote Sensing from COGS, and a BSc in Geology and Physics from UNB. He has worked in private industry, both as a geologist and for a GIS vendor prior to joining the college.

Janet E. Mersey, Cartography & CNC ICA

Janet Mersey is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Guelph, Ontario, where her responsibilities include teaching courses in geographic information systems, remote sensing and cartography, and managing the department’s GIS laboratories. Recently, her research interests have focussed on the application of GIS and mapping technologies to the management of protected areas, including the Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, and the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve in Canada. Other research initiatives focus more specifically on map communication and cartographic symbolization. Published work has investigated the utilization of geographic models, such as a soil erosion potential model, to plan effective conservation strategies in ecologically sensitive areas, and the importance of community-based participation in the success of such projects. Janet’s interest in the use of the Internet in GIS education is also reflected in her work, and she recently developed a series of GIS/RS modules for an on-line course in GIS and Landscape Restoration at the University of Wisconsin.

Janet grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick, and completed undergraduate studies in mathematics and economics at Mount Allison University. A post-graduate program in cartography attracted her to the University of Wisconsin—Madison, where she earned a Master’s (1980) and a PhD (1984) degree, under the tutelage of Arthur Robinson and David Woodward.

A long-time member of the Canadian Cartographic Association, Janet has served on its executive as Chair as the Cartographic Education Interest Group, Chair of the Map Design Interest Group, and as President (1995-96). She was a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the journal Cartographica for seven years, and was its book review editor for fifteen years. Currently, Janet belongs to the Editorial Board of the journal Cartographic Perspectives, and has served on the Board of Directors of the North American Cartographic Association.

Costas Armenakis, Photogrammetry Technical Councillor

Costas Armenakis is currently an assistant professor in Geomatics Engineering, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University and an adjunct professor, Disaster and Emergency Management Program, York University. His research interests are in the areas of rapid mapping, monitoring and tracking using digital photogrammetry and remote sensing methods involving change detection and feature extraction from imaging and ranging sensors and the use of unmanned aerial mapping systems. Other research interests are in digital topographic mapping and visualization, data integration and fusion, image mapping, DEM, and hypermedia cartography. Costas is involved with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), where he served as President of the Technical Commission IV on Spatial Information Systems and Digital Mapping (2000-2004). From 2004-2008, he is serving as a member of the ISPRS Financial Committee and as Regional Coordinator for the ISPRS WG VIII/6. Costas received his Dipl. Ing. (1979) in Rural and Surveying Engineering from the National Technical University, Athens, Greece, and his MScE (1983) and PhD (1988) in Surveying Engineering from the University of New Brunswick, Canada. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and a Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.

Jean-Noël Lechasseur, Co-Chair, Awards Committee

Jean-Noël Lechasseur is Quebec Land Surveyor, inactive Canada Lands Surveyor in Banff, Alberta, and active for various professional associations in Canada since 1999.

He graduated in surveying from Laval University, Quebec, in 1976 and received his right to practice land survey from the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec (Quebec Lands Surveyors’ association) the same year. In 1981, he obtained his Canada Lands Surveyor commission. He continued his studies and graduated in 1986 with a master’s degree in business specializing in finance at HEC, University of Montreal.

From 1971 to 1976, Jean-Noël worked as a trainee for Beliveau-Couture Lands Surveyor, and was responsible for topographical field surveys for the same firm from 1976 to 1981. In 1975, he was a part time teacher for the cartography Department of Limoilou CEGEP in Quebec. In 1981, he joined Gendron Lefebvre Inc., as assistant director of the Geomatics Department, and, later the same year became director of this department until 1992. From June 1992 to 1999, following a restructuring and amalgamation with the firm Tecsult, he has been working as assistant director and has been responsible for special projects at the national and international levels.

To summarize his para-professional activities during his career, Jean-Noël has been: President of the Publication Committee of the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec (1978-1982); President of the Cartographic Surveys Industry Council in Quebec (1983); President of the Technicians and Technologists Committee of CIG (1985); President of the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (1988-1990); member of the Board of Examiners for Canada Lands Surveyors (1991-1997 and 1999-today); President of the Publication Committee of CIG (1995); co-chair of the Geomatics Canada Scholarship Program Committee (1999-2008); co-chair of the Hans Klinkenberg Memorial Scholarship Fund Committee for CIG (1999-today); member of the David Thompson Awards Committee for Canada Lands Surveyors (2010-today); member of CIG (1976), member of CIG Montreal Branch Board of Directors (1981-today), Chair of the Branch (1983) and President of CIG (1996-1997).

Involved in a field that fascinates him, Jean-Noël pursues his goals with enthusiasm. He has been commended for good judgment in planning and for his sense of organization. Finally he is concerned about continuing education and thrives for self-improvement through new challenges like photography and video editing on DVD, downhill skiing and golf.

Izaak de Rijcke , Editor, Geomatica

Jean Thie, Editor, Geomatica

Jean Thie has worked over 30 years in ecological land classification, geographic information systems, management of science programs, policy and program development. After initial studies in forestry and rural engineering in the Netherlands, he completed an M.Sc. in Soil Science / Biophysical Land Classification at the University of Manitoba, Canada. Remote sensing and land resource surveys and monitoring were the themes of his studies at the International Centre for Aerial Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC, the Netherlands) and the Laboratory of Application of Remote Sensing (LARS, Purdue, US).

While being responsible for the forestry sector of the Canada Land Inventory in Manitoba, the newly emerging remote sensing technology drew him to the field of spatial information management. He was instrumental in establishing the Manitoba Remote Sensing Centre and became the first Head of Applications Development of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. His research was focused on permafrost melting in the subarctic and rapid ecological monitoring and assessment systems for Canada’s North.

As Director and Director General of the Lands Directorate, Environment Canada he managed the world leading Canadian Geographic Information System (CGIS). He was responsible for the completion of the Canada Land Inventory Program, the Canada Land Use Monitoring Program and the Northern Land use Information Mapping (covering most of Canada’s arctic with a socio-economic and environmental reconnaissance mapping). He was responsible for the development of national and federal land use and wetlands policies.

Later as Director of the National Atlas Information Service, his team launched the first world wide web based-GIS in 1994, providing wide public access to national and socio-economic data bases for education (SchoolNet), community planning (Community Atlas), and policy application. As a consultant he worked extensively on the development of knowledge infrastructure and corporate decision support systems for science organizations and the private sector using the internet and intranet.

He was CIO for the IUCN-The World Conservation Union, the largest environmental organization and multi-stakeholder knowledge network in the world, with a focus on knowledge management, collaborative internet strategies and digital divide issues. He led a special workshop on Digital Opportunities for Sustainable Development at the UN World Summit on SD.

He is a past President of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society and was the founding President of the Canadian Society for Landscape Ecology and Management. He was Executive Director of the Canada Committee on Ecological Land Classification which initiated many of the ecological, integrative frameworks, approaches and principles which now form part of integrated resource planning and State of the Environment reporting at the local, regional, provincial and national levels in Canada.

He is presently President of Ecoinformatics International Inc, and Chief Editor of Geomatica, The Journal of Geopsatial Information Science, technology and Practice published by the Canadian Institute of Geomatics.

Songnian Li, Chair the Canadian National Committee for ISPRS

Songnian Li is associate professor in geomatics engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Ryerson University. His current research interests include web mapping and geospatial services, collaborative GIS systems and decision support, geospatial data acquisition, and spatiotemporal analysis applications. Other recent research interests have focused on urban solar modeling and mapping, event-driven GIS based on publish/subscribe architecture, and road database updating and traffic modeling using GPS trace data collected from smart phones. Songnian has been involved with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) since 2004. He has served as the Co-Chair and Chair of ISPRS Working Group IV/5 on “Web-based Geoinformation Services and Applications” from 2004 to 2008, and is currently the Chair of the same Working Group. As a member of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG), Songnian has served the Institute in a number of capacities including associate editor of Geomatica, Treasure and Interim Chair of the Toronto Branch, and council member. Songnian received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping (now merged into Wuhan University), China and his PhD from the University of New Brunswick, Canada.