Headquarters:
Calgary, AB
Year founded:
1993
Number of employees:
65
Phone:
4032330748
Email:
info@eco.ca
Website:
eco.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/ecocanada
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Kevin Nilsen
President and CEO
Kimberley Burfoot
Vice President of Finance and Operations
Aaron Wilson
Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Leadership
Kevin Nilsen started his career in leadership as an officer in the Norwegian Army before moving to Canada in 2000. After graduating from the University of Calgary, he worked seven years for ECO Canada, most recently as director of professional services. Nilsen rejoined ECO Canada in September 2016 to commence the role of president and CEO.
During his absence from ECO Canada, Nilsen managed large global offshore oil and gas projects for Aker-owned companies. The experience in the energy sector gave him great exposure to clients and stakeholders in Europe, Asia, and the United States. During this time, he was first based in Norway and subsequently in Houston, TX. As a key highlight, he led the development of a cutting-edge riser gas handling tool that ensures a safer and more environmentally friendly drilling process.
At ECO Canada, he was responsible for establishing the Canadian Centre for Environmental Education (CCEE). He was also instrumental in launching regional networking events across the country, the growth of EP certification, and academic partnerships.
Throughout his career, Nilsen has always had an unprecedented commitment to clients. In his role as CEO, his key focus is to ensure that ECO Canada’s products and services align well with industry, government, and academic stakeholders.
President and CEO
Kevin Nilsen
As ECO Canada’s VP of finance and operations since January 2022, Kimberley Burfoot oversees ECO’s Employer Services program and the internal functions supporting ECO’s programming.
She studied finance at the University of Manitoba and holds a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and a Non-profit Management certification from Mount Royal University. She brings 25 years of experience to her role at ECO, including 16 years as a regional controller with TC Transcontinental and six years as executive director of the Alberta Motor Transport Association.
Key accomplishments include building a 20,000-sq. ft. training facility for commercial drivers to train and test autonomous and hydrogen-fueled heavy vehicles and the integration of several large manufacturing operations after acquisition.
Burfoot’s goals as ECO’s VP of finance and operations include maximizing the effectiveness of internal operations, contributing to strategic objectives, and developing strategies and processes to help achieve ECO’s vision of building the world’s leading environmental workforce.
In her spare time, she studies horticulture at the University of Saskatchewan and volunteers at various environmental and animal welfare organizations. She also enjoys hiking and cycling with her family and many pets.
Vice President of Finance and Operations
Kimberley Burfoot
Aaron Wilson joined ECO Canada in September 2022 as VP of marketing and sales. He brings a wealth of experience in many leadership roles across marketing, sales, and brand strategy in his work for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Yardstick Training, SAIT, and Hockey Canada.
Wilson is eager to drive awareness and expand ECO Canada’s membership and strategic partnerships to help the organization achieve its vision of building the world’s leading environmental workforce.
Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Aaron Wilson
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Leadership
Yogendra Chaudhry
Vice President of Professional Services
Dr. Yogendra Chaudhry oversees the development and delivery of professional services to support the rapidly growing network of the Canadian environment and sustainability workforce. He provides strategic insight and technical support for environment and sustainability programs, and works closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government, industry, and environment and sustainability professionals.
During his more than two decades of career in environment and sustainability, he has worked in numerous countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Chaudhry holds a PhD in environmental science and supports a number of Canadian and international academic institutions, standard-setting organizations, and industry associations in various professional capacities.
Vice President of Professional Services
Yogendra Chaudhry
Claudine Vidallo
Vice President of Projects
Claudine Vidallo is a strategic planner, business analyst, and program manager. In the last decade, she has initiated, led, executed, and evaluated multi-stakeholder and multi-phased projects. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a Business Management background.
In the last 20 years, Vidallo has applied her competencies in various industries in the Philippines and Canada, including food and beverage manufacturing, energy, post-secondary and training institutions, and not-for-profit organizations.
Her other full-time job is being a mother of five boys, including twin stepsons. She was also very active in sports and fitness in her past life and has a first-degree blackbelt in taekwondo.
Vice President of Projects
Claudine Vidallo
ECO Canada acts as the steward of the Canadian environmental workforce across all industries.
From job creation and wage funding to training and labour market research, ECO Canada champions the end-to-end career of all environmental professionals. It aims to promote and drive responsible, sustainable economic growth, while ensuring that environmental best practices remain a priority.
ECO Canada challenges the status quo by existing outside the typical activist mentality. It works alongside government, policymakers, academia, students, employers, professionals, industry, and international audiences to support Canada as a global leader in innovative workforce solutions and job creation.
It remains the go-to source in the environmental labour market, and its research provides unmatched statistics and analysis on the economic and labour trends that identify workforce gaps within industries.
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Sarah Casorso
Director of HR and Employer Services
Geni Peters
Director of Research
Elizabeth Getty
Director of Certification
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Sarah Casorso brings to ECO Canada nearly 15 years of experience as an HR professional. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, she pursued a career in Alberta and has worked in the not-for-profit, oil and gas, and now environmental industry.
Casorso has been a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) since 2013 and continues to be an active member of the Canadian HR community. She oversees the corporate HR function and employer services at ECO Canada. As HR manager, she is a strategic partner with leadership to develop an HR agenda that closely supports the organization’s overall aims.
Casorso also leads the employer services in strategy, design, and execution of the project plan, communication, and operational requirements. She continues to create and maintain relationships with external partners and key stakeholders within post-secondary institutions and career advancement service providers to promote program growth and execute the organizational strategy. This ensures an adequate supply of qualified professionals to meet the needs of Canada’s growing environmental workforce.
Director of HR and Employer Services
Sarah Casorso
Geni Peters is an economist with a PhD in economics from Texas A&M University. As director of research at ECO Canada, she is responsible for managing, executing, and delivering environmental labour market information and national occupational standards projects, working with an army of professionals comprised of staff, consultants, strategic advisors, and subject matter experts.
Before joining ECO Canada, Peters applied her knowledge and skills to a variety of roles and industries. She worked as a lecturer for 14 years, teaching a wide range of economics courses and supervising student research projects at UC San Diego and Penn State University.
More recently, she managed labour market research initiatives, including economic modelling and reporting at PetroLMI Division of Energy Safety Canada (formerly the Petroleum Human Resources Council) and conducted economic research and analysis at Brown Economic Consulting.
Director of Research
Geni Peters
Elizabeth Getty is a program and project manager with nearly 15 years of experience in client and volunteer management, member engagement, and product improvement. With a focus on ensuring that both emerging and senior environmental professionals have opportunities for continuous learning and thought leadership, Getty knows the importance of offering a valuable and industry-relevant designation.
Collaborating with colleagues, industry professionals, and strategists, Getty has led various product improvement strategies for ECO Canada’s EP designation. This included strengthening the EP Code of Ethics, redesigning ECO Canada’s in-training designation to maximize value and provide a roadmap for professional development, as well as introducing a core environmental knowledge examination.
After spending 10 years in Calgary, Getty relocated back to her hometown and is based out of Kingsville, ON.
Director of Certification
Elizabeth Getty
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.”
Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”
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Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
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