Board of Directors

Now entering into his sixth year as a member of the NLCA board of directors, Stephen has enjoyed working with the executive, board members, and staff to advance the interests of member firms. Most recently in 2022, in the role of Third Vice Chair supporting direction in the field of strategic planning for the association.

In his day job, Stephen is General Manager of Cargocan Agency Ltd, a division of Eimskip Canada. He began his career in logistics management in Labrador West, where he worked closely with clients in the Newfoundland and Labrador industrial and mining sectors. Upon transfer to Happy Valley – Goose Bay in 2015, Stephen took on account and logistics management for the Muskrat Falls megaproject, focusing on providing commercial aviation, air charter, and cargo solutions to contractors of various sizes.

In addition, Stephen has built a strong understanding and respect for working with rural and indigenous communities in Northern Canada, where logistics can often be challenging. Now based in St. John’s, Stephen works with companies throughout Eastern Canada to ensure they are provided the best possible transportation and logistics solutions.

Stephen has received his Bachelor of Commerce from Memorial University in 2012, where he convocated with the Faculty of Business Administration Advisory Board Chair’s Leadership Award. Stephen brings a range of board experience, currently serving as second Vice-Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association (NLCA), where he works with the board and staff to advocate and promote the province’s industrial construction industry.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Stephen spends his time working for his community and enjoying the outdoors. He has served as a member of the Happy Valley – Goose Bay Rotary Club, as well as a director on the Portugal Cove – St. Phillips Harbour Authority Board of Directors.

Valerie Penney is a graduate of Civil Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She started her construction career 18 years ago as an estimator with a local general contractor. From estimating she worked her way into Project Management and has been doing both roles for the last 16 years. Valerie is known as a hard-working professional who takes a pragmatic approach to ensure the project gets completed within budget and on schedule. Understanding the importance of client and supplier relationships is the most important factor in completing a successful project.

Valerie has served four years on the board as a Director at Large and is also chair of NLCA’s Women in Construction pillar.

Ryan Davis is a Senior Project Manager with Marco Group Limited. He was born and raised in St. John’s and graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2008 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree. Since then, he has obtained his Professional Engineer License (P. Eng) and his Gold Seal Certification (GSC) in General Contracting.

Ryan began his career in the construction industry with Marco during his engineering work terms and was hired full time once he graduated. He has overseen numerous projects across Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) including several schools, luxury condominium buildings, hospital renovations, car dealerships, retail box stores, university renovations, office buildings, restaurants, a cannabis production facility, expansion to the St. John’s International Airport, and Salmon Hatchery Facilities.

Matthew Mallam is currently working with Olympic Construction Limited as a Project Manager. For the past seven years, Matthew has worked in a leadership role with Olympic. Matthew started working in the construction industry in 2006, obtaining hands-on experience as a laborer and carpenter. These early experiences led him to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Most recently, Matthew has been collaborating with project owners, design firms, and local municipalities to execute projects from concept design through project completion. Matthew has also filled the role of General Contractors Chair on the NLCA’s 2019-2020 board of directors.

Professionally, Matthew has helped execute major construction projects in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors throughout the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Some projects include Soldier’s Pond Civil Works, Audi St. Johns, and the JAG Hotel Expansion. Matthew is focused on the continual improvement of the services that the company provides. Recently, Matthew has been helping to implement Lean Construction practices, in conjunction with cloud-based construction management software to facilitate the successful completion of each project.

Tonya Knopp is a Professional Engineer with 20 years progressive experience in the construction industry. She has worked in both public and private sector with her main areas of expertise in linear and vertical (building) infrastructure projects. She is currently the Manager of Facility Engineering with the City of St. John’s.

Academically, Tonya is a strong advocate for continuing education and has added the following qualifications to her resume over the years: a Master’s Certification in Project Management from York University, a Lean Green Belt in Continuous Improvement from the Leading Edge Group, a Certified Asset Management Professional from PEMAC, a Master’s Degree (M.Sc.) in International Construction Management with Merit from the University of Bath, and is currently completing a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture and Civil Engineering from the University of Bath with a specialization in Climate Resilience of Building Infrastructure.

Tonya has been associated with NLCA since her return to Newfoundland & Labrador in 2013. She also sits on various different boards in a volunteer capacity as a City Representative. Most recently, as a Rotarian for 8 years, she is now a part of the first virtual Atlantic Canadian club with a primary focus on Environment & Climate Change.

Gail Ryan is the Equipment Finance Specialist for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for RBC Royal Bank.  In this role, she works with companies in the construction, heavy civil, healthcare, manufacturing, fishery and transportation industries primarily, to provide customized financing solutions for capital asset requirements.

Gail holds a B. Comm (Co-op) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh.  Prior to joining RBC, Gail led several organizations including the St. John’s Board of Trade, the Aquaculture Association of Canada and Habitat for Humanity NL, and operated a successful business consulting practice. She has established deep connections within the local business community and has over 25 years’ experience working with businesses in several industries.

Gail is based in St. John’s, NL but travels extensively throughout the province.

Candace Dominix is a graduate of the Architectural Engineering Technology program from College of the North Atlantic. She started her construction career 18 years ago with a General Contracting company, Granco Construction/LSG Construction. She started in the office as a draftsperson , office administrator and estimator, but after a few years started a Project Management role. Project Management has been her role since leaving general contracting and diversifying into other areas. Currently, Candace is working with Allnorth Consultants in Gander, NL as a Designer and Project Manager.

Candace has served on the board of the NLCA in various roles, as the Central Directors, education and training committee and as co-chair of the women in construction committee.

Steven Hynes has been a Project Manager with Northridge Developments Ltd. since 2015, and is the current Western Director of the NLCA. Steven has served five years on the NLCA board, and is excited about being your Western Director for the 2024/2025 term.

He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Memorial University in 2006 and continued his education at the College of the North Atlantic, graduating with a Diploma in Architectural Engineering Technology in 2009. Before joining the team at Northridge, Steven had been working at Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook as a Project Coordinator and as a consultant for Atlantic Engineering Consultants Ltd.

Steven has worked on projects of all scales throughout Western Newfoundland and brings 10+ years of construction and consulting experience to his position. He has a wide variety of professional skills to assist in any construction setting.  He was born and raised in Corner Brook, and resides there currently with his wife, Megan, daughters Macy and Mara and son, Noel. When he isn’t at work, Steven enjoys being outdoors and playing a variety of sports.

Stanley Oliver was born and raised in Labrador, Stan is an Inuit who is an avid hunter, fisher, and outdoorsman. He currently holds the position of Manager with Trades NL: Indigenous Skills Trades Office. He has worked in the Labrador and Atlantic region in the Natural Resources field/industry for over thirty-five (35) years.

Occupying, several senior management and leadership positions with the Nunatsiavut Government, the Nunatukavut Community Council, and the Atlantic First Nations Policy Congress. He holds a Diploma from Memorial University as Resource Technician, a Certified Engineering Technician with the NL Association of Engineers and numerous certificates in Indigenous Governance and Administration.

Stan’s wide range of education, work experience and local knowledge makes him adaptable to complex working environments. His in-depth knowledge of Newfoundland & Labrador Indigenous rights is often requested on the local, provincial, and national level. He currently sits on the National Indigenous Advisory Committee for the Canadian Environment Assessment Agency and is a member of the Circle of Experts on Indigenous Rights for CEAA, the NL Provincial Wilderness Ecological Advisory Council, Canada Parks & Wilderness Society NL Chapter, Forecast NL and the HV-GB Health Community Advisory Committee.

He will tell you his philosophy “is to create free-detailed oriented work environments, that focuses on positive collaborative partnerships with government and business with out loosing sight of grass roots concerns.”

Stan’s wide range of education, work experience and local knowledge makes him adaptable to complex working environments. His in-depth knowledge of Labrador and Indigenous rights is often requested on the local, provincial, and national level. He currently sits on the National Indigenous Advisory Committee for the Canadian Environment Assessment Agency, the Circle of experts of the CEAA, the NL Provincial Wilderness Ecological Advisory Council, Canada Parks & Wilderness Society NL Chapter, Forecast NL and the HV-GB Health Community Advisory Committee.

He will tell you his philosophy “is to create free-detailed oriented work environments, that focuses on positive collaborative partnerships with government and business with out loosing sight of grass roots concerns.”

On the personal side, Stan is the father of a thirty-one-year daughter and the foster parent of a First Nations eight-year girl. He continues to volunteer in his community and province for the last thirty-five years. He suffers from a rare form of Arthritis that affects his joints and has had six joint replacements; In May 2018 he suffered a major heart attack. But he remains positive and active with work and the HV-GB Rotary. He still often MCs many charitable fund raisers.

Matthew Craig is a lawyer at Stewart McKelvey in St. John’s, with a practice focused on Construction Law. Matthew has advised general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, engineers, and owners on a broad range of issues, including tendering and procurement maters, contract drafting and negotiation, lien rights, and all manner of construction disputes. Matthew also has two years’ experience as in-house counsel for a major energy corporation.

Matthew also has experience working in the industry, having held several construction jobs while attending university.

Matthew has contributed to several presentations for NLCA members, as well as multiple articles published in the NLCA Construction Journal.

Matthew’s legal background allows him to provide valuable insight with respect to issues relevant to the NLCA board of directors, including issues of board governance, advocacy, insurance, strategic planning, company leadership, government relations, risk and control management, business development, and legal and regulatory requirements.

When he isn’t working, Matthew enjoys playing and watching hockey and football, and spending time outdoors with his partner and their two dogs.

Josh Jacobs graduated from the Civil Engineering Technology Program at the College of the North Atlantic. Josh started his construction career as a Project Coordinator with heavy civil projects in St. John’s. Josh is currently an Estimator/ Project Manager with Brook Construction overseeing several construction projects in central Newfoundland.

Josh was Born and raised in Corner Brook, NL. He has a passion for sports and is currently the Head Coach for the College of the North Atlantic men’s basketball team.

David was born and raised in St. Johns, NL, and has a bachelor’s degree in Process Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland. David attained his Professional Engineering designation in 2019 and completed his MBA from the Australian Institute of Business in 2022. Upon graduation from engineering in 2013, David moved to Calgary Alberta where he began working for the Cahill Group as a field engineer. After four years in western Canada, he moved back home to NL where he continued to work with Cahill in various roles from a project manager, director of projects, and more recently, Senior VP of operations. He has experience on a wide range of construction projects in the oil & gas, mining, utility, and commercial/infrastructure sectors.

Outside of work, David is also active in the community and sits on a couple of boards. He currently is in his fourth year on the board of directors for the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association (NLCA) as the Mechanical/Electrical Section Chair. As well, he also sits on the board of directors for the Construction Labor Relations Association of Newfoundland and Labrador as a director at large and currently is on the executive of this board.

The Cahill Group has been a member of the NLCA for 36 years. David follows the organization with interest as they stay current with emerging industry trends to provide members with timely education and professional development opportunities throughout the year.

Lindsay Hynes is the Sales Manager at Concrete Products (division of Newcrete Investments), where she is responsible for the production, sales and promotion of the landscape and masonry division.

Lindsay has over 13 years’ experience in sales, 7 of which she worked for Rideout Tool & Machine, selling various tools and machinery all around Newfoundland and Labrador.  Lindsay also worked as an Office Manager at Power Vac Services for 8 years, where she was responsible for payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable and safety!  Lindsay has been working with Concrete Products since March 2019 and is very dedicated to her position and promoting the products and services that Concrete Products and Newcrete provide.  She manages the landscape and masonry division through their offices in St. John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor (Hunt’s Concrete).  Lindsay is also part of Newcrete’s Marketing team, responsible for print/online advertising as well as customer training.

Lindsay has been involved in the construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador since she entered the work force in 2002.  Lindsay has served as the Manufacturers, Suppliers & Services Section Chair since 2020.  She thoroughly enjoys being a board member within the NLCA and is looking forward to the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally with the association in this role in 2024!  Lindsay is very passionate about the construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador which is evident in the number of boards that she sits on.  Lindsay is the Vice President of Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador (LNL), she also sits on the Board of Directors for the Atlantic Masonry Institute (AMI) and the Canadian Home Builders Association – NL (CHBA-NL).  In the Fall of 2022 Lindsay was also appointed the Atlantic Canada representative on the board of directors for the Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association (CCMPA).

Lindsay is originally from St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s Bay.  She currently resides in Paradise with her son.

Cory Pittman is the President with Allstar Rebar Ltd and has been with the company for 22 years.  He has been involved in many reinforcing steel projects in Newfoundland and Labrador including Muskrat Falls, Corner Brook Acute Care, Avalon Mall Parkade, MUN’s Core Science Building, Grieg Seafoods Aquaculture project, and projects in British Columbia such as the RAV Line.

Cory is an active volunteer and has served on the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Curling Committee for 13 years.  He has served 3 years on the PCSP Minor softball executive and has been a coach with the Northeast Minor Hockey Association since 2010. In 2018, he received Bantam Coach of the year and the Wayne Mitchelmore award for Overall Coach of the Year at Northeast Minor Hockey.  He has been a member of the Canadian Coalition for Construction Steel (CCCS) and currently has served as Trade Contractors Section Chair at the NLCA for the past 5 years. Cory also sits on the Trade Advisory Council for the Canadian Construction Association.

Cory has been an active member of the NLCA, especially regarding Steel Tariffs and his participation on the master spec committee.  He has also carried out extensive work with the Canadian Coalition for Construction Steel and the Reinforcing Steel Institute of Canada. Most recent, Cory has been a part of a team that travelled to Ottawa to lobby government regarding the labour shortage across Canada.

Tzu-Hao Hsu (Sue-How-Shu) obtained her Bachelor of Commerce Co-Op and Master of Business Administration degrees from Memorial University. She began her career in the construction industry by joining the inside sales team of United Rentals of Canada in 2012, and currently holds the role of Operations Supervisor. Tzu is a leader in safety, logistics and continuous improvement with United Rentals, and recently joined the NLCA’s Women in Construction initiatives by leading the inaugural Perk’N’Inspire: Women’s Coffee Circle series.

A landed immigrant of more than thirty years, Tzu is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. She volunteers with many women-led organizations that champion multiculturalism and anti-racism education and is an avid speaker and host for community events and workshops.

When not chairing a safety meeting, presenting in the boardroom or singing the national anthem at community celebrations, Tzu can be found hiking with her beagles, dancing with her twin daughters, or penning her next short story for publication.

Tzu looks forward to further growing her professional and personal network and welcomes your questions and suggestions on how she can best serve our industry and community.

As a professional engineer with over 24 years’ experience in the Heavy Civil Construction Industry, Brandon currently holds the role of Vice President, Strategy and Growth with Pennecon, a diversified provider of heavy civil, industrial, marine and services/maintenance operations throughout Canada.

Brandon has spent many years executing infrastructure projects in a variety of roles from designer and resident engineer all the way up to President and CEO. Senior and executive level work experience in two different levels of government plus his extensive background in private industry have proven to be invaluable experiences that have shaped Brandon’s 360-degree view of the construction industry.  Brandon is currently the Second Vice President on the board of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association (CTAA), is a member of the CCA National Advisory Council for Civil Infrastructure and was the Heavy Civil Section Chair for the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association 2022 Board of Directors.

Katrina is an experienced health and safety professional dedicated to preventing injuries and enhancing the workplace health and safety culture wherever she can. In her current role as the Corporate Health, Safety, Environment Manager with Locke’s Electrical Ltd. she supports both management and field workers regarding all aspects of their health, safety and environment program.

She has an extensive background in many areas of construction; however, her forte is in the powerline/utilities industry where she has worked for more than 10 years. Katrina’s work experience includes working for one of the largest powerline contractors in Canada (in remote locations), a specialized high voltage underground contractor in an urban environment and most recently with Locke’s Electrical here at home in NL. Katrina attained her Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation at the young age of 24, recently achieved her National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) designation and holds a designation specialized for her industry as a Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP). She graduated from her OHS program with honors from Keyin College.

Katrina is committed to giving back to her community; as such, she volunteers with the Girl Guides of Canada and Threads of Life (supporting workers and families who have suffered from workplace tragedy). Currently, she sits as a member on the NLCSA Board of directors as an NLCA representative. She looks forward to becoming more involved with the NLCA, NLCSA and the valuable knowledge to be gained from working with like-minded individuals in the construction industry.