Almita’s track record of success is made possible by a multidisciplinary team of professionals striving for the highest level of quality and service.
Larry Kaumeyer
President
Larry Kaumeyer possesses 15 years of experience building, developing and leading high performing teams. Larry has a passion for helping teams achieve excellence and since joining Almita as President in September 2006, he has focused on helping Almita’s talented team achieve its full potential.
Prior to joining Almita, Larry held three senior executive roles at ATB Financial where he oversaw the expansion of Business Lending, Channel Development and Marketing and Product Development. Larry’s other work experience includes the financial services, government and investment banking sectors. Larry is a graduate of the University of Alberta. Larry is a Director of Delta Waterfowl and is actively involved in wetland conservation in Canada.
Terry Cole
Finance and Administration Director
Terry manages all aspects of Almita’s finances, from accounting and financial reporting to budgeting and planning. A people person with an analytical mind, Terry is also responsible for human resources at Almita.
Prior to joining Almita in the spring of 2007, Terry worked at the Camrose Pipe Company for 15 years, where he was responsible for managing all aspects of finance and accounting. Terry holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan, an Executive MBA from Athabasca University and is a Certified Management Accountant.
Mohammed Sakr
Lead Geotechnical Engineer
Dr. Sakr has joined Almita in February 2007. As the Lead Geotechnical Engineer, Mohammed contributes great experience to the engineering team and uses his advanced knowledge and experience in deep foundations, slope stability, machine foundation design, soil dynamics, construction management and structural rehabilitation to develop innovative design solutions.
Mohammed received his Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering (Hons.) from Alexandria University in Egypt. He also received his M.E.Sc. and his Ph.D in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario. The author of a number of published articles, Mohammed is also the recipient of several scholarships and awards including the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Industrial NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, and Milos Novak Memorial Award.
Prior to joining Almita, Mohammed was a Project Engineer at Thurber Engineering Ltd., where he provided geotechnical recommendations for a variety of projects in Alberta including bridges, oil facilities, schools, residential developments and industrial facilities.
Richard Schmidt
Engineering Manager
When Richard joined Almita in 1998 he was the first engineer on the team. Since then Richard has been influential in building the engineering team and developing Almita’s reputation for innovative engineering solutions. Richard plays a key role in the overall design of foundation systems and was instrumental in developing the Almita Screw Pile Design Manual offered by Almita to its customers. Committed to quality, Richard is also responsible for the overall implementation, maintenance and ongoing improvements of the company’s ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Program.
Prior to joining Almita, Richard worked at EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd., where he performed soil and material testing in a geotechnical lab facility. A P.Eng., Richard is registered in both Alberta and Saskatchewan. He holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Co-op) from the University of Alberta as well as a Diploma in Civil Engineering and Technology from Okanagan College.
Allan Prediger
Sales Associate/Technologist
Since joining Almita in 2004, Allan Prediger has diligently worked behind the scenes to support Almita’s engineering team. In his role as an engineering technologist, Allan assists with the custom design of screw piles and produces engineered drawings for all of Almita’s projects.
Prior to joining Almita, Allan worked for Stantec, a civil engineering firm, where he honed his drafting skills working on a variety of civil engineering projects. Allan holds a Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Ken Stebner
Operations Director
Ken is the lynchpin of Almita’s operations. As Operations Director Ken offers customers over 20 years of experience in the screw pile industry. Ken is responsible for managing the production and installation teams at Almita and is involved in the research and development of new products, equipment and facilities. As a CWB Certified Welding Supervisor, Ken is well-equipped to ensure that the operations team always meets Almita’s rigorous standards for safety, quality and efficiency.
Ken originally joined Almita at its inception in 1986. After completing his apprenticeship as a welder Ken began building installation equipment and eventually became an installer. Ken later took on roles of increasing scope and responsibility, moving from Shop Manager to Installation Manager with ease.
Colin McCann
External Sales Representative Power Transmission & Telecommunications
Colin brings to Almita nearly nine years of sales and customer service experience.Since starting with Almita as an external sales representative in 2002 Colin has gravitated towards a specialization in transmission line projects.
As a sales representative, Colin is responsible for building customer relationships, developing estimates and general project management. Colin takes an analytical approach to problem solving, ensuring that his customers receive the right solution at the best price possible.
Prior to joining Almita, Colin worked as a technical sales representative for FSI Culvert. Colin holds a B. Comm. from the University of Northern British Columbia with a major in international business.
Collin Bootsman
Internal Sales Associate: Residential / Retail & Distributed Product
Collin first joined Almita over 10 years ago as a laborer in the manufacturing facility but his gregarious nature and strong sales background soon propelled him into Almita’s sales department.
Collin’s flare for relationship building and his first hand fabrication experience help him develop innovative solutions for his clients. Collin’s work experience evidences his strong people orientation. Prior to joining Almita, Collin acquired over 10 years of experience in sales and customer service through management roles in the food services industry and variety of sales roles.
Patrick Lentz
Installation Manager
Since joining Almita over 10 years ago as a welder, Patrick has branched out into many other areas of Almita’s operations. After completing his apprenticeship and becoming recognized as a journeyman welder, Patrick learned the installation process as a field operator and later took on the dynamic role of Field Foreman and Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Assurance Coordinator. Truly passionate about the screw pile industry, Pat spent six months in 2002 working for Piletech New Zealand, a screw pile provider in the southern hemisphere. The unique experience provided Pat with new insight into the screw pile industry.
Today, as Installation Manager, Patrick is responsible for ensuring the installation teams meet all of Almita’s high standards for quality, safety and efficiency. Patrick's wealth of first hand experience and his extensive knowledge the screw pile industry make him an invaluable trouble shooter and problem solver for Almita.
Eric Bloomquist
External Sales Representative: Oil and Gas
Eric joined Almita’s sales team in May 2007 in a sales quoting role. Since then Eric has moved into an external sales role specializing in the oil & gas industry. Eric’s previous sales experience in the energy services industry made him a natural fit for this role.
Eric is responsible for shepherding projects from the initial client contact all the way through to installation. He coordinates with the engineering, fabrication and installation teams to ensure that each customer is provided the right solution for their needs.
A true “people person”, Eric brings to Almita nearly six years of sales experience. Most recently, Eric was employed by Alberta Flares Energy Services in a sales role. Prior to that, Eric worked in sales in the financial services industry.
Joan Parkin
Administrative Assistant
Joan originally joined the Almita team in September of 2005 as a member of the purchasing group, but her flare for multi-tasking and her love of people soon drew her to her a more administrative position.
In her current role as Administrative Assistant Joan wears a number of different hats. Joan is the first point of contact for all of Almita’s clients and suppliers. She ensures the smooth running of the office and provides support on all client projects.
Prior to joining Almita, Joan worked at Jo-Ann Trucking where she juggled a diverse set of responsibilities that ranged from safety tracking to managing petty cash and providing administrative support. Joan is formally trained as a legal assistant and has over 20 years office experience.
Tyler Wilbur
Health, Safety & Environment, Quality Assurance & Lean Manufacturing Coordinator
In December 2006 Tyler joined Almita on one of the installation teams. This experience equipped Tyler with a thorough understanding of Almita’s installation procedures and prepared him for his next role as HSE, QA and Lean Manufacturing Coordinator.
In his new role Tyler liaises with key organizations such as the WCB and MHSA and ensures that project teams follow Almita’s safety procedures. He is also responsible for documenting quality control procedures and ensuring that Almita complies with all ISO 9000 regulations. Tyler is also a key player in Almita’s implementation of the Lean Manufacturing Program.
Prior Almita Tyler worked for a marine manufacturing company as a draftsman. In this role Tyler was an active member of the health and safety team and gained his first exposure to Lean Manufacturing principles and the implementation process.
Patrick Witvoet
Purchaser
In his role as Almita’s Purchaser, Patrick has spent the past two years working behind the scenes to obtain the necessary raw materials for all Almita projects. Patrick is responsible for managing relationships with Almita’s suppliers and for negotiating the best possible prices for Almita. Patrick also ensures that every Almita screw pile is manufactured from the highest quality steel.
Patrick has over 20 years of experience in purchasing and negotiating roles. Prior to joining Almita Patrick honed his negotiation and relationship building skills as the proprietor of the family business which included a car lot, gas stations and a wrecking yard. Patrick attended post secondary school in the Netherlands before immigrating to Canada in 2003.
Charlie Street
Shipper Receiver
Charlie, Almita’s Shipper/Receiver, is responsible for ensuring that all completed screw orders are quickly and accurately shipped to clients. Charlie manages Almita’s in-house fleet of shipping vehicles, coordinates with external shipping partners, and maintains a detailed inventory of Almita’s manufacturing supplies. Prior to becoming Shipper/ Receiver, Charlie worked in Almita’s production facility and in the field as an installer. The experience provided Charlie with a thorough understanding of Almita’s operations. After four years in these types of roles, Charlie took a sabbatical and worked in Customer Service for an automotive parts provider but after two years he returned to Almita.
Before joining Almita, Charlie worked in Customer Service for a welding shop for over 10 years providing outstanding customers service and managing inventory.
