Canadian Biomass • Spring 2024 • Champion of the Year

Gordon Murray’s path from a forestry operations manager to an acclaimed leader in the bioenergy sector as executive-director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) reflects a career marked by significant transitions and a passion for sustainability.

After graduating in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and qualifying as a registered professional forester, Murray’s early career revolved around forest operations for leading lumber manufacturers in British Columbia.

His entrepreneurial spirit soon led him to establish a forestry contracting business, cultivating a team that would grow to more than 20 employees, which he managed until he decided to become a chartered professional accountant (CPA) in 2003.

This financial expertise transitioned him into a pivotal role at WPAC in 2008. It wasn’t long before he was at the helm as the executive director, a role he has held for the past 16 years.

“I didn’t deliberately seek this position, but I rapidly grew an enormous passion for bioenergy and have been thrilled to be part of our industry’s growth and success,” he said. Under his leadership, WPAC has not only seen substantial growth but has also embraced rigorous safety and sustainability standards.

“I am very gratified to have been part of the movement to demonstrate the sustainability credentials of our industry,” he said. Safety initiatives have been another cornerstone of his tenure. Starting with a focus on personal health and safety and evolving to sophisticated process safety management, these initiatives have placed WPAC at the forefront of industry standards.

Murray remains optimistic about the future of bioenergy, acknowledging both its necessity and the challenges it faces.

“The world needs bioenergy. It is a vital part of the tools needed to combat global warming,” he said, ready to continue to advocate for bioenergy’s role in sustainable practices.

‘SCRATCHING THE SURFACE’: JESSE DOUGLAS SEES TREMENDOUS PROMISE TO RESHAPE ENERGY LANDSCAPE

Turning waste into energy was a “revelation” for Jesse Douglas, the CEO and founder of Green Impact Partners, and a big reason why he was drawn into the biomass sector.

Douglas has been recognized with an Honourable Mention in the Champion of the Year category at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards, a testament to his significant contributions and visionary approach in the industry. Douglas started on his journey in the bioenergy sector driven by a desire to enact meaningful change. Raised in Alberta, a province dominated by energy, he was naturally drawn to the industry. “Growing up in Alberta, where energy is the heartbeat of the province, I’ve always felt this pull to make a real impact in the energy sector,” Douglas said, adding that using waste to create energy “offers immediate benefits that resonate deeply with my values and aspirations.”

Douglas has founded, and sold, multiple businesses throughout his career and has been at the helm of numerous engineering, procurement, and construction projects. He has also held executive, board, and senior leadership roles where he has honed his expertise in driving teams to achieve greatness, he said.

In 2021, Douglas founded Green Impact Partners — a “standout” moment for him.

FROM LOG TRUCK TO LEADERSHIP: THE 4 A.M. MEETING THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR JOE WEBSTER

Joe Webster’s career began in the woods of B.C. In 1991, he entered forestry as a truck driver — hauling logs and building roads for Pioneer Logging. Webster, now operations manager at Tŝideldel Biomass, won Honourable Mention at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards for Champion of the Year. Webster’s career in biomass began unexpectedly at 4 a.m. on a Thursday in 2008, amidst economic uncertainty and mill closures. Atlantic Power was short on fibre, and he had been summoned into his supervisor’s officer. It took 15 minutes for him to alter the course of his career as he consented to head out to the woods with a grinder. In short order, he was running a 24-7 operation, overseeing six contractors. Using two Cats, ploughing snow ahead of four grinders yielding 80 loads a day, Atlantic Power had a yard full of fibre.

Pioneer Biomass changed hands several more times before Webster landed at Tolko Industries in 2013. Even when laid off in 2019, opportunity was literally waiting just outside the door; Philippe Theriault of Tsi Del Del Enterprises was standing in the parking lot and was ready to bring him aboard Tŝideldel Biomass.

As an operations manager, Webster does not see his role as merely overseeing logistics but as fostering a collaborative environment where innovation can thrive.