David & Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety & Risk Management
Gordon Winkel, P. Eng., MSc.
Chair & Industrial Professor - Dean's Office
David and Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety and Risk Management
University of Alberta
Retired as a Vice President for Syncrude Canada Ltd., Gord Winkel joined the
University of Alberta in 2010 as Chair and Industrial Professor for the Safety and
Risk Management Program in the Faculty of Engineering. In this capacity he
provided safety and risk management education to final year engineering
students and has worked to make this a core competency requirement for all
engineering disciplines. In April of 2016, Gord was announced as Director of the
David and Joan Lynch School of Engineering Safety and Risk Management, and
in 2021 continues on as the Chair and an Industrial Professor for the School.
Gord has worked extensively in the oil sands mining industry. He joined the
Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil organization as a Vice President on Loan from Syncrude
Canada Ltd. to advance the Kearl Oil Sands Project. Gord was Vice President,
Aurora Bitumen Production at Syncrude Canada Ltd., served as General
Manager of Extraction, was Manager of Extraction Operations and formerly
Manager of Mine Maintenance/Operations again with Syncrude.
His work to improve workplace safety led to a Distinguished Lecturer Award from
the Canadian Institute of Mining in 2002. His work to advance the Surface Mining
Industry through sharing knowledge, technology, best practices and innovation
has led to a second Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Canadian Institute of
Mining in 2008. A third such award was received in 2013 for leadership in
advancing safety excellence in the global mining industry. In 2019, Gord was
awarded the national CIM Mining Safety Leadership Metal recognizing
exceptional contribution by an individual or organization towards improving
mining health and safety results within the mining industry in Canada through
innovative means.
On the healthcare front, Gord is a member of the Alberta Health Services Quality
and Safety Advisory Committee reporting in to the Alberta Health Services
Board. He is also supporting the Alberta Agriculture Industry as an Executive
Advisor on the AgSafe Alberta Board. In addition he Chairs the University of
Alberta BioSafety Committee, the Enhanced Biocontainment Standing
Committee and the Engineering Faculty Safety Committee.
Gord was recently elected as Chair of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires
Federation for Canada, supporting an organization with 22,000 plus employees
that provides meaningful employment for our veterans and their families.
Gord supports the Canadian Institute of Mining through chairing the J.T. Ryan
Mining Safety Committee and as an Executive Board member for their newly
established Safety Society. Provincially Gord is an Executive Advisor for the
Alberta Mining Safety Association.
Gord also works to provide support in safety, risk management and organization
effectiveness to firms across Canada.