A well-known former city engineer, Dave Robinson has been named a Companion of the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) Order of Honour..
Praised for his vision and leadership, Robinson was inducted into the Order at a gala on May 3 in Toronto.
See: 2019 Companion of the Order of Honour
Robinson has been a longtime member of the North Bay Chapter, which welcomed him and his wife Judi when he joined as a young engineer in the late 1960s. His first volunteer role was helping to organize the first-ever North Bay Professional Engineers’ Day Symposium in 1971. Since then, the symposium has become an annual chapter tradition aimed at raising local awareness of PEO and professional engineers. In 2020, this signature event will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Robinson has also been a motivational force at the provincial level, serving on PEO Council and the Discipline Committee (DIC) at a time when Council separated the regulator’s complaints and discipline processes. As a recent chair of the Discipline Committee, he was instrumental in reducing a buildup of discipline cases and championing innovative resolution techniques. He enlisted sitting judges and experienced trial counsel to help train committee members to hear and adjudicate cases. He also established the "Lessons Learned" sessions of the committee held in-camera, under the Chatham House Rule, to share and learn best practices.
“Decisions on guilt need to be independent, reflecting public interest and the adjudicative process is not a conventional engineering approach,” he says. “It is a learned skill.”
After more than a half-century of volunteer service to PEO, Robinson encourages others to get involved with the engineering profession. “As engineers, volunteering is all part of the calling,” he says. “Everyone brings their own skills and attributes, but you need to be willing to be a pawn, player or leader so you can do what is necessary to make things happen.”
The Order of Honour pays tribute to individuals who have rendered conspicuous service to the engineering profession. The Order of Honour's highest distinction, the rank of Companion, recognizes contributions that exceed those of Officer. It is reserved exclusively for individuals whose distinguished service has profoundly influenced the profession.
Watch Dave's Order of Honour video to learn more.
