Dave Ennis

David Allan John Ennis, PEng (SM), FEC, FCSSE

Dave is the Past Registrar of the Association (1990-2005), a Honorary Life Member of Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (2006) and an active member of the Heritage Committee since its inception in 2007.

Education

Dave grew up and received his schooling in the village of McCreary, Manitoba. His early awareness about engineering was cultivated by one of his uncles who was a professional engineer. [GC1.1]Dave’s initial hands-on exposure to civil engineering came through employment on a survey crew [GC2.1]on water control projects. That experience led to survey crew employment with the Canadian National Railway that incentivized his enrollment in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba in 1957. Dave graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering on May 25, 1961.

Early Career

Dave’s first professional job after graduation was with the Manitoba Department of Highways Bridge Division in Winnipeg from 1961 to 1964. He worked in the design office for two years and then as an on-site resident engineer for several bridge construction projects on the Red River Floodway Project (PTH 59 North, PTH 15, and Trans-Canada Highway East). Dave then joined bridge construction and piling contractor Macaw and MacDonald Ltd. out of Winnipeg. Dave spent 22 years at the firm from 1965 to 1987, first as an estimator, then Operations Manager and finally Vice President. The company undertook projects across Manitoba, Eastern Saskatchewan and Northwestern Ontario.

Career Change

In 1987, Dave changed gears and became involved with the engineering regulatory authority in Manitoba when he joined the Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba as it was known then. His first role was as the Act Administration Officer in 1987and then in 1990 he took over the leadership role as the Executive Director responsible for all aspects of the Association including the role of Registrar. Dave led the Association for 15 years until retiring in 2005. During that time, he directed a small administration team that served the elected councillors who represented the 3,500 members at the beginning of his tenure which had grown to 4,400 members when he retired. As Executive Director, Dave leveraged his construction management expertise and collaborative approach into the regulatory world, leading the Association through several transformative changes. One of note was shepherding the complex process of the legislative changes required to include the regulation of Geoscientists along with the Engineers. The act governing engineers in Manitoba, was changed in 1998 to become The Engineering and Geoscientific Professions Act. The new act also brought in the regulation of the practice of engineering by corporations with a requirement for professional liability insurance; augmented disciplinary provisions; and solidified the Association’s prohibition authority.

Other notable contributions include collaborating with the University of Manitoba’s engineering faculty to support the development of a qualification program that helped internationally trained engineers on their path to licensure by identifying and filling any gaps in their education to become academically qualified for registration and facilitating opportunities for Canadian work experience, which could lead to permanent jobs in the profession. This program was known as IEEQ.

His role was more than an 8 to 5 job but required dedication to a wide range of administrative, technical and social requirements for all hours of the day including being accessible to the whole of the membership across the province.

Grinding Gears

Almost immediately following retirement from the Association, Dave was recruited by Dean Doug Ruth, of the Faculty of Engineering at University of Manitoba to lead the research work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the faculty. From 2006 to 2007, Dave researched and authored the centennial book entitled “Grinding Gears -Celebrating 100 Years of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba 1907-2007” that was published in 2008. Dave leveraged all his previous experiences with his lifelong passion for the university and engineering to complete the project as a service to the University of Manitoba. The book serves the past, present and future participants of engineering education in Manitoba as a memento of their pathway to success that the institution has had over its first 100 years. It can be found here. Include link.

Masters Degree

From 2008 to 2011, Dave found time before reaching out for more professional service activities to enroll and earn a Master of Science in Biosystems Engineering at the University of Manitoba. His thesis was on the history of the Winnipeg Aqueduct. His thorough research work yielded yet another recognized historical contribution and was published in 2011 – 50 years to the week after his B.Sc.

Association Activities

David Ennis has spent a good portion of his career in service to the engineering profession. He began volunteering with Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba in 1975 before joining the Association as a full-time employee in 1987. He retired in 2005 at age 67 and has spent the past 20 years continuing to volunteer his time on multiple committees and task forces.

Associated Activities

Dave served as a director on the board of Engineers Canada from 2006 to 2010. In that role, he chaired a committee that negotiated an agreement in principle with the Assembly of First Nations to promote engineering as a career to Indigenous students. 2005 to the present, Association of Consulting Engineers – Manitoba Awards of Excellence Program Judges Panel. 2006 to present, Director of the APEGM Foundation Inc. (now Engineering and Geoscience Education Foundation Inc.) Dave volunteers his time on this foundation which facilitates financial support for engineering students who do not have the means to complete their education, for whatever reason. 2010 to 2019, Warden and Secretary of Camp 8 (Winnipeg) of The Corporation of The Seven Wardens responsible for the management of the Iron Ring Program in Manitoba for new engineers. 2015 to 2022, Manitoba Director of the Canadian Society of Senior Engineers – a constituent society of the Engineering Institute of Canada.

Volunteering

Volunteering is something Ennis’ parents inspired him to do, and he says it is its own reward: “It gives one a sense of community and, in a lot of cases, some satisfaction that maybe you’re getting something done.” During his career, engineering has gone from slide rules to artificial intelligence, but his deep and broad understanding of the profession remains relevant and is valued by colleagues across Canada. A testament to those involvements is that he received the Engineers Canada’s Meritorious Service Award for Professional Service in 2024.

Compiled by

Dave Ennis, PEng(SM), Honourary Life Member, FEC, FCSSE

Posted by

Glen N. Cook PEng(SM), FEC