Brian Shimmons (AL AZHAR) 2023-2024 ASOB 1st Vice-President
Professional
Brian Shimmons is 72 years young. He was born and raised in Ontario. He holds a B.E.Sc and M.E.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Western University (London, Ontario). His initial employer was Atomic Energy of Canada where he worked at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories and the Port Hawkesbury N.S. Heavy Water Plant. He moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta in 1978 to work for Syncrude Canada Limited. He held a variety of supervisory/management positions within Syncrude including General Manager of the Upgrader, the sixth largest refinery in the world, and leading the commissioning and start-up of the $7.5B Upgrader Expansion project. He retired from Syncrude in June 2007
Brian is a Professional Engineer (Life Member) registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
- served as a member and Chairman of the Joint Registration Board of APEGA from 1987 – 1990.
- served on the American Petroleum Institute Committee on Safety and Fire Protection from 1985 – 1989.
- served on the National Centre for Upgrading Technology Technical Advisory Committee from 1995 – 1998.
Community
Brian served as a member of the Fort McMurray Mantas Swim Club Executive.
Brian helped coordinate fund-raising efforts for Fort McMurray’s “Tools for Schools” program from 1999 to 2007. The “Tools for Schools” is a United Way “subprogram” that provides mathematical tools to financially challenged children.
He served on the “Highway 8 Action Committee” for the County of Rocky View from 2007 to 2010.
Other
Brian has served as:
- Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta in 2009/2010
- Potentate of Al Azhar Shriners in 2014
- Recorder of Al Azhar Shriners from 2015-2017
- Commander-in-Chief of the Southalta Consistory AASR
- President of the Pacific Northwest Shrine Oriental Band Association for the last three years
- currently serving on the Board of Directors as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation Learning Centre for Calgary
- Honourary Patron of the Masonic Foundation of Alberta
- current President of the Association of Syncrude Retirees of Southern Alberta
- will receive his 33rd Degree (AASR) and the Order of the Purple Cross (York Rite College) next summer in Ottawa and Louisville respectively
- member of the Al Azhar Oriental Band for 10 years.
My Plan as VP
Work with the Executive Team of the ASOB to raise the profile of the ASOB, encourage the revitalization of “dark” Oriental Bands, encourage the formation of additional Oriental Bands in North America and, maybe, South America and the Philippines