As the leader of Stantec’s Innovation Programs, John is responsible for surfacing, developing, and disseminating innovative ideas across Stantec as part of the Innovation Office. A civil engineer by training with a doctorate in construction engineering and management, John has focused his research on the organizational design of global AEC firms, evaluating where they have network silos and figuring out how to break these silos down to create productive collaboration.
John believes that new ideas come from “boundary spaces” where people are exposed to ideas and opinions that they wouldn’t otherwise see in their daily work. He encourages employees to be relentlessly curious, and to span the boundaries of their business lines and geographies to be constantly learning and growing. His philosophy toward innovation is focused on experimentation, rigorous validation, and business discipline – but he also believes it should be a fun and uplifting exercise. The fun of innovation is that the next idea always has a chance to change the world.
John has a passion for building things, whether that’s programs for Stantec, home improvement projects, woodworking, or gardening.
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