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I'm Andrea McChesney, the Executive Director of the CCMPA, and we want to ensure you and your team have all the access to the latest and greatest in CCMPA activities and industry buzz.
Sincerely, Andrea & your CCMPA team.
Block to Business aims to equip CMU sales teams with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to grow market share.
This summit will strengthen foundational CMU expertise, sharpen understanding of competitive materials, and improve skills for solving design challenges and promoting resilient, durable building solutions.
The Goal:
Participants learn to leverage the Block Basics slide deck to deliver persuasive, value-driven sales conversations—empowering teams to elevate their pitch and expand their market impact.
The Method:
- Full day, interactive learning seminar
- Hear from industry experts
- Tangible tools & Takeaway Learning
Resilience Quantified: Preparing for Extreme Weather Driven by a Changing Climate
Dr. Blair Feltmate, Head, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, provides actionable insight on strengthening buildings against climate threats through resilience-focused design and risk-mitigation strategies.
Check your Specs!
Learn firsthand from Dr. Bennett Banting with CMDC on how to identify common mistakes in specs and how to coach customers through them.
Tying it all together!
CCMPA CMU Block Basics
Introducing the new CCMPA Block Basics slide deck designed to kick start the conversation and open the door for your specific product pitch.
Post like a Pro: Turning Construction Content Into Sales
Olivier Bridgeman, CEO of Bridge Media, simplifies the tips and tricks of capturing jobsite and product magic — on all the hottest platforms in the social media world.
Beyond the Hype: Decoding Mass Timber’s Strengths and Limits
Hear from Alex Watchman from Clark Barnes, on the basics of designing with mass timber. Become familiar with the language and the concepts.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Blair Feltmate, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation
Dr. Feltmate is the Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo. Previous positions he has held include Vice President, Sustainable Development, Bank of Montreal; Director, Sustainable Development, Ontario Power Generation.
Dr. Feltmate was on the Advisory Table, National Adaptation Strategy, Canada. He is Sustainable Finance Council member, Global Risk Institute, and he is a member of Climate Proof Canada (Insurance Bureau of Canada). He was Chair, Federal Government of Canada Expert Panel on Climate Adaptation and Resilience.
Dr. Feltmate was a NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Waterloo). He holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Ecology (University of Toronto), Master’s in Sustainable Development (Wilfrid Laurier University), Master’s in Zoology (University of Toronto), and Hon. Bachelor’s Biology (University of Toronto). He is generally interviewed by the media 100 times per year.
Dr. Feltmate received the King Charles III Coronation Medal (2025), Clean 16 Award for Education & Thought Leadership (2018), and Clean 50 Award (2013).
Dr. Bennett Banting, The Canadian Masonry Design Centre
Bennett is the Director of Technical Services at the Canada Masonry Design Centre, bringing 17 years of experience in the masonry industry, along with his PhD from McMaster on concrete block masonry shear walls under earthquake loading.
His research significantly influenced the development of new seismic provisions in the 2014 edition of CSA S304, “Design of Masonry Structures,” and earned him the TMS Ph.D. Thesis Award in 2015.
Currently, Bennett serves as the Vice-Chair for the 2024 edition of CSA S304 and is an active member of numerous codes and standards committees.
He has authored over 50 journal, conference, and technical publications, is the lead lecturer for the industry-run Engineered Masonry Design Course and is the lead author of the 2nd Canadian Edition of the textbook “Masonry Structures: Behaviour and Design.”
Bennett has overseen more than 40 industry-sponsored research programs at 15 universities across Canada and has served as the Technical Committee Chair for the 13th, 14th, and upcoming 15th Canadian Masonry Symposium.
Olivier Bridgeman, Bridge Media
Olivier is the founder and CEO of Bridge Media, a digital marketing agency he started more than 20 years ago. Today, he runs the company with his wife and business partner, Andréanne Lafleur. Their team specializes in helping construction companies in the masonry, hardscaping, roofing, and foundation space stand out by building their credibility online. Bridge Media works with professional associations, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and contractors across Canada, the United States, and Europe.
A lifelong technology enthusiast, Olivier began programming at age nine and later earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and an MBA. He was a technical co-founder of a web start-up that was acquired by a venture capital firm. Known for his clear and practical style, he’s a frequent speaker who makes technology feel simple and useful for everyone.
Alex Watchman, Clark/Barnes
Alex Watchman, senior project architect at Clark/Barnes, has 12 years of experience in architecture and construction. His technical expertise and ability to coordinate complex details and systems creates seamless experiences and strong working relationships with clients and consultants. Along with a background in digital fabrication, he has specific expertise in mass timber design and detailing.
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