After 17 years of dedicated service, we extend a warm farewell to Paul Ketchabaw, Principal and Project Manager, Architecture, who is retiring at the end of the month. Based in our Calgary office, Paul joined WalterFedy through the Riddell Kurczaba (RK) acquisition and has been an integral part of our architectural project management team, bringing expertise, leadership, and professionalism to our team.
With more than 30 years of industry experience, Paul has been a stabilizing force in the delivery of projects- approaching every task with practicality, precision, and a commitment to getting the job done right. He has been highly influential in developing the firm’s project management program and capabilities. His dedication to sound project management principles, combined with technical acumen and an enthusiastic attitude, has consistently led to positive outcomes for project teams and clients alike. Paul’s diverse project portfolio spans residential, institutional, and commercial developments across Canada, Bermuda, and China.
Prior to joining RK, he spent 13 years in Ontario as a Project Manager and Architectural Technologist and was an active member of both the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists and the Architectural Technologists of Ontario.
A Career Highlight: The NWR Project
Reflecting on his career, Paul shared that one of the most memorable experiences was his role as Lead Project Manager on the North West Redwater Partnership (NWR) project- his first oil and gas project and one of the largest, most complex undertakings of his career.
Through a rigorous design-build process, the project involved the creation of multiple non-process, occupied buildings in Northern Alberta, including a Control/Administration Building, Fire Hall/Warehouse/Maintenance Building, Reactor Assembly Building, and several other support facilities. Each structure was designed to meet exacting safety standards, with all buildings within the blast radius constructed to withstand pressures of up to 1.9 psi. The Control/ Administration building was also certified LEED® Silver.
Paul described the experience as one that reinforced the value of trust, collaboration, and shared purpose- qualities he carried into every project thereafter.
Paul Reflects on 40+ Years in the Industry
“As I look back on a career spanning more than four decades, I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible journey and the people who made it meaningful.
I began in Toronto with some of the city’s most respected architectural firms, contributing to projects like Tour of the Universe, a Space Shuttle simulation ride to Jupiter located beneath the CN Tower. From there, my path led to Beijing for the Dragon Villas development, and then to Bermuda for 12 years, where my daughter was born and I worked on remarkable projects, including residences for Michael Bloomberg and Michael Douglas, and Fidelity Overseas headquarters.
Returning to Canada brought me to Calgary, a city close to my heart since meeting my wife at Lake Louise when I was 21 years old. Over the past 17 years, I’ve had the privilege of leading the pursuit of new business opportunities at the Kampala Industrial Business Park in Uganda (with a memorable visit to the source of the Nile) and the NWR Sturgeon Refinery, where our team delivered the first LEED Silver Administration Building in a refinery setting.
This career has been deeply fulfilling, filled with exciting projects, amazing colleagues, and clients who made every challenge worthwhile. I will truly miss the collaboration and shared purpose that define this profession.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. Here’s to new adventures ahead!”