Wade carson
CEO
Our current CEO, Wade Carson, put down roots in the company when he first started as Junior Naval Architect, eventually transitioning into Business Development Manager after more than a decade working as an engineer. After six years leading the company’s strategic vision in business development, he took on the role of interim Managing Director of affiliate company Vard Electro Canada, where he was instrumental in expanding the company’s client and employee base. Wade’s greatest asset lies in his passion for business development and customer relations. Developing market and business strategies, exploring new avenues of growth, connecting with multiple markets, and driving the company forward are what we can expect from Wade’s leadership in the coming years.
Mark Cook
Chief Technical Officer
Mark brings his strong background in vessel design, construction, project management and customer relations to his role as CTO. He has enjoyed his international postings representing the company as project design manager, Owner’s representative and business development. After prising him off of the drawing board, Mark now oversees the production and personnel aspects of the functioning of the company. He is responsible for project performance, overseeing the engineering, design tools and processes and helps drive the continuous improvement and growth of the company.
Darren Truelock
Vice President houston
Darren’s strong background in project management, structural design and regulatory knowledge for Naval & Commercial Programs combined with his drive and passion to succeed has been invaluable to the company since he started in 2014. He has excelled in managing programs, providing client support and satisfaction, and demonstrating technical expertise within the field. Having served as Technical Manager in the Houston office and Managing Principal Engineer at the American Bureau of Shipping (“ABS”) prior to that, he has developed a versatile skill set that has prepared him well for his current role as Vice President of Houston.
Derek Buxton
Vice President Business development & Ottawa
Derek Buxton has 32 years of combined service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard and is currently spearheading the development of new opportunities for VARD in the global government shipbuilding sector. After completing his engineering degree at the Royal Military College of Canada, Derek started his career in the military serving in many sea-going and shore-based roles. He spent four years on exchange duties in Australia with the COLLINS Class submarine program, and subsequently worked on the acquisition and in-service support of Canada’s VICTORIA Class submarines upon his return to Canada. He then finished his military career in 2007 as the design authority for submarine platform systems. Derek spent eleven years with the Canadian Coast Guard in key leadership roles supporting its renewal program, and most recently was responsible for the requirements definition and concept development for the Coast Guard’s future fleet.
KRISTIN JOVEL
Vice President BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Kristin Jovel joined the company in 2010 after leaving her position as a Director of a top-tier service management company in the Houston, Texas area. She continues to leverage her corporate governance and strategic development initiatives to lead the company in her current role as Vice President Business Operations and Director on the Vard Marine Gdansk Board of Directors. Kristin is passionate about people, leading skilled teams in non-technical areas such as IT/Data Management, Quality Assurance, Security and Trade Compliance, Contract Management and Procurement, and corporate governance.
SANJAY BABOORAM
FINANCIAL CONTROLLER
Riane DSouza-Traynor
HR Business Partner