2022 Winner - Richard Tiller, M.Eng, P.Eng., PE, FEC, FEIC, FCSCE

(OTTAWA) November 4, 2022 – The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) is delighted to announce Richard (Rick) Tiller as the 2022 Beaubien Award recipient. This award was created in 1984 to honour Dr. James de Gaspé Beaubien who founded ACEC in 1925 – it recognizes individuals for their lifetime contributions to ACEC and achievements in the consulting engineering profession. Mr. Tiller was announced as this year’s recipient during the 2022 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards on the evening of November 3rd. These awards are regarded as the highest form of recognition for excellence in the industry.

Rick Tiller is the CEO of Tiller Engineering Inc. and is considered one of the most experienced and respected structural engineers in Newfoundland and Labrador. His remarkable 35-year career began in his hometown of St John’s, where he found his passion in mathematics and science at a young age. Rick studied civil engineering at Memorial University, joined Structural Consultants Ltd., a local structural consulting engineering firm, and designed and stamped his first building, the Gander Courthouse, by age 25. He then spent the next several years completing a Masters in Structural Engineering, taking on a senior role as Lead Structural Engineer at BFL Consultants Ltd., and fulfilling an overseas assignment in the UK to design a new offshore oil and gas facility. Rick’s enthusiasm and dedication to his work was obvious to everyone who worked with him.

With this impressive experience under his belt, Rick decided to go out on his own and launched Tiller Engineering Inc. (TEI) in 2000. When he started the firm, he was the only employee and worked out of the walk-in closet in his bedroom. Today, 22 years later, TEI has grown to be one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest structural engineering firms, offering industry-leading tower and telecoms engineering services for clients across Canada and around the world. If you were to ask him, Rick would tell you that, without a doubt, his proudest accomplishment is building his firm from the ground up.

While he is focused on innovative problem solving to stay competitive and achieve his business objectives, Rick has always valued the company’s greatest asset above all else: his team. In fact, a few of his staff members have been with his firm for over a decade – a testament to his commitment to fostering a healthy and trusting workplace.

Not only does Rick support his employees’ personal and professional growth, but he is also a strong advocate for young entrepreneurs and engineers, providing mentorship and hiring students so they can learn the skills they need to thrive in the industry. His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed – Rick was named Co‐op Employer of the year by Memorial University in 2010, and Atlantic Business Magazine recently named him one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada.

Throughout his career, Rick has also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the industry and his community. He has been an active member of ACEC, including as past Chair of ACEC-NL and ACEC-Canada. He has served as Chair of the Board for Memorial University’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, as a Board Member of Ronald Macdonald House-NL, and as President of the Rotary Club of Waterford Valley. Rick also volunteers his time as a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, and Engineers Canada.

From running a successful company for the last 22 years, to always finding time to give back and support the next generation of engineers, it’s no wonder Rick Tiller is recognized as an exceptional leader in the consulting engineering field. As this year’s Beaubien Award recipient, Rick will undoubtedly continue to make invaluable contributions to his community, his province, and the country.