Past-Presidents

APEGA has existed for more than 100 years, and for every year of its existence, there has been a president of Council to uphold the pillars that APEGA stands for: integrity, accountability, innovation, and service. Through the decades of change and growth, the men and women listed below led APEGA’s Council.

They have worked across the globe, from Mississippi to Venezuela, but all settled their talents here in Alberta. Each came from different walks of life, from serving in the Second World War, to teaching aeronautics, to instigating first-time overseas ventures. This incredible group of outstanding people made their mark on the world and helped make APEGA what it is today.

1972: R. Alexander Hemstock, P.Eng., FEC

R. Alexander Hemstock, P.Eng., FEC

Born in Hanna, Alta., Alex Hemstock graduated with a bachelor's degree in mining engineering in 1943 from the University of Alberta. After a couple of years in the field he returned to the university to earn his master's degree in 1947.

He returned to his first employer, Imperial Oil Ltd., and throughout his 35-year tenure had strong involvement in engineering, environmental and socio-economic problems related to the development of the Canadian Arctic.

Hemstock took early retirement from Imperial Oil in 1978 and created his own consulting company and served as a consultant to the environmental division of Hardy Associates Ltd.

Hemstock devoted a great deal of time to The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) on the counselling and education committee, student affairs committee and discipline committee. He was a councillor, first vice-president (1971-72) and president (1972-73). In addition, he served on the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE; now Engineers Canada) and served as CCPE president in 1985.

He was past chair of the Arctic Petroleum Operators Association, past vice-president and member of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), was appointed to many committees related to Arctic land use research and was a member of technical exchange missions to Russia.

His honours included being named a fellow of Engineers Canada (2009), Honorary Life Membership in APEGGA (1973), distinguished lecturer for CIM (1972) and Oilweek Magazine's Oilman of the Year (1970). Hemstock was retired and lived in Calgary before he died in August 2010.