OTTAWA, Oct. 26, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Réjean Breton, Eng., cofounder of consulting engineering firm BBA, headquartered in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, is the recipient of the 2016 Beaubien Award. The award was presented by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) at the 2016 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards gala. The Beaubien Award recognizes individuals for their lifetime contributions to ACEC and to the advancement of the consulting engineering profession and industry. The Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards are considered the highest form of recognition for excellence in the consulting engineering industry.   

"Réjean Breton has always been, and continues to be, an exceptional ambassador of the consulting engineering profession. He exemplifies the Beaubien Award," said John Gamble, ACEC President & CEO. "Réjean's important contribution to our industry and ACEC over many years make him an ideal choice for this award."

An unparalleled leader and consulting engineer
Gifted with a capacity for wonder and an ability to convey it to others, Réjean has always encouraged the recruitment of young engineers and promoted women in engineering. A passionate and visionary man, he is known for his straightforward manner and for ardently defending what are often very original ideas.

Réjean believes that true success is found off the beaten path. This philosophy is what drove him in 1980 to cofound the firm that would later become Breton, Banville et Associés, or BBA. By 1986, with over 35 employees and growing exponentially, the firm relocated from Beloeil to the small town of Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Moving to a suburban area instead of Montreal was a risk; however, Réjean was forward-thinking. He foresaw that IT advances would eliminate the issue of distance for clients and recognized that suburban quality of life would help attract young top talent. By 1998, the BBA building was constructed, complete with a host of innovate characteristics that earned the new head office several accolades. Almost 20 years later, the building is still at the cutting-edge of technology.

Under his leadership, the firm continued to grow, expanding into the international market to deliver projects in France, Haiti, Peru and several African countries. He remained president of BBA until his retirement in 2006. To this day, his legacy of strong, deep-rooted business culture continues to drive the organization which now has over 600 employees.

From the time BBA was founded, Réjean strongly encouraged the firm's partners to support social causes and recognized the company's social responsibility. The list of initiatives he led is long and some are highly original, such as the BBA Arts Day. Since 2007, Réjean has chaired the Fonds de la relève Théodore-Wildi, a scholarship for engineering students at Laval University. In retirement, he remains as passionate as ever and continues to give back by sitting on several boards in the areas of arts and culture, science and education, and business.

In the same spirit, Réjean has been passionate in supporting the profession. In 2002, he joined ACEC's Board of Directors, holding various positions including Board Chair in 2006-2007. During his tenure, Réjean initiated the ACEC Tree for Life Award, presented to a firm whose project best demonstrates outstanding environmental stewardship. Although his official duties with ACEC ended in 2008, Réjean continues to support the world of engineering by regularly attending national conferences and award galas, and by representing ACEC on the Engineering Change Lab sponsored by Engineers Canada.

As the recipient of ACEC's Beaubien Award, Réjean is recognized by his peers for his exemplary service to the association, the consulting engineering industry and the engineering profession. The award was created by ACEC in 1984 in honour of Dr. James de Gaspé Beaubien, who founded ACEC in 1925.

ACEC represents companies in Canada that provide professional engineering services to both public and private sector clients. These services include the planning, design and execution of all types of engineering projects, as well as providing independent advice and expertise in a wide range of engineering and engineering-related fields. For more information about ACEC and the 2016 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards, please visit www.acec.ca.

Multimedia (includes photo and video):

Réjean Breton photo
Réjean Breton, Beaubien Award Recipient, page on acec.ca

SOURCE Association of Consulting Engineering Companies

Image with caption: "Réjean Breton (CNW Group/Association of Consulting Engineering Companies)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161026_C8840_PHOTO_EN_804719.jpg