OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
ADVANTEC MARINE
At Advantec Marine, we are guided by our core values that reflect our passion, commitment and excellence in everything we do. We love to help our customers, partners and colleagues by providing solutions that meet their needs and exceed their expectations. We move fast to action, responding to challenges and opportunities with agility and innovation. We build for the future, investing in our people, technology and infrastructure to create long-term value and sustainability. We thrive under pressure, delivering results with quality and integrity in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. You can trust us to own it, taking responsibility and accountability for our actions and decisions. Our leadership team embodies these values and inspires us to achieve our vision and mission.
Dave VanLaar President of AdvanTec Marine
Dave Vanlaar is Vice President of AdvanTec Industrial, President of AdvanTec Marine, and is also an advisor to Teralta Hydrogen Solutions. He is a registered mechanical engineer (P.Eng) with over 20 years of experience in manufacturing. He joined AdvanTec in 2015 and has operational oversight and P&L accountability for all its divisions. Dave is driven by challenging and innovative projects that make a positive impact on the world. He loves to travel and spend time with his family and friends.
Matt Kirby - Vice President of AdvanTec Marine
Matt is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in finance, sales, and marketing. He has transformed the Marine Group's culture with a customer-centric approach and played a crucial role in reorganizing the groups performance standards. His strength lies in tenacity and energy with scaling businesses, delivering innovation, and turning challenges in to team successes.
Allan Les - Vice President of Finance
Since joining the company as Vice President of Finance in 2022, Allan has worked to optimize the Accounting & Finance teams and streamline processes, drawing from over 20 years of experience in a variety of industries. He is focused on keeping things simple and building a strong team. Allan loves spending time with his wife and four children and serving his church and community.
Ron Dykes - director of operations, Advantec marine USA
Ron's passion for the marine industry began in 1989, when he started working at Freeman Marine Equipment, a small company co-founded by Arvie Freeman. He learned a lot from different areas of the business, such as fabrication, product development, research and development, and onsite services. He also proved to be a great sales manager for Freeman Marine Equipment, growing the market in Europe, Russia, and North America. He took on his current role in 2018, leading the production of high-quality marine doors and hatches at the Gold Beach Oregon plant.
Rick Nohr - Director of Operations, AdvanTec Marine Canada
Rick Nohr, Director of Operations at Advantec, has been an essential part of our team for over 25 years. His extensive experience spans various roles within our production facility, where he's been instrumental in elevating our quality standards. Rick's unwavering commitment and leadership have left an indelible mark on Advantec. He consistently drives teams towards excellence, showcasing his dedication to our mission. As a key figure in our organization, he's played a pivotal role in raising the bar for quality standards.
Dean Robinson - Director of Products and Business Systems
As the Director of Products and Business Systems, Dean Robinson has worked at Advantec Marine for more than 34 years. He started as a window glazer then became a drafter, designer, and manager. He is passionate about innovation and creativity and leads a diverse and talented team. On a personal note, he loves hunting and spending time with family.
Brian Lamma - Director of Sales
Brian Lamma is the Sales Director at AdvanTec Marine, where he has been working for almost 21 years. He leads the sales team with enthusiasm and expertise, and he has a deep knowledge of boat doors, hatches, windows, and cranes. Brian is also a former U.S. Marine Corps member and attributes his discipline, leadership, and problem-solving skills to his military background. In his spare time, Brian likes to spend time with his family.
Sophie Wang - Controller
Sophie is a CPA, CGA who joined Advantec Manufacturing Canada in 2017 after moving from China, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Finance. She has witnessed and contributed to the company’s growth and development, while developing her skills along the years.