Meet Derek Lawrence, material handling guru!
Resident Trekkie, traveler and curler, Derek has a long history at BID Canada
Derek Lawrence grew up in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, a small coal mining town in Cape Breton. Several members of his large extended family worked for the coal company, the area steel plant, or related construction industries. This led Derek to study Civil Engineering Technology at UCCB (Now Cape Breton University), attend Lakehead University in Thunder Bay for Civil Engineering, and later Memorial University of Newfoundland to complete a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology.
“After completing my time in Thunder Bay in 1999, I had opportunities to go west or stay in Ontario, but the ocean called me home and I found myself in New Brunswick. When I applied to BID as an estimator, I intended to try estimating at BID and living in Woodstock for a year or two and then move back to Nova Scotia. Instead, I met my wife Darlene in Woodstock and built a life here.”
Derek was employed with BID Canada from 2000-2017 and was an estimator, then preliminary conveyor engineer, he attended trade shows, did business development and became sales and estimating manager. In 2017, he started a position as business development manager for Heath & Sherwood, followed by three years at Rulmeca Canada. Similar to the ocean, BID Canada called him home and he returned after the acquisition by McDonough in May 2023.
Derek is a lifelong Trekkie and science fiction fan, and in his spare time he likes to watch movies & TV, reading and pursuing lifelong learning. He is an avid curler, and enjoys traveling, spending with his family and spoiling his nieces and nephew.
Reach out to Derek if you want to talk material handling, and we’re sure he wouldn’t mind discussing Star Trek or curling while you’re at it!