Our Team
Made Safe is an initiative of CME.
Made Safe staff are trained and experienced safety professionals with years of industry-specific experience and knowledge. Team members maintain professional designations, such as Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), Certified Ergonomics Specialists (CES), Ergonomics Systems Specialist (ESS) and the Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC) from nationally recognized and accredited third parties.
In addition to the Made Safe team, members are encouraged to explore the many benefits of CME membership and additional expertise available through CME Manitoba.
Neal Curry, Executive Director
Professional BackgroundNeal has more than 40 years manufacturing experience. He has provided leadership in executive positions in small, medium and large companies in both union and non-union environments. Neal has been the Executive Director of Made Safe since its inception in 2016. Neal has been continuously contributing to safety networking in Manitoba as past Chair of CME Safety & Health Committee and member of the Ministers Advisory Council for Workplace Safety & Health. He is currently on the Worker’s Compensation Board of Manitoba Prevention Committee and serves as the Chair of the Industry Based Safety Program Council. Neal’s Safety Philosophy is “Safety cannot be an add on. It must be integral to how we do things. Safety and productivity are not mutually exclusive; in fact, a lean well-organized plant is both safe and efficient.”
Certifications- Diploma, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Algonquin College of Applied Arts & Technology, Ottawa
- BA(Economics), York University , Toronto
- MBA, Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto
- Manufacturing process improvement
- Organizational development
Steven Hnatishin, Program Director
Professional BackgroundSteven provides leadership to the Made Safe team to provide Manitoba manufacturers with a comprehensive suite of training and services to accelerate workplace safety progress. Steven worked in the heavy construction and mining industries before getting involved with manufacturing. Steven has been with the Made Safe team since the initial launch in 2016. Steven volunteers for the CSSE Professional Development Conference committee, the CSSE Safety & Health week committee, the Herzing College Advisory Board for the Occupational Safety & Health Office certification and is the Safetys Gala Chair on the CSSE Manitoba Chapter Executive. Steve’s Safety Philosophy is “When you have a great team everything is possible!”
Certifications- Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)
- Red River College Occupational Health & Safety Certification
- Certified National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO)
- Lean Level I – Yellowbelt
- Leadership Development Program
- Safety & Health Leadership
- Building the Business Case for Safety
Nathan Rasmussen, Consulting Services Manager
Professional BackgroundNathan has worked in the manufacturing industry for 18 years, gaining experience in Foundries, Sheet Metal and Millwork. In his manufacturing career, Nathan has spent 11 years as a Safety Professional and 6 years in a safety training role. Nathan’s Safety Philosophy is “Every injury is predictable, preventable and unacceptable.”
Certifications- Lean Level 1 – Yellowbelt
- A Hazard Is A Hazard
- Mental Health First Aid
- Chemical Safety
- Practical Application
- Leadership training
- Guarding
Gib Perkin, Certification Program Manager
Professional BackgroundGib has worked in the manufacturing industry for 25 years, gaining experience in windows and doors, iron and steel fabrication, and cylinders and compressors. Currently working as a Safety Advisor for Made Safe, Gib is widely known for his 8 years in the safety industry. In addition to his work experience, Gib holds the National Construction Safety Officer designation and specializes in educating on respectful workplaces. Gib’s Safety Philosophy is “Think safety today. Tomorrow may be too late.”
Certifications- National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) from Alberta Construction Safety Association
- Lean Level I – Yellowbelt
- Respectful Workplace Training
- Supervisor training
Don Oldcorn, Training & Development Manager
Professional BackgroundDon has over 10 years of experience designing, developing and delivering training and more than 9 years in manufacturing. Don is a Lean Level II Greenbelt and enjoys applying the concepts of continuous improvement, strategic thinking and planning to solve problems and make organizations better. Don’s Safety Philosophy is, “It is a privilege to be part of an organization delivering safety training to Manitoba workers because you know you are making a real difference in these workers’ lives, and the lives of their families.”
Certifications- Certificate in Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University
- Lean Level II – Greenbelt
- St. John Ambulance Class C First Aid Certification
- Training Design, Development and Delivery
- Continuous Improvement
- Strategy, Analysis and Planning
Janell Stewart, Customer Service & Events Lead
Professional BackgroundJanell has been the Made Safe Coordinator for the past 4 years adeptly handling administrative matters including managing training schedules, planning meetings, and organizing offices for efficiency. Janell is passionate in helping Made Safe members receive the support they need and providing the most positive experience possible. Janell’s Safety Philosophy is “Don’t assume that people know because someone else knows.”
Certifications- Leadership Development Program
- Mental Health First Aid
- Lean Level 1 – Yellowbelt
- Customer Relationship Management
- Office Management
- Event planning
Reg Kmet, Innovation & Technology Lead
Professional BackgroundReg began his career in HR in a variety of manufacturing & warehousing environments gaining more than 12 years of experience. In addition to that, he has more than 4 years of cumulative training experience. His Safety philosophy is “Safety is more than just a buzzword. It is a philosophy that requires a constant never wavering focus from all parts of an organization, not just the front-line employees. No process, function, or deadline should ever compromise a workers well-being. An organization that is committed to safety is thereby committed to success.”
Certifications- BA (Integrated Studies) University of Manitoba
- Certificate, (Human Resource Management) University of Manitoba
- Currently working towards a certification in Adult Education
- Adult Learning
- Labour Relations
Joe Paulich, Senior Safety Trainer
Professional BackgroundJoe is an experienced safety professional with 27 years in the manufacturing field and 19 years in safety-related positions. Joe is very experienced with equipment and enjoys passing on his experience through Made Safe’s operator based training. As a Safety trainer his philosophy is “Safety is not just an action we do at work. Safety starts with your frame of mind, an, attitude in everything you do. Make Safety a part of life and enjoy it with the people who care about you.”
Certifications- Lean Level 1 – Yellowbelt
- Mental Health First Aid
- Operator Based training
- Rigging
- Racking
- Overhead Crane
- Confined Space
Cory Sander, Senior Safety Trainer
Professional BackgroundCory has worked in all facets of the manufacturing industry for 20 years. In addition to that, he has also 10 years experience in agriculture. Cory is currently completing the Certificate in Health, Safety and Environmental Processes (CHSEP) from the University of Fredericton. Cory’s Safety Philosophy is “Safety doesn’t happen by accident!”
Certifications- Train the Trainer
- Lean Level 1 – Yellowbelt
- Workplace safety & health committees
- Adult Learning
Melanie Zukowski, Safety Trainer
Professional BackgroundMelanie spent the first 20 years of her career in emergency services, as a firefighter, paramedic and member of the Canadian Armed Forces. She has experience in emergency preparedness, response and management, and confined space & high angle rescue operations. She returned to university to contribute to strengthening workplaces through incident and injury prevention programs. Mel’s Safety Philosophy is: “Safety is not an intellectual exercise to keep us in work. It is a matter of life and death. It is the sum of our contributions to safety management that determines whether the people we work with live or die.” – Sir Brian Appleton
Certifications- Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Occupational Health & Safety from Ryerson University
- Primary Care Paramedic from Holland College
- Level One NFPA Certification
- Mental Health First Aid
- Conflict Management
- ICS200
- Emergency Systems
- Occupational acquired mental health injury
Jovana Tosovic, Safety Advisor
Professional BackgroundJovana has spent a number of years in the pharmaceutical industry gaining knowledge and experience on safety fundamentals. Jovana is passionate in helping companies improve their hearing conservation programs through comprehensive testing methods. Jovana’s Safety Philosophy is “Safety is everyone’s responsibility!”
Certifications- Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba (Major in Psychology and minor in Russian)
- Occupational Safety and Health Certification Program, Red River College
- Mental Health First Aid
- Leadership Development Program
- Personal noise dosimeter testing
- Ambient noise level testing
- Workplace Safety & Health Committees
Michael Cardillo, Safety Advisor
Professional BackgroundMichael began his career as a Biological Research Technician. After taking the Occupational Safety and Health Certification, he transitioned his career and was a Safety and Health Consultant before starting at Made Sade. His Safety philosophy is “Safety is a common denominator across all aspects of life.”
Certifications- Bachelor of Environmental Science (B.Env.Sc – Major), University of Manitoba
- Master’s of Science (M.Sc.), University of Manitoba
- Occupational Safety and Health Certification Program, Red River College
- Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST)
- Environmental Research
- Laboratory Safety and Health Practices
- Corporate and Retail Safety and Health Practices
Theo McPherson, Safety Advisor
Professional BackgroundTheo has 8 years of experience in the Heavy Construction industry, 5 years of experience in the Building Construction industry, and 2 years of experience in the Manufacturing industry. Theo’s Safety Philosophy is “Everyone has a right to a healthy and safe workplace and a responsibility to make that happen. You are someone’s son, daughter, sister, brother, father, mother or friend and they want you to come home safe. Do your part in keeping the workplace safe, not just for yourself but for everyone.”
Certifications- Occupational Safety and Health Certification Program, Red River College
- St. John Ambulance Class C First Aid Certification
- Mental Health First Aid
- Lean Level I Yellowbelt
- SAFE Work Certified Auditor
- A Hazard is a Hazard
- Adult Learning
- Inspections
- Workplace Health and Safety Committee
- External Auditing
- Investigation
Valerius Hiebert, Safety Advisor
Professional BackgroundValerius has a background in the transportation and construction industry where he has had the privilege of training and mentoring new employees. Being multilingual, (English, German, Low-German, Spanish), Valerius seizes opportunities to communicate safety in many languages. His Safety Philosophy is that “Safety is an area of knowledge that continuously grows and adapts to new challenges. Let us strive to meet those challenges together”.
Certifications- Occupational Safety and Health Certification Program, Red River College
- Lean Level I Yellowbelt
- SAFE Work Certified Auditor
- Hazard is a Hazard
- Workplace Safety & Heath Committee
- Investigation
- Adult Learning