Lee Nichols

Lee is the founder of Terracon and has over 56 years’ experience in geotechnical engineering, mine and tailings facilities development and design, groundwater and mine dewatering studies, water quality studies, environmental studies, surface hydrology and ore reserve estimates. Following his undergraduate degree at Queen’s University, Lee received his Masters of Science from Syracuse University. His professional career began immediately upon completion of his undergraduate studies in May, 1963 and he has been a participant in Western Canadian and foreign heavy oil projects since 1974. He has worked on projects in the Athabasca Oil Sands region continuously since that time. Lee has held various technical and senior commercial positions in companies that have worked around the globe.

Lee has also successfully acted as expert witness in legal cases in the United States. Lee takes a very strong professional and personal interest in helping develop and promote Terracon’s health and safety program, especially amongst entry level professionals, as well as its quality management system. In 2013 Lee was awarded the Individual Achievement Award for his many years of work to improve safety and reduce injuries in Alberta workspaces. He helped to create an undergraduate program in Engineering at the University of Alberta which focuses exclusively on risk control, safety, and loss management.