St. John’s, NL (February 16, 2015) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Oil & Gas Industries Association (Noia) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2015 Industry Achievement Awards. Mr. Kevin Roche of Noble Drilling Canada (retired) is the 2015 Outstanding Contribution Award recipient and Mr. Mike Wahl of Definitions Health & Wellness is the 2015 Rising Star Award recipient. Both individuals will be recognized at Noia’s Industry Achievement Awards Gala on February 25, 2015 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.
The Outstanding Contribution Award recognizes exemplary individuals who have influenced the development of our local oil & gas industry and who have demonstrated qualities of vision, integrity and leadership through their work and lives. Mr. Roche, who retired from Noble Drilling in 2011, will be recognized for his instrumental role in building sustainable resource development processes for the East Coast oil & gas industry. His career in the oil & gas industry spanned 34 years and included leadership positions across several leading-edge companies, here at home and as far away as Stavanger, Copenhagen and Aberdeen. Mr. Roche also played an integral role in ensuring the transfer of knowledge between Noble’s operations worldwide and the growing oil & gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Rising Star Award was launched in 2014 to recognize the talents of an impressive individual who is 40 years old or younger and has made remarkable strides in their role in the local oil & gas industry. Mr. Wahl, founder and Manager Director of Definitions Health & Wellness, is being recognized for his contributions to enhancing the focus on health and wellness across the local industry. Over the last 12 years, Mr. Wahl transformed his company from a single-location fitness studio into a full-service health, wellness and safety company that services 25 oil & gas companies in Newfoundland and Labrador. Under Mr. Wahl’s leadership, Definitions Health & Wellness has grown internationally and is recognized as an expert organization in the delivery of health and wellness solutions through the use of innovative, scientifically-based methodologies that provide measurable results.
Both Mr. Roche and Mr. Wahl will be celebrated at Noia’s Industry Achievement Awards on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland from 6:30–9:30 p.m. The event will also celebrate Noia members who are marking 30 or more years as Noia members and a local educator who has provided a creative, engaging and inspiring presence that directly motivated high school students to pursue post-secondary education related to a career in the oil & gas industry.
Media agencies are encouraged to send representatives to the event and are asked to advise Noia of their attendance by Monday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m. by completing the attached form and returning it to [email protected].
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For more information, contact:
Colleen Ryan, Senior Director of Communications & Policy, Noia
Tel: 709-758-6617 | Cell: 709-691-2208 | [email protected]
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Award Recipient Bios
Mr. Kevin Roche
Kevin Roche graduated from Memorial University in 1978 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and worked in the oil & gas industry from then until his retirement from Noble Drilling Canada in 2011.
From 1978 to 1983, he worked for Canadian Marine Drilling, based in Calgary, as part of the offshore drilling operations and subsea engineering project groups working in the Beaufort Sea. He then joined Bow Valley Offshore Drilling and spent the next six years working as a Subsea Systems Engineer, Assistant Rig Manager and Rig Manager based in Halifax and St. John’s. His next three assignments were with Maersk Drilling, working various sectors of the North Sea as Rig Manager in Aberdeen, Drilling Superintendent in Copenhagen and Operations Manager in Stavanger.
Mr. Roche returned home to Newfoundland and Labrador in 1994 and accepted the position of General Manager at Noble Drilling (Canada) Ltd. In this capacity, he was responsible for Noble’s contract with Hibernia Management and Development Company (HMDC) to provide drilling and drilling system maintenance services, and safety management programs for the two drilling rigs on the Hibernia Platform. He progressed within the Noble organization to become President of Noble Drilling Canada, Vice President of Noble Corporation (Houston) and VP-Technology Systems (Houston). Noble International Ltd. seconded him in 2002 to perform Organizational Consistency Audits in Noble’s seven divisions worldwide. He was seconded again in 2008 to the Mexico Division as Division Manager where he worked on a rotating basis for two years.
In addition to playing an integral part in building sustainable resource development processes for the East Coast oil & gas industry, Kevin has been a member of numerous community and industry-related boards, including Noia. His expertise in industry training, recruitment, leadership skills and technology is continually sought after by his peers in the industry. In 2003, he was recognized as one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada.
Mike Wahl
Mike Wahl holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick, a Master of Applied Physiology from Memorial University and is currently a PhD candidate in Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine in the field of Epidemiology.
Mike opened Definitions, his St. John’s fitness centre, in 2003 and soon identified an opportunity to broaden its business approach beyond the fitness industry’s traditional approach of treating all clients the same. Under Mike’s guidance, Definitions has evolved from a single-location fitness studio into a corporate organization that provides services internationally that is recognized as an expert organization in offshore obesity, health and wellness. As a reflection of Mike’s expertise, he presented at the ExxonMobil and Chevron best practices forums in Houston, Texas. He was also invited to sit on the International Association of Drilling Contractors Health and Safety Advisory Board, which helps regulate best practices for the international drilling community.
Mike has also been a steadfast advocate for the oil & gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, demonstrated through numerous published articles in peer-reviewed literature and over 50 popular media sources. He has presented at numerous international conferences from the United States to Europe, including the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas where he presented the first industry model for valuing cost-savings associated with offshore wellness programs. He also participated in the advisory process for Recommendation 14 of the Wells’ Inquiry to develop fitness standards for offshore workers as a requirement for site access and emergency training/competency in response to the Flight 491 tragedy.
Mike was named BDC Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005; was a top three finalist in Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in Atlantic Canada in 2007; won the ACE Student Entrepreneur of the Year for Canada in 2011; and the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011.
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About Noia (Newfoundland & Labrador Oil & Gas Industries Association)
Established in 1977, Noia is Canada’s largest offshore petroleum association with more than 650 member companies. Noia members provide products and services for the petroleum industry and associate members represent operators, trade associations, educational institutions and government bodies. For additional information about Noia, visit www.noia.ca.
