Our Team
Global Leadership
Distech Controls' innovative product development and unique commercial strategies have attracted a highly talented team of professionals who have been instrumental in the company's continued growth.
Martin Villeneuve
SVP Distributed Building Technology, Acuity Brands
President, Distech Controls
Constant renewal of the company in relation to technology and the market, evolution of people both internally and externally, the fire that has driven Distech Controls since its creation!
- As President of Distech Controls, Martin accompanies and guides the management team to implement effective growth and development strategies while continuing to offer innovative solutions linking the different building systems and occupants.
Over the last 19 years, Martin has played an integral role within Distech Controls. Prior to joining the company, Martin served a Controls Project Manager within the building automation industry.
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
1999
What and where did you study?
- HVAC Engineering DEC, Cégep Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC
- Management and International Marketing courses, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, QC
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Developed and managed several departments including Technical Support, Training, Documentation, Quality Assurance, and Product Management
- As Vice President, leading the way into new markets for Distech Controls throughout Europe and Africa that is performed by integrating the best technology from all these markets
What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation is responding to the customer’s needs in the most efficient way possible, using cost effective technology. Constant innovation is the only way to succeed in today’s marketplace.
Where were you born?
Chicoutimi, QC, Canada
Where is your favorite place to travel?
The Mediterranean coast, the Alps, Florida
Membership:
- BACnet International
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
SVP Distributed Building Technology,
Acuity Brands
President, Distech Controls
Scott Hamilton
Senior Vice President, Sales , ISG (Intelligent Spaces Group)
Innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for our customers enables Distech Controls to be the industry leader for smart and connected buildings. Through our technology partner approach, we deliver solutions that enable our client’s buildings to work for them today and well into the future.
- Senior Vice President of Sales;
- Distech Control Inc.
- Distech Controls Energy Solutions
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2018
What and where did you study?
- BSBA in Management and Marketing - Northeastern University, Boston, MA
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Developed skills, industry knowledge and business acumen working with two global Fortune 100 Companies
- My career has allowed me exposure to various aspects of buildings, including Lighting, Low & Medium Voltage Power Distribution and Building Automation Systems
- As a Manager and Director in the past, and now Vice President, I work to ensure my teams, partners and clients have the tools and resources necessary to be successful
- Building strong, engaged and committed teams focused on creating customer value
What does innovation mean to you?
Creatively solving challenges and realizing new opportunities through the combination of people, technology and partnership.
Where were you born?
Massachusetts, USA
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Western Europe and Caribbean
Membership:
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Senior Vice President, Sales, ISG (Intelligent Spaces Group)
Mathieu Houle
Vice President, Customer Experience
What inspires me at Distech Controls is to participate in the company’s constant growth while being able to develop myself personally within it.
Mathieu has more than 20 years of experience in the field of building management. He worked as a systems integrator for about ten years and also held the positions of Project Manager, Product Manager, as well as EMEA Product Support Director, Global Product Manager before being named VP Customer Experience in April 2018. Now based again in Montreal, he also worked on the Distech Controls SAS team in Lyon, France from 2012 to 2017.
- Responsible for the technical support, training, and customer service departments to provide technical support, quality training and unparalleled customer service to our clients while helping them to be as efficient as possible.
- Responsible for the application team to enable the creation of innovative control and energy efficiency sequences for our range of programmable controllers.
- Establish and manage communication between departments and within departments as a representative of clients to provide feedback to relevant teams.
- Ensures that customers’ issues or ideas for improvement are sent back to Product Development and R&D Departments.
- Responsible for the Field Device product range
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
1999
What and where did you study?
- DEC in Building Mechanics, CEGEP Saint-Hyacinthe, St-Hyacinthe, QC
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Creating pre-loaded applications for the ECL/ECB-VAV series
- Occupation of several positions in the company (Project Manager, Product Manager, Test Team Leader, EMEA Product Support Director, Global
- Product Manager) before being named VP Customer Experience in April 2018 before being appointed Director Product Support
- Moving from Montreal to Lyon to participate in the development of the European market of Distech Controls from 2012 to 2017.
What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation is thinking differently in everything we do!
Where were you born?
In Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Corsica and French ski resorts
Vice President, Customer Experience
Elisabeth Gagnon
Vice President, Operations
Pride, passion, openness, perseverance and responsiveness are at the heart of our being and condition all that we do. These values are the foundation for our strategy, the solutions developed for our customers and our working environment.
- Responsible for the whole manufacturing process from procurement to delivery.
- Responsible for the quality system and the introduction of continuous improvement and lean manufacturing.
- Monitoring improvements to Distech Controls IT and IS to meet the company’s organisational development and requirements.
Over the past 10 years, Elisabeth Gagnon has carried out a variety of job functions with Distech Controls. After starting work as an independent consultant, she joined the company as a department head in 2009. She then managed the deployment of the Distech information systems before being appointed Information Technology Manager in 2014. In 2016, she was appointed Operations Manager, becoming responsible for procurement, manufacturing and logistics. In 2018 she was promoted to Vice President, Operations.
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2008
What and where did you study?
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Management Option, École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) Montreal, Montreal, QC
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Implementation and evolution of Distech Controls’ ERP and CRM solutions
- ISO 9001 registration audits successfully achieved without any non-conformances over the past 6 years
- Implementation and evolution of Distech Controls’ extensive corporate dashboard
What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation is the ability to efficiently deliver on a vision and to inspire change. It requires audacity, passion and conviction.
Where were you born?
Quebec, QC, Canada
Where is your favorite place to travel?
I’m torn between the ski slopes of Norway and the relaxing atmosphere of Key West.
Vice President, Operations
Christina Carvalho
Vice President, Marketing
Being surrounded by passionate and international experts who daily contribute to create this exceptional human-centric corporate culture, as well as aim to improve the future.
- Responsible for leading the global marketing strategy for Distech Controls by developing and implementing innovative solutions including omnichannel marketing campaigns, brand strategies, and public relations.
- Work with Distech Controls leadership, staff, as well as clients and industry main stakeholders to understand and anticipate the future marketing needs of the business to successfully position the company as the forefront of its market.
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2022
What and where did you study?
- Master of Marketing from Paris VI University (France)
- Master of Science from UCP (France)
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Building communication and marketing foundations to support companies’ international growth in Europe and North America.
- Contributing to creating and revealing major brands in the commercial real estate industry.
- Steering the development and implementation of an innovation approach to help redefining and repositioning the office of tomorrow.
What does innovation mean to you?
Always remaining relevant, challenging the status-quo while creating value for the future.
Where were you born?
Paris, France
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Underwater (Red Sea), Brazil and Australia
Membership:
BOMA Canada Thought Leadership Council
Vice President, Marketing
Charles Pelletier
Vice President, Product management
The opportunities to transform the experience that people have with their everyday environment through innovative technologies for connected buildings.
- Responsible for leading Distech Controls’ efforts in developing innovative products and leading solutions for the smart and connected building market.
- Oversees the documentation team.
Charles Pelletier joined Distech Controls in 2002 as a Building Automation System Engineer. Charles later moved into the position of Product Manager, where he was responsible for the introduction of several key Distech Controls products before being appointed director of the department.
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2002
What and where did you study?
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Specialization in Mechanical Building Systems, École de technologies supérieure (ETS), Montreal, QC
- DEC in Building Mechanics, CEGEP Saint-Hyacinthe, St-Hyacinthe, QC
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Participating in the development and launch of the ECLYPSE range in 2015 with the project team.
- Participating in the development and launch of the BACnet and LonWorks controller series (ECB/ECY) in 2010 with the project team.
- Participating in the development and launch of the EC-gfxProgram programming tool in 2007 with the project team.
What does innovation mean to you?
My definition of innovation is simple. What’s difficult is introducing innovation in various spheres of activity. Innovation is about identifying a problem and solving it creatively.
Where were you born?
Granby, QC, Canada
Where is your favorite place to travel?
The Caribbean
Membership:
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
- The Order of Engineers of Quebec (OIQ)
Vice President, Product management
John Sublett
Vice President, Research & Development
Vice President, Research & Development
Guylaine Ruel
Vice President, Product Development
Being happy with what you have instead of having what you want.
- Responsible for the delivery of new products
- Owner of the Agile Development process / Project Tools
- Accountable for product quality
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2021, but I also worked at Distech Controls from 2004 to 2007
What and where did you study?
- Bachelor in Marketing and Executive MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- Through my career, mostly in technology, I have worked in 2 different companies where I came back for new challenges.
- Even though I studied in Marketing, in my first job I started as a Project Manager and moved to a Director role where I managed multifunctional teams.
What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation can be applied to several contexts, whether for products, processes, structure or tools. In all these cases, innovation comes from the creativity and the curiosity of humans, which is very mobilizing and exciting
Where were you born?
Drummondville, Québec, Canada
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Europe
Vice President, Product Development
Jean-Philippe Dubuc
Senior Director, Finance
What I love about Distech Controls is the perfect blend between a corporate culture that allows us to be ourselves, easy-to-reach people, and technology products that represent my environmental values.
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
- 2020
What and where did you study?
- Ordre des comptables professionnels agrées du Québec, CPA accounting title
- Bachelor of business administration, accounting concentration, Sherbrooke University, Sherbrooke, QC
- Certificate, Management Information Systems, Sherbrooke University, Sherbrooke, QC
What are a few highlights from your career thus far?
- During my employment, becoming the youngest finance supervisor in the history of Ultramar Limited.
- Being a member of the final recommendation committee for numerous acquisitions, at the accounting and systems level.
- Working in the manufacturing and distribution industries throughout my career.
- Participating in the development and negotiation of partnerships directly with clients.
What does innovation mean to you?
- The creation of something new and in continuous improvement that betters everyone’s lives – companies like people.
Where were you born?
- Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Where is your favorite place to travel?
- Salvador
Membership:
- Ordre des comptables professionnels agrées du Québec
Senior Director, Finance
Hubert Fritsch
Deputy Managing Director, Europe
Distech Controls is customer oriented and is committed to providing a first class customer experience.
- Management of Distech Controls' European operations
- Responsible for creating operational synergies to maximize customer satisfaction
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2016
What and where did you study?
- Electrical engineering and industrial electronics at INSA (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées)
What are a few highlights of your career thus far?
- Running multidisciplinary teams to bring innovative products to market
What does innovation mean to you?
Concentrating on customer requirements and applying technology to meet these requirements
Where were you born?
Strasbourg, France
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Montreal
Deputy Managing Director, Europe
Inda Duminica
Director, Human Resources
Distech Controls is the place where talented people thrive. Through our work, we feel like we are changing the world.
- Human Resources Business Partner for Distech Controls (excluding Europe) and Distech Controls Enterprise Solutions
- Responsible for promoting a work environment in which talented individuals can do their best work
What year did you start at Distech Controls?
2020
What and where did you study?
- Bachelor in Finance from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Romania)
- MBA from Concordia University (Montréal)
What are a few highlights of your career thus far?
- Putting in place corporate cultures based on happiness, innovation, collaboration and engagement
- Managing the Human Resources side of corporate acquisitions
- Promoting talent development, with an emphasis on internal mobility and diversity
What does innovation mean to you?
Finding original solutions to common problems
Where were you born?
Romania
Where is your favorite place to travel?
I love traveling across Canada, my adopted country
Membership
Order of Certified Human Resources Counsellors of Québec (CRHA)
Director, Human Resources
