People & Places
Phillippe Thenoux, Mechanic, Carmen de Andacollo Operations
Jelena Puzic, Director, Geoscience Services, Exploration, Vancouver office
Gerry Wong, Senior Safety Coordinator, Highland Valley Copper, Winners’ Trip: London, England for London 2012 Summer Olympic Games
Courtney Seeger, Senior Engineer Supervisor, Long Range, Greenhills Operations, Winners’ Trip: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games
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Phillippe Thenoux
Mechanic
Carmen de Andacollo Operations
When did you start at the company, and at which site/office?
I joined Teck in 2012 at Carmen de Andacollo (CDA) as a mechanic in Mine Maintenance. Today, I’m also the Electrical Leader for my team.
Could you provide a description of what you do in your role?
I am in charge of repairs and maintenance for our mining equipment, including motors, shovels, excavators, bulldozers, drilling machines and more. I am also responsible for hydraulic and mechanical repairs and maintenance related to CDA’s engineering and infrastructure.
What is your favourite part about your job?
I enjoy developing projects related to continuous improvement and innovation in mining, and working to improve the existing tools and processes in place in order to maximize their potential.
What did it mean to you to be nominated by your peers for an Excellence Award?
Being nominated was something that was very special for me. I am proud to be a Teck employee and proud of the company I work for. It was meaningful to have my colleagues recognize and value the work that I do and my leadership, and I am thankful to them for that. This type of award opportunity helps keep us inspired and motivated.
Can you describe the moment you found out you were a winner?
It was when I was in the final stages of finishing a project. CDA’s HR Manager called me to ask what I was doing, how my day was going, and so on. At the end of our conversation, he informed me that I had won an Excellence Award—I was so excited! He also told me that in a couple of days I would be contacted with more details and that I should expect another call; however, I didn’t know that it was going to be Don Lindsay who was going to call me, so that was a big surprise! I don’t speak English, so he was on the call with a translator, where he congratulated me for my work and for being a winner. It was amazing.
Where did you travel on your Excellence Awards winners’ trip, and what was the most memorable moment?
We travelled from La Serena to Santiago, from Santiago to Vancouver and finally from Vancouver to South Korea for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. South Korea was beautiful—we did a lot of sightseeing and got to watch live sporting events that we don’t normally see in Chile. Spending time getting to know the other Excellence Award winners was terrific, but the most memorable moment was the final dinner and awards ceremony, where Don presented me and the other winners with a beautiful piece of art and recognized our achievements at Teck, which felt very special.
Phillippe is a 2016 Excellence Award winner in the category of Cost Reduction, Productivity and Innovation.
Jelena Puzic
Director, Geoscience Services, Exploration
Vancouver office
When did you start at the company, and at which site/office?
I was hired straight out of my undergraduate degree (a Bachelor of Science in Geology at Queen’s University) to work with Teck’s Exploration group in the Pelly Mountains region of the Yukon.
In what other roles or at what other sites/offices have you worked?
I have had the great privilege to work across early stage exploration and advanced project/operations with teams in over 10 different countries, including four years living in Peru, followed by five years living and working in Australia. Each experience enriched my perspective through its people and culture.
Could you provide a description of what you do in your role?
As Director of Geoscience Services, I am now based in Vancouver and lead a technical team who are passionate about integrating geoscience with other technical disciplines to create value for Teck at our operations and advanced projects. Our mandate is to grow the resource base at our brownfield sites through exploration and discovery, and to characterize our deposits to reduce risk and recognize opportunity in project design and operation.
What is your favourite part about your job?
I love that our team can make a difference at Teck. Whether this is through discovery of additional resources for the future, or understanding the properties of the rocks we mine so we can make more sustainable decisions in mining, I enjoy collaborating with amazing people across the organization to deliver value to the business.
What did it mean to you to be nominated by your peers for an Excellence Award?
This was the highlight of my career! It is the greatest honour to be recognized by your colleagues. In exploration, we work together in remote and challenging locations and you rely on your workmates like family. It is very rewarding when co-workers acknowledge the contribution of their teammates in this way.
Can you describe the moment you found out you were a winner?
I was living in Australia at the time and I received a phone call on a Saturday…it was Don Lindsay! I was surprised and in disbelief. Just then, my phone lost reception and Don probably thought I hung up on him. Thankfully, he called me right back and I was very touched and thrilled to hear the news of winning one of Teck’s first-ever Excellence Awards in 2008.
Where did you travel on your Excellence Awards winners’ trip, and what was the most memorable moment?
We travelled to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. We were in awe of the host country’s spirit, and the dedication and excellence we witnessed from the Olympic athletes in their drive for gold. Watching Canadian athlete Simon Whitfield win silver in the triathlon was a highlight, as was getting to know the other Teck family members.
Jelena is a 2008 Excellence Award winner in the category of Spirit and Progress.
Gerry Wong
Senior Safety Coordinator
Highland Valley Copper
Winners’ Trip: London, England for London 2012 Summer Olympic Games
What year and in which category were you an Excellence Awards winner?
I won in two categories in 2012: Safety in the Workplace, and Mentor.
What did it mean to you to be nominated by your peers for an Excellence Award?
It was super cool. This recognition is from your fellow workers at site, and to me, that recognition is bigger than the award itself. The London trip was a huge bonus on something that was awesome to begin with.
Can you describe the moment you found out you won?
It was like winning the lottery, but more about accomplishment and respect than a lucky draw. The notification came directly from Don Lindsay by phone: “Hi, this is Don Lindsay from Teck”. My first thought was, “Yeah, sure buddy – who is this really?”. Then it sunk in that it was real. And then I thought, “YAHOO! WOW! OMG! Don’t wake me up if I’m just dreaming!”
Who was your guest on your trip?
My guest was my wife, Diane.
What were your favourite activities you participated in or favourite events you watched?
Everything about the Olympics and visiting London was amazing, from attending the sporting events (tennis, swimming, track, beach volleyball), to touring Buckingham Palace, the Royal Garden, and the Canadian Consulate High Commission. We stayed near Big Ben, and during our free time we explored downtown and the Tower of London. Then during our down time, our group was able to relax together and watch the Olympics in a space back at the hotel. To top it all off, our dedicated hosts and guides throughout the trip were excellent.
Was there a local food specialty or restaurant you recommend trying?
All the food venues we tried were great, but I particularly liked the English pubs, which were tourist attractions themselves.
What was the most memorable moment of your trip?
Visiting London was pretty incredible, but the most memorable part overall was meeting all the winners from other operations and Don, having great casual conversations with everyone and enjoying each other’s company throughout the time there.
Courtney Seeger
Senior Engineer Supervisor, Long Range
Greenhills Operations
Winners’ Trip: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games
What year and in what category were you an Excellence Awards winner?
I was a winner in 2016 in the Cost Reduction, Productivity and Innovation category.
What did it mean to you to be nominated by your peers for an Excellence Award?
You always want to do your best at your job, and so it meant a lot to me to know that people thought highly enough of my work to nominate me for an award.
Can you describe the moment you found out you won?
I was definitely in shock. I hadn’t realized that I had even been considered for nomination. Once that wore off, I don’t think I stopped smiling all day.
Who was your guest on your trip?
I brought a close friend of mine, Jeremy, with me as my guest.
What were your favourite activities you participated in or favourite events you watched?
We were able to watch the Brazilian women’s soccer team play. Seeing the home country’s team play their most popular sport was an amazing experience. The amount of energy and excitement in that arena was incredible.
Was there a local food specialty or restaurant you recommend trying?
Pao de queijo (cheese bread) was a food that was served frequently as an appetizer and also for breakfast. It was delicious!
What was the most memorable moment of your trip?
We went up to see the Christ the Redeemer Statue, which is at the peak of Mount Corcovado. From that height, we could see all of the city of Rio de Janeiro below us; it was an amazing view.
