Meet Our Leadership Team

Peter Stefanovic, C.E.T.

President

Peter joined Schaeffers in 1978 as municipal infrastructure designer. In 1988 he became chief municipal designer, later assuming a principal director of Design & Drafting Department role and presently Peter is partner and president of Schaeffers.

During his remarkable career with the company, Peter’s accomplishments include successful delivery of numerous projects addressing various aspects of municipal infrastructure for hundreds of residential, institutional and industrial subdivisions constructed in the Great Toronto Area and beyond. His vast experience includes leading teams of professionals in detailed design, cost estimation and tender preparation, creation of engineering drawings and documentation, liaison with municipal, regional, and provincial authorities. His wealth of knowledge based on more than 40 years of civil engineering experience makes Peter an invaluable asset to the Schaeffers Leadership Team.

Hacik Tozcu, P.Eng.

Since starting with Schaeffers in 1983, Hacik has progressed from construction site supervisor and municipal design engineer to becoming partner and principal director of Schaeffers.

In his current role, Hacik has the ultimate responsibility for detailed engineering work including liaison with the clients, firms and authorities. Hacik is knowledgeable with design and construction practices for residential, institutional and industrial subdivisions with sanitary and storm sewers, water distribution, roads and other related services. He supervises approvals for projects from municipalities and other government agencies, such as Ministries of Environment, Natural Resources and Transportation. He is skillful with completion of contract documents and tendering of the projects. With over 40 years of hands on engineering experience, Hacik plays a prominent role in today’s success of the company.

Vijay Gupta, P.Eng.

Vijay started with Schaeffer & Reinthaler Limited in 1976 as survey instrument operator. He then joined Schaeffer & Associates in 1981 as project engineer progressing to leading roles and entering into partnership.

Today Vijay heads up Construction Administration and Survey Departments as principal director.
Vijay is responsible for all of Schaeffer’s contract administration and surveying work. In this capacity, he performs a broad range of tasks including meeting with project clients, investigating site servicing requirements, liaising with governing agencies during the project approval process, coordinating and supervising the field staff during construction and insuring that compliance to the specifications and requirements for final acceptance is achieved. The wealth of 45 years of global experience in various fields in the civil engineering profession is making Vijay an important member of the Schaeffers Leadership Team.

Nelson Lee, C.E.T.

Before joining Schaeffers in 2005 as senior project manager, Nelson gained hands on experience in the roles of municipal designer and design manager with different engineering consulting companies. Today he is overseeing Subdivision Design Department and has accrued over 20 years of progressive experience in planning, design and construction of municipal infrastructure projects.

Nelson has extensive knowledge of the development and infrastructure improvement processes as well as comprehensive understanding of various municipalities/agencies design and permitting requirements. He has designed many site plans, municipal improvement, subdivision, spine servicing, etc. engineering projects that have involved co-ordination with multiple stakeholders. Nelson currently is responsible for managing staff and delivering civil engineering design services along with utility condition assessments and relocations for complex servicing projects.

Hagop Sarkissian, P.Eng.

Hagop began his career in municipal engineering with Schaeffers in 1999, working as a summer student in the survey department. After many years in the Construction Administration Department, Hagop moved into the design team, where he has grown into his current role overseeing the Design & Drafting Department, where he is responsible for all aspects of the development process from preliminary servicing studies through to detailed design, in particular urban developments.

Hagop has over 15 years of progressive experience in all aspects of the land development process from preliminary servicing studies through to detailed design and tendering. He has accrued extensive knowledge in the areas of roadway design, watermain design, sanitary sewer analysis and stormwater management, including the design of low impact development solutions.

As a skillful and dedicated manager, he draws upon his thorough understanding of project management methodology and years of experience in engineering to successfully lead and deliver various civil infrastructure design projects.

Koryun Shahbikian, LLM, M.Eng., P.Eng.

Koryun started with Schaeffers in 2005 as a motivated municipal infrastructure designer with previous international experience in leading roles. Today Koryun is managing Water Resources Department and has accumulated over 20 years of experience in water resources and municipal engineering. Koryun is a proficient and enthusiastic manager, who oversees day to day activities, ensures staff and resources allocation, provides technical review and problem solving direction, exercises tight budget control and maintains liaison with clients and approval agencies.

Koryun has vast practical knowledge in project management and control, design of linear infrastructure and grading, design of storm water and LID facilities, computer modelling and analysis. He is actively promoting application of treatment train approach and innovative LID solutions through multi agency discussions and charrette meetings. His engineering and legal training allows him to interpret legislative requirements and to implement permissible engineering solutions that maximize development limits.

Plamen Blagoev, P.Eng.

Plamen has over 30 years of global experience in various fields of the civil engineering profession. He joined Schaeffers in 2003 as a senior project engineer. Today Plamen is supervising Construction Administration Department.

Plamen has a proven record for providing project management, staff supervision and contract administration services for numerous residential and commercial municipal servicing projects. He is knowledgeable with construction industry standards and practices, bidding requirements and processes, field services and quality control. Currently, Plamen is responsible for construction contract administration in the Great Toronto Area. In this capacity, Plamen performs a broad range of tasks including meeting with clients, investigating site servicing requirements, liaising with governing agencies during the construction stage, coordinating and supervising field staff and ensuring final acceptance is successfully achieved.

Levon Fermanian, P.Eng.

Levon joined Schaeffers as a civil engineering graduate in 1999 and progressed to senior project engineer. Levon has over 20 years of construction management experience in the Great Toronto Area and surrounding municipalities.

Levon has been involved in all aspects of project management and successfully delivered numerous road, storm, sanitary and watermain infrastructure construction projects. He is experienced in dealing with stakeholders in the field, including conservation authorities’ staff, contractors, public members, region and city representatives. In his current role, Levon leads preparation of construction cost estimates and reports, preparation of contract tenders and documents, shop drawing reviews, securing approvals and certifications for lot grading, site plans, utility coordination plans, conducting a variety of assessments, including adverse soil claim assessments.

Allan R. Steedman, B.A.Sc., P. Eng.

Past-President (Currently Consultant)

Al, former President of Schaeffers, has been active in the municipal engineering and land development fields for over 45 years. On past assignments as Project Director, his knowledge and activity in every phase of the project helped in blending the contributions of specialists to attain synergistic results and receive well deserved Client recognition.

Al is passionate about engineering and keeps abreast of industry standards. Al’s broad experience in all aspects of engineering and planning; his professional approach to problem solving; and his knowledge and sensitivity to local issues and developers demands are essential assets to the firm. Al continues to further support our business and improve our performance.

Zaven Sarkissian, B.A.Sc., P. Eng.

Past Principal (Currently Consultant)

Zaven, former Principal Director of Schaeffers, has been involved in all aspects of municipal engineering and land development for over 45 years.

Zaven is a highly proficient civil engineer, who has managed, directed and delivered municipal services for industrial and residential subdivisions in most municipalities of the Great Toronto Area and beyond. He possesses excellent communication and innovation qualities and is highly skillful at providing feasible solutions to engineering and financial problems. Zaven maintains an active role within the business and assists Schaeffers with pursuing new assignments and resolving technical issues.

Harold Reinthaler, B.A.Sc., P.Eng.

Consultant

Harold, former manager of Water Resources and Cost Sharing Departments at Schaeffers, has over 40 years of experience in various aspects of civil engineering from planning and design of municipal infrastructure to construction administration.

Harold is experienced with a wide variety of environmental, water resources, and water and sewage infrastructure engineering services that are unique to each project. The vast knowledge has provided him with a unique appreciation of the capital works implementation process, as well as the complex stakeholder issues that arise. Harold’s commitment to fair and practical solutions has earned him the trust of public and private clients. In his current role, Harold is providing technical support, assisting with managing clients and delivering creative infrastructure solutions.