About us

Ponka Engineering Alliance is a collaboration of experienced key team members and associate engineers with a proven history in heavy industry.

We are proud to work directly with our fabrication partner North West Industries of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Our Vision

To maintain our high standards as a premier Industrial Ventilation solutions provider.

Our Mission

To ensure every task we undertake results in practical, safe, and reliable results for our clients to foster long-term business relationships built on mutual trust, respect, and integrity.

Our Values

  • Cost Effective Engineering Solutions
  • Safety, Reliability and High Quality Performance for Site Services
  • Affordable Custom Technology

Team Members

Philip Ponka, P.Eng., Principal, Mechanical Engineer

Phil is a professional mechanical engineer with over 25 years of experience in the design engineering of industrial ventilation systems, material handling equipment, structures, enclosures, and paper machine web handling components. He is an expert with dust containment equipment including enclosures, air curtain systems, venturi scrubbers, baghouses and electrostatic precipitators. Highly skilled in equipment manufacturing techniques, he also specializes in mathematical modeling of heat and mass transfer systems. Phil is a key member of the team concentrating on mechanical engineering and site commissioning.

Paul Oostindie, P.Eng., Senior Electrical Engineer

Paul is a professional electrical engineer with over 35 years of experience designing electrical, instrumentation and control systems. He has a wide range of experience in pulp & paper, mining & smelting, sawmills and utilities. Paul takes pride in taking a project from initial concept development through to construction and commissioning. His  main focus is instrumentation and electrical engineering.

Photo of Eric Ponka
Eric Ponka, Mechanical Designer

Eric is a skilled mechanical designer who specializes in developing conceptual and detailed designs in 3D. His experience includes working directly with our clients to ensure their needs and ideas are understood completely so we can produce a tailor-made solution for each and every project.

Ken Ponka, Designer

Ken has over 10 years experience in mechanical and electrical design. Ken is skilled with ACAD and Solidworks 3D design. He has spent a lot of time on job sites and knows how to bridge the gap between design and reality.

Lisa McGovern, Office Administrator

Lisa is highly organized, and has over 20 years of experience in office management and administration.  She helps keep PEA on track and has developed many of the standard documents and procedures that help keep us efficient.

Janet Begin-Priester, Project Administrator

Janet has over 25 years of experience in office administration, bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, financial data management, HST/GST & WCB Remittances, payroll, RG remittances, and Sage/Simply accounting programs. She keeps projects financially on track and is always able to overcome challenges

Marcel Matcovschi
Marcel Matcovschi, M.Sc., Design Manager

Marcel has over 30 years of experience managing the design of large-scale industrial projects. From conceptualization to execution, he uses his diverse knowledge in the various disciplines to ensure that the design aligns seamlessly with project objectives and industry standards.

Rick Thompson
Rick Thompson, Fabrication and Construction Manager

Rick is a journeyman sheet metal tradesman with over 36 years of experience in the heavy industrial sector. He specializes in the fabrication and installation of ventilation equipment in mines, paper mills, grain elevators, and energy sites. He is experienced with running large scale projects and always maintains schedule and good quality.

Darren Chapman, M.Sc., Quality Control Specialist – QA/QC Lead

Darren has over 30 years of experience in various industries including oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor fab, and building services. In his career, he has progressed from hands-on fabrication works to engineering and design. Darren has a refined ability to ensure quality and compliance with applicable codes. He currently specializes in on-site quality control inspections and reporting.