Chris Taylor honoured with 2026 Dr. Sauer Award
The Safety Codes Council celebrated Chris Taylor as this year’s Dr. Sauer Award recipient during Summit 2026, Alberta’s premier gathering for safety codes professionals.
Each year, the Council presents the Dr. Sauer Award to a sub-council member whose commitment, passion, and energy carry the legacy of Dr. Kenneth Sauer, the Council’s first board chair. Recipients of this peer-nominated award demonstrate exceptional commitment and dedication to elevate the safety codes system in Alberta.
Sub-councils bring together volunteers with diverse industry and professional expertise to actively review, formulate, and recommend safety codes, standards, and principles within their respective disciplines.
Taylor has served nine years on the Fire Sub-Council, including five years as chair. He has also contributed his time to working groups and numerous appeal tribunals. Through his leadership, professionalism, and commitment to volunteer service, Taylor represents the spirit of the Dr. Sauer Award.
In presenting the award, board chair Jill Matthew highlighted the qualities behind the recognition:
“Some contributions stand out for the significant influence they’ve had on the people around them. They bring meaningful change, innovation, curiosity, and a continuous desire to grow Alberta’s safety codes system to be world-class.”
Leadership that brings people together
Taylor’s colleagues point to his ability to create an environment where people feel heard and valued.
“He’s an advocate for the type of involvement that I think is represented by the Sauer Award and I think that leadership, and the ability to bring people together, is really his greatest contribution,” says Cameron Bardas, Fire Sub-Council member.
“Chris has that rare combination of people skills, sense of humour, and technical ability that enables him to keep a meeting moving along and still harness the potential of everybody in the room,” says Greg Wolf, Fire Sub-Council member.
Hunter Langpap, Fire Sub-Council member also points to Taylor’s generosity with his time.
“He continually makes himself available for appeals, for working groups, to do the research before sub-council meetings, to be well informed.”
Honouring Retirees
A special moment of the evening was the recognition of retiring sub-council members, celebrating their years of service, and contributions to the safety codes system.
“We are proud to celebrate our sub-council retirees who have each made a significant impact on their colleagues, their communities, and on public safety as a whole,” says Rob Bennett, president and CEO of the Safety Codes Council.
List of 2026 retirees:
- David Buzzeo – Amusement Rides Sub-Council
- Nicolas Leblanc – Electrical Services Sub-Council
- Stephen Suen – Fire Services Sub-Council
- Jason Helfrich – Gas Sub-Council
- Marlin VanZandt – Passenger Ropeways Sub-Council
- Henry Hau – Pressure Equipment Sub-Council
- Brian Townsend – Electrical Utilities Sub-Council
- Roy Herrington – Gas Sub-Council
- Greg Gaudet – Pressure Equipment Sub-Council
- Paul Fullam – Plumbing Sub-Council
- Deliany Sather – Accessibility Sub-Council
- Georg Rath – Accessibility Sub-Council
- Clark Redden – Electrical Services Sub-Council
- Cory Huppie – Gas Sub-Council
- Ingo Viehweger – Building Sub-Council
- Robert James – Pressure Equipment Sub-Council
- Stephen Laurie – Plumbing Sub-Council
- Leigh Adams – Gas Sub-Council
- Jim Rice – Pressure Equipment Sub-Council
- Bill Rock – Private Sewage Sub-Council
- Andre Quenneville – Passenger Ropeways Sub-Council
- Kent Watson – Private Sewage Sub-Council
- Rob Swart – Building Sub-Council
- Jason Pfefferle – Private Sewage Sub-Council