Ken Harford retires from Robert Allan Ltd.

March 21, 2016

Mike Fitzpatrick, President & CEO, and Robert G. Allan, Executive Chairman respectively of Robert Allan Ltd. are both pleased and saddened to announce the imminent retirement, effective May 31, 2016, of Mr. Kenneth D Harford P.Eng, currently Managing Director of the company.

Ken grew up in BC, in both Prince George and in North Vancouver. He graduated from UBC in 1970 with a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. He started his career as a consulting Acoustical Engineer, entering a partnership with Dr. Tom Siddon. That business evolved into the consulting firm of Harford Kennedy Ltd (now BKL Consultants Ltd.), when Doug Kennedy acquired Dr. Siddon’s interest in that company in 1974. Through that business Ken began a long association with the BC tugboat industry. He led a detailed study of the noise levels aboard local tugboats which resulted in new noise control regulations in the industry, and fostered a passion for ensuring that tugs are designed to be as quiet and vibration-free as possible. Ken’s commitment to this subject has been a major factor in leading Robert Allan Ltd. to the situation of prominence in the industry it enjoys today.

Initially as an offshoot of the acoustical engineering business, manufacturing specialized acoustical instrumentation, Ken and Doug joined forces with Steve Hui creating Mechtronics Research Corporation in 1975. Soon, Ken moved his engineering talents into the field of manufacturing control systems for Z-drives on tugs with MRC. In 1981, this work evolved into the establishment of IMPEG (Industrial Marine Power Engineering Group) as distributor of Niigata Z-Peller drives using Mechtronics controls. During this period, he was involved in the delivery of many of the first Z-drive tugs on this coast for companies such as C.H. Cates and Sons and Seaspan.

In 1986, Ken sold his interests in the acoustical consulting business, Mechtronics, and IMPEG, turning his efforts to engineering design and quality assurance as a consultant to Simpson Power Products Ltd, manufacturers of diesel generator sets for civil and marine projects, and main propulsion installations using Mitsubishi engines. Ken joined Robert Allan Ltd. in 1988, acting principally as the senior project overseer for new construction, and then gradually assuming the role of VP of Engineering, directing all aspects of the mechanical and marine engineering work within the company.

In 2008, as Rob Allan began the process of selling Robert Allan Ltd. to the employees, Ken took the leading role in overseeing this transition on behalf of the new ownership group. As the new President of Robert Allan Ltd., Ken applied his exceptional engineering skills and business acumen, doing an exemplary job of setting the business on a new course for long term success in the future.

Ken leaves Robert Allan Ltd. after 28 years of truly dedicated service and leadership, and as a driving force behind the success of the company, now in its 86th year of continuous business in Vancouver. Everyone in this company owes him a great debt of gratitude for all he has contributed to our collective success.

Ken’s retirement is not destined to be one of leisure, as his many pursuits in the realm of coastal real estate development, building docks, ramps and floats for his Quarry Bay neighbours, not to mention building a new home for he and his wife Dianne will keep his creative mind and hands more than busy for many years!