Executive

MICHAEL ANDERSON

President

KEMPTVILLE, ON

Mike lives in a rural township south of Ottawa, in Zone G, Ottawa Valley. He's been on the MAAC Board since 2020 and is currently MAAC's President. Before that, in addition to being Zone Director, he was the founding chair of the Finance Advisory Group in 2021 and served as MAAC Treasurer for two years. He's chaired the RC Electric and Large Model committees, led his home club, the Phelan RC Flying Club (2018 to 2022) and served as Assistant ZD (2017 to 2019) and Deputy Zone Director (2019 to 2020) and has been a Leader Member since 2011.

Mike retired from GE Nuclear Steam Power, where he was Quality Leader Americas, in charge of quality management for the fleet of nuclear power plants where GE performed service work. An engineering technologist, he has extensive experience with systems design and project management - these have stood him in good stead in his MAAC work, especially in the last year. Mike is passionate about the hobby and dedicated to safety and education for model aircraft pilots.

Mike prefers to fly large models and turbine jets and rarely misses a chance to practice aerobatics routines. He’s competed locally in pylon racing and discus launch, F5J, F5B and ALES glider competitions. He's been in the hobby since the seventies and got his start flying Cox .049 control line models. Like many people, marriage and career took priority over modelling until 2000 when his wife, Gwen, told him he needed a hobby, which led him back to MAAC and the various leadership roles he's held.

RANDY HEPNER

Vice-President

STONEWALL, MB

I first joined MAAC in 1984 as a teen obsessed with anything aviation. Back then I was mostly a prolific Guillows free flight builder, saving my paper route money bit by bit to afford an actual RC airplane. I recall vividly the monthly bus trip to the Hobby Store to stare at the boxes of airplane kits and pick up the latest edition of RC Modeler. Then life happened - jobs, careers, marriage family and so on. In 2004 when my kids started to leave the nest, I decided to resume modelling, and especially RC airplanes. Fast forward to today and I have a nice assortment of pretty much anything that can fly.

Being in Clubs led to leading Clubs and then being asked to step up as Assistant and then Deputy Zone director. I have also been donating my professional training, skills and time to MAAC on the Safety Advisory Group since 2012 and the Transport Canada Advisory Group since 2017. I was one of the people who helped MAAC obtain the Exemption in 2019 - which was quite the achievement.

As I renew my membership for 2023 MAAC faces some substantial challenges. My passion for this hobby, and the people who enjoy it remains as strong as it was in 1984 and is demonstrated by my unselfish actions and deeds for MAAC. MAAC members need to be far more discerning in who they allow to lead - at every level - there are serious consequences to individual acts of selfish behavior for all of us.

JOHN DEADMAN

Executive Committee Member

DELTA, BC

PHILIPPE DESSUREAULT

Executive Committee Member

AIRDRIE, AB

Name is Philippe Dessureault, or Phil.
I was born in a small town in the northwest part of Quebec in the early 70’s.
According to my mum and dad, the first word that came out of my mouth was “plane!” … so, I guess I got the bug at very young age! All I could think about was aviation, reading and learning about all aspect.
I was 14 when I got my first RC plane, it was a Futaba Professor that lasted about 2 minutes…
So, I saved the guts of the Professor, ordered a balsa assortment box from Tower Hobbies and designed my own model, that flew amazingly well! I was hooked, building and designing was so much fun, and so satisfying to see your work take flight for the first time.
I learned to fly full size at the same time with a friend that owned a Aeronca Champ, I was flying RC along side on his private field.
I became a MAAC members many years later, being the only one flying rc in a small town, I had no idea about the organization until I went to College and join the local RC Club.
I went on to become an AME, on the helicopter side. Which brought me to Alberta in 2005. I did all the position, AME in the field, Quality Manager for many years, Quality Control (tech record), Director of Maintenance and currently Production Manager in Red Deer, Alberta. Lots of interaction with Transport Canada in all those years.
Many years later, a wonderful wife, 2 kids (twins) and I’m still very passionate about aviation.
Very happy to be part of this organization.

GRANT ROBINSON

Executive Committee Member

CHURCHBRIDGE, SK