Zam Abdulla, P.Eng.
A fellow Western Electrical Engineering grad with nearly two decades in electrical design and project management (that are clearly starting to show in his greying beard I like to tease him about), Zam specializes in healthcare buildings and diagnostic imaging.
Zam was my very first mangager and mentor. He welcomed me graciously into the professional world by subtly taking the sale sticker still on the back of the brand new suit jacket I wore to my first day as he was touring me around the office, making sure no one he was introducing me to noticed and saving me even more embarassement than I already had by being WAY overdressed for an intern (the other guy starting the same day wore a t-shit I'm pretty sure). At least I had taken off the tie that morning, thinking that would show people I wasn't actually trying too hard.
That story is a great example of the kindess he showed me over and over again. Someone who was truly in my corner, celebrating with me when he found out I had finally bought the ring for my now wife using the hard earned money from my internship. Someone always willing to take my call, talking to me for hours through a career decision long after I had finished my internship and was 4000km away in BC.
I hesitate to admit it this publicly but he is also an extremely skilled engineer. We joke about it, but there was a long time where he truly had taught me everything I know. A little too long past my time under his supervision for my liking, but true nonetheless. I owe a lot to him. Beyond the technical side of the job, he taught me how to have fun with my team while doing it and how to teach others in a way that they don't even realize they are learning. I hope to be a fraction of the mentor he was to me to the students I now get to interview, hire, and grow under my supervision.
I also learned to never accept the phone or teams call from Zam at or after 5pm if I wanted to make it to the plans I had that night ;)
