Team

Since its inception in 1983, Russell Grass Sr. has earned a successful reputation for Waterdon Construction as a leading general contracting company offering quality construction work in the public, commercial, and industrial sectors across Ottawa and area.

Russell is renowned for his philanthropic endeavours, earning a nomination from the Ottawa Construction Association and being awarded the Canadian Construction Association Community Leader Award.

Russell, his wife Linda, and their dog Gizmo divide their time between Ottawa, Mont Tremblant and Florida. They enjoy boating, trying new restaurants and spending time with their six grandchildren.

Russell Sr assists with mentoring staff and handles the financial side of the business. He is the proud owner of Merlin Door and Alloy Fabrications while also sitting on the board of BG Excavating, his son’s business, as an advisor.

Neal Hall joined Waterdon Construction in 2000 and is now senior vice president, estimating and business development. Neal trains, manages, and maintains Waterdon’s estimating team while securing new construction jobs that complement the firm’s schedule and capabilities. As vice president and co-owner, Neal collaborates with fellow members of the executive team to manage the goals, direction, and success of Waterdon.

A strong work ethic, integrity, and honesty have led to Neal’s successful  30+ year construction career, which began at the age of 15. After having earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Carleton University, Neal excelled in various roles as subcontractor, general contractor, owner, estimator, and project manager, gaining deep technical knowledge of the industry’s mechanical, structural, and architectural fields.

Neal enjoys solving complex problems and takes pride in securing the right project for Waterdon and helping clients do the same when the firm is contracted as a sub-trade. He has notably contributed to sustainable growth for Waterdon, including increasing staff by 10-fold and annual project volume by 20-fold. 

Watching staff grow their careers, raise families, and be successful while working with Waterdon is one of the most rewarding aspects of his job. Neal is also incredibly proud of the relationships he and his team continue to build, and of the complex building projects the Waterdon team tackles successfully.  

In high school Neal played the clarinet, baritone and alto sax, always having wanted to be a professional musician. In his spare time today, you might find Neal playing soccer or his newly-discovered passion – pickleball.

Having joined Waterdon Construction as vice president of operations in 2005, Russell Grass Jr. manages all aspects of the business, from making decisions that impact the company and its team to planning and coordinating daily operations.

Russell’s career path comes as no surprise – Waterdon Construction was founded by his mother and father, Russell Sr. and Linda. Having grown up immersed in the construction industry surrounded by the Waterdon name and core values, Russell takes great pride in helping his team members grow their skills and careers at the firm. He enjoys a challenge and loves watching a project come to fruition – from an idea on a piece of paper through to completion.  

Russell earned his education as a construction engineering  technician from Algonquin College, is a Gold Seal Certified estimator and project manager, and has served as past-president of the Ontario General Contractors Association. 

An avid skier, Russell has an extreme love for Mont Tremblant. Chances are you’ll find him and his family there enjoying any free time they might have, or on the golf course in the summer months.

In 1996 Andre Trepanier joined Waterdon Construction to oversee financial and accounting practices as controller. Andre has been a valuable member of the team, watching the firm succeed and expand far beyond the 11 people it once employed nearly 30 years ago.

As controller, Andre manages the Waterdon accounting team and provides financial reports to the executives. He takes pride in his job, enjoying the variety in everyday tasks  while watching the company succeed. He attributes his success and tenure with Waterdon to his multitasking and organizational skills, having helped create and implement systems to run more effective and efficient accounting practices.

A proud father of four children, three of whom work for Waterdon or a parent company, Andre and his wife are involved with their church, helping with administration work, singing, and even playing the drums.

You might find Andre playing games on his iPad in his spare time, or working out with his new VR system.

Stephen has been a JHSC member since 2009 and moved into the position of Safety Representative in 2023. As Waterdon’s Safety Representative, Stephen continues to adopt and implement new ways of making Waterdon and its sites safe places for everyone to work.

Patient, understanding, and dedicated Stephen is committed to creating a workplace that prioritizes the mental and physical well-being of its team members. He enjoys learning and earning new responsibilities while positively creating change by engaging with Waterdon employees.

Prior to joining Waterdon, Stephen lived in Alberta where he worked the oil fields, became a supervisor and concrete finisher where he managed teams, and then earned his CWB certification for welding, quality control and inspection of conformity in 2004.

After hearing wonderful things about Waterdon and its commitment to its employees, Stephen joined the team and hasn’t looked back! 

When he’s not browsing local thrift shops for the next treasure or Star Wars collectible, you might find Stephen on the golf course, at the hockey rink, or with his family doing the activities they love most!

Sara Roberts joined Waterdon Construction in 2019 as the firm’s human resources and office manager.  Sara has leveraged years of human resource and management expertise to build Waterdon’s HR department as it is today. 

Patience and understanding come naturally to Sara. She can assess issues and complaints from different perspectives, hearing all sides without judgment. Sara and the team have been reviewing and streamlining HR processes for continued success, something she finds gratifying as certain elements come together over time. 

Sara loves to work with people and to help them navigate the employment/employer relationship, so much so that she returned to school and obtained her Certified Human Resources Professional designation. 

Sara enjoys spending time with her family and grandson, as well as the creativity required for home renovations. A fan of summer, Sarah enjoys spending time outside with her favourite people.

Jean-Marc Ethier joined Waterdon Construction as an estimator/senior project manager in 2015 after learning about the firm’s family-feel and commitment to its clients.

As project manager, Jean-Marc manages projects from estimation through to completion, allowing him to maintain close relationships with field staff and build lasting relationships with Waterdon clientele.  

Known for giving every client his all, Jean-Marc offers years of experience, maturity, and industry knowledge to projects of all sizes and scope. He finds a sense of pride in completing projects successfully, on schedule, and with a satisfied returning customer.

Jean-Marc knew he wanted a career in construction, always building treehouses behind his parents’ home or trying to fix things as a child. To this day, he still loves the outdoors and can be found enjoying his motorcycle, snowmobiling, fishing, or barbequing with friends and family.

Nick Norton joined Waterdon Construction as a junior estimator and project manager in August 2010 after meeting Russell Grass Jr. in college and learning of an open position. As project manager, Nick manages various civil projects and maintains relationships with mechanical general contractors.

Adaptable with a knack for making decisions at a moment’s notice, Nick prioritizes and completes projects with ease. Seeing happy customers whose projects have come to fruition is what Nick finds the most rewarding aspect of being a Project Manager.

A major point of pride for Nick is his contribution to the construction of Jules Morin Park in 2014. The project included a new community centre, wading pool, playground, landscaping, and alterations/additions to the existing SENS RINK. He also enjoys showing family and friends the projects he’s contributed to as he comes across them in the car; it’s the variety of these projects that helps keep Nick engaged and excited for the next challenge.

In his spare time, you can find him travelling from rink to rink either playing hockey or watching his son play hockey.

Melanie, like Russell Jr grew up in the Grass family surrounded by all aspects of the family business. She has worked as both a sub-trade and General Contractor and is well-versed in all aspects of the Construction process. Since starting at Waterdon Construction in November 2012, Melanie has gained extensive knowledge and expertise in concrete restoration projects. With her strict attention to detail and excellent organizational skills, Melanie consistently delivers successful results for her clients.

Melanie enjoys networking and planning industry events. She is on the Ottawa Young Construction Leaders steering committee and is a member of the Women In Construction Committee at the Ottawa Construction Association. In her free time, Melanie enjoys reading, spending time with her family and caring for their two dachshunds, Bella and Chloe.

Marc Jolicoeur joined Waterdon Construction in 2006 as a labourer, gradually strengthening his skills as a carpenter, leader, foreman and Site Supervisor. These various roles have provided him with a deep understanding of what is involved in successfully completing projects, both locally and internationally. These skills are essential to Marc’s role as a Project Manager at Waterdon.

Working with such a great team of men and women has been very rewarding, allowing him to experience many facets of the construction industry – from project inception to completion. Marc is grateful to work in such a positive, enjoyable environment –  his many years at the firm have flown by!

Before meeting his wife Lisa, Marc volunteered as a firefighter for Station 81 in Stittsville. When he’s not at work, you will find his schedule jam-packed with skiing, playing pond hockey in the winter, swimming in the backyard pool and cruising with his wife and four boys in their family RV all summer long. As if he wasn’t busy enough, Marc and his family recently added a 90lb dog to their home! 

As an estimator with Waterdon Construction, Samantha Weir-Cogogno provides accurate prices for all scopes of work and coordinates quotes from sub-trades as required. Having begun at Waterdon as a project manager, Samantha quickly found interest in estimating after working alongside the senior drywall project manager/estimator to close large-scale drywall projects. 

Samantha has been with the firm for nearly five years, enjoying collaborating on large-scale jobs and offering her keen organizational skills and motivation. Samantha is a team player who works closely with colleagues to bid on jobs of various complexities, something she finds extremely rewarding. One of her favourite aspects of the job is collaborating with a team of people to build something incredible from a simple set of drawings. 

She has a great memory for calendar dates. When not at the office you can find Sam reciting episodes from the TV show, “The Office” or using her spare time to read or paint.

Maria Ruta-Frey joined Waterdon Construction in May 2022 as estimator, responsible for helping to achieve the goals and standards the firm and its executives set. Maria’s determination, dedication, and drive for success have encouraged her to grow in this role, bringing a fresh perspective to problem-solving and a strong willingness to analyze circumstances and propose effective solutions. 

Regardless of the challenge at hand, Maria executes seamlessly. Her contributions to the firm’s success have enriched Maria’s professional and personal growth for expanding her knowledge. She offers an impressive view of the construction industry, having studied at European universities and excelling in the Canadian construction field. Maria is proud of her ability to analyze data and delegate, ensuring project success by prioritizing time and positive habits which keep her focused on goals. The most rewarding aspect of her career is continuous and visible self-development to drive further results.

Maria has the travel bug and a passion for the cuisine and cultures of other nations. Before permanently moving to Canada, she was lucky enough to reside in five different countries, exploring and tasting their food, traditions, and everyday life. Maria loves spending time with her son and her pup Ozzy, who regularly comes and visits us at the Waterdon office.

Vanessa Anderson is a valuable member of Waterdon Construction’s accounts payable and office administration team, having been with the firm for roughly a year. She chose to join as an opportunity to gain experience in an office atmosphere but happily stayed for the coffee and donuts! 

Vanessa gets along with everyone. She is organized and leverages her attention to detail to thrive while processing invoices, purchase orders and subcontracts, expense reports, and completing miscellaneous office tasks. Helping others has always interested Vanessa, and being able to problem solve adds a fun flavour into the mix.

Though new to an accounting career, Vanessa already finds joy and contentment in her responsibilities. She is excited to see where her journey takes her and how her role will develop as she continues to help people. 

In her spare time, Vanessa is always learning a new form of artistic expression, such as painting, making cards or building model houses. There is no limit to her creativity.