

A Brief History of AWMAC Ontario Chapter
The Architectural Millworkers of Ontario was unofficially active in the late fifties and early sixties with a handful of members from companies like Jones Wood, Welsh Custom Woodwork, Laidlaw Lumber, Gardener of Galt and Rathburn Millwork. The A.M.O. officially registered in the province of Ontario as a non-profit association on November 7, 1966. On September 25, 1970, Doug Wignal of St. Catherines represented the A.M.O. and attended the first AWMAC meeting in B.C. In 1972, the first AWMAC Quality Standards Manual was published with revisions being issued subsequently in 1978, 1984, 1991 and 1998. One of our founding members Mr. Syd Thompson of Jones Wood became the first President of AWMAC from Ontario in 1986. At this time the A.M.O. had 9 Contractor members and 2 associate members. A.M.O. in 1989 contracted the Toronto Construction Association to provide secretarial services for our association. In 1990 Mr. Werner O. Schmidt became the second President of AWMAC from Ontario and continued his term into 1991. With the Guarantee and Inspection (GIS) Program being adopted in 1994 as a national program Ontario was quick to get on board. On October 29, 1996, the Guarantee and Inspection Service was introduced in Ontario and development of the program had commenced. The AWMAC Ontario constitution was changed in 1997 to allow Associate members full voting and director privileges in Ontario including the right to sit as President of AWMAC Ontario. The provincial chapters in 2000 agreed to standardize their names and the A.M.O. changed its title to AWMAC Ontario Chapter. At this time AWMAC Ontario's membership grew to 25 Contractor and 17 Associate members. In 2001 Alan Sparling from Conestoga College became AWMAC Ontario's first president from an Associate member company. On June 3, 2006, at the Annual General Meeting in Calgary, Mr. Vince Parolin from Art Magic Carpentry became the third President of AWMAC from Ontario. Mr. Parolin was previously president of AWMAC Ontario in 1997, 1998 and 1999.