“We are very grateful to live where we do. I grew up on a dairy farm in the Kincardine area, and that experience taught me a lot about my position, and the ability to interact with the land owners and dairy farmers. Our land owners are all farmers.”
Rob Boak is the Facility Manager at Armow Wind in Kincardine, Ontario, and if you ask him, his family’s life is pretty great, thanks.
He told me he’s been working in wind, “for thirteen years,” as he started off in the maintenance field, working for a company that built and maintained wind turbines.
Rob told me he’s pleased about the number of locals who are employed in wind. “Pattern has been terrific at hiring local. They are an ethical company and I like that they are serious about supporting where they operate.”
“I had a strong interest in operations,” Rob said, “and as I watched Pattern Energy and Samsung Renewables start building the South Kent Wind Farm, I joined Pattern as Facility Manager in South Kent, and after that the Armow Wind project moved me back home to Kincardine, Ontario, and life is good.”
Local Opinion
Rob told me he’s pleased about the number of locals who are employed in wind. “Pattern has been terrific at hiring locally. They are an ethical company and I like that they are serious about supporting where they operate.”
In addition to hiring locally, Rob said there are a large number of locals indirectly or directly involved in wind who are benefitting from it, and Rob said the landowners are very happy as well.
“Wind has made a positive impact in local farmers’ lives. They are earning income by having a turbine on their land, and that allows them to invest more into their farms. It’s been really satisfying seeing the community as a whole benefitting from wind.”
Family
Rob is married to Julie, his wife of seventeen years, and together they have two boys, Wyatt, 14, and Branson, 12.
“We enjoy spending time together as a family,” Rob told me. “We do a lot of camping, fishing, hunting, and working in our shop. We live in an amazing place to enjoy the outdoors. Plus, the boys race motocross, which is a lot of fun.”
Looking ahead, Rob says the future is bright. “Working with Pattern has let me support my family and allows us to live a life we love.”
