About Lavergne Draward &
Associates Inc.
Lavergne Draward & Associates Inc. (LDA) is a structural engineering firm founded in 1998 by Principals Julien Lavergne and Brad Draward based on the principles of creativity, personalization, and attention to detail. We believe that people are like plans: it’s important to read between the lines, and by mixing a large firm’s support with boutique-level care, we’ve developed lasting relationships with our clients which focus on delivering innovative and forward-thinking solutions in areas such as design services for new building construction, renovations, additions, and evaluations. We offer flexible planning and work hard to find exciting and functional design solutions which are as unique as our clients. Our projects are about showcasing creativity and transforming the urban landscape, and we’ll work closely with you during every step of the design and construction phases to make sure that your project is delivered on time, and on budget.
our founding principals
JULIEN LAVERGNE
FOUNDING PRINCIPAL, P.ENG., FEC
Engineering is in Julien’s roots. He grew up and worked in the family construction business and always had the desire to build things. You can draw a straight line from that desire to his current role as founder and principle at Lavergne Draward and Associates. To this day, he loves the thrill of seeing a building he designed achieve finished form for others to see, share, and use. He takes special pride in buildings where the structure is a key feature of the architectural design.
Julien’s structural engineering experience covers 35 years’ worth of projects of all sizes, and in virtually every industry sector. He’s led structural engineering and design-build projects for northern communities, education, healthcare, culture and recreation, banks and institutions and more. He thoroughly understands what clients and partners need from the designers and project managers they work with.
Apart from the scope of his experience, clients value the focus and expertise Julien applies to the design and production stages of a project, ensuring that issues and challenges have been addressed before construction even begins. He is dedicated to responding quickly and personally to clients, designing buildings that are buildable, and staying open to new ways of doing things.
Julien earned his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba in 1983, and a Diploma in Structural Technology, Red River College in 1978. Before becoming an engineer, he owned a swimming pool company that gave him the business experience he needed to start and run his own engineering business in 1998.
Now that he’s helped grow LDA into one of Winnipeg’s largest structural engineering firms, he looks forward to a future that builds on a legacy of uncompromising design excellence, grounded in the tight-knit team culture the company is known for.
Julien is an avid football and hockey fan, and has played a number of sports himself, including tennis, golf and fishing. His motto is, “Work to live. Don’t live to work.”
He’s licensed to practise in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Email: jlavergne@ldaeng.ca
Phone: 204-947-2160
BRAD DRAWARD
FOUNDING PRINCIPAL, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIST C.E.T.
Brad jokes that he went into engineering because he didn’t fit in with the poetry folks in school. But the truth is, for him, design is poetry that uses math and physics to create unique and often complex structures.
Today, with 40 years’ experience in projects of every scope and industry sector under his belt, he has met virtually every structural engineering challenge imaginable. At LDA, Brad has led structural engineering and design-build projects for healthcare, education, culture and recreation, banks and institutions, northern communities and more, making it difficult to pin down just one specialty. This allows him to apply his extensive knowledge of construction management and engineering to helping clients achieve their vision, from start to finish.
His design career began in the geotechnical and structural departments of a large firm, followed by eight years working on hundreds of design-build projects for a pre-engineered building company. This is where he met his future business partner and LDA co-founder Julien Lavergne. There he learned quick, efficient design, which prepared him for the next eight years at a large multi-discipline architectural/engineering firm, Smith Carter (Architecture 49). In 1998, Brad and Julien launched Lavergne Draward and Associates.
Brad’s work is driven by a passion for exploring new ideas and designing innovative, cost-effective solutions that maximize each building component while meeting or exceeding all safety codes and requirements.
Brad earned a Diploma in Structural Engineering Technology from Red River College in 1981.
During his college years, he built custom homes from the ground up with his father-in-law, instilling a strong work ethic and an appreciation for what it is to swing a hammer. He’s built an entire cottage by himself, from design and framing to roofing, plumbing, and electrical. These achievements have cemented his conviction that hands-on experience working in construction makes you a better engineer.
When he’s not working, Brad enjoys travel. Highlights of his far-flung excursions include Rome, Greece and London – places that have truly stood the test of time.
Around the office, Brad’s door is always open and he is known as a mentor to the younger, up-and-coming professionals in the office. “I believe in sharing the wealth of valuable experience I have to offer,” he says.
Email: bdraward@ldaeng.ca
Phone: 204-947-2180
our partners
ERIC LAVERGNE
PARTNER, P. ENG.
For as long as he can remember, Eric wanted to be either a pilot or an engineer. Having an engineer for a dad probably nudged him in the right direction. When his father Julien started Lavergne Draward and Associates in 1998, Eric was there to help, putting paint on the walls.
An LDA partner since 2016, Eric leads structural engineering projects for education, health and long-term care clients, and for northern communities. Thanks to previous hands-on construction experience, he’s developed a strong sense of how to manage people and resources effectively to achieve the goals of contractors and architects.
Engineering may be mostly numbers and equations, but Eric believes that inspiration and creativity come from the people in the business. Collaborating with highly skilled trade professionals, architects, and engineers on exciting challenges are what make him excited to come into work every day.
Prior to becoming an engineer, Eric gained hands-on experience as a labourer/carpenter’s apprentice, which has given him a deep appreciation for the construction side of projects, and shapes how he designs structures. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Lakehead University (2013). Prior to that, he earned his Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology (Structural) from Red River College in 2011. He is licensed to practice in Manitoba and Ontario.
Around the office, Eric is known for keeping calm under pressure – a trait that will serve him well when his first child arrives this Spring.
Email: elavergne@ldaeng.ca
Phone: 204-949-0200
IVAN CABEZAS
PARTNER, CAD MANAGER
Adaptability and perseverance: these are the two qualities that have propelled Ivan through a varied, 30-year career in structural engineering and architectural drafting.
These – and breakdancing. (That’s right. Ivan also knows how to bust a move.)
After earning an Industrial Drafting & Design Certificate from the South Winnipeg Technical Centre in 1987, Ivan took the first steps of his professional journey working for a pre-engineered steel building design-build company. He followed this with a stint at an architectural/ engineering firm, gaining invaluable insights into exactly what architects are looking for from structural engineers. He used that knowledge to achieve success as a freelance designer, then joined a roofing/cladding company, where he mastered the building envelop and detailing side of the construction process. Ivan also ran a roofing company before launching a drafting and design company of his own.
The depth and diversity of Ivan’s experience allow him to work on projects of any size and complexity, ranging from standard to new, innovative construction systems. His considerable on-site experience has given him first-hand exposure to the construction process and its challenges.
More than that, the shop drawings Ivan produces have a reputation for conveying with unusual clarity and accuracy the layers of information needed to coordinate complex structural design projects.
An LDA partner since 2015, Ivan has experience on building construction projects ranging from residential to multi-million-dollar contracts. In the office, his outstanding technical, people and communication skills help him manage LDA’s drafting/production team. A firm believer in lifelong learning and professional development, he coordinates with our AutoCAD and BIM managers to train new and current staff on best practices and standards, and researching and implementing new drafting tools and collaboration platforms for multi-disciplinary projects.
Ivan’s secret weapon for getting through the day is to start very early. Some might say too early – but not Ivan.
Email: icabezas@ldaeng.ca
Phone: 204-947-2222 ext. 217
DALE KOZARSKY
PARTNER, P.ENG., LEED AP
Engineering has always been a natural fit for Dale, who loves getting his head around a problem and working out a great solution. From the very first building he designed on his own – a library addition at University College of the North in The Pas – he’s been hooked by the excitement of watching useful, elegant structures rise from the ground based on his drawings and calculations.
An LDA partner since 2019, Dale has 14 years’ experience in structural engineering. He focuses on projects for clients in healthcare, education, science, and northern or Indigenous communities. He knows what to expect from, and how to deal with, the special technical requirements and project management needs of projects in these sectors.
Dale earned his B.Sc. In Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 2007. He’s licensed to practice in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Prior to joining LDA, Dale worked at Smith Carter (Architecture 49) alongside a team of mechanical, electrical and structural engineers and architects on institutional projects. He still enjoys collaborative, large-scale projects like these the most.
One of our most experienced engineers, Dale is a top choice for architects due to his appreciation for architectural details, his skill in working with uniquely challenging architectural designs, and his familiarity with the large and unusual pieces of equipment needed to build them.
Our resident home-brew master, he loves live music, lake time, and travelling. He describes visiting the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, as a life-changing experience. “It’s such an elaborate, intricate, and beautiful series of buildings. To know that construction of that level was possible so long ago is quite awe-inspiring and remarkable.”
Email: dkozarsky@ldaeng.ca
Phone: 204-949-0145
