OUR TEAM

FOUNDER & CEO

Possessing a unique blend of maths & science knowledge, business savvy, and human resources acumen, Kristofor Ohnander has been involved in the concrete industry for over 10 years as a testing professional, mechanical designer, batch plant manager, and concrete truck driver.

He is the Founder and CEO of Scissors Creek Testing Inc., a company that provides services to potash mines, rural municipalities, commercial clients, and other industrial companies. In his day-to-day, he performs materials testing and design duties, deals with client interactions, reporting, and work procurement, and manages a team of skilled employees.

Born and raised on a small grain farm in Southeastern Saskatchewan, Kristofor began working in the concrete industry as a truck driver. In his second year on the job, he was asked to perform a concrete test, being coached through the process as it was happening. After this event he began testing on a more regular, yet informal, basis. Realizing he had talents in the lab and materials science worlds, and passions for mechanical design and equipment, he enrolled in a Mechanical Engineering program and began working as a mechanical engineer shortly thereafter. Armed with a diploma and years of experience, Kristofor opened his first materials testing company as a sole proprietor side project in 2018, and then expanded his scope into full-time self-employment with Scissors Creek Testing Inc. in 2021.

Kristofor’s field expertise has led him to work with some of the most skilled individuals in the sector and has allowed him to expand his team accordingly. Though materials science is what drew him to the industry, the diversity and skill of his associates have been an increased factor in his maintained enthusiasm. In building his business, Kristofor is highly driven to provide representation for people of all backgrounds, as well as to give younger generations a model for what they can achieve.

Outside of his career, Kristofor has passions in photography, programming, rock climbing, paddleboarding, and astronomy – the latter of which led him to spend four years as an executive board member of the Saskatoon Centre for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. He is also passionate about continuing education and believes that it’s something that should never stop, regardless of how it is achieved.

ENGINEERING MANAGER

Alison Dowling is the resident Engineering Manager at Scissors Creek Testing Inc. With over thirty years of experience in the industry, she has held both technical and quality management positions including Quality Manager/Specialist, Technical Manager/Specialist, Lab Supervisor, and Lab Technician.

Born in Dublin Ireland, Alison moved to Canada as a teenager. Alison was first introduced to the industry when her father got her a summer job in a concrete plant. Quickly realizing that she was interested in concrete and the industry as a whole, Alison moved to Canada (after living in both the UK and France), and registered for Engineering at the University of Alberta. She was fortunate to find opportunities in Europe and North America to pursue this passion. She is driven by a love of her work, the variety in her day-to-day, and the people she works with. She believes that true engineering is about finding the best solution with the available resources.

Alison has continued her education through seminars from ACI Alberta, ACI Manitoba, and ACI International. She is also involved in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA A23, 1/2 technical committee member for the 2019 and 2024 revisions), the American Concrete Institute (Associate Member ACI 207, 306. 134), Concrete Alberta (Technical Committee), and Concrete Saskatchewan (Batch Plant Inspections and Certification and Chief Examiner for ACI Flatwork and Concrete Field Testing.)

Outside of her career, Alison loves being the mother of two grown children who followed her into civil engineering. She loves to travel and dragonboat, paddling with Pond Scum out of Regina.

LEAD DESIGNER

Marcel Dorma is the Lead Designer at Scissors Creek Testing Inc. Skilled at finding effective and creative solutions to design-related obstacles, his role involves understanding the feasibility of design ideas and bringing those ideas to fruition. In particular, this includes assessing suitable materials, sourcing materials, performing design-related calculations, creating CAD models and documentation, and testing the final product to ensure it meets specifications.

Born and raised in Southeastern Saskatchewan, Marcel held positions as both an IT administrator and an Electronics Technician for his own business prior to his work at Scissors Creek Testing Inc. With a strong history and understanding of mechanical and electrical sciences, he is highly driven by the reward of seeing a project progress from the idea phase to the finished product. In particular, he finds the diversity of the work uniquely motivating – from delicate precision measuring equipment to large 200-ton presses and everything in between.

Even outside of his career, Marcel is passionate about computers, electronics, wood working, and simply building things in general, and impressively constructed his first computer when he was nine years old from a box of old parts.

Materials Testing Lead