Our Team

Meet the team powering our brand

Behind every one of our famously tough machines, there’s an expert in engineering, production, supply chain management — you name it. Our diverse, highly qualified team is the driving force behind every successful delivery of our brand promise.

Trevor Cordingley

Production Manager
With DuroVac since 2018

With his education in psychology and hospitality, Trevor worked in the hospitality industry for several years before joining a program that taught him various construction trades including sheet metals, electrical, plumbing, millwrighting, and carpentry.

Trevor’s work ethic and curious mindset led him to become more involved in operations at DuroVac, as he naturally transitioned across roles in light assembly and leading the production team. He brings solid structure and planning to his current role as Production Manager, setting realistic goals to meet our team’s commitments and keep production running on an airtight schedule.

In his free time, Trevor enjoys an active lifestyle — floor hockey is his favorite sport. He finds a mix of challenge and friendship in the community of a niche card game called Magic the Gathering, and his passion for all movie genres means he’ll watch almost anything at least once.

Danielle Howard-Ross

Brand Experience Manager
With DuroVac since 2021

Danielle brings an MBA in marketing and an impressive portfolio to the DuroVac team, including 25 years of sales experience, 15 years of which are focused on industrial sales and application engineering. Her previous positions served the State of New York education system, an established valve manufacturer, Pepsico, and the American Red Cross. 

Starting with a hybrid role in marketing and field sales, Danielle’s current position focuses on developing the DuroVac brand and improving the user experience for customers, employees, and suppliers. Her mission is to create captivating, immersive brand experiences that truly resonate with our audiences. Under her vision, every interaction — whether through digital channels, events, or customer service — is infused with the core values and essence of our brand. She leverages her creativity and deep understanding of consumer behavior to foster meaningful connections that drive sustainable growth.

An active volunteer in her community, Danielle regularly contributes time to her children’s fútbol club, the United Way, and a local chapter of the North Country Veterans Association. Her favorite activities involve spending time outdoors and enjoying nature with her two kids — particularly downhill skiing, pickleball, and being a soccer mom. Fun fact: she has hiked all 46 peaks in the Adirondack mountains.

Sakhi Kumar

Accounting and Payroll Manager
With DuroVac since 2022

A tax accountant with more than 25 years of experience, Sakhi is certified in payroll, accounting, and taxation. She started with DuroVac on a contract basis, but her impressive work quickly led to her becoming a permanent member of the team.

Besides her proficiency with numbers, Sakhi excels at motivating others through teamwork. She brings a positive attitude to all tasks, striving to complete everything accurately and on time while keeping herself and her teammates accountable.

Sakhi’s personal life is all about socializing and physical activity. In her spare time, you’ll find her walking, practicing yoga, listening to music, and meeting new people.

Maude Lapointe-Rioux

Chief Operating Officer (COO)
With DuroVac since 2016

After crafting key technical documents for DuroVac, managing several successful projects, and steadily becoming more involved in the team’s operations, Maude transitioned from consultant to official employee in 2022. She earned her role as Chief Operating Officer by managing demanding projects, pushing herself to overcome challenges, and utilizing her engineering background to create workable solutions.

Maude’s milestones at DuroVac include migrating our ERP from a local server to a cloud environment, filling in for the President, and managing demanding projects such as the company’s 20th anniversary and the office renovation. She approaches every decision based on our company’s values. Her current mission is twofold: first, she aims to ensure operations run smoothly within all departments, and second, to implement the changes and business development projects needed to allow our company to reach its next level of growth. In 2024, her goal is to accomplish a data integration project that can further streamline our operations, boost efficiency, and secure the technical knowledge of our company veterans.

Outside of work, Maude practices yoga and joins acro-yoga sessions with friends. She likes volleyball and has been playing since high school. She also has a sweet tooth, so keep your candy jars hidden.

Kavita Patel

Supply Chain Manager
With DuroVac since 2023

Kavita has always worked in the manufacturing industry. With her education in mechanical engineering, she boasts more than 20 years of experience working with all facets of supply chain management from end to end. One of her specialties is in implementing SAP and BAAN systems and ensuring these integrate successfully into daily operations.

Motivated by the opportunity to learn and grow, Kavita strives to immerse herself in the industries DuroVac works with. She uses her existing knowledge to help colleagues along their growth paths. Her performance-focused mindset drives her to complete tasks on time and deliver timely results to uphold our company’s brand promise.

With her love of arts, crafts, and decor, Kavita enjoys turning her home into a haven by creating an aesthetically pleasing environment.

Pritika Saini

Engineering Manager
With DuroVac since 2019

With an education in electromechanical engineering and robotics, Pritika first joined DuroVac in a technical communications and planning position. Over the years, her technical mind and stellar work propelled her to positions with more engineering involvement. She has worked on multiple custom, high-end engineering projects to provide solutions to our clients.

As Engineering Manager, Pritika’s primary goal is to empower the team. She uses her leadership position to inspire a culture of growth, commitment, and continuous learning within the wider team. She believes a company can only grow by regularly reevaluating its processes and adapting to changes in the industry.

On a more personal note, Pritika finds her happy place spending time with the family and singing loudly and cranking up the volume on songs with a strong beat. 

Douglas Tames

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
With DuroVac since 2020

A Chartered Professional Accountant by training, Douglas is the owner of Tames Signature Performance, a leadership consulting and coaching business that aims to propel organizations and their people to new heights. Throughout his career, he has worked with businesses in a variety of sectors, from the smallest of small businesses to the largest of large corporations.

Since he arrived at DuroVac, Douglas has overseen some of the company’s most exciting periods of growth, including the rollout of new benefit programs such as long-term and short-term disability programs, a group RRSP, and a Growth Bonus. He aims to enable better decisions within the company through high-quality and timely financial reporting, forecasting, and budgeting. He believes strong financial processes and leadership are essential to fulfilling DuroVac’s bold vision.

Outside of work, Douglas volunteers his time as a board member of the Community Music Schools of Toronto to help kids thrive through music. In the warmer months, he spends his free time perfecting his swing on the golf course.