Kasey Patola

Kasey Patola (aka Dr Destructo), PMP, MPM, GSC is a Construction Project Manager and construction management professional based in Shuniah/Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. With more than 25 years of experience in heavy civil construction, ICI (Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional) projects, project coordination, program management, and sustainable building practices in Northwestern Ontario, he currently serves as Project Manager at Finnway General Contractor Inc. and President of Top Gear Project Management Inc.

He is also a longtime figure in Thunder Bay's arts, culture, and music scenes, having served for over 14 years as a programmer and on-air host at CILU 102.7 FM and maintaining deep ties to local music production and performance communities, including associations with the "Dr. Destructo" studio and persona.

"The ayatollah of rock n' rolla, Kasey Patola."
— Mick Chapman

Construction Career

Current Positions

Project Manager, Finnway General Contractor Inc. (2023–present; Permanent Full-time) — Thunder Bay, Ontario. Focus on ICI Construction.

A prominent current project under his management is the Nipigon Visitor Centre (Parks Canada – Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area Administration & Visitor Centre). This $37-million Passive House Plus net-zero carbon showcase building is the first of its kind for Parks Canada.

Key features include:

• 10,000 sq ft one-storey mass timber structure ("super-insulated")
• Glulam columns and beams with prefabricated wood roof trusses and structurally insulated panels
• Geothermal heating (200-foot field excavation underway as of May 2024)
• Rooftop solar panels
• Four-metre copper-clad canopy designed for optimal seasonal solar gain control
• Low 15% window-to-wall ratio and wood-first philosophy targeting a 100-year service life with reduced embodied carbon

The project emphasizes local and Indigenous employment/materials via an Indigenous Benefit Plan. Patola has highlighted the innovative materials and design challenges, noting that Finnway proactively certified team members in Passive House standards in anticipation of industry shifts toward high-performance sustainable construction. Construction was underway in 2024 with peak workforce of 20–30 and targeted completion around 2026.

President, Top Gear Project Management Inc. (October 2021–present; Self-employed, Hybrid) — Shuniah, Ontario. Provides Construction Management and Construction Engineering services.

Previous Experience

• Program Manager, RJ Concrete & Construction Ltd. (December 2021 – December 2022; 1 year 1 month) — Thunder Bay, Ontario. Heavy civil construction.
• Aegus Inc. (June 2012 – December 2021; approximately 9 years 7 months total) — Thunder Bay, Ontario. Heavy civil construction.
  • Project Manager / Program Manager (May 2021 – December 2021; 8 months)
  • Project Coordinator / Project Manager / I.T. Manager (June 2012 – May 2021; 9 years)

  During his time at Aegus, Kasey was actively involved in tendering and project documentation for institutional clients, appearing as a listed contact ([email protected]) in Lakehead University project addenda and related bid documentation.

⚙️ AI TODO: Expand using Source

• Researcher / Project Management Assistant, Norall Group Inc. (May 2001 – June 2012; 11 years 2 months) — Thunder Bay, Ontario. Business Development, Civil Engineering, and Heavy Civil Construction.

Education

• Project Management — University of Toronto (2021)
• Diploma, Business Administration and Management, General — Confederation College (1999–2001)
  • Academic Honour Roll (May 2001)
  • Bell Canada Bursary (May 2001)

Licenses & Certifications

• Gold Seal Certified (GSC) – Project Manager, Canadian Construction Association (issued September 2025)
• Project Management Professional (PMP) – Project Management Institute (issued October 2021; Credential ID: 3154765)
• Construction Engineering and Management — University of Michigan College of Engineering
• Additional credentials include: Basics of Supervising, Basic Auditing Principles, COR Essentials, Hazard and Risk Management (IHSA); CAD (Confederation College, 2014); Construction Estimating (Construction Sector Council, 2013); Music Production (Berklee College of Music, 2013); Digital Sound Design (Emory University, 2013); CPR/First Aid (St. John Ambulance, 2013).

Radio, Music Scene & Volunteering

Kasey served as Programmer / On-Air Host at 102.7 FM - CILU Radio (Thunder Bay's campus and community radio station) from May 2005 to July 2019 (14 years 3 months). He hosted a weekly radio show focused on arts and culture.

He has longstanding involvement in Thunder Bay's independent music and rock scenes. Kasey is closely associated with the "Dr Destructo" identity/studio, referenced in local album production credits (including recordings made in "Dr. Destructo's Lair") and earlier coverage of Thunder Bay music infrastructure. His activities have included support for live music opportunities for heavy music and rock acts in the region.

In a September 6, 2004 interview with Royal-T about the album Weirdo Music for Elitist Aliens, Dr. Destructo was praised for his multifaceted talents:

"Dr. Destructo – He owns the studio I recorded the majority of the album at and he owns a punk/metal label here in the city. He plays like 10 diff instruments, really talented guy. The beat he made on the album was made on the spot with him playing all the instruments because I went to the studio one day to record a track with Webster Death and Webster couldn’t make it and I didn’t bring any other beats so he made one on the spot and it was hot so I threw older lyrics over it and wrote a chorus on the spot and it hella exceeded my expectations and eventually made it onto the album as the closing track."

— Royal-T, UGSMAG interview (2004)

Early volunteering included a role as Business Development Consultant at PARO (December 2000 – January 2001), supporting economic empowerment initiatives.

Publications

• Contributor to The Walleye (Thunder Bay's arts & culture magazine), August 1, 2013.
• Hosted Thunder Bay BandWiki for Kevin Sidlar from 2008 to 2024

See also

• Dr Destructo
• Finnway General Contractor Inc.
• Nipigon Visitor Centre (Parks Canada project)