Executive Team
Dr. Joseph Dableh
Chief Executive Officer and President
Fifth Light Technology Ltd.
Dr. Joseph Dableh is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Fifth Light Technology Ltd. He is also a co-founding member of the company and currently serves on the board of directors.
Dr. Dableh is a prolific inventor with patents in a diverse array of fields ranging from lighting technology to water purification, power distribution and nuclear engineering. His invention on re-positioning spacers in CANDU nuclear reactors is credited with saving that industry several billions of dollars. It averted the need for the nuclear "heart-transplant" operation on over 17 reactors worldwide, rescuing that industry from financial ruin in the early 1980's. This invention and its impact on the nuclear industry has been chronicled by the news program The Fifth Estate.
After completing his Masters degree in electrical engineering at the University of New Brunswick, he joined the research and development division at Ontario Hydro. During his tenure at Ontario Hydro he completed his PH.D degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering at McMaster University. He joined the Power Research Laboratories at McMaster University in 1986 where he stayed until 1998. He subsequently formed a successful engineering consulting firm where he furthered his reputation for being able to solve extremely complex engineering problems. He has also served as a scientific advisor for the Canadian Government.
As CEO and president of Fifth Light, Dr. Dableh oversees all major growth strategies, industry partnerships and technical ventures of the company.
Bruce Pope
Chief Business Development Officer
Fifth Light Technology Ltd.
Bruce Pope is the Chief Business Development Officer at Fifth Light Technology Ltd. Since joining Fifth Light in 2004, Pope has forged the commercialization strategy, built and maintained relationships with Fifth Light’s largest accounts and alliance partners and has directed a rapidly expanding sales and marketing force in a dynamic marketplace.
Prior to joining Fifth Light, Pope held several executive positions in diverse fields. He served as CEO of Molson Breweries for 8 years during which a joint venture partnership with Philip Morris (U.S.) and Fosters Brewing (Aus.) made it Canada’s largest brewery with sales of $2.3B and a major international presence. Pope was also the Regional President – Mexico of Warner Lambert International Pharmaceutical (now part of Pfizer) for 18 years and President.
He is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario) and holds an MBA from Queens University (Kingston, Ontario).
Dr. Barna Szabados
Chief Technical Officer
Fifth Light Technology Ltd.
Dr. Barna Szabados is the Chief Technical Officer at Fifth Light Technology Ltd. He is also a co-founder of the company and serves on the Board of Directors. His innovations have placed Fifth Light at the forefront of building automation and control. Dr. Szabados is responsible for continuing to lead Fifth Light on the path of continued innovation and discovery.
Prior to co-founding Fifth Light Technology, Szabados, held several key academic and industrial positions. His research, patents and leadership have made a profound impact on a broad range of industries.
He joined McMaster University as the “Westinghouse Chair in Energy Technologies” in 1980, heading a research program leading to transformer screen designs that lowered tank losses. He proceeded to work on induction machines, producing working models and new methods to place vents minimizing local heating. He was also involved with General Motors and developed the first industrial network which became the base for the universally adopted Manufacturing Automation Protocol, culminating with the implementation of the world first fibre optic network in a factory environment. In the mid 90’s he discovered a method to dim fluorescent lights driven by magnetic ballasts, technology that eluded researchers for three decades.
He became Director of the Power Research Laboratory at McMaster, and during his academic career he authored over 130 scientific publications, produced over 20 industrial reports, was an invited speaker for industrial workshops on 10 occasions with Power Distribution Utilities in North America and Europe, contributed to 6 books, and was the primary investigator on 3 patents. He produced 14 Standard Engineering Practices for New Brunswick Electric Power Commission (NBEPC), a Standard Operating Practice for NBEPC and a “Joint Use Practice for NBEPC and NBTel”. He was a regular consultant to a variety of large companies and represented NBEPC on CIGRE.
During his illustrious career, Dr. Szabados has been recognized by the Société des Ingénieurs Electriciens et Electroniciens de France with the award of the ‘Médaille Ampère’. Later he was elevated by the First Minister of France to the rank of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Knight of the order of the academic palms), "for the exceptional technical contributions and dissemination of knowledge”, which is the highest French award given to a civilian. McMaster recognized his achievements by inducting him into the McMaster Hall of Fame. Recently he received the 2007 Outstanding Engineer Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He has also been recognized by the engineering profession by being elevated to the Order of Honour of the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO). He is now Professor Emeritus at McMaster.
Dr. Szabados is a member of several IEEE working committees, is a regular reviewer for transaction journals, and is on the organizing committee of conferences. He has served on many committees for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), has participated in federal as well as provincial grant adjudication teams. He has served on the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board for 9 years, spearheading the emerging software engineering professional accreditation. He is very active with PEO where he is notably a member of the “Academic Requirements Committee” and the “Licensing Process Task Force”.
Dr. Szabados received his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Grenoble, France, and his Master’s and PhD from McMaster University. While on staff at the University of New Brunswick, he pioneered the field of inductive coordination, and became the expert on harmonic propagations in multi-grounded distribution systems. His mitigation procedures were adopted by utilities in North America and he spearheaded the IEEE 519 regulation still used today.
Dr Szabados has also left his imprint on community affairs, having been President of the Canadian Fencing Association, member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Senior fencing coach, as well as involved in the direction of his Church.
William Farrar
Chief Financial Officer
Fifth Light Technology Ltd.
William Farrar is the Chief Financial Officer at Fifth Light Technology Ltd. He oversees all financial activities at Fifth Light including corporate financial planning and analysis, treasury, tax and audit, grants and investor relations. His experience in strategic acquisitions and organizational management has added robustness to Fifth Light’s rapid growth.
Farrar is also responsible for organizing and coordinating Fifth Light’s internal processes.
Farrar joined Fifth Light in 2007 after having held several advisory and executive positions at various consulting and financial organizations. He has also served as the lead forensic accountant for the largest civil case in Canadian history.
Farrar holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) and is a Chartered Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner.
Edmund Shaker
General Counsel
Fifth Light Technology Ltd.
Edmund Shaker is the General Counsel at Fifth Light Technology Ltd. He is one of the original co-founders of the company and has been overseeing all the legal aspect of its operations. Shaker was a founding partner with the law firm Inch, Easterbrook and Shaker, where he practices in the corporate finance and securities areas. He has represented both privately held and public companies in diverse technology markets, as well as in the biotech, manufacturing, retail, and financial services industries. He is a Trustee and Canadian General Counsel at the Center for the Study of Responsive Law (Washington D.C.) Shaker has been the Past Director, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Aquarius; the Past President and Director, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce; the Past President and Director, Art Gallery of Hamilton; and has served on the Board of Governors of the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Shaker received his law degree from the University of Toronto Law School in 1950.