Louis St-Laurent, president and CEO of The Master Group, is pleased to announce an upcoming change in the company’s leadership. Neil Stuart McDougall will be stepping in as president effective July 1. St-Laurent will retain his prominent position as CEO. The two, along with the existing management team, will ensure the company’s continued growth.

As vice president at Johnson Controls, McDougall has deep expertise in the HVACR industry. Before joining JCI in 2016, he was a senior executive at Caterpillar for more than 25 years. As president, he will have numerous mandates to fulfill, including expanding The Master Group’s presence outside Canada. In turn, St-Laurent will act as an ambassador and will be present and closer to employees, customers and suppliers.

“Given Master’s significant growth over the last few years and its continued expansion, especially in Ontario, Western Canada, and into U.S. markets, it became crucial that the company be helmed by an experienced, world-class leader with masterful sales knowledge,” said St-Laurent. “Neil meets all the criteria for a high-level executive with his impressive experience in leadership roles for international companies such as Caterpillar and Johnson Controls. In addition to these skills, it was also crucial to find someone who’s human and business values are closely aligned with Master’s. Neil proved himself to be the perfect candidate in this respect. His arrival is fantastic news for Master and he will play a decisive role in the company’s longevity and its successful growth into new markets.”

“I am truly honoured to join The Master Group and to take on the role of President," said McDougall. "I look forward to partnering with Louis, such an accomplished and respected businessman, during this transition. Under Louis’ guidance The Master Group has created significant and consistent growth momentum year after year and I am looking forward to working with the entire leadership team and also all of our employees whose professional skills and commitment continue to significantly influence the Canadian HVAC/R industry as a whole. I am incredibly excited to join such an outstanding company, one who’s reputation, history of industry leadership and culture of total customer service provide such a strong foundation for the future. It will be a great honour to be part of the Group’s future developments.”

As he lives in Texas, McDougall will work from Dallas at first, and will travel extensively throughout Canada, focusing on Ontario, Western Canada, in addition to U.S. markets targeted in the company's growth projects. He is originally from the United Kingdom, and was most recently vice president channel sales and marketing for Johnson Controls. Prior to JCI, McDougall spent 27 years with Caterpillar Inc. He holds a business administration degree from the University of Leicester in addition to a diploma in engineering.