Meet The Team

WHO YOU CAN TRUST TO DO THE WORK

High Quality People Create High Quality Results

Add Stat about team experience here

Cody Shepherd

Co-Founder

Cody Shepherd is a co‑founder of Exact Automation and a veteran automation specialist with more than 20 years of experience in electrical systems, PLC programming, and industrial controls.

He began his career after graduating from Brooks Composite High School, earning his electrical journeyman certification through Lethbridge Community College while working with Syntech Electric. Cody moved into PLC programming in 2003 with Contact Automation and expanded his skills through SAIT’s PLC Controls Applications program.

In 2008, he launched his own independent automation career, supporting multiple SAGD energy companies across Alberta. His work with Pengrowth Energy provided extensive experience in DeltaV configuration and large‑scale process control.

In 2019, Cody partnered with fellow programmers to form Exact Automation, where he continues to deliver reliable, field‑tested automation solutions across Western Canada.

Richard Trembecki

Co-Founder

Richard Trembecki is one of the founders of Exact Automation Inc. and brings over 25 years of experience in industrial automation, controls, programming, commissioning, and field service.

Richard’s automation career began with Contact Automation, a company he helped found and build before eventually moving on to start the next chapter of his career. After years of serving the oil and gas industry across Southern Alberta, Richard became one of the founding partners of Exact Automation Inc., helping establish the company’s strong technical foundation and field-focused reputation. Known around the shop as “The Godfather”, Richard is respected for his deep technical knowledge, steady leadership, and decades of hands-on experience solving complex automation problems.

As a dual-ticketed Electrician and Instrumentation Technician, Richard brings a rare combination of electrical, instrumentation, and automation expertise to every project.

His background includes PLC programming, control system integration, commissioning, troubleshooting, instrumentation, electrical systems, and supporting reliable operations for energy producers.

A graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Richard brings a practical, dependable, and solutions-focused approach to every project. His experience, mentorship, and commitment to quality make him a key part of the Exact Automation team.

Scott Cowan

Co-Founder

Electrician and instrumentation specialist turned programmer with over 25 years of experience delivering industrial automation solutions in the oil and gas industry.

As a project manager and integrator for a range of major and junior exploration companies, I’ve played key roles in the design, build, and commissioning of more than 100 oil batteries and gas plants over the years—helping teams execute projects safely, efficiently, and with long-term operability in mind.

My experience includes larger-scale gas processing projects in the Grande Cache area, along with ongoing support for brownfield optimization and modernization initiatives. I’m also well versed in the evolving helium market and the unique measurement, controls, and operational requirements that come with it.

Brad Aeichele

Team Member

Brad is an Automation System Integrator specializing in PLC programming, system troubleshooting, commissioning, and industrial automation solutions. With a background in controls dating back to 2009 and a transition into full scale automation work in early 2023, Brad brings a strong technical foundation and a methodical, detail driven approach to every project.

Favourite Project: "I've been very fortunate to have been involved with automation and SCADA support for Saskatchewan's emerging helium industry. Its been really cool to work in an industry that requires a lot of innovative and data-driven approaches to unique challenges"

Brandon Stephan

Team Member

With nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, I began my career on drilling rigs before spending many years in instrumentation and advancing into automation with Exact Automation. This diverse background has given me a strong foundation to tackle a wide range of projects and technical challenges.

I enjoy the balance of office and field work, and I’m continually motivated by the fast-paced, ever-evolving automation industry that keeps me learning. My largest ongoing project is supporting the rapid growth of North40, where we integrate new PLC systems into both acquired legacy sites and newly built facilities. Being part of this expanding operation has been both challenging and rewarding.

Joel Sieben

Team Member

I began my career as an electrician in 2016, focusing on construction and maintenance for clients in the Oil and Gas industry. After completing my studies at Medicine Hat College, I earned my Journeyman Electrician qualification in early 2019. Later that year, I joined Exact Automation as an automation integrator.

I’ve truly enjoyed this role because it allows me to work with a vast array of equipment from different manufacturers, finding creative ways to make them communicate and work together seamlessly. One of my favorite projects as a lead integrator involved automating roughly 60 oil well sites for a client in Southwestern Saskatchewan. I was responsible for designing the network and control logic, integrating AB Micro PLCs for status/control and pressure/temperature monitoring alongside radio and HD POE camera systems. It was a rewarding challenge to see a project of that scale come together from design to execution.

Steve Robertson

Team Member

I am an electrician with experience in maintenance and industrial construction, including the installation and commissioning of multi-well and single-well oil batteries.

My favorite project was developing a VTScada system for a customer, where I was responsible for building the entire project from the ground up. This included creating custom widgets and developing the base OEM layer.

Through this project, I gained a much deeper, hands-on understanding of VTScada's architecture and capabilities.

Tyler Lukey

Team Member

Hi I'm Tyler. I've been with exact automation for 5 years. Before starting at Exact I was at SAIT, enrolled in the information technology program with an emphasis in networking.

Prior to my time at SAIT I was an electrician at Tarpon and Pronghorn in Taber. My favourite project was the first PLC upgrade I did in Weyburn where I got work with my friend Cody.

Forrest Cameron

Team Member

I’ve been working in oil and gas automation for over 15 years, starting out in the field and working my way through instrumentation, electrical, and control systems before focusing fully on PLC, HMI, and SCADA work. Today, I’m an Automation Specialist at Exact Automation Inc., where I’m still very hands-on with the projects we take on.

Most of my career has been spent helping design, program, commission, and starting up facilities across Alberta — everything from shallow gas well control and oil batteries to large gas plants, compression facilities, and pipelines. I’ve always enjoyed the problem-solving side of automation, especially the moments during commissioning when things don’t go exactly as planned and you have to figure it out in real time.

One project that really stands out for me was being part of the automation team on the MEG Energy / Access Pipeline Stonefell Facility. I was involved from factory testing through commissioning and startup, working closely with operations to get the facility running safely and reliably. Projects like that are challenging, but that’s the work I enjoy most.

What matters to me just as much as the technical side is the people. I’m big on mentoring and helping others get into automation, because I know firsthand how good of a career it can be. At the end of the day, I take pride in building systems that work — and teams that enjoy building them.

Kolton Taylor

Team Member

I’m an Automation Integrator and Red Seal Electrician with over 14 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Over the years, I’ve worked on a wide range of industrial automation, electrical, instrumentation, and control system projects.

My background includes PLC programming, troubleshooting, commissioning, maintenance, and control system integration in demanding field environments. I take pride in finding practical solutions that help improve reliability, efficiency, safety, and overall system performance.

I’ve spent most of my career working in fast-paced industrial settings, where quality workmanship, attention to detail, and doing the job right matter. I’m always looking for ways to improve systems, solve problems, and help clients keep their operations running smoothly.

Doug Waters

Team Member

Doug has spent the better part of fifteen years in oil and gas automation. He joined Exile Automation as a summer student while finishing his diploma in Automated Systems Engineering Technology at SAIT, then stayed on after graduating in 2013 to work the integration, design, commissioning, and startup side of control systems. In 2019 he moved to Crescent Point Energy, first on contract and later full time, where he led the company's automation and OT initiatives.

SCADA sits at the center of his work. At Crescent Point he worked on two large VTScada systems: a near million tag deployment he helped develop and grow, and a 230,000 tag system he built from the ground up. Working at that scale shaped how he approaches the platform. His knowledge of VTScada runs deep, from scripting to developing and managing OEM layers, and he uses that depth to keep systems standardized, well structured, and easy for the next person to support rather than over-engineered. A certified PlantPAx System Integrator, he is just as hands-on with controls, programming PLCs, carrying out numerous PLC and DCS upgrades, and modernizing aging legacy systems.

What makes Doug a little different is the software half of his skill set. He has been writing code since childhood and today works as a full stack developer fluent in Node.js, Pyhton, SQL, TypeScript, APIs, and cloud platforms like AWS and DigitalOcean. That background lets him connect control systems to the data, reporting, and integration tools that make them more useful, and to solve operational problems that controls work alone cannot reach.

Kolton Taylor

Team Member

You’re running wells on aging equipment and crossed fingers.

We take the uncertainty out of the equation.