Patrick Marion, President, DESDOWD, Named EFC Québec Region “Personality of the Year” for 2022
September 23, 2022
On September 1st, 2022, during the annual EFC Quebec Region Golf Day at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Quebec, Patrick Marion, President, DESDOWD, was awarded with the region’s prestigious 2021 Personality of the Year award, in front of over 150 industry peers.
Each year, the Quebec region members present the Personality of the Year award to a deserving member in good standing, to recognize an individual who has been a significant contributor to the industry in the Quebec region, demonstrating strong leadership through personal and professional contributions.
Patrick Marion first entered the electrical industry in September 1989. After completing a Marketing and Business degree, Patrick connected with Pierre Dowd who offered him a job as inside sales for DESDOWD. He made a deal with Pierre stating that he would work inside sales for a year to learn the product, and by January 1990 Patrick was working on the road. In 1998, Pierre Dowd asked Patrick to lead DESDOWD Quebec Sales. Currently, Patrick is the President and owner of DESDOWD Sales.
In early 2000, Sylvie Boileau, President & CEO, Dubo Électrique Ltée, asked Patrick to be on EFC’s Quebec Region Executive Committee, which he later chaired for a two-year term. Patrick is responsible for helping to start the first EFC Quebec Region Golf Tournament, the Quebec Holiday reception, and the Quebec Fall Activity. Since the beginning of his involvement at EFC, there were only two years that Patrick was not on the Quebec Region Executive Committee.
Patrick is very involved in CEMRA and is a great supporter of CEMRA and NEMRA. He has been a loyal supporter of both CEMRA Night at the EFC Annual Conference and Canada Night during the NEMRA Annual Conference. Patrick was also honoured with the “CEMRA Person of the Year” award at the 2012 EFC Industry Conference in Whistler.
EFC asked Patrick what this award meant to him.
“I want to thank the EFC staff, Anne Harrigan, Nathalie Lajoie, and all EFC members that I have had a chance to work with for the past twenty some years. I am extremely proud to be the EFC Personality of the Year. We started this when I was Chair to pay a tribute to the people of the industry, and for me it is like being in the hall of fame. I am very proud to be recognized by my peers, and I want to thank everyone who has been apart of that journey.”
Patrick Marion has plans to retire in September 2024, marking 35 years to the day he started his career in the electrical industry and at DESDOWD. In the next few years, Patrick wants to help young entrepreneurs to start businesses and help give them mentorship. He also plans to continue with his maple syrup production at his sugar shack as well as to enjoy life.
