David Rist is an accomplished leader in the advanced manufacturing ecosystem, with over 15 years of experience driving innovation, productivity, and strategic growth across the sector. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Manufacturing Export Enhancement Cluster (MEEC), and the Manufacturing Consortium Manager in Alberta with EMC Canada. David has led provincial initiatives that connected industry with post-secondary institutions, supported technology adoption, and expanded SME capacity through LEAN transformation and digital enablement.
Under his leadership, MEEC has become a catalyst for collaboration and economic development across Alberta, delivering training programs, export readiness workshops, and technical support that strengthened supply chains and built regional competitiveness.
David now serves as the Manufacturing Consortium Manager for Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) in Alberta, where he is spearheading the integration of MEEC’s legacy programs into a national framework. In this role, he is focused on aligning strategic interest groups across Alberta and Western Canada, expanding productivity and workforce development initiatives, and strengthening partnerships that empower Canadian manufacturers to scale, automate, and lead globally.
Passionate about driving measurable results and building resilient ecosystems, David continues to champion collaboration between industry, government, and academia to solve the sector’s most pressing challenges.
Back to Staff