980 Adelaide Street South, Unit #112 London, ON N6E 1R3

Our Team

Kevin Van der Maarel

Co-Owner and President

Kevin graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1998 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. His focus of study was automation and controls with a minor in Management Sciences. Since graduating he has worked with Ainsworth Technologies Inc. as a controls engineer and project manager. In 2001 he started with JMP Engineering Inc. where he held both technical and project management roles working in the automotive and environmental industries. In 2010 Kevin started working independently as a controls specialist under the name Maarel Services Inc. which later teamed up with PdM Solutions to create MPI Solutions Inc. in 2017.

Kevin’s mechanical background with over 20 years of controls experience bring together a unique blend of abilities in solving complex motion, robotic and PLC problems. Kevin has a penchant for solving technical problems and a thirst for learning new controls technologies and processes.

Scott Pytel

Co-Owner and Vice President

Scott graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2000. From there he developed practical experience in the field of automation and controls across many industries. Moving up the ranks to include project management and client service management for strategic accounts, Scott was able to apply both commercial and technical skills to develop solutions for his customers while fostering strong relationships. Capitalizing on these years of integration experience with a focus to improve operational effectiveness, in 2011 Scott started PdM Solutions London.

David Ratcliffe

Controls Specialist

David graduated from Fanshawe College in London in 2013 with a diploma in Electro-Mechanical Engineering. He studied many subjects at Fanshawe including PLC programming and Fanuc Robotics Programming, as well as Manufacturing and Design practices, Project Management and positive psychology. He has worked in many industries including automotive and agricultural equipment repair, construction, and manufacturing.

David has a propensity for learning and developing skills, and a passion for technology and manufacturing science.

Matt Myles

Controls Designer

Matt attended the University of Western Ontario from 2005 to 2009 and graduated with a BA degree.  Following this, Matt attended Fanshawe College from 2014-2016 and graduated with an Electrical Engineering Technician Diploma.

The college program focused on all things electrical including motors, electronics, wiring, electrical design, PLC and HMI programming.  His current field of expertise is electrical design, schematics creation and electrical panel building.  In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, cycling, playing music, drumming, and spending time with his wife and son.

Colin VanRaay

Controls Specialist

Colin graduated in 2015 from Queens University with a BASc in Electrical Engineering. 

He enjoys taking a practical approach to engineering by using first principles to solve applicable real world challenges.

Faye Augé

Administrator

Faye has been with MPI since its inception, handling the daily requirements of the office environment.  As the Health and Safety Representative, Faye is always working to meet MPI’s compliance in all health and safety related matters.

Adam Van Dusen

Controls Specialist

Adam attends Fanshawe college and will graduate with an advanced diploma from their Electrical Engineering Technology program.

A driven and career focused individual who aims to continue educating himself in hopes to be an expert in the field. Adam is always eager to be a part of any project.

Brent Watling

Controls Specialist

Brent graduated from the University of Guelph with a bachelors in System and Controls engineering. He also attended Humber college and graduated with a diploma in electromechanical engineering.

After graduating from university Brent worked in the baggage handling industry where he learned about PLCs, sensors, HMI programming and control systems. From here, he worked on designing heavy machinery which strengthened his mechanical engineering skills.

Going forward, Brent is excited about bringing his past experiences together to bring comprehensive solutions to his customers.

Andrii Prykhodko

Controls Specialist

Software Developer & Controls Specialist studying Electrical Engineering at Western University. I work on industrial automation at MPI Solutions, robotic systems, PLC programming, custom TwinCAT HMI interfaces, and custom automation applications.

In my spare time I build everything from robots, autonomous racing cars and reinforcement learning agents to AI trading bots, custom automation apps, game automation tools, and player tracking systems. Passionate about automation,  machine learning, and creating practical solutions that bridge hardware and software. I also enjoy rock climbing and paddling!

Dan MacMilllan

Shop Build Leader

Karey van der Maarel

5S and Continuous Improvement Management

Karey earned a diploma in General Business from Conestoga College in 1999, specializing in all facets of small business ownership, including accounting, marketing, sales, and human resources. Following her graduation, she successfully owned and operated a retail Tack Shoppe for 13 years, providing local equestrians with their essential equine supplies. Since 2014 she serves as a Fragrance Director with Scentsy Fragrance, where she leads a team of over 100 consultants, while also managing their small horse farm situated outside of St. Thomas, ON. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, attending her two sons’ sporting events, coaching basketball, horseback riding, and gardening.

Megan Autumn Menard-Kee

Intern - Marketing & Social Media Lead

Megan Menard-Kee is a Business Marketing student at Fanshawe College with a foundation in Business Fundamentals. She is gaining hands-on experience supporting marketing initiatives within technical and engineering-focused environments. Driven, resilient, and detail-oriented.

Megan is committed to contributing value while continuing to grow her professional skillset.

Giorgio Antonini

Controls Specialist

Giorgio completed a Master in Software and Controls Engineering at Universita Politecnica delle Marche (Italy) in 2023. In December 2024 he graduated from University of Western Ontario with a Master of Engineering Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering focusing on renewable energies and wastewater integration.

Through multidisciplinary research and applied projects, Giorgio’s expertise lies at the intersection of software, automation, and intelligent sensing, with particular emphasis on applied engineering and system integration.