Awtar Singh Koonar

Born in Punjab, India, Awtar Singh Koonar earned his degree in Electrical Engineering before relocating to Canada in 1971. He furthered his education with a master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science. Koonar began his professional career as a software engineer for the Canadian Air Traffic Control System, where he gained invaluable experience in critical systems.

He later joined Environment Canada, where he held various positions, including System Analyst, System Manager, Software Development Manager, Project Manager, and Head of the IT Branch. His career culminated as a Senior Projects Portfolio Manager, overseeing significant initiatives that enhanced national capabilities.

After retiring, Koonar embraced his entrepreneurial spirit, engaging in training and the development of adaptive decision support frameworks. He also served as a Senior Project Manager Consultant for various organizations, leveraging his expertise to drive successful project outcomes.

Throughout his career, Koonar has provided consulting services in project management in North America. He co-developed ITIL educational curricula for a major education provider and has taught ITIL and project management courses throughout North America. He is a licensed professional engineer with the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario and holds several certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), ITIL Expert, ITIL Managing Professional (MP), and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe 5). His expertise has enabled him to manage multiple businesses offering project management, geospatial, and IT service management (ITSM) services.

He has published numerous papers in scientific, IT, geospatial, and networking journals. Inspired by friends and his own experiences, Koonar authored his first book, “Unbreakable Spirit: From Shadows to Radiance,”