Lock Search Group Leading Efforts to Recruit CEO for Atlas Sign & Awning
November 5, 2026 – Toronto-headquartered executive recruitment firm Lock Search Group was retained by Atlas Sign & Awning to find its next CEO. Recruitment consultant, partner Cameron Lappin is leading the assignment. Reporting directly to the CEO of the holding company, the appointed CEO for Atlas Sign & Awning will provide strategic and operational leadership across all facets of the business, driving performance, profitability, and sustainable growth. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for overseeing daily operations, optimizing production and project execution, supporting business development initiatives, and fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability and collaboration.
The ideal candidate combines strong operational expertise with a customer-focused sales mindset, exceptional financial acumen and experience, and a proven ability to build relationships, develop teams, and execute on long-term growth strategies within a fast-paced, ever-changing manufacturing/service environment.
Those applying for this position should have a bachelor’s degree with a focus in business, commerce, or operations management along with five to seven years of senior level management with a focus on profitably scaling organizations through effective and strategic business development, sales and marketing plans. Applications for this role have been closed and Hunt Scanlon will bring you a follow up story when the candidate has been selected.
Atlas Sign & Awning is a full-service commercial signage and branding company based in Langley, British Columbia, serving clients across Canada and the United States. For more than 30 years, the company has specialized in helping businesses enhance their visibility through custom-designed signage, awnings, and branded architectural elements.
With offices across Canada and parts of the U.S., Lock Search Group is an executive search and recruitment firm with a track record of success. Every consultant at Lock has held a leadership role in the industry they now recruit for. The firm’s search consultants have an average tenure of 12 years.
Jack Gawen and Ben Lamarche are managing directors of Lock. Over the course of more than 17 years, Mr. Gawen has played significant roles for such market leaders as Ceridian, American Express and Workopolis. He comes to Lock with direct experience in delivering results for enterprises large and small. Mr. Gawen has been at the forefront of establishing and building sales divisions from the ground up. His passion for winning, success, and client focus are the key factors in his development.
Mr. Lamarche has been with the Lock family for over 15 years, working initially out of Montreal and now based in the Toronto office. He started his recruitment career in life sciences. Mr. Lamarche has extensive experience in managing complex recruitment projects. In the last few years, he has had success in managing true leadership roles (CEO, president, GM, COO, CFO) within a number of organizations.
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Mr. Lappin is a partner and recruitment consultant with Lock Search Group in Vancouver, specializing in the industrial sector in Western Canada. His recruiting practice covers industrial and technical sales, supply chain and operations, procurement management, strategic sourcing, demand and supply planning, transportation and logistics, project management, quality assurance and quality control, and plant and production management.
Emergent BioSolutions Search
Lock Search Group recently assisted in the recruitment of Layton Henderson as vice president and general manager of Emergent BioSolutions’ Winnipeg manufacturing facility. “We’re grateful to celebrate a successful executive placement with our valued partner, Emergent BioSolutions,” Lock Search Group said in a LinkedIn post. “Congratulations to Layton Henderson on his appointment. We’re confident his leadership will help support Emergent’s important mission and continued success. Thank you to the Emergent team for the trust you’ve placed in Lock Search Group. It’s a privilege to support organizations making a meaningful impact on global health.”
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Mr. Henderson as over 25 years of experience in biopharma and large-scale manufacturing. Before joining Emergent BioSolutions, he spent several years with Catalent, where he held senior manufacturing and operations roles in both the U.K. and Canada.
Emergent BioSolutions is a global life sciences company that develops, manufactures, and supplies medical countermeasures and other products designed to address public health threats and emergencies. The company’s portfolio includes vaccines, therapeutics, and related preparedness products used by governments, healthcare systems, and other customers.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
