He/Him
(250) 386-4388
wolfgang@nidmar.ca
Wolfgang Zimmermann is Executive Director of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research, a labour/management partnership committed to reducing the human, social, and economic impact of disability on workers, employers, and society. To achieve this goal, the Institute is engaged in education, training, and the development of workplace-based disability management programs. The Board of Directors of the National Institute includes senior employer and union partners and is supported by an International Council which includes senior representatives from Australia, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the United States. Wolfgang is currently at the Institute on a long-term secondment from Weyerhaeuser Ltd., where he is involved in corporate disability management initiatives.
Following a severe industrial accident in 1977, Wolfgang retrained in Business Administration, later becoming involved in the disability management field in the late 1980’s. He has held a range of appointments in disability management in the public and private sectors, including Chair of the Premier’s Council for Persons with Disabilities in British Columbia, and Vice-Chair of the Employment Equity Board for B.C. He has participated in a number of federal taskforces, and until October 2001 spent six years as one of four public administrators at the B.C. Workers Compensation Board. More recently, he was involved in creating Weyerhaeuser Company’s first-ever global disability management program and is currently Chair of the International Advisory Committee for the Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
In recognition of his work in disability prevention and rehabilitation, Wolfgang received the Order of British Columbia in 1992, the Canada 125 National Anniversary Medal in 1993, and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
