Wolfgang Zimmermann, OBC
President | Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences
Executive Director | National Institute of Disability Management and Research
Wolfgang Zimmermann, OBC is President of the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS), a statutory, not-for-profit, degree granting education institution focused in the areas of workplace safety, health promotion, return to work and disability management, and rehabilitation. Under its enabling legislation and unique in Canada, the Board of Governors of PCU-WHS requires equal representation from employers and unions. Wolfgang is also Executive Director of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research, an internationally recognized not-for-profit organization established in 1994 by large companies and unions with a commitment towards developing leading edge solutions designed to reduce the human, social and economic costs of disability through implementation of workplace-based disability management/return to work programs. While a member of the IWA, Wolfgang suffered a serious industrial accident (paraplegic) many decades ago during his first week on the job working for MacMillan Bloedel on the west coast of Vancouver Island. He was retrained as an accountant and continued working for his pre-disability employer. He became involved in the Disability Management field in the late 1980’s and has held a wide range of private and public sector appointments such as Chair of the Premier’s Council for Persons with Disabilities, Vice Chair of the Employment Equity Board, Panel of Administrators for the BC Workers Compensation Board, Minister’s Council for Employment for Persons with Disabilities, National Advisory Board for Veterans Affairs, and has appeared before Parliamentary and Senate Committees as expert witness. Wolfgang has received many awards and commendations for his work on disability prevention and rehabilitation including the Order of British Columbia, Federal Certificate of Merit, Employee of the Decade, U.S. National Employee of the Year Award, Governor General’s Appreciation Award, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, Lieutenant Governor’s BC Community Achievement Award, and the United Steelworkers J. William Lloyd Award, just to name a few.