Dustin Westlake, AHC, CFDAI

Sales - Allmar

Let us know which credentials you have earned and when you earned them, and which credentials you hope to earn in the future.

I became an AHC on August 11, 2022 and shortly after on September 29, 2022 I became a CFDAI at DHI's conference in my hometown of Kelowna, BC.

My sights are set on becoming an EHC as well in the near future. With today's world and electrified hardware in just about every new build and all of the retrofits to older buildings this would be a great way to make myself stand out.

How many years have you been in the industry and can you share some of your past experiences?

I have been in the Door & Hardware industry now about 12 years which is crazy to think about when I am only 29 years young.

I started back in Grade 11 working part time in the shop helping with shipping & receiving and eventually moving into a sales position which I very much enjoy doing.

How long have you been participating in DHI Canada’s education program and which courses have you taken?

I have been taking DHI courses for almost 10 years now when i started with COR 103 & COR 120 back in October 2013. I made my way through all of the COR & AHC courses as well as CDC 300 before taking the AHC & CFDAI exams.

Have you participated in both our national schools and our regional schools?

I have mainly taken my courses at the Canadian Schools in Calgary, I had the pleasure of attending both Montreal and Phoenix which I highly recommend to anyone thinking about attending.

How has participation in our education programs contributed to your professional development and your career?

Attending DHI courses has helped my career in many different aspects. First through the information you get out of not only the classes but also the other Students and Teachers experiences and knowledge that goes beyond the class material. Another very important aspect is the people that you meet by attending DHI events, you get the opportunity to meet a lot of people who have been working in the industry for a long time and your name starts to grow and people start to recognize you which in my mind is crucial to building a successful career.

What impacts have our instructors had in mentoring you and engaging you in the industry?

From pushing me to be involved in discussions inside the classroom to events outside the classroom like the Student Appreciation Night the instructors (and all of the DHI staff that put these events and schools together) are always working to get me involved with others. Outside of DHI events I still talk to my past instructors from years ago that are always willing to help me work through a problem or give me a different perspective.

In your opinion, what is the most important benefit of DHI Canada’s education program?

The instructors at DHI in my experience are all very experienced individuals who are there simply because they want to be there to help educate and advance people's careers regardless of who you are or who you work for. The knowledge you learn and the network of people you start to make are to me the most important aspects of the DHI program.

Personal story or memories you wish to share

I can't remember how old I was or what year it was but when I was a child I was lucky enough to go to Mexico with my parents on a branch managers trip. I remember we were out on a boat sitting on the back deck and I was trying to hold my feet low enough so that the waves would splash up and touch my toes, I guess I got a little bit too eager and grabbed onto a bar and dropped down as low as I could which immediately drew attention to me and while I was pretty impressed with myself it appeared that others were not so much. Needless to say, i was not allowed to sit back there anymore.

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