Owner-President
One of Fernand’s earliest childhood memories is of his grandfather building a pair of captain chairs in his garage. Watching him use a spokeshave and turn spindles left vivid impressions on Fernand’s young mind, and his exposure to the trade only intensified as he grew older. When he was twelve, his father started bringing him along on construction jobs on the weekends and continued to show him the ropes throughout his teens. As a young man, Fernand held down various jobs – in a cement plant, in maintenance, in mining – but every spare moment was spent building furniture in his garage or doing endless renovation projects. In 1985, Fernand finally made the leap into the woodworking business when he opened North Bay Woodwork with his brother Laurent. Over the next thirteen years, Fernand honed his craft, gaining experience in both residential and commercial projects. When he moved his family to Ottawa in 1998, he continued to work in the trade, first as an installer, then as a foreman, but in 2004, it was time to take another leap. Seeing that his son Sébastien had clearly inherited the woodworking gene, Fernand launched Boiserie Sébo Woodwork, knowing that his youngest son Mathieu would also join them when he finished high school. With his wife Lorraine by his side, Fernand built the foundation of the highly-reputed company that today employs over 30 people.
Sébastien Boileau
President
As a child, Sébastien could be found happily sweeping the floors of Fernand’s woodworking shop in North Bay. He soon graduated to the tools of the trade, keen to get his hands on every project he could. Years later, when Fernand decided to start a new woodworking business in Ottawa, it was with Sébastien’s love of the trade in mind. In fact, the business is named after him, a combination of the first two letters of Sébastien’s first and last name to form Sébo. In his capacity as president, Sébastien continues to steer the company towards innovation and improvements, with a view of offering the latest state-of-the-art products while maintaining Sébo’s reputation for high-quality workmanship.
Mathieu Boileau
Vice President of Operations
Mathieu is Sébo’s ace in the hole. A self-taught computer engineer, Mathieu has worked tirelessly to build the program that forms the backbone of the company, a program that is used from the planning stages all the way through the manufacturing process. Thanks to his exceptional work, Sébo’s designer scan produce the most detailed 3D views in the industry, giving clients a clear picture of the finished product, from the exact style of door to the smallest piece of moulding. As the resource-person for all things technical, Mathieu plays an essential role in Sébo’s day-to-day operations, and he can always be counted on for answers and a quick pun.
