Steve attended Georgian College in Ontario, where he received a diploma in Environmental Engineering Technology. Since then, Steve has dedicated his 24-year career to the environmental and innovation industries through roles in both the public and private sectors. During this time his C-level leadership skills were instrumental in building two multi-million-dollar international companies.

Currently Steve is the Chief Operating Officer of Altomaxx Technologies, which was co-founded with CEO Chris Haley in 2018. In the last five years the company has grown into a globally recognized drone services provider with seven locations across North America and the United Arab Emirates. The company’s innovative drone technology is helping to reduce fugitive methane emissions, remove workers from hazardous confined spaces, and improve the reliability of critical infrastructure. As the world’s only accredited ISO Certification Body for the drone industry, Altomaxx, and its COO Steve Priestley, are committed to advancing the industry by raising standards for safety and operational procedures.

Steve has been nominated for the Premier’s Award in Technology by Georgian College. The Technology category recognizes individuals who seek to improve people’s quality of life through innovations in technology and/or information and communications systems.

“My time at Georgian College shaped my career in the environmental and innovation sectors. The hands-on approach I was taught through my time at the college inspired us to explore the use of drones, which directly led to the founding of Altomaxx Technologies. Now we’re utilizing drone technology in multiple industries, changing the way data acquisition, surveys, and inspections are completed – for the better. I am honoured that Georgian College has chosen to recognize this work and nominate me for such a prestigious award.”

– Steve Priestley, Chief Operating Officer of Altomaxx Technologies

The Premier’s Awards are administered annually by Colleges Ontario, an advocacy group for the province’s 24 colleges. Each college can submit a nominee for each of the seven award categories: Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate and Technology. The 2023 Premier’s Awards gala takes place on November 27 in downtown Toronto.

To learn more about the Premier’s Award, please visit their website:

Premier’s Awards: Celebrating Ontario’s Outstanding Graduates