November 2013 Business in Calgary by Business in Calgary

Jack Gallagher

Bob Brawn

Dave Werklund

Calgary Business Hall of Fame Rise

retirement

Manufacturing is alive and Well

Condominium Living is on the

redeďŹ ning

Se ry C pa ct ha ge io m 10 n b e 1

Calgaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Industries

Junior Achievement celebrates the 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates

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nOVEMBEr 2013 $3.50

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Clive Beddoe

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Contents

volume 23 • Number 11

PUBLisHErs

Pat Ottmann & Tim Ottmann

EDitOr

On our cover…

COPY EDitOrs

The 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates: Clive Beddoe, Bob Brawn, Jack Gallagher, Dave Werklund

John Hardy Lisa Johnston & Nikki Mullett

art DirECtOr

Cher Compton cher@businessincalgary.com

COntriBUtinG DEsiGnEr

NOVEMBER 2013 $3.50

aDMinistratiOn

Nancy Bielecki nancy@businessincalgary.com Kim Hogan info@businessincalgary.com

rEGULar COntriBUtOrs

www.businessincalgary.com

Jessi Evetts

Richard Bronstein Frank Atkins David Parker Lonnie Tate Mary Savage

tHis issUE’s COntriBUtOrs Heather Ramsay Stewart McDonough Meghan Ockey Andrea Mendizabal Parker Grant Shannon Stucky

Clive Beddoe

Jack Gallagher

Bob Brawn

Dave Werklund

PHOtOGraPHY

Cover photos courtesy of Junior Achievement

Calgary Business Hall of Fame Junior Achievement celebrates the 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates

Is Alive and Well

r be am

EDitOriaL, aDVErtisinG & aDMinistratiVE OFFiCEs

1025, 101 6th Ave. SW Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 Tel: (403) 264-3270/Fax: (403) 264-3276 Email: info@businessincalgary.com

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Online at www.businessincalgary.com Annual rates: $31.50; $45 USA; $85 International Single Copy $3.50 Business in Calgary is delivered to over 33,500 business people every month including all registered business owners in Calgary, Banff, and Canmore, and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce members.

33 COVER 41 • Calgary Business Hall of Fame

Junior Achievement celebrates the 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates A Tale of Four Icons: A true icon’s uniqueness is particularly about attitude and character By John Hardy

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www.businessincalgary.com 6 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Manufacturing

Rise

Condominium Living is on the

Retirement

Redefining

Calgary’s Top Industries

Bernie Cooke bernie@businessincalgary.com Kim Hogan kim@businessincalgary.com Tiffany-Sarah Smith tiffany@businessincalgary.com

DirECtOrs OF CUstOM PUBLisHinG

aDVErtisinG saLEs

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www.businessincalgary.com

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Contents

volume 23 • Number 11

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 33 • Condominium Living is on the Rise

While our local real estate market remains strong, demographic and consumer preferences are redirecting demand and putting pressure on more affordable products. Condominiums are where it’s at. By Heather Ramsay

47 • Manufacturing Is Alive and Well

Manufacturing accounts for 14 per cent of Canada’s GDP By Parker Grant

50 • Redeﬁning Retirement Most Canadians can’t afford to retire! By John Hardy

61 • Calgary’s Top Industries 100 • Meetings, Resorts and Retreats

HUMANCAPITAL 81 • Fall Newsletter

COMPANY PROFILES 16 • Benzing Charlebois Furs 53 • Supreme Fashion and Footwear Celebrating 65 Years

87 • Westcor Construction Ltd. The Westcor Way - A Decade Strong

93 • MoneyAdvisor.ca

Plan. Protect. Prosper. Simplifying Your Financial Goals

33 REGULAR COLUMNS 10 • I Have a Dream By Richard Bronstein

12 • Time to Discount the IPCC Predictions By Frank Atkins

14 • An Old Guy’s Thoughts on The Red Chamber By Lonnie Tate

101 • Leading Business 105 • The Calgary Report

Current developments for Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and Innovate Calgary

110 • Marketing Matters By David Parker

8 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

96 • Sturgess Architecture Celebrating 20 Years

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I have a Dream • Richard Bronstein

By riCHarD BrOnstEin

i Have a Dream

n my dream there is a new political party in Alberta called “Honk For a Provincial Sales Tax.” Jack Mintz is our candidate for premier and I am chief campaign strategist. Our new political party is so popular in Calgary that our first convention is being held in a phone booth. But as more people become familiar with the research done by Jack Mintz at the School for Public Policy at the U of C on why a provincial sales tax would be a benefit to Alberta finances, there is sure to be a groundswell of support. We may even have to hold our next convention at a table for four at Candela Lounge. I am already looking at a merger with that blue ribbon panel that recommended increased oil royalties for Premier Stelmach several years ago. If that goes through we might even need a minivan to take us all from one corner of the province to the other to pitch our vision for sensible public policy in Alberta. Then I had a dream about Thorsten Heins, president and CEO of BlackBerry Ltd. He had his hands on the steering wheel when this technology giant finally veered into the ditch. For his efforts, he got a $25-million golden handshake. It made me question this whole business of executive hiring and firing. Especially when it comes to public bodies such as school boards, Alberta Health Services and others. We seem to keep hiring expensive people and loading them with super performance bonuses, generous pensions and what seems to humble people like me, extravagant severance packages. The reason for this munificence, we are told, is that “you have to pay top dollar to get the best people.” Has it occurred to anyone that maybe the second best might do a reasonably good job just as well? And think how much we’ll save in salaries and benefits when the government reorganizes everything all over again as it seems to do every 30 days. In this dream I write a sensational bestselling business book called “.344” – chosen after the lifetime batting average of the fearsome Ted Williams. It was Williams who said that those who only fail seven times out of 10 turn out to be the greatest in the game. In other words, he set an extremely high definition of success. 10 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Today, success has been narrowed to mean the accumulation of personal wealth. Nevermind that those who claim such success are largely standing on the shoulders of their employees and the real risk takers who came before them to develop new products, new services and new ways of doing things. After some tossing and turning, another dream appeared. It started out as feeling sorry for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s very troublesome procurement policy for our Armed Forces. It seems that we have been talking for many years now about acquiring new helicopters, new icebreakers, new naval supply vessels, new jet fighters, new army trucks and maybe even better underwear for our men and women in the services. So far it seems we got nothing. Everything is bogged down in the Ottawa bureaucracy. I don’t know how many civil servants are involved in this shopping expedition but I am sure it is costing us a fortune in working lunches and overtime. Not to mention all manner of consultant fees to manage the procurement process. Yet still we have nothing. I wouldn’t presume to tell the government what equipment it should buy. And looking at Kijiji is not very helpful in acquiring military equipment, unless you are interested in Bulgarian army great coats and replica RPGs from the Czech Republic. But I do know one organization that excels at procurement and knows how to drive a hard bargain. Or else. What the government should do is to turn management of its military procurement process to the Hells Angels. These guys know engines and speed and blowing things up better than any civil servant in Ottawa. They know how to bargain hard. And they know how to enforce contracts. (“Hey, Lockheed Martin. We don’t like the upholstery in the F-35. Fix it or we’ll break your factory.”) I know in the past the Hells Angels have been a bit unsavoury, but if you get in their good books, they can bring a high degree of teamwork, camaraderie and enthusiasm to the job. Can’t be worse than what we are doing now. BiC

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Time to Discount the IPCC Predictions • Frank Atkins

BY FRANK ATKINS

n my bookshelf is a book titled Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. The point of this book is that human beings can take ideas that have no factual basis and believe these ideas with some kind of a religious fervour. It is interesting that this book was written in 1841. One of the silliest of these ideas in the last little while has been the Atkins Diet (no relation). Thankfully people eventually caught on to the fact that this was just another fad and it faded away into oblivion. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the man-made global warming theory. In late September the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report on the state of the earth’s climate. What is very interesting is that the IPCC, and all of its religious followers, are having a bit of a tough time in that the actual data that they are dealing with is not cooperating. It turns out that there has not been any significant increase in temperature over the last 17 years. Over this same period emissions have gone up. This is a very uncomfortable, or in Al Gore’s words, inconvenient set of facts. The statistical models used by the IPCC crowd have all predicted relatively large temperature increases over the last 17 years, and these increases just did not appear. Anyone who has ever worked with statistical models should not be surprised by this. These models are notoriously sensitive to even these smallest changes in assumptions. Why anyone would

Time to Discount the IPCC Predictions think that climate models could accurately predict into the distant future is beyond me.

…this is important not just because it is a debate about the nature of our actions on the earth’s climate. This is important because the outcome of this debate will determine the allocation of our resources. Given this, we have to face the truth that the science of climate change is not settled. During the last provincial election Danielle Smith was vilified for saying this. I am certain that I will get some very nasty emails for writing this. However, this is important not just because it is a debate about the nature of our actions on the earth’s climate. This is important because the outcome of this debate will determine the allocation of our resources. Over the years since the climate change alarmists convinced the world that catastrophe was on our doorstep, we have allocated billions of dollars

into very expensive alternative energy schemes. Just look at Ontario and see how the fascination with so-called green energy has increased power prices. One of the reasons that the European Union is having such difficulty recovering from the downturn is that they have committed to very expensive green energy. This makes their production processes uncompetitive. In this time of “Extraordinary Popular Delusion” what we have failed to do is to properly assess risk before we allocate funds to a new undertaking. All along there has been some probability that the IPCC was wrong. However, this probability was discounted in the hysteria that was created by the catastrophe believers. There was this pervasive feeling that the IPCC was completely correct and that there is no question that we should allocate resources differently. Now we face the possibility that this may have been a giant waste of money. The fact is that fossil fuels are the cheapest form of energy that we have, and exploiting fossil fuels creates wealth and makes human beings better off. Therefore, what we should be doing is allocating resources to more efficiently exploiting our resources, which may include emissions abatement. We can only hope that the IPCC, along with the catastrophe crowd, will finally fade away, just like the Atkins Diet. BiC FraNk aTkINs Is aN assoCIaTe ProFessor oF eCoNomICs aT The UNIversITy oF Calgary aND a seNIor Fellow aT The FroNTIer CeNTre For PUblIC PolICy.

12 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

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an old guy’s Thoughts on The red Chamber • Lonnie Tate

By LOnniE tatE

an Old Guy’s Thoughts on The Red Chamber

he recent nonsense in the news about our senators has got me thinking. Growing up in the southwest corner of Calgary, my teachers at Richmond Elementary were great at Canadian heritage and our traditions. I learned all about the monarchy, Parliament and its upper and lower chambers. I discovered that we were fortunate to have elections where our parents voted for solid citizens who made decisions in Parliament to benefit us all. Our elected representatives passed perfect laws but just in case there were some blips, the Senate and its graybeards got another chance to perfect the legislation of the day. It seemed I was growing up in Utopia. What happened? We have seen the political side of Parliament slip into a slash and burn process fuelled by changing communication technology and American politics. But I naively thought the Senate was above all this. Indeed, in my review of Senate materials, many of our senators fill my idyllic role. They are well-intended, fair-minded folks who bring their experience to Parliament Hill offering advice and counsel to a host of parliamentarians who really need it. And then there are some others. What drove me to comment in this column was a press release from Senator Pamela Wallin that said in part: “I wish to make it clear. I was not treated fairly by the Deloitte review, which was not conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principle [sic], nor have I been treated fairly by the Senate Committee.” I’ve read the Deloitte report (if you work at it you can find a lot of interesting stuff on the Internet). In a strange way, Ms. Wallin is right, the review was not conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) because there are no rules within GAAP for such a review. The Deloitte review actually comments on this. I am a chartered accountant and I think I have the answer. GAAP is about accounting principles; how to account for things. The question at issue is about ethics and personal principles. They are miles apart. Several senators seem to

14 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

have missed the point and have stepped well beyond what most of us would think is ethical. Incredibly, they also seem to believe that having been caught with their collective hands in several cookie jars, they think that by putting back the cookies, they are absolved of any responsibility. But they took out homemade ones and are putting back old store-bought ones. They are not the same. Heck, one of the senators is having his wages garnisheed to make the repayments. It seems we cannot fire them. And in most cases the recalcitrant senators are not about to resign. There is current income, paid staff and offices and expense reimbursements at stake. If they hang in there, there is also an indexed pension. A lot of sideway looks is a small price to pay for financial security. What really fries me is that these people are supposed to be the best in our society. To me, that implies being able to look up to them. But unfortunately, the old adage of how bad apples can ruin the whole barrel applies here. I find myself looking down. My look at the Senate took me into all kinds of strange places. I find it troubling there are several articles within the Senate website devoted to youth and the Senate page program. I suppose they can learn something … even if it is what not to do. I learned Alberta has six senators and I wondered who are they? Ask yourself … can you name one or more? Now as it happens, I know one, only because I know him from another movie. I drew a blank when I read the other names. That may be a comment on my political naivety and you should take that into consideration if you take anything away from reading this. The Senate has been patched up with Band-Aids for the last century. My accounting background always leads me to financial statements and sure enough, there are audited ones. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, Senate operations cost $106,000,000 and change; a little more than $1,000,000 per senator. Makes you wonder … doesn’t it? BiC

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rant Ritchie is very proud of the fact that Benzing Charlebois Furs has been a family-run business in this city for 75 years, and since he purchased it in 1981. And now after 30 years of running a successful store and storage facility, Grant is pleased to hand over the responsibility to his daughter, Tyania, who after working as an interior designer has accepted her father’s offer to become the new generation of fur retailers full of new ideas. Tyania has been involved in Benzing Charlebois Furs since high school and worked in the store for a couple of years alongside her father. With young determination, Tyania sought experience outside the family business, working her way up to management. Her creative spirit led her to open her own interior design company as a consultant. In 2007, her expertise took her back to what she knew and loved the most - the family store, located at 2nd Street and 11th Avenue SW. Although Grant intends to be at the store from time to time, Tyania is the new owner and she has already put her stamp on the offering of new season’s designs and a bigger inventory of attractive accessories. She is thankful for the many, many loyal customers that Grant has built up over the years and is now attracting their daughters and new buyers with exclusive, distinctive and luxurious pieces with which they can express their own personal tastes. Rosemary Crawford, a long time employee, continues to lend her many years of experience with the trade. There is now a strong demand for styles that feature furs that are sheared, dyed, laser cut or embossed. The industry has changed greatly since a fur coat was long and heavy, bought primarily to keep out the cold. Furs are still worn to help a person keep warm but today’s designs that have a significant presence on the world’s fashion catwalks and in high-quality magazines are lightweight, elegantly modern and a joy to wear on so many occasions. One of the nicest things about a fur is that is it so lasting, giving many years of pleasure, but it does need looking after.

Tyania Ritchie and her father, Grant Ritchie, in their store located at 2nd Street and 11th Avenue SW. Photo by Mary Savage.

Benzing Charlebois Furs has an off-site, secure 6,000-square-foot storage and manufacturing facility where hundreds of customers’ furs are looked after, hanging in two storeys of temperature and humidity controlled open space. It is also the workshop of the firm’s master furrier, Reto Kalstas, a man with more than 45 years of experience in the trade who besides overseeing the cleaning, oiling and lustre glazing of precious furs is an expert at repairing, altering, recycling fashion pieces and converting coats into a reversible with a water-resistant shell. Tyania spends a lot of time at the warehouse, continuing to improve her knowledge of the trade, but her love of retail, enthusiasm and dedication to the fur business has already won her recognition among her peers. She is one of only two Canadians invited to attend the Fur Futures international meeting in London, England, where the ‘brightest and best’ members of the International Fur Trade Federation will brainstorm to devise strategies for upcoming initiatives.

www.benzingcharleboisfurs.com 403.229.1431 | 1005 - 2nd St. SW, Calgary

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Sverica International Announces the Sale of Pivot to Rogers Communications for C$155 Million Sverica International, a private equity investment firm, announced the sale of its portfolio company, Pivot Data Centres Inc. (“Pivot”), to Rogers Communications Inc. (“Rogers”) for C$155 million. Based in Calgary with an additional facility in Edmonton, Pivot is a leading data centre solutions provider in Western Canada, specializing in co-location as well as data centre design, maintenance and relocation. Sverica acquired a controlling interest in Pivot (formerly Care Factor Computer Services Inc.) in November 2009. Over the course of its investment, Sverica enhanced strategic focus on Pivot’s co-location services, identified Edmonton as an attractive growth market, added depth to management and facilitated capital investFrank Young, Managing Director at Sverica International Michael Koury, CEO, Pivot Data Centres ment for significant capacity expansion to support rapid growth. “Sverica identified the growth opportunities available in its momentum today,” says Frank Young, managing director at Sverica. “Pivot has emerged as a leader in Alberta due co-location and the western Canadian market specifically, to its steadfast focus on delivering flexible and reliable coand the vision we shared with management for Care Factor location services to its clients, and this commitment to client in 2009 is embodied in Pivot’s accomplishments since and

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 19

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off the Top • News

service and support from a strong partner like Rogers will position Pivot for continued growth. This transaction represents a great outcome for Sverica’s investors and Pivot’s management and employees.” “It has been a privilege working with Sverica, and the board as the CEO of Pivot, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished,” says Pivot’s CEO Michael Koury. “This transaction is a huge milestone and it represents a tremendous endorsement for all the hard work and effort from Pivot employees over many years in building a great company. Looking forward, we are very excited to be joining Rogers’ Business Solutions as part of the BLACKIRON Data brand. Pivot’s footprint in Alberta helps to complement Rogers’ data centre coverage nationwide, making this an excellent fit.” BMO Capital Markets and Signal Hill served as financial advisers to Sverica and Pivot. BiC

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PRODUIT : ASSURANCE www.businessincalgary.com COLLECTIVE FORMAT : 6,875’’ X 4,75’’ DATE DE PARUTION : SEPTEMBER 2013 PUBLICATION : BUSINESS IN CALGARY

8/6/13 4:07 PM

| BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 21

off the Top • News

David Sprague, CEO of Ag for Life.

Event organizers and supporters pose by RME’s combine.

City Slickers is a program that brings urban children to the country for a day where they meet farm animals, enjoy short training sessions, visit local farms and watch a harvest in action. The program launched in Airdrie as a joint initiative between Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Dow AgroSciences in 1996; and that is where Judy Kesanko and Judy Unterschultz from the Stony Plain Multicultural Heritage Centre first saw the program in action. Inspired by what they witnessed, Kesanko and Unterschultz looked at each other and said, “We could do that!” And do that they did. The Multicultural Heritage Centre launched their first City Slickers program in 1999. Fifteen years and over 15,000 children later, the program is still going strong. The day starts long before the children arrive. The first to show up are the volunteers – all 200 of them. The volunteers include numerous team leaders, locals that spend the day with each class to answer questions to help facilitate the event. When the 1,200 (varies slightly by year) children arrive, they are divided into two groups. One group goes on farm visits while the other tours the educational stations that are set up indoors and out. At one station, 4-H members teach each class about farm life and cattle. This year, 4-H members Johanna Livingstone, Cole Seidel and Isaac Schafers were on hand with a cow and calf. “It’s shocked me how much they didn’t know,” says Livingstone who has been with 4-H for 10 years and has participated in other City Slickers events. Schafers grins as he recounts what he tells the city slickers about the cows. “It’s fun to tell the kids this is your hamburger. This is your Big Mac from McDonald’s.”

Other stations included Alberta Canola, where the children got to crush seeds to make oil. A few stations away, Audrey Jones used a spinning wheel and loom to demonstrate ways to work with real wool. Outdoors, a blacksmith showed off his skills and Bill Soder showed old and new ways of cutting and threshing barely. Just before noon, the farm visitors returned and everyone went to the harvest site to see Rocky Mountain Equipment’s large combine in action. Following lunch, the farm visitors enjoyed the stations while the next group went to the farms. Ag for Life is a major funder of City Slickers and is in their third year of being the program’s main financial supporter. “We see this as an important program to expose kids to what agriculture is all about as they become consumers,” says David Sprauge, Ag for Life CEO. Kesanko agrees. “There are so many jobs in agriculture that children need to know about – from crop scientist to advertising. You don’t need to be a farmer to be in agriculture.” The day was greatly enjoyed by all. “I’ve never heard [my class] so quiet,” smiles a teacher from Tipaskan School as she watched her children taste barley and sample fresh produce. “It’s fantastic,” exclaims a Millgrove School teacher. “It’s so well organized. So well planned. The kids are enjoying it.” She notes that the free program enabled inner-city schoolchildren to attend since for some schools, field trips are not in the budget. September 20 closed with another successful City Slickers program where over 1,000 children left with a greater knowledge of rural life, possible career aspirations and an appreciation for where their food comes from. BiC

22 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

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off the Top • News

Watermark at Bearspaw Opens Doors to the Villas at Watermark

The Villas at Watermark, located in the Watermark at Bearspaw community.

As one of the top award-winning communities in Canada, 2013 has been a very exciting year for Watermark at Bearspaw. And now, the team at Macdonald Development Corporation has presented the grand opening of their newest offering to the Calgary marketplace, the Villas at Watermark. The Villas at Watermark are located in the Watermark at Bearspaw community, winner of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s 2012 SAM Award for New Community of the Year, Community of the Year – Calgary Region, and the prestigious Community Development Award which recognizes a single community in all of Canada. “With the Villas at Watermark, we now have a completely new opportunity to offer to those looking to join the Watermark community,” says Matthew Jones, associate vice-president of sales and marketing for Macdonald Development Corporation. “Over recent years, there has been a huge demand for this type of lock-and-leave lifestyle and we feel our villas will certainly stand out to those searching for a semi-detached home with stylish architecture and luxurious finishes. Add to that the spectacular mountain views, and you have homes that are beautiful both inside and out.” Situated on a gentle slope, the Villas at Watermark offer sweeping panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains. Designed by one of Canada’s foremost resort architects, Ray Letkeman, the Villas are described as a contemporary Prairie

style highlighted by low-slung hipped roofs with deep cedar overhangs and an abundant use of wood and glass. Offering four different floor plans ranging from over 1,900 square feet to 2,600 square feet of total finished space, the open interiors exude elegance with such features as 10-foot ceilings, European tiles and stone counters. Standard finishings include KitchenAid stainless steel appliances, wine coolers, built-in televisions in the kitchen, Grohe plumbing fixtures, and Hunter Douglas window coverings. As part of the overall Watermark at Bearspaw neighbourhood, Villas owners will have access to 46 acres of parkland, comprised of cascading streams, large ponds and over five kilometres of paved trails. As well, there is a pond-side plaza complete with outdoor kitchen, pavilion, picnic tables, barbecues, fire pit with amphitheatre-style seating, basketball court, sports field and playground. Watermark is conveniently close to a variety of shopping and dining venues, within walking distance of the spectacular Lynx Ridge Golf Club and a 20-minute commute to the downtown core and the airport. The extension of the northwest LRT line will bring a new station to within minutes of the community. The Villas at Watermark are priced from the low $700s. Show homes are open 12-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12-5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. BiC www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 25

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off the Top • News

Solve Mobility Services Offers High-end Telecommunications Solutions Founded in 2010 by Luis Diaz, Solve Mobility Services Inc. is an innovative Calgary-based communications consulting firm with an international reach. With a mandate to offer personalized service in the often confusing communications realm, Solve Mobility not only saves clients money but also helps create technological efficiencies, which improves a company’s overall return on investment. “We have some great tools that help companies be more cost effective with such things as roaming charges while also allowing the IT departments to better manage their communication devices,” explains Diaz. With a 95 per cent retention rate for current clients, Solve Mobility prides itself on building long-term relationships. If the fit is right for both Solve Mobility and the respective client, the

ensuing relationship can be a huge benefit, allowing Diaz and his team to customize unique solutions for each individual company. “We know no two companies are the same,” says Diaz. “They have different goals for their communications strategies and we work with them to create road maps that help to achieve these goals. We are looking to provide the best quality of service and products for our customers and to succeed in this aim, our own expansion is very controlled. We only work with a certain number of companies and it needs to be a good fit that will turn into a long-term relationship.” According to Diaz, companies are asking for assistance in not only saving money on roaming fees but also to help them manage all their communication requirements. In today’s global marketplace, it is not uncommon for employees

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to be travelling around the world where they might not have access to proper Internet services. As a result, one of Solve Mobility’s unique tools, S.M.S. Accentus, is available to help clients deal with such challenges. Highly rated by current users as a great roaming tool, applications like this are keeping Solve Mobility in the forefront in a competitive telecommunications industry. Another offering is the S.M.S. Probo, which allows real-time monitoring of roaming usage. If someone within the company is incurring exuberant roaming charges, Solve Mobility will be alerted and immediately follow the proper engagement protocol that has been pre-established with the client. “One of the things we’ve noticed is that today’s customer wants more control and a stronger voice in how their telecommunications assets are managed to how they are billed,” says Diaz. “There are lots of customers who are open to innovation to achieve their goals more efficiently and use the technology that is here today or experiment with new technology to help them achieve this tomorrow.” To better serve both new and existing clients, Solve Mobility will be expanding to a second major city in January. Clients range from oil and gas firms to international corporations and companies in the aviation industry. “We are an innovative company and we provide different solutions to our customers who benefit from having us represent them,” concludes Diaz. “Just as importantly, we are not just doing work domestically but are providing infrastructure internationally which is so important in today’s transient world. We have some exciting applications and products and provide tailor-made, high-end boutique solutions to all of our clients.” BiC

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off the Top • News

Support Needed for Seventh Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive The Canadian Legacy Project is thrilled to announce the start of the Seventh Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive. Companies, schools, social groups, families and individuals are being encouraged to secure food and cash donations to support the city’s deserving veterans and seniors. From November 1-15, 2013 people can drop off their donations at Crown Surplus in Inglewood which is located at 1005 – 11th Street SE. “This event will go a long way to make sure our veterans and seniors do not go hungry this winter,” states Marie Blackburn, director at the Veterans Food Bank at the Calgary Poppy Fund. “We need to fill more warehouses with food to sustain the growing number of veterans and seniors who need this assistance. Last year we saw so many companies and schools collect huge amounts of food and cash donations and this year we hope to surpass those totals, as the flood has certainly affected those in need.” Crown Surplus is back on side to support the event. “This is a chance for our company and staff to give back to those people who built Canada. We encourage Calgarians to come to our store (Crown Surplus at 1005 – 11th Street SE) and drop off non-perishable food donations or cash donations

30 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

to support our veterans and seniors,” says John Cumming, general manager of Crown Surplus. In addition, the Canadian Legacy Project has a new partner with Calgary Co-op Association to purchase food gift cards for veterans and seniors with all the cash donations raised through the event. “Calgary Co-op is thrilled to support the Seventh Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive. We are committed to supporting this program through our bag recycling program and donating an additional 10 per cent for all food cards the Canadian Legacy Project purchases at Calgary Co-op,” states Laura Babin, manager communications, Calgary Co-op Association. Last year Calgarians helped generate over $60,000 in cash donations and filled two warehouses full of food for the Calgary Veterans Food Bank, which is run by the Calgary Poppy Fund. One of the biggest supporters was local schools and their students. The Calgary Board of Education has sent out the event information to all their schools and is encouraging the faculty and students to raise funds and food for the Seventh Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive. In exchange for this amazing support, the Calgary Poppy Fund has local veterans visit the schools and give presentations on Canada’s involvement in past and current peacekeeping missions.

he 7th nual erans and niors ood rive

off the Top • News

Over the years the quality of life for seniors and military veterans has been on a serious decline and the Canadian Legacy Project was created to help improve this situation. “The Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive is an opportunity for Calgarians to show their support for those who gave us our freedoms and way of life. There are no excuses for the people who made Canada such a great place to go hungry,” states David Howard, president of the Canadian Legacy Project. “We encourage all Calgarians to get involved in this unique event and give back to those who gave so much to our country.” Individuals and corporations who are unable to get down to Crown Surplus but wish to make a cash donation can send their donations to the Canadian Legacy Project at #210, 1235 – 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2T 0C2. Cheques should be payable to the Canadian Legacy Project (a registered nonprofit). Tax receipts will be issued for all donations over $20. Donations can also be made online at www.canadianlegacy. org. Cash donations are used to buy grocery store gift cards that veterans and seniors can use to buy needed groceries and pharmaceuticals. Further information on the event can be found the Canadian Legacy Project website at: www.canadianlegacy.org. BiC

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ften climbing storeys high and available in nearly every urban centre in Canada, condominium living continues to grow in popularity and accessibility. Considered by many to be a more affordable and carefree style of living than a single-family home, demographic shifts and consumer preferences are placing increased demand on this real estate segment. There are currently over 1.1 million Canadians who own a condominium, which is the highest rate ever recorded by Statistics Canada. That

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Condominium living is on the rise • Real Estate

number constitutes 12.1 per cent of all households, or nearly one in every eight. A recent National Housing Survey indicated that this is a three-fold increase since 1981 and an increase of 2.2 per cent since 2006. Trends in ownership continue to be those under the age of 35 and most often first-time homebuyers, as well as retirees who are downsizing from a single-family home. Ann-Marie Lurie, chief economist with the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), explains that the resale condominium market in Calgary continues to improve and is in fact now outpacing the single-family market. “The single-family mar-

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ket has moved to a sellers’ market and we are starting to see the condominium market shift that way as well. Affordability and tightening rental markets in our city are pushing more people into ownership and condominiums are a popular option,” says Lurie. She goes on to say that although there has been price gains in the condominium market, levels are still below peak. “Pricing has increased by 7.5 per cent over last year. That is encouraging given that pricing was still on the decline in 2011. We anticipate that the steady growth we experienced in 2012 will continue throughout the balance of this year.

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Calgary is still an affordable market and our net migration and levels of employment are strong.” Although condominiums don’t typically recover in the same way as other markets, the increases we are seeing is creating healthy competition for alternate markets and helping keep pricing in check. Consumers today have more options in and around the city, and more communities are being planned and developed to include a number of housing options in one geographical area. While condominiums in Calgary range in price from $100,000 to $3 million, the unadjusted benchmark value for a condominium apartment in August was

$261,000. There had been 2,823 units sold year to date in the same month, which was an overall increase of 13.7 per cent over the previous year. In comparison, the benchmark price of a single-family home was $432,600. Sales growth saw only a five per cent increase year to date, and a year-overyear benchmark increase of 8.8 per cent. It’s interesting to note that the bulk of condominium units sold were in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range and that there were 28 units sold with a price tag of one million dollars or more. For those looking to get into a condominium, there are plenty of options, varied locations, floor plans and on-site amenities to choose from.

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Brokers, agents and experts suggest that condominium fees should not be a deterrent in the buying process. Although rates vary per square foot, consideration should be given to fees that are appropriate enough to cover professional services and proper maintenance. Oftentimes low condominium fees can be an indication of deferred maintenance which will only be more costly to condominium owners down the road. As the single-family market accounts for 70 per cent of activity and inventory continues to tighten, experts anticipate that the condominium market will continue to gain market share. The flood and low rental rates are adding pressure to housing and pushing more people into ownership. For some, previous aspirations of purchasing a single-family home have now been changed to a condominium as federal

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Condominium living is on the rise • Real Estate

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a while, fixed rates have been moving up swiftly over the past eight weeks. That is likely to be an ongoing trend.” Historically real estate activity tends to taper off towards the later part of the year, however, indications from CREB and brokers are that it won’t be the case this year. “Ultimately, rates and activity comes down to appropri-

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38 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The 7th Annual Veterans and Seniors Food Drive The Canadian Legacy Project and Crown Surplus are proud to present the 7th Annual Veterans & Seniors Food Drive Calgarians are being encouraged to support our Veterans and Seniors by bringing non-perishable food items & cash donations

Financial donations can be made out to The Canadian Legacy Project and mailed to: #210, 1235 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta. T2T 0C2 or online at www.canadianlegacy.org This event is sponsored by:

Field of Crosses Memorial Project

North side of Memorial Drive. West of Centre Street. November 1-11, 2013 | www.fieldofcrosses.com

Calgary business hall of Fame • Cover

Calgary Business Hall of Fame Junior Achievement celebrates the 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates

A Tale of Four Icons A true icon’s uniqueness is particularly about attitude and character BY JOHn HarDY | PHOtOs COUrtEsY OF JUniOr aCHiEVEMEnt

he ironic fact of icon life is that icons don’t consider themselves icons. They shrug off and quickly change the subject whenever the topic comes up. They are sincere and noticeably uncomfortable with the word icon, because the side-effects (like attention, recognition and especially praise) are not a normal part of an icon’s chemistry or focus. Whether they even realize it or occasionally fess up to it, for icons it is all genuinely about “just doing.” No fuss, no commotion and no recognition is necessary. Although society, and usually pop culture, recognizes and celebrates them for their ingenuity, smarts, vision, determination, achievements and success, a true icon’s uniqueness is particularly about attitude and character. According to Wikipedia, an icon is someone who is very famous and who people think represents a particular idea. Widely acknowledged icons include Steve Jobs, Walt Disney,

Muhammad Ali, Peter Lougheed, Steven Spielberg, Gordon Lightfoot, Arnold Palmer, Bill Gates, Elvis Presley and Ernest Hemingway. In Calgary, since 2004, Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta (JASA) has inducted Calgary icons into the Calgary Business Hall of Fame. The purpose: to enshrine some distinguished citizens and outstanding individuals who have helped shape Alberta and the Calgary community through their business success, entrepreneurial spirit and philanthropic contributions. The Calgary Hall of Fame – the permanent exhibit in the Bankers Hall, East Tower lobby in the heart of Calgary’s financial district – already honours icons such as JR Shaw, Max Bell, Bud McCaig, Richard Haskayne, Stan Grad, John Forzani and others. This month, JASA will induct four more Calgary icons: Clive Beddoe, Bob Brawn, Jack Gallagher and Dave Werklund. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 41

Calgary business hall of Fame • Cover

His gutsy, entrepreneurial drive and spirit are legendary and have been a key factor for [WestJet’s] worldwide respect for being one of the most successful airlines in recent aviation history.

Clive Beddoe C

live Beddoe is a most reluctant icon. The straight-shooting, personable but blunt founding shareholder and chairman of the board of directors of WestJet is still a bit amused that his tremendously high-profile success story and internationally respected professional claim to fame started as an unlikely fluke. Although entrepreneur savvy is in the mega-successful 67-year-old’s makeup, aviation was simply a private hobby during his dual real estate development and plastics manufacturing careers. The rest, as the cliché has it, is a remarkable and somewhat underwhelming story few would believe. “In May 1994, I was quite literally just sitting around with (Mark Hill) one of my senior management team members and out of the blue, he suggested we start an airline,” Beddoe remembers. The timing was right, since the Canadian airline industry had been deregulated for about six years and Beddoe explains that he always admired the American Southwest Airlines organization “with their unique business model of using only one type of aircraft and having a participatory workforce to keep costs down.” After more talk and strategizing, two more founding partners (Tim Morgan and Donald Bell) joined the group and, two years later, on a leap year February 29, 1996, Canada’s WestJet ‘took off.’ In 2007, Beddoe was appointed WestJet chairman after

42 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

previous roles as president and chief executive officer. His gutsy, entrepreneurial drive and spirit are legendary and have been a key factor for WestJet booming as a non-unionized public company with more than 9,600 employees, 196 aircrafts and worldwide respect for being one of the most successful airlines in recent aviation history. Industry insiders and outsiders alike credit Beddoe’s personal and professional style for shaping the development of WestJet’s corporate culture, executive team and customer strategy. “Staff behaviour and attitude is the key,” he emphasizes with conviction. “Unfortunately, airlines have a terrible reputation for the way they treat their customers. I said it when we started with 200 employees and I am still convinced that we must treat people the way we expect to be treated. There’s no margin for arrogance. Every day, for every one of us, it’s a challenge and a responsibility.” Today, the 67-year-old private pilot, avid sailor, fly fisherman, tennis player, mild chocoholic and single malt scotch connoisseur has hectic work days, divvied up between serving as WestJet chairman, owning Hanover Management (his commercial development company), Western Concord Manufacturing (a plastics manufacturing company in B.C.) and rebuilding the family’s Calgary home which was ravaged by the June flood. All in a day’s work for the reluctant Calgary icon.

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Calgary business hall of Fame • Cover

“Giving back is not an extra, it is a basic and essential fact of life. Ever since I can remember, from when my businesses and my family were both growing, work and community were always key parts of who I am.” ~ Bob Brawn

Bob Brawn F

ocused and affable Bob Brawn isn’t so sure what “icon” is supposed to mean. Shortly after graduating from the University of Alberta in 1958, he married, started a family, went to work and has been tirelessly involved in the energy industry and his Calgary community for his entire adult life. Professionally, his career began as a chemical engineer with Mobil Oil but, in 1965, Brawn didn’t quite realize the significance of purchasing an oil recycling refinery in Edmonton and launching it as SL refineries. It would later become Turbo Resources and the springboard for his enormous impact on Canada’s energy industry. “It was a bumpy ride in the early ’80s, especially the downturn in oil, financing got desperately short and spending on building refineries virtually stopped,” he remembers. Brawn hung tough. His vision and leadership grew Turbo sales from $1 million to over $500 million in just 12 years. “My career has always been strategy in the business and economic areas on the start-up side, not day-to-day management,” the buoyant Brawn admits. After Turbo, he formed and grew a number of successful other companies, including Merland Exploration, OMV Canada, and Acclaim Energy Trust. As one of the newest inductees into Calgary’s Business Hall of Fame, the 77-year-old Brawn is a father of four

44 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

and a grandfather of nine and is busy – with his private investment company and serving as director for a number of private and public companies – and still has trouble separating business from community life, because, for him, the two have been intertwined for so long. “Giving back is not an extra, it is a basic and essential fact of life. Ever since I can remember, from when my businesses and my family were both growing, work and community were always key parts of who I am.” In addition to his corporate achievements, Brawn’s community work has ranged from Calgary Economic Development Authority, the Rotary Club of Calgary South to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, the Independent Petroleum Association of Canada and the Calgary Airport Authority. “I don’t skip many meals,” he roars with a genuine, deep laugh. “I’m a serious meat eater and, partially due to my Italian heritage, I love pasta. I enjoy gardening, we like travelling and I used to do a lot of skiing and old-timers hockey. But I am very fortunate. My work and my lifestyle is meeting and talking to people and it still keeps me busy. I’m a member of Pinebrook and pay my dues but I only managed to golf three times this year. “My work and my community have become my life and my hobby and this is such a great place to live and bring up a family,” says Bob Brawn, the proud Calgary business icon.

Calgary business hall of Fame • Cover

Through thick and thin – and there was lots of both – geology, oil, the industry, his family, education and his Calgary community were his life.

John E. P. Gallagher (Smiling Jack) W

hen it comes to the oil and gas heart and soul that is Calgary, the name “icon” is almost as often used and taken for granted as “pioneer.” Both are perfect descriptions of John E. P. “Smiling Jack” Gallagher. His remarkable career started in ‘the dirty ’30s,’ in a classic era of gritty, gutsy pioneers who chased dreams. Gallagher “headed west” and actually crouched down to squeeze the sands of the Athabasca oilsands through his fingers ... and he dreamed. It was the time when people chased their pioneering dreams of oil, roughing it in tents, portaging canoes, living on beans and bacon, taking chances, risky discoveries and sudden success. Suddenly, when Smiling Jack Gallagher drilled on a single line of seismic, a dream came true and the instant gush was enough to repay the $7 million in funding he initially scraped together to launch Dome Petroleum. The corporate and the oil and gas industry legend of John “Smiling Jack” Gallagher is documented but most of all, it’s the story of an iconic pioneer, enormous business success and a passionately devoted family man about whom his children and grandchildren still speak with reverence, affection and awe. “He was a great father, always there to listen and always there to spur us on to accomplish more in life,” says his Calgary-based son, Tom, with a sentimental, warm smile. “He

recognized people’s strengths and emphasized the importance of being individuals. It’s the way he lived his own life early, during his tremendous success as well as during the enormous disappointment. “When the price of oil collapsed, the cost of debt went too high,” Tom Gallagher remembers. “A new reality walked the halls of Calgary and Dome. The disappointment was real and the losses were large, even for an eternal optimist like my father. The sale and reduction of Dome Petroleum to a collection of properties (not people) was very hard to choke down.” Through thick and thin – and there was lots of both – geology, oil, the industry, his family, education and his Calgary community were his life. He supported many causes: from his great pride in Calgary and being one of the visionaries who created Eau Clare Land Development – the jewel of land that became office, condo, YMCA and parks on the banks of the Bow to initiating the Galileo Fellowships in teaching and (before his death in 1998) created an education fund through the Calgary Foundation to help Alberta teachers adapt to new technology in the classroom. John “Smiling Jack” Gallagher was a unique Calgary (and Canadian) icon. He lived and encouraged uniqueness. “You only go through life once,” he said. “And it’s a lot more fun if you plow a different furrow, rather than the same furrow that everybody else has plowed.” www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 45

Calgary business hall of Fame • Cover

With all the distinguished oil industry achievements and successes, Werklund seems most privately proud of the opportunity to impart some of his solid values and principles along the way.

David (Dave) Werklund I

n all aspects of his life – business, private and volunteer philanthropy – David Werklund is respected as a dynamo and a high-energy, can-do Calgary icon. As an entrepreneur and oilfield industry leader, Werklund was ahead of his time in grasping and championing environmental and waste management issues in the oil and gas exploration industry. His distinguished business track record includes being co-founder of Concord Well Servicing, founder of Tervita Corporation (formerly CCS Corporation) and founder of Werklund Capital Corporation. His passion for giving back and his lifelong commitment to youth leadership education is the primary focus of the Werklund Foundation which supports the Werklund Foundation Centre for Youth Leadership Education in the faculty of education at the University of Calgary, and is also the major sponsor of the Empowering Minds student leadership program that offers world-class leadership programs to empower Alberta students with confidence, resilience and motivation, assisting them to achieve their highest potential in whatever they choose to do. Industry peers, community groups and friends admire and respect Dave Werklund’s wisdom and logic, and his unconditional devotion to honesty, sincerity, leadership, consistency, integrity and values. “Experience has taught me the importance of being consistent, especially the way we deal with the challenges. It creates 46 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

integrity. And an early but big part of my own learning curve was, unfortunately, not always recognizing my mistakes and realizing that making mistakes – like walking and falling – is a normal part of life and personal growth,” he reflects. “It’s part of our whole life’s journey. The key is not denying mistakes. Own them! So mistakes don’t become a fear factor but rather a constructive learning experience. It is vital. As a leader it’s even more important to be transparent about learning from mistakes,” he underscores with genuine enthusiasm. “I always encouraged our management team to make it safe for people to make honest mistakes.” With all the distinguished oil industry achievements and successes, Werklund seems most privately proud of the opportunity to impart some of his solid values and principles along the way. “I remember introducing the idea of ‘emotional intelligence’ at one of our senior management meetings. They looked at me like I just fell off a turnip truck. But I was convinced: emotional intelligence is crucial for individuals to be sensitive and in tune with what’s going on,” he explains. “It’s a sixth sense, a sense of awareness. It’s gut instinct.” There is finally more opportunity to enjoy relaxation time with his partner Susan and the grandchildren at their getaway homes at Shuswap Lake and in Maui, and despite a lingering antique car hobby, Werklund is mellow about not driving his four antique cars, two Harleys and a 1931 Cadillac roadster nearly as much as he wants to. Even Calgary icons have regrets! BiC

Manufacturing Is Alive and Well • Manufacturing

Manufacturing Is Alive and Well

Manufacturing accounts for 14 per cent of Canada’s GDP BY PARKER GRANT

lthough it’s not mentioned in any formal business plan and it will never be written in the annual report, the essence of Canada’s vital manufacturing industry is ‘making stuff.’ Now and then, even professionally referred to as widgets, developing, creating, producing and selling things Made in Canada, Made in Alberta and Made in Calgary. From giant turbines and rigs to ingenious and state-of-the-art interior construction projects and designs and tubs and drums of a simple yet secret and patented valve sealant and lubricant that is saving the global gas industry billions – Mathew Wilson from Fort McMurray to Dubai, Houston, Mexico City and Beijing. In the past decade, traditional manufacturing (making things) has been both overshadowed an upstaged mostly by first the dot-com and high-tech boom and, especially in Calgary, by the oil and gas boom. Little wonder that manufacturing sometimes suffers from the image of being a dated and conventional fact of Canadian business life. A closer look confirms that manufacturing has not only changed with the times but it continues to be a vital and dynamic component of the Canadian business landscape. “Manufacturing is so important to the Canadian economy,” says Mathew Wilson, the enthusiastic and wonderfully biased vice president of national policy for the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME). “It may not get the kind

of media coverage as some other industries but manufacturing accounts for 14 per cent of Canada’s GDP. More than 63 per cent of Canadian exports and 25 per cent of Alberta exports are manufactured goods.” Wilson explains that when the Canadian dollar spiked and reached parity, the manufacturing and export sector took a hit but also adapted quickly. “Manufacturing companies got more innovative in what they produced and concentrated on manufacturing more high-end products and services than a decade ago. By all indicators and projections, the Canadian dollar will stay at or near par indefinitely, so companies must be smarter, invest in technologies, robotics and equipment. “It may be an obvious manufacturing factor but, a solid rebound by the American economy has a proven ripple effect and works out to a major boost for Canadian manufacturing and exports,” he points out. “About 90 per cent of all our exports go to the U.S. and unconditionally, Americans are the biggest and closest market for our manufactured goods. We are finding new overseas markets like Europe and Central Asia but the U.S. will always be our biggest customer.” The commodities boom and the resulting “petro loonie” of the past decade have also been implicated as a culprit in a Canadian manufacturing slump. The theory has been resoundingly challenged in a 2013 report done by the Macwww.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 47

Manufacturing Is Alive and Well • Manufacturing

The Sealweld Secret

urly and bushy-bearded Dean Chisholm still growls with laughter about being compared with “the Colonel and his carefully guarded secret recipe.” Some people think he’s joking but he seriously admits that all kinds of people, including the Chinese and the Russians, have been trying for many years to find out and replicate the secret Sealweld ingredients which Chisholm’s father concocted 40 years ago. “No luck! And they never will find out.” The Sealweld products and service technology is all about what the company and the industry call lubricants and sealants, products that deliver effective and tremendously cost-efficient preventative maintenance services for pipeline valve systems of all types and sizes. Of course the jargoned technicalities, details and specs are voluminous but ferociously industry savvy and up-to-date Chisholm manages to lace even the explanation of his internationally acclaimed and Calgary-manufactured product with a gregarious and good-natured sense of humour. “It’s just very sticky, synthetic grease that’s stickier than molasses in January.” He is blunt and straightforward about the worldwide use of his Sealweld ‘grease.’ “Experience has taught us that valves in natural gas pipelines are more likely to have leakage problems than valves in crude oil pipelines, for the simple reason that the oil itself is self-lubricating and dry natural gas is not.” Today, more than 40 years after his father mixed the first batch, Sealweld has a 98 per cent success rate and is shipped from Calgary to over 90 countries around the world. Just as the valve system technology on the pipelines that Sealweld services are constantly upgraded, so are the Sealweld lubricant and sealant delivery systems. Staying independent allows the invaluable flexibility for the Calgary-based company to often customize products.

“We blended up a special mixture for some 72-inch valves,” Chisholm recalls. “It ended up saving the company $43.5 million.” Sealweld technology and techniques are also constantly updated. Chisholm devoted more than 12 years to developing a computer-based service program, originally on CD and now online, to deliver the latest training techniques and technology for field personnel. “Initially it was for our service staff in Canada, the U.S. and the UAE and we are now finalizing Spanish, Russian and Arabic versions,” he says, with pride and accomplishment. His other source of pride is his family. Just as he transformed and grew his father’s small valve lubricant ‘recipe’ into an internationally respected industry brand, he beams that Sealweld is now moving to the next level with the third generation of Chisholms. His two daughters and son now work in the family business. But they also will never, ever, divulge the Sealweld secret!

donald-Laurier Institute (MLI). Authored by MLI economist Philip Cross, the report traces the point that most troubles of Canadian manufacturers can be blamed more on structural economic changes than a higher Canadian dollar. “The numbers tell the real story,” Cross says, definitively. “Canadian manufacturing output has grown the third fastest among 18 major industry groups since the 2008-2009 recession, even outstripping growth in mining, oil and gas. There is no question Canada’s factory sector took a hit during the recession but there is no evidence to track a higher Canadian dollar as a blame.” He cites, “The auto sector used to be the Crown Jewel of Canadian manufacturing. Will cars in general – or Canadian cars – ever return to their dominant role? Probably not. The three manufacturing specialties that took the biggest hit during the recession were cars, clothing and forestry.”

Cross explains the meltdown of Canada’s clothing manufacturing industry as a prime example. “It was a simple and natural evolution. There was too much investment in the clothing industry in the 1990s but – what were they thinking?” he asks with exasperation. “An industry built on low wages and a low dollar? We have no chance against Vietnam, China or India. We will never compete against low wages.” Wilson says the immediate outlook for Canadian manufacturing is encouraging and strong. “The manufacturing sector is busy and productive. The sector’s unemployment rate is at 4.5 per cent, compared with the national unemployment rate of 7.5 per cent.” Two unique and entirely different Calgary-based manufacturing companies are exceptional examples to underscore that innovation and dynamic strategy knows no market boundaries. BiC

48 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The Sealweld mixer does a small batch of the secret ingredients

Manufacturing Is Alive and Well • Manufacturing

Sergo Jean assembles the innovative interior construction in the DIRTT factory

DIRTT – Doing It Right This Time

he name always begs an explanation. DIRTT is simply an acronym that is consistent with the innovative ingenuity of the Calgary-based manufacturer it refers to. Doing It Right This Time – since “this time” utilizes proprietary technology like customized, specialized computer programs, real-time and 3D technology to create custom interior construction designs, specifications and make them all come together on the DIRTT production floor. “We manufacture custom commercial interiors and provide clients high-end, customized solutions for their interior space,” says Scott Jenkins, the upbeat and outgoing DIRTT president. He chuckles as he explains that the daring and revolutionary interior construction idea was hatched nine years ago over a noodle lunch in Calgary’s Wonton King, when company founder and industry visionary Mogens Smed and his

two eventual partners – Barrie Loberg and Geoff Gosling – got together to brainstorm a better and state-of-the-art way to approach interior design and construction. “It’s not formally our slogan but at DIRTT, custom is standard. From design to completion” – office interiors, reception areas, dentist offices, executive suits, boardrooms, wine cellars and more – “we deliver four times faster than conventional interior construction projects.” Jenkins echoes the contemporary truism about manufacturing: investment in technology is vital. It is invaluable and it drives efficiency. In nine years, DIRTT has turned its innovative Calgary design and manufacturing concept into a business with revenues in excess of $150,000 million. With 80 per cent of DIRTT products exported to the U.S., DIRTT also has manufacturing operations in Georgia and Arizona and is expanding into Saudi Arabia within the next 18 months. Regardless of the type of manufacturing, Jenkins is positive and supercharged explaining the state-of-the-art and revolutionary DIRTT interior construction product and emphasizing a crucial fact of manufacturing business. “Manufacturers must be innovative but customer-centric every step of the way. If you don’t have relentless, 110 per cent focus on the customer’s needs and expectations, someone will come along and scoop up your customer.”

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www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 49

Redefining Retirement • Financial Planning

Redefining Retirement

Most Canadians can’t afford to retire!

BY JOHN HARDY

etirement has always been a juggle ... of strategy, planning, wishful thinking, reality and sometimes, unfortunately, panic. For a few generations, retirement was rooted in traditions and clichés about golden years, the age 65 redline, nest eggs, sitting under palm trees and playing Euchre. Fast forward a half generation past Elvis, peace, love, hippies and Woodstock, when (for various reality bite reasons) baby boomers – aging but still North America’s biggest and most affluent and influential generation – are redefining retirement. Janet Fast Partially because the social rules, graphs and pie charts were changed while boomers were too busy having fun, people are now reaching the clichéd retirement age healthier and living longer. Some want to stay productive and either opt to work longer or grab a second (or third) career. More and more, the stats and surveys resoundingly show that retirement age or nearing retirement age people in Calgary – in Canada and throughout North America – are scampering because they are dealing with the realization that they either poorly or naively planned for retirement or are simply unprepared with not nearly enough stashedaway money to cover the jarring true cost of living however happily ever after, 10, 15 or 20 years past retirement. “Retirement at 60 or 65 seemed sensible when people were living until about 67 and Canadian policy-makers said yes, we can support five or so years worth of retirement,” explains Janet Fast, professor and co-director, Research on Aging, Policies and Practice, University of Alberta. “But things have changed, drastically. The average retirement age has been trending up since the late 1990s. Not only are 50 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

we healthier and living in decent shape longer, today’s delayed retirement trend is driven in part by finances. A lot of Canadians have lost value in their savings and RRSPs.” Although some contemporary benchmarks say 66 is the new 60, the most recent StatsCan numbers show there are 128,740 people 65 and over (retirement age) in the Calgary area. Statistics Canada and other social monitoring surveys like Leger, Environics and Gallup show that, mostly for non-sufficient-fund reasons, retirement is being pushed back to indefinitely or, in some situations, permanently. For some it’s a scary and discouraging thought but an increasingly common fact of Calgary retirement life. “The numbers don’t lie and you can’t hide from them,” warns Meghan J. Meger, vice-president and managing director, Private Wealth Group of BMO Harris Private Banking. “Especially today’s retirement age group – boomers – are consistent. They have always and still are living in the moment. “The numbers are conclusive: boomers are significantly unprepared for the reality of retirement and what their cash flow should and will look like in retirement.” Actuarial numbers vary slightly but there’s consensus that Canadians will likely need an average of $658,000 to pay the tab for the average lifestyle of an average Canadian retirement. That number spikes to $825,000 for the average cost of retirement living in Alberta. The numbers are not only undisputable, they are a bit frightening. According to a study released in August by the BMO Wealth Institute, Canadian baby boomers are significantly

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feel good about your money.

Redefining Retirement • Financial Planning

unprepared financially for retirement. The study has revealed that boomers are currently, on average, more than $400,000 short of their individual retirement savings goal. This is particularly concerning given that the oldest of the boomers (defined as those born between 1946 and 1964) turned 65 in 2010 and many others are just a few years away from retirement age. Recent StatsCan number crunching agrees and underscores the scare. The average senior Canadian couple spent about $54,100 in 2009. Analysts caution that, based on historical returns and a four per cent withdrawal rate, Meghan J. Meger that level of spending factored in to life expectancies, works out to needing savings of about $1.35 million to retire. And the experts agree that it is important to take government benefits—the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or old age security (OAS)—into account when considering how much money it will take for reasonable happily-ever-after. If the average couple gets CPP and OAS at an average rate of 75 per cent, that may add up to about $28,000 a year and be a significant chunk of their annual income. Last year, Sun Life Financial’s (SLF) annual Unretirement Index poll showed that only 27 per cent of respondents believe they’ll retire by 66, a nearly 50 per cent decline from the previous year. And, for the first time since the insurance giant began its poll, the number of Canadians who plan on retiring by 66 is nearly equal to the proportion who plan on working full time past the age of 66. The SLF survey found that 63 per cent admitted that they need to work past 66 out of necessity, compared with 37 per cent who said they will keep working because they want to. The survey also showed that, on average, Canadians wanted $46,000 in annual income to retire reasonably comfortably but 59 per cent said they will have less – often much less – than $250,000 for retirement by 66. Thirty-eight per cent said they’ll have less than $100,000 saved. “It shouldn’t come as such a shock,” Fast shrugs. “According to the latest StatsCan survey, Canadian life expectancy is 81.8 years; slightly less for men. So even retiring at 65, we have to pay for about 15 or 20 more years of life expectancy.” The overwhelming consensus and reality bite is jarring and unarguable, no matter how blunt. Most Canadians can’t afford to retire! The positive is that boomers have never been easily discouraged and have turned going-for-the-gusto and doing whatever it takes into a determined lifestyle. The BMO study tracks what boomers are doing about their retirement dilemma and how they plan to compensate for their lack of retirement money. In addition to delaying retirement, BMO found that Canadian boomers plan to generate income in a variety of other ways. Almost three quarters (71 per cent) expect to take on a 52 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

part-time job to earn extra income after they officially retire; 44 per cent will sell off collectibles, antiques or possessions they no longer use; about one third (32 per cent) expect to sell their home; and some 19 per cent will rent out part of their home for additional income. “One financial aspect of modern retirement,” Fast points out, “also becoming a concern for pension policymakers and financial institutions is that more and more Canadians are entering retirement with not only mortgage debt but also consumer debt. It’s a fact that one of the sharpest rates for declaring bankruptcy is the 55-plus age group. “But it’s misleading to imply that retirement is always a money problem. After a career and a lifetime of working, some people are just not ready to do nothing. Our identities are so tightly tied to what we do for a living that losing that can be traumatic.” Younger workers have different expectations about retirement. “After about two decades of dealing with clients, individual options, savings strategy and planning for retirement,” says Meger, “there’s a definite generational shift in approach and attitude. It’s not a bad idea to determine a desired retirement cash flow by calculating (hypothetical or not) that CPP or OAS won’t be there.” The trending shows that company pensions may also be fading as a retirement lifeline. “Statistically boomers changed jobs twice in their working lifetime,” she explains. “Gen-Xers seem to be setting a trend for changing jobs six times or more, usually climbing the ladder of incremental income. The days of working for 35 years and getting a pension are virtually over.” Although gen-Xers may also be in for some unexpected and jarring surprises when they reach retirement, for now they seem to be taking charge for whatever it will take to allow them to retire, perhaps sooner than their boomer parents. “Using any and every vehicle and option to reduce taxes must be looked at and considered. And learning lessons from the current situations of retirement age boomers, long-term and realistic advance planning is an absolute must,” she urges. “There are so many online options and services and especially gen-Xers are so in tune with working and doing their money management online. Advance planning is an easier routine and process. It wasn’t long ago when RRSP marketing had a desperate push coming up to the February deadline. Unlike their boomer parents,” Meger says with professional confidence, “they won’t be waiting until the last minute for RRSPs and other money planning.” And then there’s the caution that applies to so many things: life is what happens when you’re busy making plans! BiC

Celebrating 65 years By Shannon Stucky

Photo by Bookstrucker Photography

The Golden Rule To anyone unfamiliar with Darren Biedermann, it may appear as a random piece of paper with a quote on it, taped to the white wall of his design studio. To him it’s a creed, one that is seen and can be felt in every aspect of Supreme Men’s Wear and his Biedermann clothing line. It is at the heart and soul of his company.

On that inconspicuous piece of paper is ‘The Golden Rule’ in all of its incarnations from various religions. It seems to be the one common thread that has bound humanity since the beginning of documented time. “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

Supreme Menswear | 1

The Supreme Journey In 1973, Darren’s parents, Ernie and Margit, purchased Supreme Tailors. At the time, it was a well-established, custom clothing house for which Ernie had been creating handmade suits and performing alterations as a master tailor for years. They expanded and renamed the 8th Avenue location Supreme Men’s Wear, and soon after they began to offer ready-to-wear clothing. Over the next two decades, with Ernie tailoring between selling clients, and Margit handling office administration, supplier

Current location on 4th Avenue SW. Photo by Bookstrucker Photography

negotiations and accounting, they grew and nurtured the business. Darren and his brothers, Curtis and Randal, all began their working careers by doing whatever they could to help out in the family business. Countless client relationships were cultivated throughout the 8th Avenue era, many of which last to this day. In 1995, Darren purchased Supreme on 8th Avenue. It wasn’t long after that circumstances would spearhead the move and expansion to its current location on the corner of 4th Avenue

Supreme Menswear | 2

and 3rd Street SW, kitty-corner to the Westin Hotel. Supreme would then continue to grow and flourish, undergoing many changes over the years, always striving to stay on the fashion forefront. Supreme’s goal has always been to diffuse any ‘them and us’ mentality between retailer and client. “I was taught by my parents that if a client was giving me $100, it was up to me to do my best to give at least that back in clothing value,” Darren comments. “We are personal fashion brokers in a sense.” “The fashion world I grew up in began to shift quickly with the onset of high-margin, low-quality, stack-it-high – let-itfly mentality.” Although gradual, with awareness, it seemed to all change in an instant, a new separation between retailer and consumer was born and being encouraged. Just as you can no longer find the small, independent, neighbourhood hardware store with knowledgeable staff, it became obvious that the days of the independent menswear retailers were numbered. Unless, they could come up with a competitive advantage and perhaps house something exclusive. Not wanting to ride out a struggling decline to extinction, Darren began to place more time and effort on expanding his proprietary Supreme and Biedermann collections. He continued to manage all operations at Supreme and search out many unique fashions from other designers. By trying to do everything he possibly could in the 168 hours a week they were allotted, he was admittedly out of balance. To quote his mother, he was “burning the candle at both ends and sliding on the wax in the middle.” Addicted to Supreme, he was multitasking at every moment, and not bringing Supreme closer to his vision, nor securing its future. A risk became imminent. When Darren and his wife, Charli, found out that they were going to become parents, the decision was made to move to Nelson, B.C. When Darren was young, Ernie and Margit would take the family on much anticipated vacations to the Kootenays. Darren had always envisioned starting his family there. They left Calgary to create and expand on both their family and the Biedermann collection.

8th Avenue location of Supreme Men’s Wear. Supreme Menswear | 3

The Biedermann collection Many of Supreme’s clients and friends were surprised by the move and questioned the rationale and the logic behind such a decision. What they may not have known, was that the man behind Supreme was not abandoning his company, but rather making a choice to focus on creating something unique and lasting. “It became apparent that I could not expand and refine my vision for the Biedermann collection with the attention it required, while still managing the daily operations of the store,” says Biedermann. “I believe it is now starting to pay off.” “I am merely the visionary, the dreamer,” Biedermann says as he explains how the Biedermann collection was created and how it was brought to fruition through his amazing lifelong relationships. “I had a vision to create an exclusive, limited production, luxury men’s clothing collection, that was made in Canada.” In fact, other than some select handmade ties from Sicily, the entire Biedermann collection is presently and proudly ‘Made in Canada.’ The line is created without compromise, using the finest fabrics and findings available. Manufacturers who are friends, Jack Lipson, Ron Leibovitch, Antonio Petosa, Zeljko Jez, among others, seem to have banded together as supporters in Darren’s quest. Their commitment to never saying ‘no’ and constantly encouraging their talented people in production, through seemingly impossible detailed requests, was imperative in taking the line to the next level. A year ago, with increasing favourable response to the Biedermann collection from customers and peers alike, and a solid client following being established at Supreme, it was perhaps an obvious decision that just required a final push from a dear friend of Darren’s to return his family to Calgary. Next, Darren will continue to fine-tune the Biedermann collection for a wider retail audience and to prepare for its launch beyond the walls of Supreme and onto the global stage. Store photo by Bookstrucker Photography

Supreme Menswear | 4

The Store Stepping into Supreme for the first time is a sensory experience. You are welcomed by carefully selected music and a pair of life-sized bronze lions. A massive rotating pyramid holds some of the most popular denim brands and an impressive wall of shoes offers clients popular comfort brands and high-fashion styles. The round change rooms are draped in velvet and silk. Handpainted ceiling tiles and exquisite lighting complete the stage! There is a complimentary beverage bar resting under the canopy of Supreme’s 8th Avenue street sign that is stocked with cold drinks and gourmet espresso. At the back of the store is a room referred to by staff and repeat clients as ‘The Chiller.’ It is here that you can always find an interesting selection of odds and ends available at a reduced price. Supreme has developed quite a following for ‘The Chiller’ as its many offerings have new additions every week. The store also boasts call-ahead complimentary heated underground parking that is extended to all of its clients. On location behind the scenes, ready to fulfill almost any request made by the Supreme sales team for their clients, performs master tailor Kevin Lau, his first-hand assistant Yujun Wang and their talented team. While the Biedermann collection has prominence throughout the store, it is not the only designer clothing that you will find here. There are many unique pieces from a number of different designers that have been carefully selected to be showcased at Supreme. Photos, this page, by Bookstrucker Photography

Supreme Menswear | 5

The staff at Supreme Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wear. Photo by Bookstrucker Photography

Supreme Menswear | 6

The Family The staff at Supreme is perhaps its finest asset. Everyone is like family, whether you are related to the Biedermanns or not. Nobody is on commission, which creates a more pleasant atmosphere for staff and clients alike. This family environment creates an experience equally as important as the clothing they present. “You have the choice to purchase clothing anywhere you like; we do all we can to give you ample reasons to choose Supreme,” comments Patty Belding, a 10-year veteran, sales associate and accomplished seamstress. Darren has also charmingly convinced many of his family members to work at Supreme. His father, Ernie, has come out of retirement to help out in the tailor shop and catch up with longtime clients

Ernie and Darren Biedermann. Photo by Bookstrucker Photography

Supreme Menswear | 7

on Thursdays. His mother-in-law, Lorraine, continues to come in a couple of days a week and his wife, Charli, handles window displays and administration. Sterling Bacon, who considers himself “ruined” to work anywhere else, has brought his integrity, sense of humour and genuine smile to the sales floor for nearly two decades. David Bacon, a close family friend, can also be found looking after clients, with corporate apparel and related gift ideas. Kevin Lau has been Supreme’s head tailor for nine years running the tailor shop with dedication and efficiency. Sheree Wendt is a talented display artist, passionate fashion consultant and has been with Supreme now for five years. Maggie Lamb, the most recent addition to Supreme, brings over 15 years of retail clothing experience to the sales floor. It’s a family affair with many of Supreme’s clients as well; some have been coming to Supreme their entire lives. They were brought in by their fathers for graduation suits, first interview suits, wedding suits and many fashionable additions in between and afterwards. Calgary has some of the most outstanding, diverse, dedicated and talented local independent men’s clothing retailers you will find. At Supreme, they believe that a continual search for the ‘fashionably unique,’ while using the highest quality and value standards, along with the commitment to ‘The Golden Rule,’ will remain their competitive edge into the future. “It is truly a wonderful industry filled with beautiful people; I am honoured and proud to be a passionate part of it all,” says Darren Biedermann.

Supreme Thanks to our friends and suppliers

www.34heritage.com

www.ballin.com

www.7forallmankind.com

www.agjeans.com

www.antoniovalente.ca

www.ballin.com

www.baeumler.com

www.bertigo.com

www.bugatchiuomo.com

www.dionneckwear.com

www.hudsonjeans.com

www.creationsjez.ca

www.prime-shoes.com

www.clarkross.com

www.coppley.com

www.eccocanada.com

www.empireclothing.com

www.jackvictor.com

www.jeffery-west.co.uk

www.lipsonshirtmakers.com

www.robertgraham.us

www.digel.de

www.dagr.com

www.hiltl.de

www.gimos.com

www.johnsmedley.com

www.johnvarvatos.com

www.paigeusa.com

www.marcoliani.it

www.bruno-saint-hilaire.com/EN

www.saxxunderwear.com

H A N D M A D E I N I TA LY WWW.SILVIOFIORELLO.COM

www.silviofiorello.com

www.stones.eu

www.tedbaker.com

Come visit us downtown at or online at

www.trapper.de/en

www.pantherella.com

www.gentryfashion.com

www.vanlaack.com

401 - 4 Ave SW

www.suprememenswear.com Supreme Menswear | 8

Calgary’s Top Industries BY BUSINESS IN CALGARY STAFF

n business, as with life in general, good news and success invariably have some speed bumps along the way. In 2013, that was particularly true in Calgary. Although it was mostly positive, good and even exciting on various levels when it comes to business (and life) in Calgary, there was – the flood. The ravages of the flood were cruel and localized, caused close to a week of power outages in various areas, disrupted operations and services and widely ground business to a halt (especially in the hub of Calgary’s downtown core). It momentarily derailed the positive business momentum of the first six months of 2013, it was a serious, damaging problem, and a particularly nasty, however momentary, speed bump for business in Calgary. Despite the consequences of the flood, what economists and business analysts call Calgary’s “fundamentals” are good and Calgary’s positive momentum continues. All in all, Calgary is good for business. People continue to flock to Calgary and the population growth is strong. Low unemployment rates also continue and tight commercial vacancy rates will keep the economy humming well into 2014. According to various forecasts and indicators, Calgary will lead all metropolitan centres in Canada with more than four per cent GDP growth in 2014 and any “flood losses” will have recovered and been recouped by the first quarter of 2014. The trending and stats agree: Calgary has had the strongest performing urban economy in Canada for many of the past 10 years and experts forecast that Calgary will stay on top, or very close to the top, until 2017 or beyond.

There’s no disputing that Calgary’s economy has grown faster than any other major city in the country. Calgary has had the second highest average annual and second highest total GDP growth over the past 10 years and – of the six biggest cities in Canada – Calgary has: • The most productive and best-paid workforce • The highest personal income and the greatest purchasing power • A lower cost of living than either Toronto or Vancouver • Tied with Edmonton for lowest unemployment rate • The second highest total growth in retail sales over the past 10 years Away from the balance sheets, ROI and projections, the potent and invaluable people and real-life factors always matter and impact business in many ways. And the invaluable people aspects about Calgary keep getting better and better. This year, Canada’s popular and respected MoneySense magazine was the latest to declare Calgary as Canada’s “Best Place to Live,” after reviewing and rating 200 small, midsized and large Canadian cities. According to MoneySense, high incomes and lots of jobs (especially thanks to the continuing stability in the energy sector) have been drawing people west for years. And there was no sign of stoppage in 2013. The numbers are encouraging and good. Calgary’s four per cent unemployment rate – well below the national average of seven per cent – is the overall big draw, although individual sectors have their own positive Calgary stories to tell. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 61

Top Industries

Oil & Gas CONOCOPHILLIPS CANADA RESOURCES CORP.

Oil & Gas Way beyond the stereotypical reputation and profile, oil and gas is at the core of the Calgary good life. Directly or indirectly – from jobs, revenues, attracting relocating people who buy the houses and the refrigerators and cars to support service industries, all levels of taxes and occupying millions of square feet of office space – oil and gas is Calgary. Prices can be a roller-coaster, occasionally slumping and spiking but there’s no dispute that the price of oil and gas has a significant, multi-level impact on life in Calgary. Despite fluctuations and random spikes and slumps, Calgary’s overall oil and gas outlook is strong as companies invest in innovation and technology in oilsands projects and new technologies have unlocked new types of resource plays – particularly with shale gas and horizontal fracturing and other non-conventional resource plays throughout Alberta. Although a majority of the industry used to be focused on natural gas, the slump in gas prices has now balanced out the oil and gas split to closer to 50-50. OIL & GAS

CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES LIMITED

Canadian Natural is one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers in the world. The company continually targets cost effective alternatives to develop our portfolio of projects and to deliver our defined growth plan, thereby creating value for shareholders. A balanced mix of natural gas, light oil, heavy oil, in situ oilsands production, oilsands mining and associated upgrading facilities, represents one of the strongest and most diverse asset portfolios of any energy producer in the world.

CPC’s story in Canada began more than 100 years ago and continues today with their team of nearly 2,100 full-time employees and contractors. Together CPC is working towards becoming the leading gas and bitumen producer in Canada. CPC develops their projects in a way that is intended to enhance their economic and social benefit to communities while minimizing the environmental impact associated with development.

www.conocophillips.ca

OIL & GAS

ENCANA

Encana Corporation is one of North America’s leading gas producers. With over 5,000 staff supporting the company, it is among the largest holders of gas and oil resource lands onshore North America and is a technical and cost leader in the in-situ recovery of oilsands bitumen.

www.encana.com

OIL & GAS

IMPERIAL OIL LTD.

Imperial Oil Limited (Imperial) is one of Canada’s largest corporations and a leading member of the country’s oil and gas industry. The company is a major producer of crude oil and natural gas, Canada’s largest petroleum refiner, a key petrochemical producer and a leading marketer with coastto-coast supply and retail networks.

www.imperialoil.ca

www.cnrl.com

OIL & GAS

CENOVUS ENERGY

OIL & GAS

NABORS CANADA

Cenovus Energy is a Canadian oil company. They are committed to applying fresh, progressive thinking to safely and responsibly unlock energy resources the world needs. Their operations include oilsands projects in northern Alberta, which use specialized methods to drill and pump the oil to the surface, as well as natural gas and oil production across Alberta and southern Saskatchewan.

Nabors is involved in every phase of the life of an oil or gas well. This includes well construction, completion, maintenance and ultimately plug and abandonment. The Nabors companies own and operate approximately 501 land drilling and approximately 743 land workover and well-servicing rigs in North America. Nabors’ actively marketed offshore fleet consists of 40 platform rigs, 12 jackup units and four barge rigs in the United States and multiple international markets.

www.cenovus.com

www.naborscanada.com

pivotdci.com/buildon

62 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

For close to a quarter century, Pivot Data Centres has quietly emerged as Alberta’s leader in providing Data Centre services for our clients’ mission critical IT infrastructure. From the Server Room to the Board Room, we have our clients to thank for the amazing success we have experienced. It’s time to build on that success and be…well, a little less quiet about it. We are thrilled to announce the construction of our largest Co-location Data Centre to date – right here in our own backyard. This state-of-the-art Data Centre will set a new standard for Co-location facilities in Western Canada. Phase 1 is planned to open in late 2013. Visit pivotdci.com/buildon for more information.

Calgary

•

Edmonton

•

800.465.1697

•

pivotdci.com/buildon

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 63

Top Industries

Oil & Gas / Restaurants OIL & GAS

SANJEL CORPORATION

SUNCOR

OIL & GAS

Sanjel is a specialized, privately-owned global energy service company with over 30 years of experience. The company’s large-scale, international operations stretch across North America and overseas. Sanjel employs approximately 3,500 team members in over 30 field districts, 11 laboratories, 11 regional maintenance facilities and three training centres. Sanjel provides two specialized solution offerings - pressure pumping and completions. Each solution offering is complete with its own innovative engineering products and custom-designed and manufactured equipment. Sanjel places a strong focus on the individual needs and those needs are met with proven, reliable solutions.

Suncor Energy is Canada’s leading integrated energy company. Suncor’s operations include oil sands development and upgrading, conventional and offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. While working to responsibly develop petroleum resources, Suncor is also developing a growing renewable energy portfolio. Suncor’s common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

www.sanjel.com

www.suncor.com

OIL & GAS

SHELL CANADA

TRINIDAD DRILLING

OIL & GAS

Shell has been active in Canada since 1911 and is now one of the country’s largest integrated oil and gas companies. Headquartered in Calgary, Shell Canada employs more than 8,000 people across Canada. Its upstream businesses explore for and extract natural gas, and market and trade natural gas and power. Its downstream business refines, supplies, trades and ships crude oil worldwide and manufactures and markets a range of products, including fuels, lubricants, bitumen and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for home, transport and industrial use. Shell Canada is also the country’s largest producer of sulphur.

Trinidad Drilling provides modern, reliable, expertly designed oil and gas drilling equipment operated by well-trained personnel. The drilling fleet is one of the most adaptable, technologically advanced and competitive in the industry. Trinidad Drilling’s narrative is a story of growth. It has grown both internally and through strategic and value-added acquisitions. Established in 1996 as a small Canadian contract driller, it has become an industry leader operating in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

www.shell.ca

www.trinidaddrilling.com

BREWSTERS BREWING COMPANY

Restaurants Like all other parts of Calgary’s hospitality sector, area restaurants were suddenly – and briefly – jolted and hit by the flood. From popular Chinatown hot spots to hopping electronic and country dance clubs to ethnic places and the trendy niche dining places around Calgary, June was virtually a forgettable writeoff. But the recovery was fast and solid. Most area restaurants are busy and many are having a record year. The variety and selection of Calgary restaurants is superb. Partially due to the steadily growing Calgary population, a large segment being the younger, going-out demographic and also with Calgary’s mix of cultural diversity, it may be a cliché but – for local Calgarians, corporate guests and coming and going business travellers and leisure tourists – Calgary area restaurants cater to every taste and appetite.

THE BOW RIVER BARLEY MILL

RESTAURANTS

Welcome to the best beer in the business. Brewsters’ handcrafted ales and lagers are brewed using only the finest ingredients. Each beer is produced in small batches by skilled brewers; and each brand is brewed so frequently they’re always fresh. Brewsters’ full selection of microbrew beers are available in a wide range of bottle and keg sizes. Bottles can be purchased at local Brewsters locations and kegs can be purchased through their central brewery in Calgary or Edmonton. With a full-service restaurant everyone will be sure to enjoy their time at Brewsters. www.brewsters.ca

CEILI’S MODERN IRISH PUB

RESTAURANTS

Ceili’s Modern Irish Pub started “pouring the pints” back in 1999 and the taps have not turned off since. Currently Ceili’s operates seven highprofile pubs in Western Canada – three in Calgary and four in the greater Vancouver area. Whichever pub is visited, expect to be greeted with a warm smile, a cold beer and local hospitality. Whether showing up to catch a game, celebrate a birthday, host a fundraiser or corporate event, Ceili’s is many things to many people.

www.ceilis.com

COWBOYS DANCE HALL LTD.

RESTAURANTS

The Bow River Barley Mill was designed to bring the history of the Eau Claire area into the feel of the building. The company had to carve a channel in the Bow River to divert water so the flow could be used to power the sawmill’s waterwheel, which in turn powered the mill. The Barley Mill has long been known for great summer patios where one can enjoy a wide range of draft beers, premium scotches and outstanding food in a unique setting in the heart of Calgary’s downtown.

Cowboys Dance Hall Ltd. is a privately-owned nightclub located in Calgary. Established in 1996, Cowboys offers a variety of events as well as the nightclub atmosphere. Cowboys Dance Hall has become one of Calgary’s most internationally renowned party venues featuring a variety of music to cater to just about everyone’s taste.

www.barleymill.net

www.cowboysnightclub.com

64 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

TAKE YOUR CAREER TO NEW HEIGHTS TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONALS WANTED At Shell we are working together to help meet the world’s rising demand for energy. Our innovations are helping to successfully unlock new energy resources. We are using advanced technologies to develop oil and gas in more remote environments, to extend the lives of existing fields, and to increase production from unconventional sources, which includes oil sands and tight gas fields. To deliver these and other complex and challenging projects, we want to hear from talented technical and commercial professionals. Whatever your role at Shell, as part of a diverse and global network comprised of some of the finest minds in the business, you could be helping to power people’s lives around the world, now and into the future. Come and discover how you can propel your career and help solve some of the world’s biggest energy challenges. View all of our current opportunities and apply online at www.shell.ca/careers.

Let’s deliver better energy solutions together.

Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 65

g got occufrom

Top Industries CRAFT BEER MARKET

Restaurants / Accommodation RESTAURANTS

MELROSE CAFE AND BAR

RESTAURANTS

CRAFT Beer Market is a premium casual restaurant with fresh local food made in house, classic music and Canada’s largest selection of draft beer – over 100 on tap. CRAFT Beer Market features Calgary’s largest oval bar and an endless fleet of tap handles ranging from classic lagers to local craft breweries. Whatever your flavour of beer we are sure to have you covered. The welcoming atmosphere is created by our friendly staff, vintage architectural design, great music and dozens of flat screens. CRAFT Beer Market is the perfect place meet associates for lunch, raise a pint for happy hour, celebrate a special occasion, or gather your friends for the game.

Throughout the past 20 years, Melrose has become so much more than a restaurant and bar; it’s a social experience. It’s a place to bring friends and family for brunch or to sit out on a beautiful four-tier patio. It’s a place to enjoy a date night with the ever-evolving menu or celebrate a birthday, stagette or girls’ night out. As a unique, locally-owned establishment Melrose has become a Calgary landmark known as the heart of the Red Mile.

www.craftbeermarket.ca

www.melrosecalgary.com

GREATEVENTS GROUP

RESTAURANTS

SCHANKS ATHLETIC CLUB

RESTAURANTS

GreatEvents Group was established more than 30 years ago and has become one of the top caterers, event planners and rental suppliers in Western Canada, serving Calgary and surrounding areas such as Okotoks, Cochrane, Airdire, High River and Bragg Creek, among others. GreatEvents is Calgary’s premier onestop shop for corporate and social events. They will take care of all catering and party needs with the convenience of just one phone call. No matter what the occasion is, GreatEvents will cater to their clients’ needs offering the best quality of food service, professionalism, experience and equipment, for even the largest of events.

Schanks has been the ultimate in sports and entertainment in Alberta since 1994 and now has locations in South Calgary (Macleod Trail), North Calgary (Crowfoot Centre) and Edmonton (178th Street). All locations offer a wide variety of activities, including mini-golf, virtual golf, billiards, video games, NTN trivia and off-track betting. Schanks takes pride in its food, atmosphere and friendly service.

www.greateventsgroup.ca

www.schanks.com

JUBILATIONS DINNER THEATRE

RESTAURANTS

SMUGGLER’S INN

RESTAURANTS

Jubilations Dinner Theatre has thought of everything to ensure a great time is had by all. For family gatherings, office parties, tour groups, charities and social events for service organizations or corporate clients, Jubilations Dinner Theatre’s uniqueness carries through to the leisurely manner in which the meal service occurs. Upon entering the doors, theatre-goers will be presented with soup and salad followed by the first act of the production. A break follows in which a choice of four entrées is served after which the second act is presented. Finally there is another break in which a choice of two desserts are served while they celebrate with those in the audience having a birthday or anniversary.

Smuggler’s Inn originally began in 1967 as Bar X Steakhouse, an American company. The current owner, Frank Krowicki, went to work developing a brand-new concept to Calgary. His vision included a mix of casual, latenight fine dining and live piano bar. Over the years, the building expanded around Smuggler’s Inn, with the addition of Winelite dining room on the west side, and Backstreet lounge and dining room on the north side. In May 2013, Smuggler’s Inn celebrated 40 years of serving mouth-watering Alberta prime rib and steaks alongside many original items, which have made the location famous around the world.

www.jubilations.ca

www.smugglers.ca

Accommodation Calgary’s dynamic corporate sector attracts a steady flow of business guests and – from the Stampede and the Rockies to Flames games at the Saddledome – Calgary continues a tremendously popular tourist draw benefiting hotels, motels, inns and even bed and breakfasts. Of course ‘the flood’ took a June toll on Calgary’s hotel industry but by the time Stampede happened in July and beyond, Calgary’s hotel occupancy rates rebounded and even exceeded last year’s Stampede centennial year surge. Overall, June occupancy was 75.3 per cent, down from 78.5 per cent the year before and the first time in 28 consecutive months that monthly occupancy did not grow year-over-year in Calgary. Thanks to gung-ho cooperation between Tourism Calgary, Travel Alberta, the City of Calgary and Calgary’s hotels and hospitality business, dynamic and aggressive $650,000 promotional and marketing campaigns got the message out – that Calgary was open for business.

66 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

CALGARY MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN HOTEL

ACCOMMODATION

As Marriott International has grown to be a leading lodging company with more than 3,800 properties in 74 countries and territories worldwide, Marriott remains grounded in a set of core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity and serve the world. Marriott’s relentless focus on innovation and action fuel the way they do business. With the most powerful brand portfolio in the world, Marriott sets the bar for the hospitality industry. This same philosophy holds true at three Marriott locations in Calgary: Calgary Marriott Downtown, Residence Inn Calgary Airport and Courtyard Calgary Airport. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yycdt-calgary-marriott-downtown-hotel

CARRIAGE HOUSE INN

ACCOMMODATION

The Carriage House Inn invites guests to enjoy contemporary accommodations, memorable on-site dining and exceptional amenities. Centrally located on Macleod Trail South, the Carriage House Inn is in the midst of the city’s vibrant shopping, dining and entertainment districts and is also within walking distance of the nearby light rail transit system and minutes from downtown Calgary.

www.carriagehouse.net

SET FOR SUCCESS It’s the little things that add up to a great meeting. From inspiring spaces and healthful menus to thoughtful attention to details, we’ll set you up for clear-thinking productivity. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION, VISIT WESTIN.COM/CALGARY OR CALL 403.508.5208

©2011–2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For full terms & conditions visit westin.com/calgary www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 67

Top Industries

Accommodation / Architects ACCOMMODATION

THE DEERFOOT INN & CASINO

LAKE LOUISE INN

ACCOMMODATION

The Deerfoot Inn and Casino, conveniently located in south Calgary, offers the finest convention, gaming and entertainment complex in Alberta. Guests of the Deerfoot Inn are greeted with luxurious reception areas, clean and elegant rooms with modern amenities, and a warm staff who are committed to making every traveller feel at home. With exciting activities for the entire family, a variety of entertainment and dining options and state-of-the-art meeting facilities for groups of all sizes, the Deerfoot Inn has something for everyone.

Featuring 247 rooms and suites in a collection of lodges arranged in a spectacular wooded setting with stunning views of the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise Inn is a resort for all seasons. Travellers enjoy world-class skiing in the winter and the convenience of a complimentary resort-to-slopes ski shuttle. A quick stroll into the village of Lake Louise offers quaint shopping and souvenirs unique to the Canadian Rockies.

www.deerfootinn.com

www.lakelouiseinn.com

ACCOMMODATION

DELTA CALGARY SOUTH HOTEL

RAMADA HOTEL DOWNTOWN CALGARY

ACCOMMODATION

The Delta Calgary South Hotel is South Calgary’s largest hotel, located in the heart of the Macleod Trail business and entertainment district. Whether you’re travelling on business or pleasure, be sure to make time to enjoy some of Calgary’s best dining and shopping experiences within steps of the hotel at Willow Park Village and Southcentre Mall.

The Ramada Inn Downtown Calgary is situated close to the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts and the Creative Kids Museum. It features a restaurant, bar and spacious rooms with 32-inch LCD TVs. Free access to the hotel gym and seasonal outdoor pool is provided to all guests. The hotel also has laundry facilities and free daily newspapers. Cheers Restaurant serves a buffet for breakfast or lunch, and Red Fox Pub is open in the afternoon and evening featuring billiards, beer and wine.

www.deltahotels.com/Hotels/Delta-Calgary-South-Hotel

www.ramadacalgary.com

ACCOMMODATION

THE FAIRMONT PALLISER

THE SHERATON SUITES CALGARY HOTEL

ACCOMMODATION

Since 1914, The Fairmont Palliser has been the city’s premier address, the cornerstone of Calgary’s hospitality industry and a landmark building that is rich in history and architecture. For almost a century, The Fairmont Palliser has been the luxury Calgary hotel of choice to celebrate special occasions, and to welcome royalty, celebrities and visiting heads of states and nations from all around the world. The Fairmont Palliser has been the luxury Calgary hotel of choice for corporate business travellers, executive meetings and landmark events.

The Sheraton Suites Calgary Hotel is an all-suite, four-diamond hotel and one of the top luxury downtown Calgary hotels. Corporate travelers visiting Calgary on business will appreciate the amenities offered at our Calgary hotel. With inviting guest suites featuring plenty of room to stretch out, our luxury suites are an comfortable home away from home in downtown Calgary, whether you stay for a day, a week or longer. From small gatherings to large meetings, trade shows and special events, our onsite Calgary meeting space and planning specialists will ensure your event is a success.

www.fairmont.com/palliser-calgary

www.sheratonsuites.com

HYATT REGENCY CALGARY

ACCOMMODATION

THE WESTIN CALGARY HOTEL

ACCOMMODATION

With more than 50 years of hospitality expertise, Hyatt Regency offers a full range of services and dining options tailored to the needs of leisure guests, business travellers and conventions of all sizes. With smart architecture and design, a great global sales team and unique award-winning restaurant concepts, the Hyatt Regency is a popular location for visitors to Calgary. Welldesigned guest rooms offer a full complement of modern amenities. In addition, superior conference and event facilities featuring a comprehensive suite of meeting services and creative food and beverage options provide an inspiring setting for successful gatherings and social occasions.

With $35 million in renovations, every aspect of The Westin Calgary has been refreshed, from the guest rooms and meeting spaces to the lobby and restaurants. Situated in the heart of one of Canada’s most exciting cities, The Westin Calgary Hotel is located downtown where the major business centre meets the city’s extraordinary outdoor activities and firstclass dining arts.

www.calgary.hyatt.com

www.westincalgary.com

Architects & Engineers As Calgary’s construction boom keeps rolling, it continues to be a good time and place for Calgary’s innovative and acclaimed architectural sector. The pace of activity and the volume of projects are strong and growing. Some say engineering “fuels” Calgary’s energy sector and the often cited energy boom relies on professional engineers for virtually every aspect of the industry. One prime example was this year’s major boost to the 68 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

engineering sector: the announcement by giant Siemens Canada – a subsidiary of German engineering and technology powerhouse Siemens AG – that it is making Calgary its new headquarters for Canadian energy research. In both architecture and engineering, Calgary’s dynamic industries and opportunities translate into growth in jobs and revenues.

Top Industries ABUGOV - KASPAR

Architects ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

MARSHALL TITTEMORE ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Abugov - Kaspar architecture, engineering and interior design, is a fully-integrated design firm encompassing all aspects of architecture, urban planning and interior design, from schematic design to production of contract documents and contract administration. The firm was established in 1989 by architect/engineer Bruce Abugov and architect Frank Kaspar. Over the years, they have consistently maintained a progressive design-oriented team, backed by solid local and international expertise.

Marshall Tittemore Architects (MTA) is an internationally renowned, award-winning Canadian practice of architects, urban designers and interior designers. Distinguished by diversity and enthusiastic spirit, Marshall Tittemore is a collective of like-minded professionals who provide a global perspective while retaining a distinctly Canadian esthetic. With offices in Calgary and Edmonton and through affiliated firms in Vancouver and Victoria, MTA promotes design excellence across Western Canada through exclusive project work and through many collaborative relationships with world-renowned architects from across the globe.

www.abugovkaspar.com

www.mtalink.com

BKDI ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

NORR

BKDI produces outstanding work based on successful and long-standing partnerships in the industry. The longevity of the firm is a reflection of their commitment to discipline, clients and the continuous growth and betterment of the community. BKDI is one of the leading architectural firms in Western Canada, and they have completed a multitude of renowned projects throughout Calgary, across Canada and internationally. The enthusiasm, passion and creativity of each individual who contributes to the firm is reflected in every project completed.

Since 1938 NORR architects engineers planners has built an expansive client base that is trusted to deliver creative, integrated architectural, engineering and planning building solutions on a global platform. The company is known for designing, delivering and managing strategic and complex solutions. NORR’s people are the best and brightest in the industry and they can ensure that the right combination of the firm’s resources is applied to solve the unique demands of each project.

www.bkdi.com

www.norr.com

GEC ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

OMICRON

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Founded in 1966, GEC Architecture is one of the longest continually operating architecture firms in North America. Since then, GEC has grown their team, expanded areas of expertise and created a diverse portfolio of significant, iconic buildings while always staying true to the values and process that launched the firm more than 45 years ago.

Omicron is one of the largest integrated development services, design and construction firms in Western Canada. Close to 200 people merge their expertise in both the B.C. and Alberta offices. The company was started in 1998 by people who believed architects, designers, engineers and builders could work together in a more integrated way to deliver a better experience all around. Omicron works to build trust and pride, to get involved, to be leaders and to find efficiencies.

www.gecarchitecture.com

www.omicronaec.com

GIBBS GAGE ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

S2 ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Gibbs Gage provides a wide range of services across numerous project sectors. In addition to architectural consulting, they offer the provision of urban planning, interior design and various specialty services. Their design approach for buildings is from the outside in and the inside out. Whether planning a new community or campus or contemplating tenant improvements or renovations to an existing building Gibbs Gage has the talent and experience to deliver superior solutions.

S2 Architecture is an established firm with a 20-year history of design excellence. Operating as a full-service architectural and interior design firm, studios located in Calgary and Edmonton are continually engaged in inspired and innovative design and planning. S2’s work spans a broad range of building and project types and the foundation of their success is deeply rooted in the delivery of creative design solutions for their clients, communities and the environment.

www.gibbsgage.com

www.s2architecture.com

KASIAN ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

ZEIDLER PARTNERSHIP ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Kasian Architecture is one of the top 100 architecture, interior design and planning firms in the world. Over the past 30 years, Kasian has earned global recognition for their collaborative approach to design. Kasian was established in 1983 and has expanded rapidly since then, embracing markets as diverse as Canada, China and the Middle East. The company’s shared values and beliefs have allowed them to grow and respond to new challenges in a way that is distinctively “Kasian.”

Pursuit of quality is the hallmark of Zeidler’s practice – quality of design, process, instruments, service and the relationship with clients. Zeidler’s best work results from high-quality relationships with clients. A constant commitment is to deliver a project of the highest possible quality consistent with the client’s goals, on time and on budget. The management system operates to deliver these results, and to give their undivided attention at every step.

www.Kasian.com

www.zeidlerpartnership.com

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 69

Top Industries

Construction CONSTRUCTION

CONCEPT GROUP

Construction One of the most impacted sectors in the positive domino effect of a strong and booming economy is construction. Calgary’s growing demand for downtown core and suburban office and commercial space is boosting the pace of commercial construction. New building permit numbers reflect the growing demand. Major infrastructure investments, such as the West LRT, the airport expansion and others throughout the city are keeping Calgary construction firms busier than ever. According to industry analysts, stable or strong energy prices and a continued steady inflow of jobseekers into, especially Calgary but the province, will also boost construction spending. Some construction insiders are cautioning about a possible labour shortage in Calgary’s construction sector.

Concept is a team of trades and technology professionals dedicated to construction excellence. Concept’s core divisions include industrial, commercial and service. The Concept team provides electrical and instrumentation design, construction, project management and implementation. Concept’s service offerings incorporate electrical, HVAC, security, data and controls. The goal is exceling in providing quality installations, developing a safe and rewarding environment for its valued workforce, and managing the growth and profitability of the company. www.conceptgroup.ca

CONSTRUCTION

CUSTOM ELECTRIC LTD.

Custom Electric is 100 per cent employee-owned. When everyone has a stake in their company’s success, the result is better quality workmanship and the extra mile of service. Custom Electric expects employees to help with every phase of a project and make sure the client is satisfied with the final result. Their management approach centres on partnering with the client’s team. This approach creates a collaborative, non-confrontational atmosphere where great ideas to control costs or shorten timelines thrive. Open communication greatly speeds up the decision-making and approval process, allowing to respond as a team quickly to any challenges encountered. www.customelectric.com

CONSTRUCTION

ARPI’S INDUSTRIES LTD.

CONSTRUCTION

GRAHAM

Working on commercial projects and homes for over 50 years, Arpi’s Industries has grown to become Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. Whether it’s project management, design build services, CAD and BIM modelling, plumbing and heating, ventilation, off-site fabrication, planned and preventative maintenance or industrial piping fabrication, Arpi’s Industries services all your mechanical needs.

Graham is an employee-owned construction solutions partner with revenues exceeding $2.2 billion annually. With over eight decades of experience, Graham provides general contracting, design-build, construction management and public-private partnership (P3) services to the commercial, industrial and infrastructure sectors. Headquartered in Calgary, Graham has offices throughout North America and employs over 1,350 professionals and office staff. As one of Canada’s largest construction companies, Graham has the resources, capacity and expertise to undertake projects of every scope, scale and complexity. Graham is recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Employers as well as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies.

www.arpis.com

www.graham.ca

CONSTRUCTION

BADGER DAYLIGHTING

HOOVER MECHANICAL PLUMBING & HEATING LTD.

CONSTRUCTION

Badger Daylighting Ltd. is North America’s largest provider of non-destructive excavating services. Badger traditionally works for contractors and facility owners in the utility, transportation, industrial, engineering, construction and petroleum industries. The key technology is the Badger hydrovac excavator that is used primarily for safely digging trenches in congested grounds and challenging conditions. Unlike traditional backhoe excavation, the Badger hydrovac uses a pressurized water stream to liquefy the soil cover, which is then removed with a powerful vacuum excavation system and deposited into a storage tank.

Hoover Mechanical Plumbing and Heating Ltd. was incorporated in April of 1998 in Calgary by its founders Brad Hoover and Greg Doetzel. The company primarily specializes in multi-family and commercial projects, acting as a prime mechanical contractor. Diversifying both multi-family and commercial construction including extensive retail and both occupied and unoccupied renovation experience has resulted in consistent growth and development. Hoover Mechanical believes that customer satisfaction is the number one priority. To achieve this, they maintain only the highest quality standard of both products and installation methods. Hoover has built its reputation by providing only this standard of work for both multi-family and commercial projects.

www.badgerinc.com

www.hoovermechanical.com

WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE

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Top Industries INTEGRAL ENERGY SERVICES LTD.

Construction / Manufacturing CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION

PCL

Integral Energy Services provides electrical, instrumentation, civil, mechanical and project management offerings. Based in Airdrie, the senior management team boasts more than 85 years of combined experience in the industrial sector along with extensive industry knowledge that enables Integral Energy Services to successfully manage projects ranging in both size and complexity. Integral projects are completed on time and on budget.

PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in 31 major centres. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of more than $6 billion, making PCL one of the largest contracting organizations in North America.

www.integralenergy.ca

www.pcl.com

KEYSTONE EXCAVATING LTD.

CONSTRUCTION

TROTTER & MORTON GROUP OF COMPANIES

The competitive advantages of Keystone Excavating are rooted in the company’s core values. These values strengthen Keystone’s advantages by continual development, investment and involvement in resources, clients and community. It has been more than 50 years since Ed Elias bought his first crawler dozer to dig basements in Winnipeg. While much has changed in how the job is done, some things remain the same. Today, Keystone is a full service earthworks company and remains family owned but managed by a dedicated team led by Holly Goulard.

Trotter and Morton Building Technologies Inc. is a multi-service commercial and industrial construction company with a passion for their clients’ and employees’ success. Trotter and Morton fosters an entrepreneurial spirit, builds long-lasting relationships and implements the best practice construction systems. With a diverse team, the company provides diverse knowledge of building systems that enables them to maintain an efficient and knowledgeable workforce.

www.ourlifeisdirt.com

www.trotterandmorton.com

DYNAMIC SOURCE MANUFACTURING INC. (DSM)

Manufacturing The news is good for Calgary’s manufacturing sector. Statistics says that 16 of Alberta’s 21 industries had consistent monthly upswings. But, according to the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, manufacturing is strong and accounts for 14 per cent of direct GDP and 63 per cent of exports. More than 25 per cent of all Alberta exports are manufactured goods. Since Calgary’s (and Alberta’s) manufacturing activity is concentrated in those industries that provide service to the energy sector (steel pipe, specialized equipment, refined petroleum and chemicals, etc.) manufacturing values tend to move in tandem with oil and gas activity.

MANUFACTURING

Dynamic Source Manufacturing (DSM) partners with customers to provide flexible, customized manufacturing solutions. DSM utilizes cutting-edge technology to provide a full suite of services including quick-turn prototyping, volume manufacturing, testing, component sourcing and box build assembly. At DSM all customers enjoy the highest quality products with a reduced time-to-market, resulting in a competitive edge and increased profitability. From established OEMs to emerging startup businesses, they offer support and services designed to meet the individual needs of their customers. www.dynamicsourcemfg.com

ENGINEERED AIR

MANUFACTURING

Engineered Air is North America’s leading manufacturer of custom built heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and energy recovery equipment. Focusing on growth, Engineered Air always re-invests income back into the company in terms of people, machinery and additional plants. As an integrated company, Engineered Air designs and manufactures their own equipment, believing it is in their customer’s best interests to retain full control of the company’s products. For this same reason the company utilizes an in-house sales force as opposed to agent representation. www.engineeredair.com

BURNCO ROCK PRODUCTS LTD.

MANUFACTURING

PEXCOR MANUFACTURING CO INC.

MANUFACTURING

BURNCO Rock Products Ltd is a fourth generation family business established in Calgary in 1912 by James F. Burns. Today, the company, comprised of more than 1,100 employees, is the largest independent supplier of readymix concrete in Canada, a major supplier of asphalt and aggregate products, and operates Western Canada’s largest network of landscape centres. BURNCO has developed the freedom to direct and control its destiny by remaining independent. BURNCO Rock Products Ltd has acquired the business assets of Gateway Concrete of Texas. This is BURNCO’s first acquisition of an American company and is in alignment with its overall growth agenda.

Established in 2000, PexCor’s goal is to meet the demands of growing markets for high quality and affordable PEX-a pipe in North America. PexCor Manufacturing Company and Crosslink Finland Oy have a proprietary process for peroxide cross linking of polyethylene pipes by using short wave length infrared heating having both absorbing and penetrating components in order to achieve even cross linking throughout the whole pipe wall. PexCor also manufactures the TwistSeal family of products, a patented heating and plumbing water distribution manifold.

www.burnco.com

www.pexcor.com

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BUILDINGS

CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Sharing your vision. Building success. We are more than builders. We are construction partners who are passionate about what we do and about our partners’ success.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 73

Top Industries SMART TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Manufacturing / Convention MANUFACTURING

MANUFACTURING

TRESCO INDUSTRIES LTD.

Creator of the world’s most popular interactive whiteboard, SMART Technologies is defined by innovation and the desire to improve the way the world works and learns. SMART is defined by their customers – the teachers, students and business people who say that SMART has helped them discover new ideas, new ways of learning and new ways of collaborating. These easy-to-use interactive displays and integrated solutions are crucial to classrooms and meeting rooms around the world.

Tresco Consoles is internationally recognized as a creator of functionally effective and visually inspiring control room consoles. With over 4,000 control room installations worldwide, Tresco stands out as a leader in the design and development of console solutions by virtue of their willingness and ability to develop custom console solutions responsive to end-user requirements.

www.smarttech.com

www.trescoconsoles.com

STANDEN’S LIMITED

MANUFACTURING

WARRIOR MANUFACTURING SERVICES LTD.

MANUFACTURING

Standen’s Limited has been a Calgary fixture and community supporter since 1924. As one of North America’s largest full-line leaf spring, suspension component, trailer axle and agricultural tillage tool manufacturers, Standen’s prides itself on quality products and services. With over 500 employees working hard to make sure they are the customer’s first choice, Standen’s is constantly innovating and continuously improving.

Warrior started business in September 2005 with a contract to custom design and build trailer-mounted drilling rigs. This included the design and manufacture of masts, substructures and support components such as travelling blocks, drawworks, top drives, torque wrenches, powered catwalks and pipe tubs. Warriors’ mission is to supply high-quality rig equipment to their customers that is safe, reliable and efficient. They deliver the products on time and support the products in the field through a combination of engineering and service excellence.

www.standens.com

www.warriorrig.com

Convention Like Calgary’s hotel and accommodation sector, Calgary’s convention industry was momentarily broadsided by the flood. There’s little doubt that it heavily impacted not only June revenues but overlapped in the Stampede half of July but, like the hotel industry, the focused “open for business” campaign turned things around. The Calgary Telus Convention Centre is Calgary’s biggest facility with smaller venues in most major hotels and independent halls and banquet centres throughout the city.

BEST WESTERN PLUS PORT O’ CALL HOTEL

CONVENTIONS

Host impressive meetings and conferences just minutes from downtown Calgary and the airport. Select from a wide range of meeting rooms each equipped with the latest technology and amenities as the backdrop for corporate events of up to 250 guests. The Best Western Plus Port O’ Call Hotel features three beautifully appointed ballrooms with a total of 12 meeting rooms. To ensure the success of all meetings, the Best Western Plus Port O’ Call planning and catering staffs will tailor facilities and menus to meet the requirements of any event. www.bwportocallhotel.com

CONVENTIONS

CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE

The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC) offers an incredible array of space options, services to meet any requirement and the experienced planning support to make putting it all together easily. Since 1974, CTCC has been contributing to Calgary’s vibrant economy and serving as an ambassador to the world. It fulfills its mandate by exploring new commercial frontiers while serving as an ambassador from southern Alberta to the rest of North America and beyond.

www.calgary-convention.com

NATURE RULES

74 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

NATURE RULES Lucky, lucky you. One of the world’s great meeting destinations right at your doorstep. 2500 square miles of protected wilderness with Canada’s original ski town at its heart.

Facilities and expertise to ensure meetings of any size run smooth as a glacier-fed lake.

Others happily fly halfway round the world to get here, and you just hop in your car. Here in

the only protected mountain resort on Earth, nature rules. Visit BanffLakeLouise.com/Meetings

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 75

Top Industries DMG EVENTS

Convention / Auto Dealers CONVENTIONS

MEDIACO AV

CONVENTIONS

dmg events was founded in 1989 and now manages over 80 events in up to 25 countries each year. dmg is active in exhibitions, conferences and training in a wide variety of exciting and growing sectors. They have an extensive range of globally spread oil and gas events including Gastech, Global Petroleum Show and ADIPEC. dmg’s mission is to bring together professional markets and communities with industry leading conferences, exhibitions, content and context, by serving customers globally through in-person and virtual offerings designed to meet their continually changing needs.

Mediaco is a technical event partner that shows more: more attention, more creativity, more passion, more expertise and more memorable moments for Calgary events. They are authentic and honest, valuing integrity, respect and trust. The company cares deeply about how a brand is represented and how the audience will react to the experience, which is why leading organizations rely on them for their biggest events.

www.dmgevents.com

www.mediaco.ca

E=MC2 EVENTS

CONVENTIONS

OLYMPIC VOLUNTEER CENTRE

CONVENTIONS

e=mc2 offers a wide array of expertise and a demonstrated commitment to events, backed by the highest professional designations currently available in the special event industry. e=mc2 events is known for its awardwinning services including industry conferences, destination excursions, official company openings, product launches, fundraising galas, awards banquets, client appreciations and all other special events. The reputation of e=mc2 continues to be proven in its passion, commitment to detail, creativity and energetic drive.

Whether one needs to arrange a business meeting, conference or a social gathering, the Olympic Volunteer Centre can oversee every detail - from planning through execution - leaving the client free to concentrate on their guests. With over 42,000 square feet of meeting and event space, 141 classrooms and more than 200 hectares of beautiful, park-like outdoor space, the Olympic Volunteer Centre is sure to find a creative solution tailored to any specific event.

www.emc2events.com

www.ucalgary.ca/mse/ovc

EPCOR CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

CONVENTIONS

PK SOUND

CONVENTIONS

Located in the heart of the cultural district in downtown Calgary, EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts is where passion and creativity meet, mix, mingle and occasionally collide. Proving that this truly is the place to be, more than 600,000 people experience the excitement of EPCOR CENTRE yearly at 1,800-plus performances and events, both free and ticketed.

PK is an owner-operated sound manufacturing, touring and event production company. In the pro-audio world, fidelity and accuracy have historically been the measures of success for a sound company. These standards have been set by previous generations, however PK feels there is far more to achieve. In this age of technology, PK believes there is more involved in providing an optimal sound experience than simply attending to the technical aspects of a concert.

www.epcorcentre.org

www.pksound.ca

HOTEL ARTS

CONVENTIONS

WINSPORT

CONVENTIONS

Hotel Arts event planning team is passionate about transforming ordinary events into extraordinary experiences, for wedding receptions, gala fundraisers, training sessions, board meetings or a private poolside fashion show. The creative spaces, sumptuous cuisine and attention-to-detail make the smallest or largest events seamless and inspired. Hotel Arts offers an array of dedicated function spaces that can accommodate groups of varied sizes including a 9,500-square-foot Spectrum Ballroom that is perfect for hosting larger events, with the adjacent exotic poolside patio often used as a refreshing retreat for pre- or post-event gatherings.

Working together with partners in sport, WinSport’s vision is to be the acknowledged leader in developing and sustaining the facilities required for Canada to be the number one winter sport nation. WinSport is also home to the new Markin MacPhail Centre that can host events for 10 to 3,000 people. As a not-for-profit, all money spent at WinSport goes back to supporting Canadian winter athletes!

www.hotelarts.ca

www.winsportcanada.ca

Auto Dealers “While 2013 is not over yet, and coming up to the end of the final quarter of the year,” says Jim Gillespie, executive manager, Calgary Motor Dealer Association, “local dealers are happy with sales and business in general. Certainly trending up over 2012.” He points out that “many factors which are important to Calgary auto dealers, some of which continue to be taxation levels, infrastructure, all levels of governmental policy, and the general overall business environment in the city, province and the country. Fortunately for our dealers the Calgary economy continues to outperform. “Many high points so far this year as new dealerships have opened, with more on the way. The low point for the sector was Suzuki in Canada shutting down. It is always sad to see a long-standing automotive brand leave our country.”

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Top Industries

Auto Dealers AUTO DEALERS

CMP AUTOMOTIVE LTD.

JACK CARTER CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK GMC

AUTO DEALERS

For more than 50 years, CMP Automotive Ltd. has been proud to call itself Calgary’s GM superstore. As Alberta’s largest GM dealership, this familyowned business caters to families, businesses and professionals with five different GM vehicle lines, including Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick. Car seekers can choose from more than 1,000 new vehicles and more than 400 used at any given time.

Jack Carter Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC has a great selection of new and used Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick cars. Those searching for a new car can browse their inventory for the Chevrolet Orlando, Sonic, Spark, Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Escalade, Regal and Cruze. Jack Carter provides customers with everything from car repair services, auto parts sales to car loan and lease financing.

www.cmpauto.com

www.jackcarterchev.ca

AUTO DEALERS

COUNTRY HILLS TOYOTA

RENFREW CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT

AUTO DEALERS

Whether you’re looking for a brand-new Toyota or used vehicle, or need the services of a professional service or parts department, Country Hills Toyota is a one-stop shop for Toyota expertise. Located in north Calgary, the award-winning dealership welcomes customers from anywhere in southern Alberta or Canada.

Renfrew strives to provide outstanding professional service in all areas of the automotive dealership. Presenting Dodge, RAM, Jeep, Chrysler and FIAT models, Renfrew is confident that they can find the new car, truck, van or SUV of their customers’ dreams. Renfrew will do everything it takes to get the perfect model equipped with all the desired features.

www.chtoyota.com

www.renfrewchrysler.com

EASTSIDE DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM

AUTO DEALERS

SHAW GMC CHEVROLET BUICK

AUTO DEALERS

Eastside Dodge has a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying all customers’ needs. Located in Calgary, and neighbours to Airdrie, Cochrane and High River, Eastside Dodge will help customers find the vehicle they want. They offer a searchable online inventory of new Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler cars in Calgary, along with used cars, trucks and SUVs by top manufacturers.

In 1962 Shaw GMC Chevrolet Buick began selling trucks when the core of the business was medium-duty trucks. Finding the right car at the right price is often a challenge. Finding the right dealer to do business with, well that too can be as much of a challenge. At Shaw GMC Chevrolet Buick, customer satisfaction is the top priority. Their knowledgeable sales and service teams raise the customer-care bar to the highest level.

www.eastsidedodge.com

www.shawgmc.com

GREATWEST KENWORTH LTD.

AUTO DEALERS

VARSITY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP

AUTO DEALERS

Proudly serving the Alberta trucking industry for over 40 years, GreatWest Kenworth is Alberta’s Kenworth dealer. From long-haul and construction to oilfield, GreatWest Kenworth is the leading service provider for trucking sales, repair and maintenance needs. Whether it is a new engine, body, suspension part or a chrome accessory, the parts department is ready to serve all customers.

Established many years ago in Calgary, Varsity Chrysler Dodge Jeep has grown to become a premier Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep auto dealer. Varsity strives to include the best possible customer service with top-notch repair/maintenance work and comprehensive new and used car, truck, minivan and SUV inventories. They have continued to expand and now serve all of the greater southern Alberta area with new and used Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep automobiles.

www.greatwestkenworth.com

www.varsitychrysler.com

GSL GM CITY

AUTO DEALERS

WOODRIDGE FORD LINCOLN

AUTO DEALERS

Established in 1910, GSL GM City has grown to become a premier General Motors auto dealer in the Calgary region. GSL GM strives to include the best possible customer service with top-notch repair/maintenance work and comprehensive new and used car, truck, minivan and SUV inventories. Over the years, GSL GM City has grown in its current location, and now offers a state-of-the-art showroom, parts and service centres, and a finance department.

Since 1983, Woodridge Ford Lincoln has been serving Calgary and area with exceptional products and services. It was originally established as Southridge Lincoln Mercury but was eventually acquired by Gerry Wood, dealer principal of the Wood Automotive Group. With humble beginnings as one of only two Lincoln dealerships in Calgary, Woodridge Ford Lincoln has been a true pioneer of Ford and Lincoln vehicles in Western Canada – and is among Calgary’s best.

www.gslchevcity.com

www.woodridgeford.com

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Top Industries

Homebuilders JAYMAN MASTERBUILT

Homebuilders It’s boom time. No doubt about it. Builders started construction on more than 41,438 new homes in Alberta in May – much of that in the Calgary area – and it seems to be a record-breaking trend, with housing starts about 14 per cent higher than the previous 12-month period. According to StatsCan, Calgary saw the country’s largest increase in the total value of building permits. ALBI HOMES LTD.

HOME BUILDERS

For more than 30 years, Albi Homes has brought an unwavering dedication to the art of homebuilding. Albi Homes is passionate about crafting elegant, memorable homes that stand the test of time _ and stand out among the rest. With this in mind, Albi uses nothing but the highest quality materials and finishings. What might be considered an upgrade with other homebuilders is standard with Albi.

For over 30 years, Jayman has helped customers find their dream homes. As one of Alberta’s largest and most respected home builders, their industry-leading approach has resulted in an entirely new standard of quality. Jayman defines choice. A home should be a reflection of your personality and your lifestyle. It comes down to getting what you want and not compromising. They include you in the plans and provide you with options that will stand out as uniquely yours. You deserve a product that sets the standard and a team that raises the bar.. Discover how Jayman has changed the face of homebuilding. www.jayman.com

MORRISON HOMES

HOME BUILDERS

Since Cardel first broke ground in 1973, the family-owned business has grown into a major builder, constructing over 1,000 units per year in residential markets across North America. A wide range of products including single-family portfolio, and multi-family projects is offered by the builder. Despite the booming growth and widespread expansion, Cardel retains the best qualities of a privately-owned family business.

www.morrisonhomes.ca

QUALICO COMMUNITIES

HOME BUILDERS

Discovery Homes was started in 1996 by Al Morrison as part of Morrison Homes. As a result of land becoming available to Morrison Homes in a laned community, the opportunity arose to introduce higher-quality finishing and specifications to the first-time market and buyer. Now, with over 20 models to choose from, both attached and detached garage styles, Discovery Homes has sold homes in many Calgary areas. Though sales have grown substantially over the years, they are able to maintain their high standards and customer service and it doesn’t look as though they will be slowing down any time soon.

www.qualico.com

SABAL HOMES

HOME BUILDERS

Sabal Homes has a rich history of innovation and modern architectural design. Building in Calgary since 1994, Sabal initially focused on building inner-city infills and condos and then progressed to master-planned suburban communities. Today Sabal Homes’ product line of starter and move-up homes is expansive and can be found in communities in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane and Edmonton.

www.sabalhomes.com

www.discoveryhomes.net

HOMES BY AVI

HOME BUILDERS

Qualico Communities has been recognized locally and nationally for its efforts and accomplishments in developing award-winning communities. With residential land at a premium in Calgary, Qualico Communities has been successful in acquiring sought-after land positions and creating acclaimed neighbourhoods since the 1950s. Qualico provides community residents with the sustainable features they desire and embraces land development practices that lessen the impact on the environment.

www.cardelhomes.com

DISCOVERY HOMES

HOME BUILDERS

Back in 1961, Frank Morrison gave life to Morrison Homes on a simple promise: treat every customer as you would treat a friend. Over 50 years later that promise remains the foundation of every new Calgary home built by Morrison Homes. Now as the 10-time Builder of the Year, Morrison Homes is Calgary’s most trusted new homebuilder. Backed by the industry’s strongest track record of customer satisfaction, Morrison Homes is committed to excellence.

www.albihomes.com

CARDEL HOMES

HOME BUILDERS

TRICO HOMES

HOME BUILDERS

An innovative homebuilder that operates out of Calgary and Edmonton, and Austin, Texas, Homes by Avi has provided superior products and unmatched customer care for over 35 years. With a long-standing mandate to give back, the company is heavily involved in the communities in which it builds, focusing on school sponsorship programs and charitable giving.

Trico isn’t just about homes; we’re also about people who are filled with dreams, passion, vision and determination. Over the past 21 years, Trico Homes has established an enviable reputation, is recognized as one of Calgary’s top residential builders and is proud to have built a legacy of over 8,000 single and multi-family homes. We are known for reliability, flexibility, responsiveness, innovation and exemplary community citizenship. Growth, longevity and financial success naturally follow. It is our hope that the Trico logo will be the symbol for our dedication to building better communities, one home at a time.

www.homesbyavi.com/home/Calgary

www.tricohomes.com

78 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Top Industries

Finance & Investment FINANCE WEST

Finance & Investment Calgary’s financial sector includes conventional institutions ranging from multinational and retail banks to giant and ‘boutique’ investment firms, stockbrokers, trust companies and credit unions. Most major banks in Canada have set up western Canadian head offices in Calgary. The natural dynamics of Calgary’s tremendous energy sector are consistent and steady customers for Calgary’s uniquely strong and innovative finance and investment sector. ARC FINANCIAL CORP.

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

With $3.7 billion CAD of capital across the seven ARC Energy Funds, ARC Financial Corp. is Canada’s leading energy-focused private equity manager. Leveraging off the experience, expertise and relationships of team members, ARC is seeking equity investments of $25 million to $100 million or more in the Canadian oil and gas business. ARC’s culture emphasizes the value of long-term partnerships and high-quality relationships within the company, with portfolio companies, investors, service providers and the communities in which ARC has investments.

Finance West offers industry-leading products and financial services to dealer partners across Western Canada. All Finance West products and services have been extensively researched for quality, integrity and value. They have one of the deepest funder pools available to date in Canada and they are confident they will withstand the scrutiny of their clients.

www.financewest.ca

FIRST CALGARY FINANCIAL

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

Established 75 years ago, ATB Financial has grown from one small treasury branch to becoming the largest Alberta-based financial institution, with assets of $33.1 billion. Today, more than 5,200 associates help more than 654,000 customers in 242 Alberta communities make their dreams come true. Through a network of 171 branches, 130 agencies and a Customer Contact Centre, ATB works beside them and with them in their communities.

www.firstcalgary.com

MNP LLP

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group serves more than 12 million personal, commercial, corporate and institutional customers in North America and internationally. BMO Financial Group is driven by enduring corporate values. These values represent BMO’s core beliefs. They stand as a collective commitment – to colleagues, to customers, to shareholders and communities.

www.mnp.ca

SCOTIABANK

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

Scotiabank offers personal, commercial, corporate and investment banking products and services through a global team of more than 81,000 Scotiabankers. Scotiabankers are committed to helping individuals, companies and communities to thrive in a changing world. From personal and business banking, brokerage and insurance, to private wealth and the most sophisticated commercial, corporate and institutional services, Scotiabank serves the diverse needs of more than 19 million customers in more than 55 countries. www.scotiabank.com

www.bmo.com

CANADIAN WESTERN BANK (CWB)

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

MNP LLP began in 1945, when their founders sat down and discussed their ideas and vision. They set an example for the firm they would establish, and today this philosophy remains the cornerstone of their success. For more than 65 years, relationships have connected and defined their actions, keeping MNP focused on what matters most – helping people achieve their goals.

www.atb.com

BMO FINANCIAL GROUP

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

First Calgary Financial has been providing a real banking alternative since their doors first opened in 1938. Over the past 75 years, First Calgary Financial has grown to become Canada’s ninth largest credit union with over 500 employees serving 70,000 members at 16 locations across the greater Calgary area.

www.arcfinancial.com

ATB FINANCIAL

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

UFA CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED

FINANCE & INVESTMENT

Canadian Western Bank (CWB) is the largest publicly traded Canadian bank headquartered in Western Canada. Canadian Western Bank offers all the services clients would expect, like business banking, personal banking and the opportunity to invest for the future. Using the common-sense approach and commitment to build strong banking relationships helps Canadian Western Bank create and offer solutions to meet the unique needs of each and every client.

UFA Co-operative Limited is one of Canada’s largest and most dynamic co-operatives. As a progressive and diversified business, UFA Co-operative Limited strives to provide the products, services and solutions for owners and customers in rural communities. Established in 1909, UFA has grown from a small-scale local co-operative into an extensive retail operation with 120,000 active owners. UFA Co-operative Limited includes agriculture, petroleum, construction and outdoor adventure.

www.cwbank.com

www.ufa.com

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 79

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA

NOVEMBER 2013

DRIVING BUSINESS FORWARD

▼ ▼ ▼

HUMANCapital Boomeranging Boomers, Older Workers Can Help Solve The Labour Shortage By: Alexandra Lopez-Pacheo

For decades, the 9.6 million Canadians born between 1946 and 1965 have been the single largest demographic in Canada’s labour force. Now, the oldest of the baby boomer generation has reached retirement age. That has employers in every sector bracing themselves for the looming skills and labour shortage that will hit the country over the next 15 years as wave after wave of all 9.6 million baby boomers reach retirement age. In itself, the boomers retiring could be a manageable challenge if there were an equal number of young people ready to replace them. But there is not. According to Statistics Canada, there is only one worker aged 25 to 34 years for every three workers 55 or older. It’s not an issue that will be resolved anytime soon, either. Statistics Canada estimates that sometime between 2015 and 2021 the number of seniors will outnumber children under the age of 15. That’s never happened in this country before. Nationally, “in the five years since the start of the financial crisis, the most significant labour market challenge has been creating enough good jobs for workers. Over the next five years, the most important challenge is more likely to be finding enough good workers for jobs,” said Tiff Macklem, Senior Deputy Governor, The Bank of Canada, in an October speech. In fact, according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s skilled labour

shortage is becoming so dire it represents a threat to the country’s global economic competitiveness. The chamber predicts that over the next decade the country will experience a shortage of 163,000 workers in construction, another 130,000 in oil and gas, 60,000 in nursing, 37,000 in trucking, 22,000 in the hotel industry and 10,000 in the steel trades.

IN THIS ISSUE

The challenges experienced by companies and organizations could be further compounded by a knowledge gap. The young people entering the workforce with university and college degrees who will be replacing baby boomers lack the practical knowledge that can only be gained from working on the ground. This is particularly the case for industries such as mining, which has struggled in recent years to appeal to younger generations and has an average retirement age of 59.5. All of this has the potential to result in loss of productivity and competitiveness, both for individual companies as well as the country as a whole.

• Board Announcement

“There are some things you can only learn in the field with experience,” says Ralph Pritchard, a mechanical designer who returned to the workforce in his 70s to work as a mentor and coach for younger engineers and designers at a pipe design and manufacturing company. “The young guys know the software top to bottom, but

• Boomeranging Boomers, Older Workers Can Help Solve The Labour Shortage

• HR & HSEQ Together:

Planning for a State of Emergency

HUMANCapital is the Human Resources Institute of Alberta’s quarterly magazine, delivering sound HR practices that protect and engage employees and make organizations more successful. HUMANCapital highlights the most challenging industry issues and the strategies employed to achieve corporate goals. Each issue is also available in a fully interactive digital edition. If you would like to be added to our distribution list please contact Bailey Lomas at blomas@hria.ca. To learn more about HRIA visit www.hria.ca

| November | 2013 | 1

HUMAN CAPITAL

“Our employee engagement scores show that our employees who are 50 years old and older are three times more engaged than younger employees, and their retention rate is 100 times better. When we look at our data, they confirm why we want to hire and retain older people in our workforce.” ~ Sue Black, Sodexo Canada

there is a lot they don’t know. I’m really taking the place of someone who is about 40, but that’s the generational gap that exists.” While the source of the labour crisis is boomers reaching retirement age, numerous recent studies and polls are making it increasingly clear that many boomers want to be part of the solution. According to the fourth Sun Life Canadian Unretirement Index conducted by Ipsos-Reid between November and December 2011, only 30 per cent of Canadians expect to be fully retired by 66. More than half expect to be working until the age of 71. Many will continue to work because they have to but some 39 per cent plan to do so because they want to, according to the Sun Life study. A growing number of companies have zeroed in on this solution. In 2011, ThirdQuarter, a national program designed to assist the matching of skills of mature workers with opportunities, found that 60 per cent of the businesses across Canada it surveyed had hired an older worker in the past two years and 79 per cent said they were likely to do the same in the future. One company that has already tapped successfully into the mature labour force is Burlington, Ont.-based Sodexo Canada, where employees 50-plus make up a third of the food and facilities management services company’s 10,000 employees. Sue Black, the company’s head of human resources, told the Globe and Mail earlier this summer that this strategy was paying off — but not just in filling job positions. “Our employee engagement scores show that our employees who are 50 years old and older are three times more engaged than younger employees, and their retention rate is 100 times better,” she said. “When we look at our data, they confirm why we want to hire and retain older people in our workforce.” Companies that are taking advantage of the opportunity mature workers represent, however, point to the need to develop good recruiting strategies that are geared to appeal to the needs and wants of older people, including flexible or part-time hours and good health benefits, training opportunities, as well as generous vacation time. But according to Strategies and Best Practices for the Recruitment, Retention and Employment of Older Workers in the Construction Industry, a best-practices 2

| HUMANCapital | www.hria.ca

manual created by the Government of Canada’s Construction Sector Council, one of the first steps to succeeding is to identify and address any ageism that might exist within the HR department and company culture. “Your recruitment team may be bringing both conscious and unconscious biases to the table when they are involved in the recruitment process,” the best-practices manual says. “These biases could inadvertently lead to discrimination against older applicants.” It also points out that older applicants are often rejected because they are perceived as being over-qualified and thus not likely not stay with the organization. Quite the opposite is true. “Younger workers tend to change jobs more frequently. Older workers who appear over-qualified may be very effective in positions that they understand well, and, in turn, can train, mentor and coach younger workers,” says the manual. When mature workers are given roles within an organization that allow them to mentor and coach younger generations, they are helping to close the knowledge gap in that organization. What’s more, the research shows that giving back and sharing the knowledge and experience they have gained throughout their careers is often a prime motivator for older people wanting to get back into the workforce, even after retirement. From an HR perspective, developing processes designed specifically to effectively manage an intergenerational workforce — and raise awareness and mutual respect of each generation’s perspectives, communication styles and motivators — is essential. That said, older workers such as Pritchard, who is now in his late 70s and still going strong at work, are motivated by the desire to mentor the next generation so they often have the life experience and patience to intuitively understand this. “The young guys speak a different language,” says Pritchard. “If you’ve been of out picture for a couple of years, you have to go in and listen carefully to what they’re saying so you can learn their language, because it’s a whole different approach. You can’t go in and say, this is the way to do it. You have to blend in your knowledge with the ability to put it in a good perspective so they can understand and use what you’re teaching them.”

HUMAN CAPITAL

According to Peter Cappelli, author of “Managing the Older Worker” companies require a different model of leadership and management practices, and in his book, he mentions a few ways for organizations to better work with older workers: • Tailor your rewards and benefits to their lifestyle and interests: The promotion, bonus or stock options don’t matter as much to older workers, as mentioned above. Instead, provide motivation through meaningful work and social relationships; these factors are a bigger priority for older workers than financial- or career advancement-motivated rewards. • Consult and empower them: Older workers want to be consulted, so ask them to participate in the decision process

“If you’ve been of out picture for a couple of years, you have to go in and listen carefully to what they’re saying so you can learn their language… You have to blend in your knowledge with the ability to put it in a good perspective.”

on a project or challenge a bit more. They have experience behind them and wisdom to solve many workplace problems, so ask them to get involved. • Don’t ignore them: Older workers don’t want to be ignored, and they still need to be managed. Remember that managing someone older doesn’t mean you’re giving up authority; older workers must be held accountable, too. • Initiate mentoring/onboarding: Companies like Deloitte have taken advantage of older workers’ unique talents by asking them to share problems they see in the organization that they’d like to work on and fix. Their attitude is, “If you think it’s a good idea, we will too, almost without exception. We trust you.” Sometimes, Cappelli says, older workers have to help younger supervisors understand how to best manage them — and to engage younger supervisors in different types of relationships by taking initiative and speaking up for things like what motivates them, the type of environment they want to be in, or their strengths. This article was originally published in the Winter 2012 issue of HUMANCapital. Peter Cappelli, Professor at the Wharton School has written the book “Managing the Older Worker.” ThirdQuarter (www.thirdquarter.ca) is a Canadian nonprofit organization with a mission to assist companies and mature workers find each other with a unique on-line skills match system. Alexandra Lopez-Pacheo is an Oakville, Ontario based writer who contributes regularly to “Hire Perspective” an e-newsletter of ThirdQuarter.ca.

~ Ralph Pritchard

HR & HSEQ Together: Planning for a State of Emergency By Brigette Rein

This past June, Alberta experienced an unprecedented “State of Emergency” with the flooding that spanned 55,000 square kilometers, resulting in the evacuation of almost 100,000 people and 10,000 homes1 not to mention the impact to roadways and infrastructure. These events have confronted many organizations that the threat of man-made or natural disasters can cripple operations and have far reaching consequences on employees. Regardless of size, all companies should develop and implement a workable, realistic and effective emergency management plan that suits them.

Step 1: Plan Ahead

The Alberta Emergency Management Agency (“AEMA”) offers useful advice and support to people, businesses and communities which offers useful advice on assessing risks and developing and implementing emergency management plans. There are a variety

of links and publications on the AEMA website outlining emergency preparedness toolkits and how to guides for families and businesses as well as how to access funding and other emergency preparedness issues. Essentially, the steps are create a planning committee to assess vulnerabilities and capabilities and run the plan, don’t wait for the emergency, implement and refine.

Step 2: Establish a Planning Committee

The Human Resources Group (“HR”) alongside the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Group (“HSEQ”) need to champion and resource the leadership of the organization to assemble a team responsible for creating and implementing a dynamic and robust emergency plan. This committee needs to include input from all areas and levels within the organization and have the authority and necessary resources to create, implement, execute and continue to improve the plan. | November | 2013 | 3

HUMAN CAPITAL

Step 3: Analyze the Hazards and Control for Them

The HSEQ Group needs to engage the committee in the assessment of the organization’s capabilities and hazards facing it. The organization must review plans and policies already in place, as well as applicable laws and regulations such as Occupational Health and Safety (“OHS”) obligations and requirements. The committee should determine what part of operations is vital and ensure there are backups for each. Analyzing the hazards within the organization and the community in which they are located is critical. Understanding the history of the location and determine the crises root cause(s) such as geographic location or human error. The committee must also engage the external stakeholders such as business counterparts in the same building and, first and second responders to as comprehensively as possible identify all potential hazards. Once the hazards are identified, the committee must understand the possibility of facing those hazards, the risk is each if the hazard were to occur and develop a control for each. Another important aspect the committee must review, is the organizations insurance policy(s) and ensure appropriate coverage is in place and understand the applicable exclusions and areas of exposure. All of this will ensure a solid and well researched understanding of the true hazards and ultimately, the controls that need to be put in place.

Step 4: Develop the Plan The “Plan” should cover: 1. Control 2. Communication 3. Life Safety 4. Property Protection 5. Community Outreach 6. Recovery & Restoration 7. Administrative Logistics This is where the HR Group needs to be fully engaged. For example, if there is a shutdown of operations, will there be a compensation continuance and for how long. What about crisis counseling for those directly and indirectly impacted? The engagement of the HSEQ Group will cover emergency response procedures and appropriate backup such as employee call lists, building schematics and responsibilities. Again, engage stakeholders by contacting municipal and provincial governmental departments to solicit input and ensure all of the organizations bases are covered. The key component of the “Plan” is to test it, refine it, test it and refine it. Ensure that there is input from all levels of the organization, not just the committee. Create a lunch and learn activity, a team builder or highlight the “Plan” at an HSEQ meeting. These exercises will help identify gaps, confusion and overlap. 4

| HUMANCapital | www.hria.ca

Step 5: Implement, Evaluate and Refine

Once the “Plan” is solidified, distribute it and continue to test it and refine it. Don’t let it sit on a shelf collecting dust; make it part of an annual test run and ensure all new hires are oriented to it. Training and practicing the “Plan” must be conducted routinely so that it remains practical and relevant. The “Plan” is dynamic and it must continue to be reviewed and refined as necessary not only to ensure it is lawful, but to ensure it’s realistic and accurate. An obvious but key component to the “Plan” is the consideration of issues that impact the organizations human capital. Ensure that as part of the planning process, the HR and HSEQ groups have a firm understanding of their existing policies as well as legal obligations that may be faced depending on the nature and scale of a disaster.

Step 6: HR and HSEQ Considerations

Employees who are not returning to work (voluntarily or involuntarily) may be eligible for final wages, payment for accrued but unused vacation time, commissions, bonuses, expense reimbursement or severances. Depending on the situation, employees may be temporarily laid off, decide to voluntarily terminate their employment or the organization may be in a situation where they have to close down operations permanently or for the long term. Employees who do not or cannot return to work immediately may be eligible for some form of protected leave under provincial or federal law or organizations policies. For example, the federal government supports the Wage Earner Protection Program (“WEPP”) Act and Employment Insurance (“EI”) Act. The WEPP program protects employees legally entitled to work in Canada protection concerning the payment of wages if the employer becomes bankrupt or subject to receivership2. The EI program provides temporary financial assistance for people between jobs, who cannot work due to sickness, maternity/paternity and for those providing care to a family member who is gravely ill3. If the organization has an employee assistance plan (“EAP”), make sure it is accessible to those who my need it. Also remind the workforce of its existence and confidential nature of the services. Depending on the situation, an organization may decide to establish a continuation of benefits outside of the legal requirements. Organizations need to ensure the health and safety of the workforce. Following a state of emergency, remain aware of standards for workplace safety. Employees may not work if they have a good faith belief that there is an “imminent danger” in the workplace. In fact, an employee is obligated to report the unsafe working condition under OHS and is protected from punishment from the employer for doing so.

HUMAN CAPITAL

C E N E R A I S P L E A S E D TO A N N O U N C E … Glenn Tibbles and Tracey Martin have joined our team.

It is with great excitement that we announce the

As part of our continued growth, Cenera is proud to

appointment of Glenn Tibbles as Vice President.

welcome Tracey Martin to our Human Resources

As part of the Executive Search team, Glenn will

Consulting Team. As a senior HR professional and

utilize his extensive management and consulting

certified coach, Tracey is skilled at creating HR infrastructure for organizations and at advising

experience, together with his vast network of

and equipping individuals to achieve success in

business and personal contacts, to assist our clients

their leadership roles. Read more about

in securing top-notch talent. Read more

Tracey at www.cenera.ca.

about Glenn at www.cenera.ca.

Tracey can be reached at 403.294.3780

Glenn can be reached at 403.294.7684

or tracey.martin@cenera.ca.

or glenn.tibbles@cenera.ca.

Cenera is a Calgary-based Human Resource and Business Consulting firm with a reputation for doing exceptional work with clients on their most pressing business needs. We do this by providing integrated strategies, practical solutions and measurable results in a number of human resource management areas.

SERVICES INCLUDE • EXECUTIVE SEARCH • CAREER TRANSITION • HR CONSULTING • MANAGEMENT CONSULTING • HR ADVISORY SERVICES • PRIVACY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT • COACHING

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Staffing Recruiting Executive Search Managed HR Services HR Consulting HR Technology 403.266.7030 tpd.ca d Yourself un ro

Su r

the onnel pers rtment depa a St

PEOPLE PARTNERS PERFORMANCE

With Good

| November | 2013 | 5

HUMAN CAPITAL

Conclusion

2013/14 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA

The Human Resources Institute of Alberta (HRIA) is a professional association dedicated to strengthening the human resources profession by ensuring our members have the tools and resources required to influence, shape and lead organizations into sustainable and productive ventures. We are Alberta’s exclusive certifying body for the nationally recognized Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation. The CHRP designation is the leading standard for HR professionals in Canada; it demonstrates HR expertise, experience and ethical management of today’s human capital. We are pleased to introduce the 2013/14 Board of Directors

Alykhan Bandali, CHRP Chair

Chris McNelly, CHRP Vice Chair

Shannon Friesen, CHRP Past Chair

Nora Molina, MBA Executive Director

Allan McCalder, CHRP Director

Alison Meyer, CHRP Director

Andrew Walcot, CHRP Director

Angela Boyes, CHRP Director

Arlene MacLellan, CHRP Director

Chris Sopal, CHRP Director

Leslie Henkel, CHRP Director

Lynette Grose, CHRP Director

While this article covers a variety of topics, it is important to note it is not all-encompassing. Organizations should enlist the help of professionals.

With direct respect to the devastating floods in Alberta in June, we as a team, a community have risen up and demonstrated a sense of responsibility and compassion that has been amazing. With direct respect to the devastating floods in Alberta in June, we as a team, a community have risen up and demonstrated a sense of responsibility and compassion that has been amazing. The single strongest predictor of group effectiveness is the amount of help we give to each other. The challenges of this past summer have further proven this; the “States of Emergency” throughout the province united us. We are a team and Mother Nature helped us rise up and realize it at a very deep and meaningful level. 1 - Southern AB 2013 Floods, The Provincial Recovery Framework (July 18, 2013). 2 - Government of Canada. Labour Program. www.labour. gc.ca/eng/standards_equity/wepp 3 - Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. www. hrdsc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/ei

Melody Wisoley, CHRP Director

Neil Riley, CHRP Director

Sherry Scott, CHRP Director

HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA

www.HRIA.ca 6

| HUMANCapital | www.hria.ca

This article was originally published in the Fall 2013 issue of HUMANCapital. Brigette Rein is currently a PhD student studying economic development and capacity building. She has a special interest in partnership with First Nations in Western Canada with a focus on training and job creation. She can be reached at brigette.rein@gmail.com.

YEARS

The Westcor Way

A Decade Strong

clients lable, i a v a t…” ve we ha have to wai t a h t n y rmatio should the d info r n o a n t y i g a lo w CEO techno ’t want to ent & n tools, o d i e d s h e t y r e l l h ,P with a t details – t n Ltd. , and c ructio e t e g j s a o n r o d p C an on estcor is day l-informed son, W “In th l n i e b w o e R to b - Bob want

hen you enter the double doors at Westcor Construction Ltd., an air of energy and enthusiasm greets you. Curved walls showcase many of their keynote projects, along with the Gold Seal credentials that management has earned over the years. They are all displayed proudly – it’s a company that has worked hard to earn a respectable position in an industry that’s tough on business. When the founders of Westcor established the company 10 years ago, they set out to service the mid-sized construction market with a mantra that reads: every client should believe their project is the most important one — a lofty goal even by today’s standards but the founders were steadfast as they rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Three colleagues started Westcor: Bob Robinson, Brad Hammond and Val Stordy — all of who had worked together in the industry for many years. Robinson and Hammond came up through the project management side and Stordy worked on the administration side, and as Robinson notes, it was simply the right time to start Westcor. To round out the executive team, Andrew Morgan joined a short time later, adding more experience to the operations side of the business. “We found there were many companies that serviced the

The team at Westcor Construcion. Photo by Mary Savage.

By Mary Savage

smaller markets, but there were very few that looked after the mid-sized market,” says Robinson. “When we started Westcor, we brought large-company experience to the marketplace, but we delivered a level of service that’s very personalized.” And this mentality was soon coined the ‘Westcor Way.’ Their philosophy was so integral to the day-to-day operations that it became the foundation of their mission statement – seeking to provide the highest level of customer service, while demonstrating excellence in safety and integrity. Quality, workmanship and cost-effective solutions also sat at the forefront and became the standards by which they measured their success. The Westcor Way is all encompassing: it engages innovation, imagination and collaboration. They are progressive thinkers, proactive industry leaders and consummate professionals. No detail is too small and no project is too large to deliver the personalized service that’s become their signature. During the startup years, the founders’ strategy worked extremely well and before long, Westcor carved out a reputation for being one of the go-to companies to call for construction projects in the mid-sized market.

Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 1

Projects YEARS

Red Lobster

Maxxam Analytical - Phase II

Ten years later, Westcor has grown from a three-person business to over 50 employees and they have worked in every quadrant of the city, the surrounding communities and throughout Western Canada. You will find Westcor’s crews on commercial projects (including retail), institutional buildings, industrial expansions and renovations. They have been instrumental in building public structures and office spaces. Demolition, site servicing and preparation, along with concrete structures are also part of the list of services they offer. Westcor has also built churches, recreational facilities and educational buildings, but you will also find them working inside specialty industries such as seniors’ housing and healthcare renovations – two fields that require a specific level of expertise. “We’ve completed hundreds of healthcare renovations and that type of work is very complicated because the facility usually remains operational while the renovations are underway,” says Robinson. “This type of work calls for specialty services like dustfree demolitions, negative air systems and IPC (infection prevention and control) procedures; we have people that are experts in these areas. It’s specialty work and the clients know they need to work with a construction company that

understands what precautions have to be taken to ensure the existing and operational environment is safe,” he adds. Today, they continue to serve the mid-sized construction market and they have remained true to their mantra, but inside the Westcor office virtually everything else has changed. Westcor has evolved in part from necessity and partly from ‘blue sky’ thinking that has fostered many opportunities for them. One of those opportunities strengthened their executive committee by welcoming the extensive experience and skills of David Vandegriff as CFO. Three years ago, Westcor moved from a 2,800-square-foot leased bay into an old warehouse they purchased, expanded and renovated to accommodate their growing business. And when you enter their new 10,000-square-foot space, the two-storey office building is humming with activity. For the 55 employees who make the wheels of business churn inside the Westcor office and across all of their project sites – unequivocally – they are making a difference in their corner of the construction industry. “Today we work on pre-qualified projects, invited work and jobs with repeat customers – and that’s enough to keep us busy,” adds Robinson. The term ‘pre-qualified’ assumes that competing companies engage in specific criteria: they offer good value, have an excellent safety program and have a proven track record.

www.albertamoldpro.com peter@albertamoldpro.com 403.371.7836 Mold and Asbestos removal company

Making homes healthy again

Congratulations to

Westcor on their 10th Anniversary!

The Pint

We wish you continued success in the industry. Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 2

Harry Hays Building

iWorld Connect

“In the construction industry, anyone can get a business licence and bid on a project, but that doesn’t necessarily bring good value to the client,” comments Robinson. “The industry is trending toward ‘best value,’ and not best price. In today’s market, you need to have systems and people in place to sustain long-term growth and stability; and you need to develop excellent partnerships with your trades and contractors.” As Robinson has observed, the pre-qualified standards have been around for a long time, but after the last economic downturn, both the public and private sectors have become more selective with whom they work. “A project is not always awarded to the lowest bidder anymore…and the last recession cleaned up the industry – weeding out many of the companies that couldn’t meet the pre-qualification criteria,” Robinson adds.

Hats off to you Westcor congratulations on 10 years!

Allied

Projects Ltd. Pr

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

403-543-4530 | www.alliedprojects.com

Congrats on reaching your 10th anniversary! From all of us at Hamilton & Rosenthal, we wish you many more successful years!

Congratulations Westcor Construction! Wishing you many more decades of success!

(403) 266-2175 www.hamrose.com

www.varko.com

congratulates

www.skylineelectrical.net 403-287-8535

Westcor Construction Ltd. on their 10th Annversary!

Congratulations to Westcor Construction on their 10th Anniversary!

www.mcgregor-thompson.com | 403.250.9311

Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 3

YEARS

Vocational Centre Extraordinaire

Career and Technology Centre – Lord Shaughnessy High School When Westcor was selected to be the general contractor on the Career and Technology Centre (CTC), they were honoured to be part of the $8.6-million project. A first of its kind in Alberta, the CTC is flagged as a prototype building and program that invites youth wishing to pursue credentialed trades training — while still attending high school. The school originally opened in 1967 and over the years, has undergone additions and renovations, but there were many challenges that Westcor had to overcome – one being that the school Lord Shaughnessy High School remained opened to the teachers, students and CBE administration. The project was completed in phases to accommodate the daily activity. In addition to the new construction, many existing areas of the building were repurposed and modernized, adding to the complexities of the project. Westcor’s safety program proved to be almost as challenging as the construction work itself — in order to ensure the staff and students were provided a safe environment. The construction was completed in the spring of 2013 and today, the CTC is over 110,000-square-feet. The programs offer dual credentials as well as post-secondary preparation in welding, auto body, preengineering, hairstyling, culinary arts, media design, business information technology and health services.

Resort-Inspired Retirement Community Amica Mature Lifestyles – Aspen Woods

During the fall of 2011, Westcor was awarded the Amica project and 19 months after breaking ground, the $25-million project was completed. Designed as an assisted living community for seniors, the four-storey, greenfield construction site provides 185,000-square-feet of resort-inspired living with a 146-bed capacity. As construction got underway, the majority of the structural concrete components were poured during the winter – meaning Westcor needed ground-thawing techniques to keep the project on schedule. The following winter, the interior finishes were completed Amica Mature Lifestyles, Aspen Woods with the assistance of a dry-heat system that was installed throughout the building. The system was monitored daily to keep the building at a consistent temperature – necessary for the construction finishes. High-end finishes include coffered and domed ceilings, extensive decorative wall and crown mouldings, and vinyl wall coverings throughout the corridors and common areas. The facility offers an array of amenities including a beauty salon, full pool, spa and exercise area with change rooms, a theatre room, full commercial kitchen and laundry room, dining rooms and a pub.

Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 4

ISO National Management, Local Execution

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Congratulations to Westcor Construction!

Proud to be working with Westcor Construction. Extending our congratulations as they celebrate 10 years of success.

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Proud to be working with you, ● and we wish you many more years of success!

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403-273-9511 Congratulations Team Westcor on 10 successful years of build contracting service. Your company’s professional approach and attention to detail has distinguished above many as a contractor of choice. It has been our pleasure to work with you and we at Western Weather Protector Ltd. wish you another 10 years of success in building. Sincerely, Management and Staff

Phone: 403-569-1101 | Fax: 403-569-1211 sales@uniteddecorating.com

www.uniteddecorating.com “Congrats to the whole Westcor team, we look forward to the next 10 years!” Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 5

“Today we compete with like-minded businesses that have excellent safety programs, operate efficiently, bring value to the client and can sustain long-term growth,” he continues. Westcor has undergone other changes and most recently, they have been working to upgrade and improve internal operating systems. “When planning our future, we engaged a certain amount of brainstorming and many great ideas were born. One of those ideas looks at improving our internal operations, which has enabled us to take on more work, larger projects and bring more value to our clients,” notes Vandegriff. Currently underway, Westcor is implementing an ERP (enterprise resource plan) that ultimately seeks to expedite client and project communications. “The ERP solves two major growth problems: it makes us significantly more efficient internally, but more importantly, we are far more responsive to our clients’ needs,” says Vandegriff. “Once the system is fully operational, we will be able to provide our clients with real-time details about their projects regarding costs, production schedules and related information,” he adds. “The clients really enjoy working with our people, our culture and our systems, but they wanted access to information quicker and we are responding.” Looking back over the past decade, Robinson observes they are working in interesting times. “We are at an inter-

YEARS

ons i t a l atu ars! r g e Con 10 y on

esting growth level now and by integrating new systems, we are building a better company. All of our team leaders have risen to the challenge…most of them have been with the company since its inception and they understand the Westcor Way,” notes Robinson. “It’s how we run the business, how we keep employees engaged and challenged, and what we value in order to make our clients feel important,” he continues. “And as we move forward, we are able to give new employees a roadmap that teaches them the importance of the Westcor Way; it’s not just a philosophy – it’s how we do business.” Westcor views every relationship as a collaborative one – from their clients to subtrades to the employees. “Anyone should be able to build to plans and specs, but we work with our clients to make their project the best it can be. Everyone we work with is viewed as a partner and we continue to work hard to build a collaborative environment,” says Robinson. As Westcor celebrates their 10th anniversary, they pause from the workday to extend a sincere note of gratitude to all of the clients, business partners, suppliers, contractors and employees who have helped them achieve this milestone. “We recognize that we could not have arrived at this point without a lot of help from a lot of good people!” adds Robinson.

Westcor Construction Ltd. www.westcor.net | (403) 663-8677

#11, 2701 16 ST, S.E., CALGARY, AB T2G 3R4 TEL: 403-207-7291 FAX: 403-207-7254

Berkshire Contracting Ltd. Custom Cabinetry & Architectural Millwork #11, 2701 16 St. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 3R4 Tel: 403.207.7291 | Fax: 403.207.7254 info@berkshirecontracting.com

www.weatherguardmetals.ca 403.203.9304

Congratulations to Westcor Construction on 10 years of success! It has been great to work with you through your first 10 years. Westcor Construction • 10 Years • 6

Plan •

Financial P

The team at MoneyAdvisor.ca

Plan. Protect. Prosper.

Simplifying Your Financial Goals

3R4 54

Written and photographed by Mary Savage

evin MacLeod learned about financial investing the hard way – he lost more than he made by trusting the advice of strangers. Once bitten, twice shy… During his early 20s, MacLeod borrowed $21,000 to invest in an RRSP. The bank referred him to a stockbroker and inside of two years, his entire investment was gone. But MacLeod still had to repay the loan. Fast-forward a few years later, MacLeod sold his successful retail business for a handsome profit and once again went in search of investment advice. At the time, he and his wife were raising a young family and he needed to secure their future. This time, he listened to many advisers. He spent time listening as they all tried to sell him what they thought he needed. However the advisers neglected to ask MacLeod a few key questions: how should he best plan for the future based on his individual needs? What was the best way to

protect his young family, protect their assets and secure their future? Discouraged but not deterred, MacLeod decided his best option was to seek his own counsel and pursue a career in financial planning. In the late 1990s, he landed a job and after three years, he had earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. “Anyone can become a financial planner simply by saying they are a financial planner, but the CFP designation takes many years of industry experience, coursework and continuous education to earn,” remarks Kevin MacLeod, president, MoneyAdvisor.ca. “And when I started to think about getting into the business, that first experience proved to be a valuable lesson: I would never do that to someone,” says MacLeod. “I couldn’t live with myself by taking that kind of risk with someone’s hard-earned money.”

MoneyAdvisor.ca | 15 Years

He continued to work in the industry and by 2007, he opened MoneyAdvisor.ca Financial Ltd., a business dedicated to helping people develop a three-fold approach to investing: how to plan, protect and prosper. Period. Today, MacLeod brings 15 years of experience to his clients and MoneyAdvisor.ca is an independent business, not a franchise or subsidiary of a national company, which allows MoneyAdvisor.ca to offer totally unbiased advice. And when you meet MacLeod, his approach is refreshingly different. He doesn’t bombard you with industry jargon or a menu of investment options. He listens, asks questions and listens again. MoneyAdvisor.ca also offers integrated accounting solutions (through their sister company, Pi Business Solutions) and they have recently partnered with a mortgage specialist to further assist their customers. “We specialize in retirement income planning,” adds MacLeod. “We want to work with individuals who value a long-term relationship – someone that is accountable to them personally. As MacLeod has observed, there is no ‘cookie-cutter’ approach when it comes to planning an individual’s or a couple’s future. “Retirement to me and retirement to you are defined in two very different terms,” he says. “I don’t call my clients with the latest, greatest investment…we look at what they need, what they want and a host of other factors that will contribute to securing their future,” MacLeod notes. “And we look at those things that need to be set up just in case they lose their job or life throws them a curve ball – we put safeguards in place to protect them,” he continues. “Many people are totally confused by all the jargon and they really don’t understand what they should be doing. There is a value-system to how I run the business,” asserts MacLeod. MoneyAdvisor.ca specializes in individuals who have an asset range of $100,000 to $1,000,000 plus. However, they

also work with smaller companies to help maximize their earnings and minimize taxes. “Both of these investment groups have been abandoned by the larger firms – largely because they don’t have enough capital to qualify as a client or the firms don’t provide the specialty knowledge that’s required when working with small business,” says MacLeod. “These two sets of demographics are the people who we help the most.” Looking forward, changes in the industry are going to see disclosure of information – something MacLeod completely supports. “I am in favour of all the new regulations, having more education, minimum standards and disclosure. All of these things are going to contribute to a higher level of advice being given to people – and that’s really how this business should operate, it’s how we run our business” he says. MoneyAdvisor.ca recently launched a new interactive website that provides tools, quizzes, spreadsheets and information all geared to help demystify ‘retirement and financial planning.’

Plan • Protect • Prosper Financial Planning • Insurance • Investments

For more information or to book a free one-hour consultation with MacLeod and his staff, visit their website or call: Kevin MacLeod, Financial Planner, MoneyAdvisor.ca Worldsource Financial Management Inc. #4, 11010 46th St. SE • Calgary, AB (403) 214 – 7215 • Toll Free (877) 552 - 1211 • www.moneyadvisor.ca Mutual Funds and Segregated Funds provided by the Fund Companies are offered through Worldsource Financial Management Inc. Other products and services are offered through MoneyAdvisor.ca Financial Ltd.

MoneyAdvisor.ca | 15 Years

Congratulations to Kevin MacLeod and the MoneyAdvisor team on 15 years of success!

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Managing money on behalf of Canadian investors since 1965

Congratulations to MoneyAdvisor.ca for 15 years of helping Calgarians achieve their financial goals.

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Guardian Capital Group Limited is a diversified national financial services company headquartered in Toronto and founded in 1962. In Alberta, Guardian and its main operating subsidiaries have been providing the following services to clients for several years: Institutional investment management services, by Guardian Capital LP; Private client investment management services, by Guardian Capital Advisors LP; Mutual fund advisory services, by Worldsource Financial Management Inc.; Securities services, by Worldsource Securities Inc. and Life insurance distribution services, by IDC Worldsource Insurance Network Inc.

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MoneyAdvisor.ca | 15 Years

The team at Sturgess Architecture. Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.

Celebrating 20 Years

Glacier Skywalk Photo courtesy of Sturgess Architecture

By Shannon Stucky

O 7th Avenue LRT (with GEC Architecture) Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.

The Water Centre Photo courtesy Lemermeyer Photography Inc.

ver the last 20 years, Sturgess Architecture has been involved in hundreds of projects both big and small, commercial and residential, and in both the public and private sectors. It is known for its unique, creative and sustainable designs, many of which have been recognized on the world stage. Through its many strategic alliances and collaborations with companies like GEC and Manasc Isaac Architects, Sturgess Architecture, and principle Jeremy Sturgess, have been awarded high-profile projects including the 7th Avenue LRT, the Water Centre, the Grand Theatre Restoration and the Glacier Skywalk. The biggest project of the last 10 years has been the 7th Avenue LRT redesign. The challenge was to create a blended space that would be functional for the new extended trains while revitalizing the 7th Avenue retail environment. In this design, it was important for each station to be recognizable while still being part of the whole circuit. The finished stations blend seamlessly into the sidewalks while being defined by the art, Plus 15s, canopies and retail spaces around them. The Water Centre brings two City of Calgary departments together into a creative and sustainable space. The four-storey, 180,000-square-foot building stretches from the Erlton LRT station to the Manchester service yards. Its unique-looking structure was specifically designed to provide natural light for its north-facing, open-styled office space. The south side boasts a fourstorey atrium with a large shallow stair that became a communal meeting and collaborative work space. The Grand Theatre redesign was a major win both for Theatre Junction, which got a new home, and the City of Calgary, who avoided demolishing a heritage building. Sturgess Architecture stepped in to make the best theatre possible on a tight budget, finding inspiration from theatres in Montreal, Toronto and New York. The heritage planners also supported the theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Sturgess Architecture | Celebrating 20 Years | www.sturgessarchitecture.com

preservation as building parts from 1912, the 1930s, and the 1950s, were uncovered. The theatre now stands as “a kaleidoscope of Calgary’s history over a 100 years.” In 2010, Sturgess Architecture in conjunction with RJC Structural Engineers won the bid to create the Glacier Skywalk after Parks Canada called for initiatives to engage visitors in the park. The skywalk is an overlook that seems to grow out of the mountain side to hover over the Sunwapta Valley 280 metres below. Its extremely complex design uses ring beams, boxed girders and COR-TEN steel to give the dramatic structure an effortless and natural look. The Glacier Skywalk is located 20 minutes north of the Columbia Icefields and is scheduled to open May 2014. Jeremy Sturgess credits the firm’s success with its ability to do “significant work at any level.” Its reputation has grown from a small residential-based boutique firm to one that is capable of working on even the largest of projects including the benchmark-making Bow building in downtown Calgary. Jeremy, a member of the Calgary planning commission, is excited for what the next 20 years will bring to Sturgess Architecture and to the city of Calgary in design, innovation and sustainability.

www.rjc.ca Congratulations on 20 Years of Inspiring Architecture Proud to have collaborated over the decades

www.sturgessarchitecture.com 200, 724 - 11th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB 403.263.5700

LAWSON

PROJECTS

Clients and friends for 20 years... Wishing Jeremy and the team at Sturgess Architecture all the best as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary. ~ Robert Lemermeyer

CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES ON CALL

We are pleased to be implementing Sturgess Architecture’s award-winning Glacier Skywalk design for Brewster Travel Canada in Jasper National Park. Congratulations to Jeremy and his team at Sturgess Architecture on reaching their 20th Anniversary milestone.

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Sturgess Architecture | Celebrating 20 Years | www.sturgessarchitecture.com

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hose affected by the June 2013 flood learned that rebuilding is a step-by-step process, and for many, one such step was to reconstruct or repair the actual stairs in their home or business. Following the disaster, home and business owners alike turned to the experts at Calgary-based Prestige Railings & Stairs Ltd., who were quick to adjust their schedules to accommodate the greater workload. “We’re proud to be a trusted service provider during our city’s recovery from the 2013 flood,” says marketing manager, Jacque Topuschak. “We thank our customers for their patience as we fulfil their wish lists.” Formed more than two decades ago through mergers and acquisitions of local businesses, Prestige builds custom railings, stairs and enhancements in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Prestige’s talented artisans see each piece as a unique art form, from classic wood spindles to contemporary stainless steel and glass staircases. They can also add embellishments such as energy-efficient LED lights for the extra wow factor. Open to the ingenuity of residential and commercial customers across Canada, Prestige handcrafts custom requests and provides plenty of inspiration with their impressive showroom and build-your-own online tool. Prestige is committed to unprecedented quality and environmental responsibility, evident in their ISO 9001 certification and involvement in LEED-certified projects. Known for their excellent reputation and word-of-mouth referrals, Prestige has received more than 20 Consumer Choice Awards in multiple categories. “Receiving another Consumer Choice Award this year is truly an honour,” says Topuschak. “We value the confidence our customers have in us.” On top of their growing collection of awards, Prestige celebrates 25 years in business in 2014. “Our anniversary is an opportunity to express our gratitude to our loyal customers,” states Topuschak. “We appreciate the collaboration of design ideas and endless creativity brought to us by architects, builders and renovators.” For more information, please visit www.prestigerailings.com or call 403.250.1020.

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100 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

NOVEMBER 2013

Great Calgary 2013

s the dust settles on the 2013 Calgary Civic Election, the Calgary Chamber and its members are looking forward to working with the newly elected council on the eight municipal government priorities identified in our policy document Great Calgary 2013. These priorities, with their associated recommendations, were created with the aim of having Calgary remain a competitive city that is recognized internationally as a premium destination to live and work. After all, attracting and retaining top-level talent to the city will contribute to the continued prosperity of all Calgarians. Accordingly, the Chamber wants to see fiscal prudence as a priority moving forward by limiting spending to within the range of real GDP plus inflation, as well as developing a budgetary framework that identifies both essential and discretionary spending. Such a framework should be designed to have input from citizens and businesses. The Chamber worked with the Office of the Mayor in 2010 on the Cut Red Tape initiative and would like to see that continue into 2014 by implementing a mandatory regulatory impact assessment process for all new bylaws in order to minimize regulatory burdens. The Chamber would also like to see the city streamline the development approvals process and communicate regulatory requirements better. Additionally, our members would like to see property tax rates examined so that the burden is not disproportionately borne by businesses, while ensuring that the tax shift is neutral, so no additional taxes or costs are levied to citizens.

On the topic of growth and development, the Chamber would like to see council continue with Plan It Calgary in all aspects of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development as well as maintaining a minimum three-and-a-half year supply of serviced land. Transportation and mobility are major factors to life in our city and one of the key points voiced by our membership involves the expansion of the transit network to better serve new communities and increasing transit frequency to higher traffic areas. The Chamber also proposes building more transit-oriented communities and expanding highoccupancy vehicle lanes. The Great Calgary policies also look at housing. The primary recommendation pushes for council to remove zoning restrictions on secondary suites, ensuring they meet all health and safety standards and are available strictly on a rental basis. The final policy element looks at planning and building flood-resistant communities. Great Calgary calls for proceeding forward with flood mitigation in areas adjacent to the Bow and Elbow rivers as well as addressing the aging infrastructure to mitigate sewage-related flooding in the future. The Calgary Chamber believes collaboration between businesses, city council and all Calgarians will help maintain a vibrant, competitive, Great Calgary. Read and download all of Great Calgary 2013 at CalgaryChamber.com/GreatCalgary. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ 101

2013 Board of

Directors Executive

Chamber Member Spotlights As Calgary’s leading business organization, the Chamber has the city’s top companies and business organizations as its members.

Joe Lougheed – Chair Dave Sprague – Immediate Past Chair Leah Lawrence – Chair Elect Rob Hawley – 2nd Vice Chair Denis Painchaud – Vice Chair, Finance Adam Legge – President and CEO Directors David Allen Bill Brunton Eva Friesen Guy Huntingford Rob Lennard

Deloitte Deloitte is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, the largest professional services network in the world. Deloitte provides audit, tax consulting, enterprise risk and financial advisory services across Canada with 56 locations and over 8,000 employees. Their vision is “to be the best professional services firm through unparalleled, team-based client services.” Consistently rated by Fortune as one of the “Best 100 Companies to Work For” and the number one place to launch a career by BusinessWeek, Deloitte places significant value on human capital and leadership development. For more, visit Deloitte.com.

Dilan Perera Linda Shea Paul Waddell Management Adam Legge – President and CEO Michael Andriescu – Director of Finance and Administration Kim Koss – Vice President, Business Development Scott Crockatt – Director of Marketing and Communications Rebecca Wood – Member Services Manager

Leading Business magazine is a co-publication of the Calgary Chamber and Business in Calgary Calgary Chamber 600, 237 8th Avenue S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 5C3

FGL Sports FGL sports is the largest sporting goods retailer in Canada. From shoes to clothing to equipment, FGL mixes brand-name products with a selection of private-branded lines. FGL has six corporate banners (Sport Chek, Atmosphere, National Sports, Hockey Experts, S3, Nevada Bob’s Golf) that touch on virtually every facet of sporting life in the country. Founded in Calgary in 1974 by John Forzani and three teammates from the Stampeders, FGL has grown from a single 1,200-square-foot store to 348 stores and wholesalers located across Canada. FGL also gives back to the community through Jumpstart, a program designed to help kids participate in sport by covering the costs of registration, equipment and transportation. For more, visit FGLSports.com.

Phone: (403) 750-0400 Fax: (403) 266-3413 calgarychamber.com

GFS Prairies Inc. GFS Prairies is part of the Gordon Food Service family of companies, North America’s largest family-owned broad-line food-service distributor. With over 100 years of experience, GFS has worked with thousands of businesses in hundreds of towns and cities across the country. With a strong commitment to customer service, GFS Prairies believes all of their relationships are based on trust, honesty and candour. Whether it is their staff of experts dedicated to providing value-added services to help customers control costs and grow sales, or the on-staff chefs keeping their clients up to date on the latest consumer trends and recipes, GFS Prairies is there to help their customers succeed. For more, visit GFSCanada.com.

102 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Small Business Week 2013:

Recognizing Excellence

ctober 21-25 marked Small Business Week 2013, where the contributions of small and medium-sized businesses in Calgary were recognized and rewarded. The week provided an opportunity for small business owners to network and gain exposure, along with offering large companies the chance to connect with the small business community. Event such as insider tours, workshops and the Small Business Week Expo, allowed for an exchange of information, ideas and stories. The highlight of Small Business Week was the Small Business Week Awards, showcasing a cross-section of excellence across five categories:

The Breakout Business Award Presented to the Calgary small business poised for significant growth, the company had to demonstrate an original and solid concept while generating buzz and excitement in the business community.

Finalists:

• Frilly Lilly • SysGen Solutions Group Ltd. • KAYAK Online Marketing • CHARCUT Roast House • Village Brewery

The Community Involvement Award Given to a company that is involved in charitable, not-forprofit or community-based organizations, the award salutes those that work to improve the lives of their fellow citizens.

Finalists:

• Eligeo CRM Inc. • AcceleratorYYC • Village Brewery

The Customer Service Excellence Award The nominees had to show dedication to customer service through the delivery of ongoing staff training or the creation of a service program to improve customer service. The award was handed to the small business that went above and beyond to serve.

Finalists:

• DECO Windshield Repair Inc. • OLiV Tasting Room • SureCall Contact Centres Ltd. • XCEL Professional Services Ltd. • Crepes & Cravings 104 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The Environmental Stewardship Award This award was given to the Calgary small business that demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship. The company had to show it improved operations and limited its environmental footprint, as well as the footprint of its suppliers or clients.

Finalists:

• Muttley Crue Organics • Leela Eco Spa & Studio • Market 17

The Innovation Award The Innovation Award was presented to the Calgary small business that showed groundbreaking achievements in improving work processes, business concept development or product creation and successfully implemented or marketed those developments.

Finalists:

• Tekarra Project Services Ltd. • CHARCUT Roast House • COGS Solutions • Jump On • Massage Heights Canada After receiving a record number of nominees, the Small Business Week Awards saw an incredible amount of engagement from the public. With 2013 being the second year that offered online voting, businesses and the public alike took to social media to lobby for their favourites and discuss the importance of small business in the city. For a complete rundown of the results, please visit SmallBusinessWeekCalgary.com. Small Business Week 2013 was powered by ATB Business and additionally made possible with expo partner First Calgary Financial, platform sponsors Bow Valley College and McLeod Law, award sponsors ATB Business, Servus Credit Union and Telus as well as Small Business Week’s partner organizations Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and The Business Link.

The Value of Teamwork aT The CenTre of energy

The June flood was a major disaster for the city and its impact continues to be felt for many residents, business and building owners. However, the flood also brought out the best in Calgarians and showcased the community spirit and willingness to help others that is the foundation for our city’s continuing growth and success. The impact of the flood would have been vastly greater without the loyalty and dedication of employees at organizations throughout the city. The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC) suffered only minor damage, but the situation the centre now faces could have been far worse without the commitment shown by several employees. The water began flowing into the third level of the CTCC parkade on Thursday June 20th and as the flood waters increased the flow of water into the base of the building continued to grow. An incident command centre had been set up on Thursday to facilitate communication with all stakeholders, and to ensure the safety of all clients, employees, tenants and partners. Jon Netelenbos, the centre’s Director, Support and Security Services was the Incident Commander and worked with Rene Roy, Chief Engineer and Carson Jassman, the Security Services Manager to continually evaluate the situation and communicate with senior management and clients. As the situation deteriorated early on Friday morning Sean Dyck, the Centre’s Building Operator, also managed to make his way downtown to the facility. The Centre’s sump pumps were able to keep pace with the inflow of water until the power and natural gas were turned off on Friday morning. The CTCC’s remaining diesel powered emergency generator began to operate, but an evaluation by the team onsite determined there was only enough fuel to run the generator for 8 to 10 hours. “More fuel was required,” said Rene Roy, “and until it was available the only course of action was to run the generator for 30 minutes to continue pumping, and then turn the generator off for an hour at a time to conserve fuel.” The team decided to evacuate the buildings with Rene and Sean volunteering to remain on-site to manage the generator and the pumps. Calls were made to the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) to secure more diesel fuel, but with a host of other emergencies to manage across the city a fuel delivery to the CTCC could not be a priority. Fortunately a discussion with Don Tomie of the Marriott Hotel led to an emergency fuel delivery late Friday night organized by the CHA. This was just one example of the support and cooperation provided by the Marriott Hotel staff and the CHA during the emergency. The CTCC employees and management are a strong team and have worked hard to build and maintain relationships with partners, clients, tenants and city departments. In Jon Netelenbos’s words, “the reasons that we were able to come through this emergency without major damage were the commitment of our employees, our great partnerships with the Marriott and the CHA, and the excellent working relationships we have with the core city organizations. “ We hope neither Calgary nor the CTCC has to face an emergency situation like the June floods again. However, the recent emergency has strengthened the bonds within the broad Convention Centre organization and reminded everyone that dire situations can be effectively managed with great people and great communication.

Calgary-convention.com www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 105

Global Business Centre

106 â&#x20AC;˘ November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

he Global Business Centre has successfully been in operation for three full years since it was launched by Calgary Economic Development in June 2010. It has acted as a landing pad for international companies looking to establish in Calgary, a launching pad for local companies looking to expand internationally and a meeting space where global leaders can share ideas. The Global Business Centre is how southern Alberta businesses, entrepreneurs and innovative thinkers reach out and move out to the worldwide marketplace; and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how business from anywhere around the world taps into the opportunities and advantages available in southern Alberta. In addition, the Global Business Centre has supported increased growth in trade and business in southern Alberta by providing temporary office space to incoming governments and companies that utilize the space to support their business development activities. To date, a total of 28 national and international organizations have been housed in the temporary office space offering including the Bank of China, the French Consulate and most recently Northcott Global Solutions. Companies utilizing this central location find themselves within 10 city blocks from 136 of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500 head offices, the second largest concentration of headquarters in Canada after Toronto. These companies have the unique advantage of tapping into networking opportunities and various other services Calgary Economic Development provides for a wide range of industries. The Global Business Centre also serves as a resource to the local community looking to expand its market overseas. In the past three years of operations, they have had over 10,000 people pass through the centre doors attending over 500 events. Throughout the year, a number of market and sector-focused export development seminars, speaker series and international networking receptions serve as a platform to connect local companies to global markets. The success of the Global Business Centre both now and looking forward is reliant on the support they receive from stakeholders and partners. With limited resources, a strong focus has been placed on partnering with the community and delivering joint programs to support their mandate. Going forward, the Global Business Centre will continue to service incoming delegations, relocating and expanding companies as well as providing numerous opportunities for local businesses to work with international markets. For further information on programs, services and partnering opportunities, please contact Vanessa Wright, coordinator, Global Business Centre at vwright@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com. Follow the Global Business Centre on Twitter @calgary economic.

#keytourismtrends #keytourismtrends BY stEWart MCDOnOUGH

tourism continues to grow Globally, tourism is a $1.3-trillion market that is expected to grow 4.1% annually through 2020. And 44% of travellers in North America are likely to increase their travel budgets in 2013. International tourist arrivals are expected to increase 3.3% per year globally between 2010 and 2030 to 1.8 billion tourists. Tourism is a massive market with great growth potential. In 2011 and 2012 Calgary led a province that led the nation in terms of visitation and visitor spending growth. To capitalize on potential and build on momentum, key trends are monitored and used to shape strategic direction. While some of the trends are not new, they continue to play an increasing role in destination marketing. The growing importance of online tools and mobile devices is far from earth-shattering, yet many tourism businesses and destinations have yet to embrace or effectively enter the digital marketing world. For example 72% of travellers worldwide say the ability to book via mobile devices is useful, but only 37% of U.S. accommodation providers are prioritizing mobile marketing in 2013.

tomorrow’s traveller Travellers are increasingly making their vacation choices after researching a variety of online sources and this isn’t just for millennials – for example, while Facebook skews young, the 45- to 54-year-old age bracket has grown 45% since year-end 2012. • 69% of travellers use travel review websites. • 57% of travellers use online travel agents like Expedia or Travelocity. • Travellers are fully connected while travelling. On average, travel parties (small groups or families) bring four web-enabled devices on trips. Millennials are playing an increasingly important role in destination marketing, but mature travellers spend more money on travel and stay longer. • The youth market accounts for 20% of global tourism, and young travellers will seek more active tourism products in the form of adventure tourism. • Due to the effects of aging and decreasing numbers of children per family, 65% of world growth through to 2050 will be in populations aged 45 and above.

• Aging populations are demanding more health and wellness tourism products; however, a rising retirement age will partially slow the growth of travel by seniors. • Globally, disposable incomes are increasing, fuelling travel growth. An emerging middle class in Asia and South America are seeking different tourism experiences.

Product development Travellers are looking for tourism experiences in the forms of educational travel, eco-travel, cultural immersion, and ‘safe danger’ tourism products. The ability to effectively share those travel products through experiential content (photography, video, written materials) will drive visitation and change the conversation from one of price to value. Everyone is a foodie. With the growth of culinary television and website programming/content; the increased quality and diversity of restaurants in many destinations; and the rise of culinary celebrities, destination’s need to promote their culinary offerings. People may not travel to a destination because they hear the restaurants are good, but they may stay away if they hear the opposite. Accommodation variety is a plus for destinations especially among millennials. A mix of trusted big brands, boutique properties, B&Bs and hostels add to a destination’s appeal. • 80% of travellers worldwide say it’s important for accommodations to offer free Wi-Fi. • 79% of travellers say that eco-friendly practices in accommodations are important.

Destination appeal There is a shift from making decisions based primarily on price point to looking for great value, unique experiences and bragging rights. The next travelling frontier is often the first choice for travellers. Emerging markets will see greater tourism growth than more established destinations. When new markets open or gain in popularity those markets can pull travellers to what can be seen as more current or exotic experiences. For example, the highest growth markets for inbound and outbound travel are China and India. • From 2010 to 2030 tourist arrivals in emerging destinations (+4.4% annually) are expected to grow at double the pace of advanced economies (+2.2% annually). • The Asia-Paciﬁc region will lead in tourism growth and capture market share from other destinations. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY November 2013 • 107

Revolutionary Tactile Computing Tech startup developing computer interface for the blind and visually impaired BY MEGHAN OCKEY AND ANDREA MENDIZABAL

Calgary technology company is in the midst of developing a revolutionary multi-touch computer interface and software platform designed with the unique needs of blind and visually impaired users in mind. Founded in 2012, Invici Technologies aims to deliver a bold new human computer interface concept that allows blind and visually impaired users to access maps, graphs, calendars, apps and much more. Invici’s flagship product, the Invici Interface, is a system that combines a propriety touch screen with motion capture, speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis abilities. These features allow users to explore, create and share the content and programs that they need most. The technology is unique in that it provides tactile feedback to the user so they can physically sense features on the screen by touch. According to Douglas Hagedorn, founder and CEO of Invici Technologies, he came across the need for this technology by accident. “I was having drinks with a gentleman, Dr. Dan Jacobson, who later became my graduate supervisor at the University of Calgary, and we were talking about cycling,” says Hagedorn. “He told me that he was once on a cycling team that paired blind cyclists with sighted cyclists on tandem bikes, and he found that his teammates without sight didn’t have a clear sense of where they had been riding. It was obvious then that there was a real need for products that serve this group of people. When Dan invited me to join his research lab it was a great opportunity to study a very unique problem.” As a geography student completing his master’s degree at the University of Calgary, Hagedorn’s research focused on analyzing existing approaches used by people who are blind or visually impaired to retrieve information that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to see from maps. He studied companies and technologies – learning what was done well, what required improvement and what was needed when it came to this type of technology. “Once completing my degree, I realized that there aren’t many jobs available for people who make maps for the blind, so starting a company was a natural extension of that.” Invici is preparing to launch the Invici Interface in March 2014. Along with the Invici Interface, the Invici Classroom is a product that will aim to break down barriers between teachers and students, creating an accessible learning environment. It is a networked installation of Invici Interface 108 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

devices that allow visually impaired students and their teachers to create and share educational resources with ease. This system will provide the functionality of a whiteboard, wiki, textbook and tablet in one flexible interface. “With our system, students can access all types of curriculum materials in a tactile format – whether it’s maps in geography class, graphs in math class or chemical models and the periodic table in a chemistry class,” says Hagedorn. “More importantly, our products give teachers a way to quickly sketch up new diagrams while they’re teaching and then immediately display them on their students’ interface devices just as you would use a regular whiteboard to illustrate concepts discussed in class.” In addition to funding from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Invici has received broad support from Calgary’s technology startup community, such as a voucher for business opportunity assessment services from Alberta Innovates Technology Futures. At the 2012 Startup Calgary Launch Party, Invici was awarded Best Geo-technology Startup by TECTERRA Inc., an organization that supports the commercialization of geomatics technologies. TECTERRA has also provided further support through their Tradeshow Attendance Program, which will help Invici launch their products at the prestigious CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego, California. Most recently Invici was voted the Best Presenter in the 2013 Banff Venture Forum’s Information Technology First Look Category. Earlier in September the company was also named the winner of the 2013 Perfect Pitch Competition at the 14th annual Innovate Calgary Tech Showcase, winning a cash prize along with a host of services to help accelerate Invici Technologies’ success. “Next up, we are looking for a lot of feedback from end users. We need to get the product in their hands and figure out exactly what they like and don’t like so we can refine it,” says Hagedorn. “We want this to be something extremely valuable to our clients, so it has to be exactly what they need.” To learn more about Invici Technologies, or if you or someone you know is interested in demoing the Invici Interface, visit www.invici.ca. To learn about Innovate Calgary and how it supports new and emerging technology, visit www.innovatecalgary.com.

THE CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE’S ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT HOW MUCH WILL WE CONTRIBUTE IS $105 MILLION TO OUR CITY IN 2023? WHAT’S NEXT AT THE CENTRE OF ENERGY? –

calgary-convention.com

marketingmatters • David Parker

Marketingmatters

BY DAVID PARKER

tember. Employees are also paid time to be active volunteers in our community. The company also has a professional development fund that has allowed staff to gain knowledge by travelling to events in North and South America. ••••••••••••••

he package I received from Rita Sasges of Sasges Inc. was a heavy one, but it only contained a copy of a magazine. But it was a rather special edition of Applied Arts, Canada’s visual communications magazine, printed on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80-pound stock. Special because it was the 2013 Design Awards Annual that published some wonderful creative; and special because the entire issue was designed by Rita and her team. Reading through it I was interested to find a rather hard-hitting column by Rita about the way agencies use contract workers, and I was delighted to see that Sasges Inc. had received two design excellence awards for the campaign it produced to promote the SoBow condo development in Inglewood for its client M21 Development. •••••••••••••• Susan Groeneveld, account director and partner of Woodruff Sweitzer, is obviously a cat lover. The Calgary agency initiated and implemented the first feline health-care protocols for veterinary clinics across Canada. Cat Healthy Canada is a cause marketing campaign funded by several companies interested in the care of cats and supported by Canadian feline specialists. A 20-page book was produced that will be available to cat owners online in the new year. Woodruff Sweitzer was the first advertising agency to adopt WORKshift, developed by Calgary Economic Development, and their staff is reaping the benefits of the flexible work program launched nationally in Sep-

Todd Sloane, principal and creative director at Tag Advertising, reports a very successful summer that included campaigns for Medicine Hat Mall and Sherwood Park Mall. It launched TaigaBuilding.com, wrapped up a highly successful awareness launch for Gibson Wellsite Fluid Products, and received a Canadian Education Marketing Award for its work for the Alberta Teachers’ Association spring campaign. •••••••••••••• Todd Fraser, managing director at Tandem Marketing and Design, has welcomed Laine Resch to the firm in the role of client and communication director. Prior to joining Tandem, Resch was marketing manager at The River, Ledcor Properties elite residence on the banks of the Elbow River that set a record of $1,800 per square foot for one of its penthouses. Resch left Calgary to study advertising in Los Angeles where he graduated from Pepperdine University and began his career in various entertainment publicity positions. For five years he was based in the San Francisco headquarters of Gap as project manager working on marketing and communications plans for the company’s 160-store Canadian operations.

•••••••••••••• Tamara Dawson has held a number of progressively senior roles with MacLaren McCann since she joined the team in the Calgary office in 2002. Ric Fedyna, senior vice-president, is thrilled that her expertise, leadership skills and enthusiasm have earned her a new role as vice-president, media director for MacLaren M2 Universal, the integrated media division of MacLaren McCann. Based in Calgary she will be responsible for the Western Canada media group. •••••••••••••• CEO Ryan Townend and the gang over at William Joseph Communications have celebrated 10 years in business, and are proud to have a couple of their original clients still on board. William Joseph has just been retained on another two-year contract by the Government of Alberta to handle strategic planning and creative for the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and recently completed, designed and launched a new website for the performing arts, cultural and community facility. And the agency produced more stunning material to promote this year’s Wish Upon a Star Gala for Brookfield Properties. Townend has led his company from space in Eau Claire Market for a number of years and has been hired to create a new campaign for the retail/ office centre; an urban spin on a traditional market. BiC

•••••••••••••• For eight years Scott Crockatt was business development director of Scout Communications but decided on a change from agency to client side as director of marketing and communications at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

110 • November 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Parker’s Pick: I love the Swimco shopping bags using happy art by Angela Morgan.

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