Celebrating the game changers Prairies 2012
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Noorudin & Anis Jiwani Aliya’s Foods Ltd, Edmonton, AB
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An AlliAnce of Business And community orgAnizAtions
st depends “ The economy of Provo activities. a lot on oil and gas The energy sector is one of the engines that drives the Alberta economy – without a healthy energy industry, Alberta’s growth will not be as strong.
”
Pak Wong, Motel Owner at the Greenhead Motel in Provost, Alberta
www.albertaisenergy.ca Alberta is Energy showcases the men and women of Alberta, their careers, challenges and accomplishments. Our goal is to build awareness of how the energy industry touches all of our lives. Alberta is Energy is supported by Alberta’s business associations and our more than 3,500 members. We are Albertans – from the high-rise office workers to the general store employees – with a vested stake in the long-term responsible development of Canada's oil and gas resources.
Director’s Message You’ll be inspired At Ernst & Young, we’re big believers in the transformational power of Canada’s entrepreneurs. That’s why we’ve proudly celebrated their achievements for nearly 20 years. We use the term “game changers” a lot in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program, and with good reason. A game changer is a creative innovator who breaks the mould and creates something new, improves a product, process or service, or develops a new way of doing business to increase profitability. Game changers are people who advance the world in some way — big or small — and leave things better than they found them. The Prairies award finalists you’ll read about in these pages show that our region is home to some of the most dynamic innovators in the world. These men and women are creating the growth that generates jobs, inspires generations, and helps empower Canada to realize its full potential as a nation. We’re proud to share their success stories with you. I hope you’ll be as inspired as I am by these achievements and the people behind them. As we look ahead to the next 20 years, we continue to look to Canada’s entrepreneurs for the ingenuity, innovation and inspiration that change the game for us all — for the better.
Rob Jolley Partner, Ernst & Young LLP Prairies Director, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Table of Contents Meet the 2012 Prairies Entrepreneur Of The Year Judges – page 8 Meet the 2012 Prairies Entrepreneur Of The Year Leadership Team – page 10 REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION Jeanette DeBruin, Bert DeBruin - AltaPro Electric - page 12 | Mario Pagnotta, Alex Pagnotta - Pagnotta Industries, Inc. - page 14 | Jeff Jessamine - Sprague Group of Companies - page 16 | Wayne Chiu - Trico Homes - page 18 |
CLEANTECH Perry Gerwing - Earthmaster Environmental Strategies Inc. - page 20 | Dan Balaban - Greengate Power Corporation - page 22 | Evan Chrapko, Shane Chrapko - Himark bioGas - page 24 | Don Guenette, Dan Guenette - Infratech Corporation - page 26 |
MANUFACTURING Henry Friesen - Convey-All Industries Inc. - page 28 | Dean Spence - Dynamic Solutions/DSI Thru-Tubing - page 30 | Nicholas Donohoe - ICI Artificial Lift Inc. - page 32 | Jason Parks - Profab Corporation - page 34
ENERGY - PRIVATELY HELD Blaine LaBonte - Cougar Drilling Solutions - page 36 | Dean Shaver - CSI Canada Safety - page 38 | Lance Torgerson - Noralta Lodge Ltd. - page 40 | Gerald V. Chalifoux - Petrospec Engineering Ltd. - page 42 |
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Dr. Alan Ulsifer - FYidoctors - page 44 | Dianna Davidson - Magellan Vacations - page 46 | Ryan Pomeroy - Pomeroy Lodging LP - page 48 |
EMERGING Ken James - Oak Point Energy Ltd. - page 50 | Lyle Michaluk, Cliff Wiebe - Poseidon Concepts Corp. - page 52 | Regan Stevenson - Sunpeak Multiwise - page 54 |
TECHNOLOGY Glenn Yuen, Trevor MacFarlane - Dynamic Risk - page 56 | Marcos Lopez - Solium - page 58 | Tara Kelly - SPLICE Software Inc. - page 60 |
PROFESSIONAL AND INVESTMENT SERVICES Terry Stephenson - Blackjack Investments Ltd. - page 62 | David Aplin - David Aplin Group - page 64 | Chris Izquierdo, David Cronin - DevFacto Technologies Inc. - page 66 |
ENERGY - PUBLICLY TRADED Don Caron - Bri-Chem Corp. - page 68 | Brian Vaasjo - Capital Power - page 70 | Jim Rakievich - McCoy Corporation - page 72 |
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Maury Van Vliet, Scott Van Vliet, Todd Van Vliet - Environmental Refuelling Systems Inc. - page 74 | Kim Caron - Executive Mat Service Ltd. - page 76 | Angela Santiago - The Little Potato Company Ltd. - page 78 | Published by Business in Calgary & Business In Edmonton | www.businessincalgary.com • www.businessinedmonton.com Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation dept. • 1025 101 6th Ave. SW Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 6
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
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Meet the 2012 Prairies Entrepreneur Of The Year Judges Curt Vossen
President, Richardson International
Curt has dedicated his career to Canadian agriculture. He is actively involved in many industry and community organizations. He serves as chairman of the Grain Insurance & Guarantee Company, Prince Rupert Grain Co. and CentreVenture, a community development corporation in Winnipeg. Curt is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization, the Chief Executives Organization, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, and the Business Council of Manitoba.
Kelley Smith Vice President, Corporate Development, Viterra Inc. Kelley is responsible for leading Viterra’s business acquisitions, divestitures and other growth strategies and facilitating the development and reporting of the company’s strategic plans. She has been an active member of the community, serving on various boards and committees, and is a Chartered Business Valuator, a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant.
Linda Hohol
Corporate Director
Linda retired in 2007 after serving five years as president of the TSX Venture Exchange. Prior to that role, she had a distinguished 26-year career with CIBC, serving as senior vice president Alberta and NWT, and executive vice president wealth management. She currently serves as a director on the boards of Export Development Canada, EllisDon Construction, NAV Canada, Canadian Western Bank, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the United Way of Calgary.
Mike J. Duff President and CEO, Design Group Staffing Inc. Design Group is one of Canada’s largest privately held staffing firms. Mike is also the owner of several auto dealerships in Edmonton, among other business interests. He is a sponsor of NorQuest College and a cabinet member of the University Hospital Foundation Campaign for a Prostate Health Clinic. Mike was the winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Professional Services in the Prairies region in 2006.
Stephanie Yong Director, W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Saskatchewan
An entrepreneur herself, Stephanie offers programs to help students create feasible and sustainable businesses. She is also a lecturer at the Edwards School of Business, with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and evaluation of business ventures. Stephanie has used her experience as a business strategist, entrepreneur and university lecturer to stimulate awareness and recognition of entrepreneurial trends and develop experiential programs to enhance the entrepreneurship agenda.
Tony Franceschini Corporate Director and Community Volunteer Tony served as president and CEO of Stantec from 1998 to 2009 and has served as a director since the company became publicly traded in 1994. He also serves as a director of several publicly traded companies and is active in several community organizations, including the Alberta Health Services Board, Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, the Edmonton Economic Development Authority, and the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Cautious Optimism
T
he sixth annual Ernst & Young Capital Confidence Barometer finds that, despite a favourable deal-making environment, leading global corporations are not yet ready to engage in mergers and acquisitions. Canadians, however, are more optimistic. Of the 1,500 executives surveyed globally, 31% say they expect to pursue an acquisition in the next 12 months – down from 41% in October 2011. In the US, expectations for deal-making are relatively flat, with 34% of companies planning an acquisition in the next year, compared with 36% in October 2011. The story in Canada is significantly more positive. Nearly half (48%) of Canadian participants say they expect to pursue an acquisition in the next 12 months, up from 45% in October 2011 and 32% in April 2011. The number of Canadian businesses looking to sell has also increased, with 31% planning to divest compared with 23% in October 2011. Canadian companies are keen to put their capital to work as they approach their capital agenda with a desire to do more than just sit on the side-
lines. Is this an opportunity for Canadians to leap ahead of their global counterparts? M&A fundamentals are stronger than they have been for some time. Credit constraints are lower and corporate cash balances are high, while confidence is rising moderately following a prolonged period of macroeconomic instability. The valuation gap between buyers and sellers is also narrowing. While Canadian M&A expectations are ahead of their global counterparts, they are still below historical levels. Why? While Canadian corporate executives are in a more confident frame of mind, particularly compared to the rest of the world and to the US, they are still fundamentally cautious. Persistent market volatility, austerity measures, structural issues (primarily the Eurozone crisis) and potential for slowing growth in emerging markets have continued to fuel conservative behaviour. For the time being, caution continues to impact M&A.
What is your perspective on the state of the global economy today? Strongly improving
0%
14%
in the local economy has more than doubled.
32%
Stable
Strongly declining
In Canada, confidence
34%
34%
48% of Canadian
25%
Modestly declining
46%
respondents are planning an acquisition.
31% of Canadian
0% 6% Apr-12
52% of global respondents feel the global economy is improving.
9%
Modestly improving
HEADER
Oct-11
respondents are planning a divestiture.
To find out more, please contact Joe Healey, Winnipeg Leader, Entrepreneurial Services and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The YearÂŽ. Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
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Meet our Prairies leadership team Ernst & Young is the global leader in advising, guiding and recognizing entrepreneurs. Our Prairies professionals offer high-achieving, fast-growing entrepreneurial companies the knowledge, experience and resources to help them reach their goals at every step in their lifecycle. Contact one of our leaders today to learn how we can assist you.
Prairies
Edmonton Rob Jolley
Ross Haffie
Program Director, Entrepreneur Of The Year
Managing Partner 780 412 2388 ross.m.haffie@ca.ey.com
780 638 6656 rob.m.jolley@ca.ey.com
Kristy-Lynn Gray
Saskatchewan
Program Manager, Entrepreneur Of The Year
Evan Shoforost Managing Partner
403 206 5476 kristy.gray@ca.ey.com
306 649 8242 evan.shoforost@ca.ey.com
Calgary
Greg Keller Managing Partner
Office Leader, Entrepreneurial Services and Entrepreneur Of The Year
403 206 5100 kent.d.kaufield@ca.ey.com
306 649 8218 greg.keller@ca.ey.com
Kent D. Kaufield
Winnipeg Dean Radomsky
Craig Roskos
Office Leader, Entrepreneur Of The Year
Managing Partner
403 206 5180 dean.w.radomsky@ca.ey.com
David Van Dyke
Joe Healey
Office Leader, Entrepreneurial Services
Office Leader, Entrepreneurial Services and Entrepreneur Of The Year
403 206 5177 dave.a.vandyke@ca.ey.com
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204 933 0209 craig.m.roskos@ca.ey.com
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
204 954 5568 joe.a.healey@ca.ey.com
© 2012 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.
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REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION
Bert and Jeanette DeBruin AltaPro Electric Ltd.
“
When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is a favourite expression of Bert DeBruin. As the oldest son of 10 siblings, he learned quickly about how to spot an opportunity and what it takes to succeed. In 1987, the family business was started out of the necessity to work two jobs in the late ’80s after the recession. AltaPro Electric Ltd. – a design-build electrical contracting business – was built on adversity right from the start.
“Our lessons on perseverance through tough times were necessary to survive in today’s market,” says Bert, who works alongside his wife, Jeanette. Growing up on a dairy farm, Jeanette is no stranger to hard work either. Today with over 90 employees the business is “all about people.” They are good at what they do, namely design-build commercial and industrial electrical contracting. The attributes of their team are: solid, trusted, genuine, forward thinking, value integrity, and creative, among others. The team consists of highly-skilled trades people, who Bert and Jeanette say will be the future of tomorrow – leading by example. AltaPro has experienced explosive growth over the last few years and the goal for the future years is to maintain a steady growth of sales and profit based on superior service. All of this comes with a genuine desire to develop their employees’ talent, while encouraging them to be aware of the importance of community. The firm and its employees donate considerable time and money to various charitable causes. “When you care about people, you win a community spirit,” says Jeanette. “This is important in the success of any company.”
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
O ur Tra d e i s El e c tr i c a l . O ur Ex p e rt i s e i s D esi g n - B u i l d . O ur Stre n g t h i s Peo p l e .
We are honored to be recognized as finalists for the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year Prairie’s Region”. We wish to thank our people at AltaPro Electric who share the same vision in helping us build a dynamic team. People are our greatest asset and ssuucess is only possible with you. Thank you for sharing your skills and leadership. DESIGN-BUILD
•
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
13415 - 149 Street, Edmonton, AB, T5L 2T3 • Phone: 780-444-6510 • Fax: 780-483-4073
W W W . A LT A P R O . C A
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION
Mario and Alex Pagnotta Pagnotta Industries Inc.
M
ario Pagnotta began his career in the construction industry after immigrating to Canada at an early age. At the time, he had just enough money for the plane ticket, but soon found work with a friend, and shortly after met his wife, Franca. Mario’s life in Canada was full of hard work and relentless determination as he pursued further education in English and a variety of technical skills at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Mario started out as a laborer and soon worked his way up through the construction industry to a general superintendent role. Mario’s first jobs were small projects for family, friends and neighbors, which lead to his decision to start his own company in 1992. He was soon targeting large concrete structures which were followed by General Contracting and Construction Management roles. To develop the company he took out a large line of credit on his home. This enabled the growth of the company from a handful of crew members to more than 250 employees currently. Mario’s son, Alex, came into the business in 1996 and has proven to carry on his father’s values and build upon them as the company’s General Manager. Mario and Alex work closely together as the company continues to develop into new and exciting areas. Pagnotta already operate in Alberta and Saskatchewan and has sights set on creating a presence in Manitoba. Mario and Alex both believe that their ability to grow is based on developing the right talent. Overall, Mario admits that it was a tough road and has not always been easy but “if I had to do it all over again, I definitely would”, he says. “I have always believed in this company and have always had the support of my wife and our kids”.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Pagnotta Industries would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the great companies that have become finalists for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year. Construction is a collaborative process, it takes a great team with different strengths to bring a project in on time and on budget. We would like to thank all of our employees both in the field and in the office for all of your hard work and dedication. This has been a great year for Pagnotta Industries, and with your help we look forward to many great years in the future.
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION
Jeff Jessamine Sprague Group of Companies
L
ook around Edmonton and you’ll see the mark of the Sprague Group of Companies almost everywhere – from the Yellowhead Trail and Whitemud Freeway to the bulk of Edmonton’s light rail transit system and Rexall Place, numerous highrises, hospitals and educational facilities, even the Heritage Classic. Suffice it to say, the Sprague Group’s footprint is everywhere – and increasingly outside of their home turf. Much of that can be attributed to Jeff Jessamine and his team of dedicated, visiondriven employees. It is said that decisiveness is a key trait of a leader. Perhaps nobody exemplifies this trait better than Jessamine. At age eight, Jessamine saw himself owning a large construction company rather than taking over the family farm, and he started working toward his dream as soon as he could – he took his first job in the industry at 16, began his career at Sprague-Rosser as a tradesman, and has spent the last 14 years working his way up to president and chief executive officer, filling every critical role within the company along the way. His personal experience with every facet of the company’s operations has given him a thorough understanding of what he needed to do when he became CEO of the company: He has been able to re-engineer the leadership, overhaul corporate culture, and set an entirely new vision for the company. This has taken the Sprague Group from teetering on the edge to a thriving firm with a global footprint and over 600 employees. He has purposely surrounded himself with visionary people to help direct the Sprague Group into the future. “I consider my management team to be specialists in their respective disciplines,” says Jessamine. “These co-workers of mine have the opportunity to work wherever they want; they are in high demand … but they choose Sprague because they believe in me, and my vision.” The mark of a true leader: decisiveness and empowerment.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Our most valuable assets don’t sit on the balance sheet.
www.sprague-rosser.com
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION
Wayne Chiu Trico Homes
W
ayne Chiu, who immigrated to Canada in 1982, is a graduate of mechanical engineering from the University of Manitoba. He is also a qualified master builder and the founder and CEO of the Trico Group of Companies. Chiu always longed to tap into his entrepreneurial spirit. In 1987, he saw an opportunity to work for a renovation company in order to gain valuable experience in the real estate and project management industry he was so passionate about. Two years later, Chiu started the Trico Group of Companies. Since then it has been an explosive journey of growth and its subsidiary, Trico Homes, has become a well-respected and successful homebuilder. “The company I started in 1989 has grown beyond my most ambitious expectations,” says Chiu. It has expanded to over 100 employees yet remains a family-oriented work environment. In order to fuel the growth of the Trico Group, Chiu brought on board some talented individuals to help guide the strategic direction of the company. “At the beginning, we were an entrepreneurial operation in which I made all the decisions,” says Chiu. Realizing his own limitation, he added the talent necessary to grow the company and build the right team to make it what it is today. Chiu, who holds an institute certified director designation, has extensive board governance expertise in both the public sector and business community. He maintains his involvement in many worthwhile community and entrepreneurial ventures. Wanting to give back to the community that fostered his success, in 2008, Chiu and his wife, Eleanor, who is also a business partner, founded the Trico Charitable Foundation with a focus on social entrepreneurship and education. This is evidently a company built on trust, respect, integrity, community and an unyielding desire to be one of the leaders in the industry.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Modest or adventurous, Trico Homes does leave a lot to the imagination Trico Homes’ Stanton I was chosen as one of the Best New Homes at the Calgary Homebuilder’s Association SAM Awards. Creative design options such as this cheeky “Peekaboo” ensuite shower really got people talking. And if you think the shower is transparent, wait till you discover Trico’s “nothing-to-hide” approach to building your perfect home. Get to know us better at: tricohomes.com
Innovation The Stanton I model starting from $
485,900*
Photo of The Stanton I *Price includes home, lot & GST.
Trico Homes is proud to build in these fine communities Calgary Beacon Heights 217 & 221 Sherwood Heights NW
Evanston I The Ascent 987 & 991 Evanston Drive NW
Cranston 15 & 19 Cranarch Landing SE
Evanston I The Village 12 Evanswood Circle NW
Cranston I Manor Lane 157 Cranarch Place SE
Mahogany 344 & 348 Mahogany Blvd SE
Evanston I The Ascent 994 Evanston Drive NW
Montreux 291 Tremblant Way SW
Condos Nolan Hill 393 Nolanfield Way NW 51 Nolan Hill Gate NW Redstone 64 & 68 Redstone Avenue NE Sage Hill 51 Nolan Hill Gate NW
Montreux Villas 295 Tremblant Way SW
Out of Town
New Products. New Ideas. New Trico.
Cimarron, Okotoks 5 Cimarron Springs Court
Heritage Hills, Cochrane New Brighton (York29) 92 & 94 New Brighton Landing SE 8 Heritage Green
CHBA - Calgary Region
Hillcrest, Airdrie 18 & 22 Hillcrest Street Cooper’s Crossing, Airdrie 1157 Cooper’s Drive
Celebrating 2011 25 Years
tricohomes.com
CLEANTECH
Perry Gerwing
Earthmaster Environmental Strategies Inc.
H
ard work and long hours were expected growing up in a farming community in rural Saskatchewan, but Perry Gerwing recognized that the additional key to long-term success lay in education. After obtaining a bachelor of science degree in agriculture and a masters in soil science, he started his first entrepreneurial venture. He identified the need for soils expertise in the drilling and environmental assessment industry and started an environmental drilling company, while still being a top performer at his full-time job at an agricultural consulting firm in Calgary. His initial venture grew and he sold the firm at a tidy profit in 1992. Gerwing then worked for seven years as an environmental adviser at an energy-producing company but eventually succumbed to his entrepreneurial nature and started his own consulting firm, Earthmaster Environmental Strategies Inc., in 1998. The company began with a small home office and three employees with a model to offer environmental services to the upstream oil and gas sector while advancing environmental stewardship among industry players. The strategy was successful as the company now occupies 10,000 square feet of prime office space in Calgary and employs 35 people. Gerwing is proud to be involved in developing industry-leading environmental technologies along with researchers in Canada, China and Israel, who are deployed commercially in the field. These environmentally-friendly technologies offer significant cost savings to clients in addition to reducing their environmental footprint. As Earthmaster has grown, Gerwing has diversified his investments, now owning a total of four companies, and is always on the hunt for the next opportunity. Earthmaster, meanwhile, recently opened offices in Estevan and Winnipeg in addition to its three Alberta offices. Gerwing has fostered a culture of quality performance whereby Earthmaster provides a quality service and product to the client, while ensuring his employees enjoy a positive work environment. “Employee satisfaction breeds positive energy and, along with hard work and dedication, ensures quality service to our clients and a healthier environment for everyone.�
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
CLEANTECH
Dan Balaban
Greengate Power Corporation
A
fter he graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor of science degree, Dan Balaban worked as a management consultant with two of the world’s leading professional services firms – before catching the entrepreneurial bug. In 1999, he ventured out on his own by founding Roughneck.ca Inc., a leading provider of software solutions to the Canadian oil and gas industry. But he saw an even bigger opportunity in the world of energy and had a vision to go beyond what was being done at the time in Canada’s wind energy industry.
In 2007, at the age of 32, he founded Greengate Power Corporation and set about acquiring more than 200,000 acres of land leases to develop wind energy projects at an unprecedented pace – initially funded entirely with his own money. Armed with “an SUV as his office and a wind map” of Alberta, he started building a company that today has a management team of 10, who make extensive use of consultants to help execute its growing list of projects in Alberta. It is currently developing eight wind energy projects across the province totalling 1450 megawatts of power and last year completed the sale of its 150 MW Halkirk I Wind Project – a move he described as demonstrating the “significant value of Greengate’s world-class, Alberta-based wind energy projects.” Next up is Greengate’s 300 MW Blackspring Ridge I Wind Project, which is expected to be Canada’s largest operating wind energy project upon completion. Not only is he actively growing Greengate, but Balaban is a founder of the Alberta Clean Electricity (ACE) coalition and a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). He is also a member of the boards of the Independent Power Producers Society of Alberta (IPPSA) and the Pembina Institute.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Congratulations to the entire Greengate Power Corporation team. I am truly honored and privileged to share this recognition with you!
-Dan Balaban Greengate Power Corporation is a leading Canadian developer of wind energy projects. Later this year, Greengate plans to commence construction of Canada’s largest wind energy project, the 300MW Blackspring Ridge I Wind Project. Wind Energy generates new investments, creates local jobs, and cleans our environment. To learn more, please visit us at: www.greengatepower.com
Greengate Power Corporation | Suite 710, 407 - 2nd Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 2Y3 T: 403-930-1300 | F: 403-514-0567 | E: info@greengatepower.com www.greengatepower.com
CLEANTECH
Evan and Shane Chrapko Himark bioGas
T
wo Alberta farm boys, Evan and Shane Chrapko, were taken by their parents to an auction to buy themselves one sow and one cow – instead of getting an allowance. It was a move that taught the boys about upfront investment, marshalling resources for operations (such as input costs like food and medicine), and it laid the foundation for their entrepreneurial careers. This was complemented by the university education that dad and mom Chrapko insisted the boys and their two sisters had to achieve: Evan became a chartered accountant and also obtained an Ivy League law degree. Shane earned a B.Sc. in agriculture and also became a certified professional agrologist. After several extremely successful software ventures (cumulatively creating nearly $1 billion in liquid shareholder exit value), the duo teamed up with family friends, Bern and Mike Kotelko. They fearlessly dove into a cleantech venture – Himark – converting manure from the Kotelkos’ Top-5 Canadian feed lot into green electricity. After patiently building the company from the ground up (literally), and applying for patents around the world, Himark turned the corner to profitability. The largest biogas plant in the world (under construction in the U.S.) is 100 per cent based on Himark’s technology. Evan and Shane are looking to convert disease-ridden waste into energy (biogas) and deliver game-changing algae technology with 500 employees around the world within five years. When asked what being an entrepreneur means to them, both brothers responded without having to think about it: “Leave the world a better place than what you found it.” Keeping true to these values instilled on the family farm, the Chrapkos established a not-for-profit fund called BioWaste-to-Energy for Canada – an Integration Initiative Corp. (“BECii”). BECii pays cleantech companies in the waste-to-energy sector and in the algae sector to scale up their technologies and inventions, making them more market-ready. This will increase Alberta’s and Canada’s capacity to export cleantech know-how and technology, while creating knowledge jobs “in the back 40.”
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
WASTE-TO-ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING WORLDWIDE
We would like to thank the staff and clients of Himark bioGas for their dedication. Our success is due to our visionary clients and our brilliant and tireless staff. We could not have become a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year for 2012 without you. Evan and Shane Chrapko
HimarkBioGas.com (formerly Highmark Renewables Research)
TM
CLEANTECH
Don and Dan Guenette Infratech Corporation
I
nfratech Corporation was founded in 1987. In 1989 Don and Dan Guenette took over sole ownership of the company, which designs and manufactures incineration-related products and provides state-of-the-art infrared imaging services. Infratech identified a need for specialized equipment in the production well testing industry, which led to the creation of Alberta Welltest Incinerators in 2005, and American Welltest Incinerators in 2012.
The original infrared inspection division provided the platform for future growth with regular maintenance work in more than 300 plants across Canada. The incineration division has provided equipment to clients around the world, and AWI is a leader in their industry. Don and Dan’s fiscal approach is “extremely conservative” and while development was not as rapid as could have been, they maintained consistent growth in all economic climates. Don and Dan have strong ties to their community and are committed to balancing business and family. “Our organization has family roots and we try to maintain the small-company feel and attitude,” says Don. Adds Dan, “We’ve been very fortunate to have some great people working along with us from the very beginning.” As they look to the future, there are challenges in growing their new U.S. operations, as well as supporting and maintaining their existing clientele, but they remain clear about their purpose. “Our main business philosophy is to always strive to be the best at what you do and to not settle for second best,” says Don.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEES & SUPPLIERS We’d like to thank our employees at Infratech and AWI for their hard work and dedication. Over the past 25 years it’s been a privilege working with you and getting to know your families. It’s the individual personalities and individual stories about your family life and time away from work that make Infratech such a special place to work. We appreciate the extra efforts that you show on a regular basis to meet deadlines and help the client meet their goals. We would also like to extend a special thank you our valued vendors. We’ve been very fortunate to have developed so many strong and lasting relationships with vendors, many of whom we’ve worked with from the beginning, and they are a very important part of our team. Business becomes much simpler when you build strong working relationships with clients. Our goal is to provide
WWW.INFRATECH.CC TF: 1.888.377.5432
the best products and services in our marketplace, and to keep doing it for a lifetime. It’s been so enjoyable getting to know our clients and in many cases our clients have become friends. It has been said that “If you want to go fast, then go alone. But if you want to go far, go with family.” Our family at Infratech/AWI has worked with us to go far, and we are certain that together our journey will continue to be successful. We look forward to the future growth of our companies and seeing our staff grow and take on new challenges, that will continue to motivate us for years to come. Thank you to all that have been a part of our story so far, as we’ve been truly blessed to have you with us on this adventure!
WWW.AWINCINERATORS.COM TF: 1.888.778.0960
MANUFACTURING
Henry Friesen Convey-All Industries Inc.
H
enry Friesen believes that entrepreneurs are 50 per cent “born” and 50 per cent “made.” Coming from the shop floor as a welder since he was 12 years old, Friesen first joined Convey-All Industries after a career in the transportation sector (bulk fuel) when he was approached by his (now) partners to join the company in 1996. Founded in 1983, Convey-All Industries used to be focused primarily on the agricultural manufacturing market. Today, thanks to Friesen the firm caters to the oilfield services (OFS) space to manufacture new conveyor systems for frac sand. Friesen takes the view that the majority of good business ideas come directly from the customer. His philosophy is to listen to their feedback to seek out new business opportunities. Ultimately, it is the employees who really make Convey-All run smoothly and he places a high value on his staff and on making them happy. Since pursuing the OFS space, the company has grown significantly under his leadership and the volume of orders for frac sand conveyors has increased exponentially. Founded by Bob Toews, the company has evolved to keep up with the times and with changing markets and products. At the same time, Friesen knows that supporting the community is a key responsibility of any business and he and Convey-All have donated to numerous causes over the years. This also serves the interests of its employees because they feel pride in being part of something bigger than a company. Friesen works hard to create a sense of family and belonging within the company and looks ahead to continued prosperity as a result.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
“
“It’s truly an honour to be a finalist in the Prairies Region for the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year. The success that I have been involved in at Convey-All is directly attributed to the outstanding people that I’m fortunate to be surrounded by. Our team of dedicated employees strive for excellence, and are not afraid to work hard to ensure we reach the vision for each of the products we produce.
Winkler, Manitoba | 1-800-418-9461
“
www.convey-all.com
I would like to sincerely thank each of our employees for working together to build Convey-All’s ongoing success story.” Our products are designed together with our wonderful customers, with the goal of designing and manufacturing the best product available for our customer’s job-at-hand.
- Henry Friesen, V.P. Sales & Marketing, Convey-All Industries Inc.
Convey-All prides themselves in industry-leading frac sand storage and conveyors for the oilfield industry. Convey-All’s multi-compartment seed tenders & high capacity tube conveyors are built to last and get the job done fast.
ting
Celebra
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MANUFACTURING
Dean Spence Dynamic Solutions Inc.
D
ean Spence started Dynamic Solutions Inc. in 2006 and hired his first employee in late 2008, just as the recession hit. His initial vision for the company was to be an independent firm that designs and manufactures high-quality products to the oil and gas industry. However, the business plan evolved to get through tough economic times and Spence branched out as the economy recovered. By early 2011, the company was growing fast and separated into two divisions to include DSI Thru Tubing Inc. As activity in the oilpatch continued to pick up, he also saw an opportunity in the Windsor market where the manufacturing sector had been hit hard, opening Dynamic Solutions Windsor Inc. in April of 2012. It has come a long way from its start operating out of his garage in the early days. Spence credits his people as a cornerstone of his success, but also views management and capital as the other two critical pieces of the entrepreneurial puzzle. Today, Dynamic has grown to more than 60 employees and has shown an amazing resiliency to overcome any challenge in its path. It has emerged as a leading tool and service provider for the oil and gas market by combining innovation, service and responsiveness – qualities he instils in his employees. The long-term growth prospects for Dynamic include international markets as Spence continues to build a truly world-class provider of solutions and services as a best-in-class provider for both local and international customers as the company looks to the future.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
When people say
don’t look down, the first thing we do
...is look down.
We’re rebels that way, and it means we get excellent shots. But we’re not foolish. In fact, we’re extremely careful. We’ve done the training:
· H2S safety certificates · the right PPE for the job · full liability insurance · injury-free since 2002
We go where you go. And a few places you can’t.
epicphotography.ca 780-432-3742 photodesk@epicphotography.ca
MANUFACTURING
Nicholas Donohoe ICI Artificial Lift Inc.
N
icholas Donohoe believes firmly that hard work and perseverance are as important as opportunity when it comes to business success. “Problems and obstacles are often a matter of perspective,” says Donohoe, who joined ICI Artificial Lift Inc. nine years ago. “When presented, they seem to cause one of two reactions: immediate inactivity or immediate activity.” Truly defining moments tend to come when seemingly insurmountable challenges face him. It is a test of his entrepreneurial resolve and Donohoe has proven he’s up for the challenge. The company was originally founded in 2002 to develop a unique way to produce heavy oil (reciprocating the entire tubing string instead of sucker rods). Although the original technology was innovative, Donohoe and his team have been able to grow the business significantly by improving and adapting the technology to fit different particular market segments. The original technology now only represents three per cent of ICI’s yearly revenues, resulting in the development of additional revenue from this strategy of adapting the first concept. This year, Donohoe and the team at ICI plan to continue to expand the domestic market, expand further into current international markets – it operates in Australia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, India, Yemen and the U.S. – establish a physical presence in the U.S., and break into other international markets, such as Venezuela, Africa and the U.K. It also hopes to expand market segments with the introduction of its new Megalift product in North America. Throughout the growth of the firm, ICI has been a strong supporter of the local community in Lloydminster including support for local sports teams and various community events.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
MANUFACTURING
Jason Parks Profab Corporation
S
ometimes the choices we make can present hidden opportunities and that’s exactly what happened for Jason Parks. After leaving high school with a Grade 10 education, he got a job in a welding shop. Instead of being happy just to get a regular paycheque, Parks ventured out on his own and established what used to be called Professional Fabricating and Welding – a one-man shop with a truck operating out of a small warehouse. Today, that company started in 2003 has evolved in Profab Corporation – a multifaceted company with eight divisions and locations in Grande Prairie, Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House. Parks plans to expand his presence to include the Calgary market in the near future. Parks is the type of entrepreneur who leads by example and through action. He worked alongside his team in the early years on the shop floor to prove his skill to his employees, most of whom were all older and more experienced than him. He now works closely with his top management and sales team. Profab’s number of employees is growing rapidly because of the team environment that the company has. Jason is a firm believer of treating his staff like family. Looking back, Parks sometimes has trouble believing his good fortunes. “It was always a dream, but it was a very distant dream and it’s almost kind of surreal now,” says Parks. Among those good fortunes was being named the winner of awards program. He’s humbled by such recognition, but these days he’s more focused on growing Profab – a company he considers his “baby.” It’s clear that passion for the business runs deep with Parks.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Pride by Performance
It is an honour to be a finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year. This opportunity would not be possible without my amazing staff and great customers. The company is full of pride inside and out. It is the hard work of my team mates that makes the company succeed. Thank You! - Jason Parks
Manufacturing | Construction | Machining | Pressure Equipment | Field Services | Coatings | Specialized Equipment
profabcorp.com
ENERGY – PRIVATELY HELD
Blaine LaBonte Cougar Drilling Solutions
B
laine LaBonte started with Cougar Tools in 1991 as a machinist. He worked his way up through the ranks, and, in 2007, he became CEO. In 2010, he rebranded the company as Cougar Drilling Solutions – taking a downhole tool rental company and transforming it into a complete drilling solutions provider: a multinational concern.
One indispensable element to his success is what he learned at the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School. He doesn’t worry about the money. Instead, he focuses on treating his employees, partners and customers with the utmost respect. It seems almost too simple, but it’s worked wonders for LaBonte. Another indispensable element is personnel. Keeping key people is a big part of LaBonte’s method. “Employee retention through career development is how we retain knowledge and wisdom,” says LaBonte. “The shift supervisor of today becomes the VP of tomorrow.” LaBonte also implemented a lean operating model during the recession that has allowed the firm to stay productive, growing its revenue while others were struggling. Within the last few years he’s doubled the number of employees and projects next year’s sales at $100 M. Cougar DS has taken big risks and overcome huge challenges to achieve today’s success: global recession, export embargoes, civil wars and endemic corruption in import countries. Cougar Drilling Solutions’ culture and future success boils down to three things: optimization, collaboration and education. It’s an approach that’s unlike anyone else’s in the industry, and it’s another way Cougar Drilling Solutions, and Blaine LaBonte, is proving itself a world leader.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Our emplOyees represent an incalculable wealth Of knOw-hOw. they’re Our greatest assets. And, in all fairness, without these individuals, this Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Nomination would never have happened. It’s all down to them. Thank you.
ENERGY – PRIVATELY HELD
Dean Shaver CSI Canada Safety
F
ounded in 2006 in a camper trailer with a laptop and a business card, Dean Shaver overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges to launch CSI Canada Safety that same year. After reaching “worse than rock bottom” following the collapse of his previous trucking business when BSE (mad cow disease) hit the trucking industry hard, he dusted himself off and set about creating a private company offering on-site health and safety services to the energy industry. Based in Calgary and Bonnyville, Alta., the company now reaches across the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.
Currently employing more than 140 people, it all began after Shaver had his own workplace accident and saw how disjointed and unorganized the health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) industry was at the time. Raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, Shaver hand-picks his management team and puts a lot of emphasis on people and communication to keep up with an ever-changing industry. “CSI Canada Safety has led the industry in setting the highest example of standards for health, safety, security and environment, and so our frame of mind is not that of keeping up with industry changes, but helping the industry change to keep up with us,” says Shaver. “Our people are the heart and soul of our industry.” Shaver has changed the entire oil and gas industry’s perception of HSSE, possessing a unique ability to create a culture of safety in an industry fraught with dangers. He knows those dangers firsthand, having worked the rigs himself. His skills go well beyond on-the-ground knowledge of safety, however. Since launching and growing his company, he has demonstrated business acumen in every area, bringing in key people he personally identifies with the instincts needed to take the company forward. Expect more explosive growth from CSI Canada Safety in the future.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
e th ds r fo e rs y ne e t k or safe Calgar y w #106 - 3506 118 Avenue SE T2Z 3X1 ed our c n y Bonnyville rie age Box 8149, Alber ta T9N 2J4 e p For t St. John ex man e 10904 - 104 Street, British Columbia V1J 4E2 t Est. 2006 o i t n S tr y O s Dean Shaver ing Indu d i President / CEO Know Safety - No Pain v as o 1-877-919-7473 Pr & G No Safety - Know Pain l Fax: 780-826-7684 i O LET CSI MANAGE www.csicanadasafety.com YOUR SAFET Y NEEDS
Safety Tech Responsibilities and Expectations • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Work closely with On Site Supervisor to maintain Safety Regulations on worksite Assist in conducting regular Safety Audits and Site Inspections - Documented Ensure quality job-specific JSAs for tasks Promote and execute Hazard Awareness on worksite Assist to ensure quality Safety Meetings on worksite To stop any unsafe work and provide guidance for workers to eliminate hazards with the support of the On Site Supervisor To ensure 3rd parties are aware of company policies and procedures prior to executing their job Assist in Safety Drills, recording of and analyzing to make more effective Tracking any paperwork necessary to ensure Regulatory and Company Standards are kept in compliance To share industry incidents with On Site crews and review procedures to avoid possible incidents/accidents on current worksite In the event of an incident/accident, help On Site Supervisor to conduct a thorough investigation and provide reporting in compliance with Regulatory and Company policies Create and maintain Action Logs with Completion dates maintained Is not part of the conventional crew and does not get directly involved in tasks and general activities that the crew would generally perform. Observe and Assist.
Managing • Drilling Operations • Completion Operations • Construction Operations • Service Rig Operations
Health & Safety Services • HSE Manual Development & Production • HSE Training • Incident/Accident Investigation
Auditing & Training • Rig Startup/Lease Inspection & Auditing • Incident/Accident Investigation • ISNet World & COR Development & Auditing • Well Service BOP Training • Coil Tubing BOP Training
Lloydminster 203, 5101 - 48th Street, Alber ta T9V 3C6 Mail PO Box 12387 RPO 10 Lloydminster, AB T9V 3C6 www.tallrig.ca
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INTERNATIONAL INC. 2006
ENERGY – PRIVATELY HELD
Lance Torgerson Noralta Lodge Ltd.
B
orn in Calgary and raised in the northern Alberta town of Slave Lake, Lance Torgerson returned back to his native hometown after attending the University of Calgary and earning a business administration in management degree from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), with a desire to start a remote workforce accommodation company that went above and beyond what was offered in the industry at the time. “I was told on many occasions that the company would fail,” recalls Torgerson. “It strengthened my resolve to make it work.” At the age of 25, he formed Noralta Lodge Ltd. in 1997. He borrowed money from his parents, who remortgaged their home to loan him the capital, and started out with his first mobilized camp of 16 beds. “I was immediately all in,” he says. In the beginning, the company was run by Torgerson and one other staff member and has now evolved into thousands of rooms with hundreds of staff. He remains the youngest town councillor in the history of Slave Lake and is clearly committed to the community in numerous ways as his company grew to one of the largest independent lodging companies in the country. Noralta Lodge Ltd. has hundreds of customers including some of the largest names in the oil and gas sector. When the Slake Lake fires hit, Torgerson immediately offered up his facilities to house displaced residents – one of many examples of giving back to the community over the years. If history is any indicator, Torgerson’s resolve and determination are sure to take his company profitably into the future.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Thank you
to the Noralta Lodge Family
“A place where we are proud to have family and friends stay & work� is the mission statement that we are committed to at Noralta Lodge Ltd. and I am proud and thankful to our team members as they ensure that this statement is kept relevant and true. I would like to personally thank each and every member of the Noralta Lodge family for all of your hard work and dedication that has led us to where we are now as a company. Your commitment and passion has been integral in making Noralta Lodge one of the premier lodging companies in the industry. Thank you! ~ Lance
noraltalodge.com
ENERGY – PRIVATELY HELD
Gerald V. Chalifoux Petrospec Engineering Ltd.
G
erald Chalifoux’s entrepreneurial instincts began at an early age, having started a janitorial services company at the age of just 14. Since then, he’s gone on to become a successful engineer who has worked globally and throughout Western Canada for a range of companies in the oil and gas industry. Chalifoux also founded two high-growth oil and gas service companies, including Petrospec Engineering Ltd. where he remains president and CEO. He’s well known for his appetite for generating a culture of enthusiasm based on unique and challenging projects, whether it’s prior to or after launching Petrospec in 1997 in Edmonton. Identifying the need for turnkey reservoir monitoring solutions to unconventional oil and gas companies, Petrospec originally focused on engineering, consulting and gas well optimization services. The rapid development of SAGD was underserved by reservoir monitoring service companies. Petrospec’s heavy oil experience pushed it deep into the market, at the forefront of demand in the monitoring business. In February of 2011, Chalifoux bought out two partners he originally brought on board in 2002. He later took on a private equity partner to have flexibility to expand the business. Since then, the company’s staff has grown from 38 to 90 employees. He plans to have a staff of 110 by the end of this year. Keeping employees motivated and engaged has also been a core focus of his management style, placing an emphasis on career development and progression. The result is a company with one of the highest employee satisfaction levels and one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry. Petrospec is a leading technology company and as such, owes its success to a strong and professional group of engineers, technologists, field technicians and administrators.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Dr. Alan Ulsifer FYidoctors
A
s a man who’s always liked to build things – whether it was organizing baseball and hockey teams in his youth or getting involved in volunteer groups in his professional career – Dr. Alan Ulsifer has always been driven by innovation. He also doesn’t like to lose. After winning an array of awards from optometry school, he went on to help build the largest revenuegenerating, independent optometry practice in Canada. It earned him kudos and awards from various organizations - rare for a health-care provider. So it’s no surprise he’s onto something even bigger these days. After building a highly-successful independent optometry practice, he set out to take the industry in a new direction when he, and his partners, launched FYi Eye Care Services and Products Inc. in 2008, the brand more commonly known as simply, FYidoctors. In four short years, FYidoctors has become the largest independent eye care products and services company in Canada – the second largest overall – and is tracking to become the largest in the next year or two. He built the business on a concept of merging independent optometrists from across Canada and creating a model that allowed them to have more control over their practice, their equipment, supply chains and ultimately, their own destiny. Faced with criticism and doubt from suppliers and competitors alike, his vision and courage prevailed. With an initial merge of 28 practices back in 2008, he and his team built a vertically-integrated company (from lens manufacturing and distribution, to eye care and retail), which is at the forefront of lens technology and proudly sitting at over 100 locations in 2012 while still growing rapidly. His foresight to reestablish the value and demand for modern eye care, with the focal point being a platform of strong independent doctors, is leading the company to become the recognized expert for eye services and vision products in Canada.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
What began as a dream of 30 eye doctors has quickly become a forward-thinking and patient-focused team with over 250 optometrists serving over 100 locations across Canada. FYidoctors ... giving patients access to advanced eye care and the latest styles in eye wear.
[ thank you ] “I’d like to personally thank all of our talented and dedicated group of optometrists and staff who have made FYidoctors the success it is today. As CEO I often receive the accolades for our corporate achievements but it has always been and always will be the passion of our owner optometrists who drive the direction of this company and the optical industry in our country.” Dr. Alan Ulsifer
www.fyidoctors.com British Columbia | Alberta | Saskatchewan | Manitoba | Ontario | New Brunswick | Nova Scotia
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Dianna Davidson Magellan Vacations
L
uxury, jet-setting, top-of-the-line travellers have a unique link to Winnipeg made possible by Dianna Davidson. She has firmly dominated the online luxury hotel booking market in the U.S. and serves hundreds of thousands of well-heeled clients, booking high-end hotels for them around the world. This comes from a proven entrepreneur with good connections, along with expertise from her co-founder and brother, Dan. Yet, as the CEO of Winnipeg-based Magellan Vacations, Davidson has certainly built a distinct business model for a specific target audience. She started the company in 2001 with the goal to provide a full range of personalized, luxury travel services. She formed strong relationships in a travel market that was becoming conquered by online travel agencies at the time. In the luxury market, this online, personalized model was unheard of – even ridiculed. When Davidson says personalized, she means it. Magellan Vacations is a full-service agency that includes concierge-style, high-touch, one-on-one service around the clock and has built a loyal client base as a result. It is a model that has thrived through all economic cycles. “One would expect, with a product offering such as ours, that our clients would only be affluent travellers,” says Davidson. “The reality is, we also provide services to executives travelling for business, and for vacationers looking for a special stay.” As a gifted entrepreneur and manager, Davidson realizes the impact her business has in all walks of life. She and her team at Magellan Vacations have been involved with all facets of the community, including organizations that range from CancerCare Manitoba to the Siloam Mission to the Addictions Foundation to the Winnipeg Humane Society, among others. “We want to make our charitable dollars count, so each year we opt to work with a few select partners, and do what we can to support the organizations that benefit our community,” adds Davidson.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
torontoluxuryhotels.com
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Ryan Pomeroy Pomeroy Lodging LP
H
e started out washing dishes, working the night shift at the family hotel’s front desk and learning every facet of the hospitality industry. He went on to play professional volleyball around the world, but by the age of 24, Ryan Pomeroy tapped into his entrepreneurial instincts and rejoined the company. As the current president of Pomeroy Inn and Suites Inc. and Pomeroy Lodging LP based in Grande Prairie, Alta., he has built a brand based on a strategy of an unrelenting drive to succeed. It helped that he comes from a family of entrepreneurs rooted in the North Peace, B.C. region inspired in large part by his father. Pomeroy quickly learned what it really takes to run a hotel – let alone a hotel chain of family-owned brands. As he grew into his own, he has negotiated major deals, acquired significant financing to fuel growth, managed the operation of 60 properties and led the firm through the ups and downs of economic cycles – being tested at times like the recession of 2009. Each time, his business acumen has proven to meet the challenges before him through a strategy of empowering and encouraging his staff to equally rise to the occasion. Today, Pomeroy Lodging owns and operates 20 businesses, seven of which bear the Pomeroy name. Since being appointed president in 2006, he has closed several major deals to position the company for success in the notoriously competitive hospitality industry. Pomeroy’s approach to operate in regional clusters has been essential to the firm’s success. As he looks forward, he’s now working with Olds College to combine an upcoming four-star property on the campus with a rural hospitality program, demonstrating his commitment to building the industry as a whole. He has also worked closely with many community organizations over his years as president. “By focusing dollars directly back through strategic partnerships and sponsorships not only has each community benefited, it has led to strong brand recognition and customer loyalty,” says Pomeroy.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Celebrating Our People
Dear Team Pomeroy, I want to take a moment to sincerely say thank you for all that you do. The recognition I am receiving is a direct reflection of the hard work that you, our employees do every day to make our company so successful. Together we have overcome obstacles and reached many milestones. By believing in what we do and taking initiative, the pride we have in our company is contagious. It shines through our guests in the form of memorable experiences and creates loyal customers that will share those experiences with others. As we continue to grow and move forward in the years to come, the basis of our business will remain the same, by making sound decisions that are mutually beneficial to our communities, our stakeholders, my family and the families of you, our valued employees. Sincerely, Ryan Pomeroy
www.PomeroyLodging.com
EMERGING
Ken James Oak Point Energy Ltd.
F
or 10 years after graduating from high school, Ken James worked in various cities throughout Canada in all sorts of roles at all levels in the construction and forestry industries, demonstrating his leadership early on. He then decided to study chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo and graduated in 1989 with a dream to start his own company. In 1995, he co-founded KemeX Ltd., an engineering consulting firm. His work there involved numerous projects in locations throughout the world. While serving as CEO of KemeX, he led the development of innovative solutions to address issues on many oilsands projects, culminating in the novel 1nSite facility designs. KemeX was acquired by Oak Point Energy in 2011 and James now serves as co-CEO and co-president of that venture. He shares the roles with Bob Nicolay, former president and CEO of Enmax. James credits the team at Oak Point for contributing to his success and the strength of the company. “Exceptional results will only be achieved with exceptional people working in an innovative environment,” he says. “We have ambitious plans that will be feasible because of the intelligence, creativity and strength of our team.” There is no shortage of challenges facing the team as they embark on an ambitious growth strategy, but there is little doubt that with James’ skills, experience and leadership – along with a strong reputation among industry peers and Nicolay’s proven track record – they will accomplish their goals as they rise to success in their field.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Superior SAGD development through applied engineering innovation
Oak Point Energy is working to transform the way in-situ oil sands development occurs. With our Tier 1 oil sands land and our modular, portable SAGD plant designs, we are bringing a new approach to cost and risk management, operability and environmental performance. This transformation depends on a team that is dedicated, innovative and creative. The capabilities and commitment of Oak Point’s team were essential to developing our innovative technology and I am truly grateful for their continued contribution to our success. Ken James Co-President and Co-CEO
403-206-6161 | contactus@oakpointenergy.ca www.oakpointenergy.ca
EMERGING
Lyle Michaluk and Cliff Wiebe Poseidon Concepts
L
yle Michaluk and Cliff Wiebe’s story is one of incredible achievement in a short time. “It was an idea founded on responding to necessity,” says Wiebe, president and chief operating officer of Poseidon Concepts. Adds Michaluk, who is chief executive officer: “Our affinity for customers has solid roots.” While working at a junior exploration and production company, the duo conceived, developed, field-tested and rolled out an innovative insulated, modular fluid storage system.
Oil and natural gas well completion costs had been rising due to the proliferation of horizontal drilling with multistage, hydraulic fracturing, and services and equipment were becoming scarce. Wiebe was sure there was a better way of handling the associated large fluid storage needs than the standard small steel tank or the traditional lined pit. He put his 25 years of experience into designing a new type of tank: easy to transport, cheaper to heat and above all huge in capacity at up to 41,000 barrels. The first prototype was tested in early 2010. By early 2011, Poseidon was doing business in the vast U.S. market. Late last year the company split from its parent, went public (TSX:PSN) and began paying a monthly dividend of nine cents per share. Today, the Calgary-based company has a track record of over 2,000 safely executed fluid handling jobs. Producers have also discovered its profound environmental benefits. “We are looking to evolve into a full-cycle fluids management solutions provider,” says Michaluk. Now active in 19 U.S. states, Poseidon is forecasting 2012 EBITDA of $210 million and intends to have more than 500 tanks in its fleet by the end of 2012. “Our focus is to keep growing the tank fleet, roll out new, complementary products and services, while delivering a sustainable dividend to our shareholders,” says Michaluk.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
EMERGING
Regan Stevenson Sunpeak Multiwise
F
ed up with the poor quality of food available to students in university cafeterias and food courts, Regan Stevenson set out to develop a business plan while studying business at the University of Manitoba for a healthy food company that would provide top-quality, natural, food choices for students and busy families. Stevenson led a new venture team that initially won several business planning competitions and earned over $100,000 in cash and prizes to help turn an intensive class research project into a full-scale business operation. The result was the formation of Sunpeak Multiwise in 2007. He faced a lot of challenges, including stiff competition from much larger and more established players, along with raising additional capital and marketing their idea. Determined to succeed, Stevenson persevered and eventually signed distribution agreements with many major Fortune 500 food conglomerates in both food service and retail markets. It got Sunpeak’s products on the shelves of mainstream grocers across Canada, including Whole Foods Market, Sobeys, Vita Health, Choices Markets, IGA Garden Markets and several others. Stevenson always had a dream to start up his own business, but was determined to first arm himself with the skills it would take to make the venture successful. He describes his style of leadership as “very hands-on, but giving employees room to grow.” He has a “no-door” policy that means employees can access him at any time. As a proponent of sustainability, this company is poised for growth to capture the increasing appetite for local, natural ingredients offered by a truly sustainable, health-conscious company.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
TECHNOLOGY
Glenn Yuen and Trevor MacFarlane Dynamic Risk
T
hree years out of engineering school, in the basement of his parents’ home, Glenn Yuen started a consulting firm with just a single client in 1996. He had been working at TransCanada PipeLines in the field of risk management and saw a tremendous opportunity. By 2000, he had built Dynamic Risk into a specialized engineering and software solutions company that helped pipeline operators manage the safety of their assets. Trevor MacFarlane joined Yuen in 2000 with a shared vision. Both believed that there was a better way and have committed their energy to building a company that could change the industry and improve safety, reliability and performance of the country’s pipeline network. They realized that being an engineering software company, they needed to achieve a balance between the creativity they wanted and the process they needed. Operators expect engineering analysis to be accurate and complete – lives are at risk otherwise. They also expect partners to be clairvoyant in their needs. It’s a responsibility that Dynamic Risk enjoys. “Our approach to leading the business was to start with building an outstanding culture where we have total alignment on vision and values,” says MacFarlane. “The process of building the right culture involves engaging employees in open and constructive dialogue, listening to their concerns and leading by example. We are extremely proud to have created a culture of excellence, diversity and inclusiveness where high-performance teams work throughout the organization to build creative solutions to our clients’ needs,” adds Yuen.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Building a high-performance organization takes a company-wide commitment. We want to thank all our employees and partners for their belief and unwavering support in establishing our vision of being a collaborative, innovative firm with purpose and inspiration. ~ Trevor MacFarlane and Glenn Yuen
#208, 1324 17th Ave SW Calgary, AB • www.dynamicrisk.net
TECHNOLOGY
Marcos Lopez Solium
W
hen Marcos Lopez was still in university completing his computer science degree, he developed a passion for building innovative technology. Shortly after starting his own company upon graduation, his team caught the attention of another startup getting ready to launch in 1999 and in 2000, Solium Capital took him and his company onto the team to lead the development of their platform.
That’s when it all started. He saw vast opportunities to build a global technology solution to deal with the complex obstacle course of regulations, tax issues related to stock option administration and trading. Since then, Lopez and the management team at Solium have grown the company to more than 1,600 clients and one million participants in more than 80 countries worldwide. Since its inception, Solium has been a pioneer in its industry. “We take great pride in being leaders of change and delivering the most innovative stock plan administration experience possible for finance and HR professionals, plan administrators and participants,” says Lopez. “We have been incredibly fortunate at Solium to attract dedicated and talented staff who continue to share the entrepreneurial spirit that has helped us succeed. Innovation is part of their DNA.” Within five years, Lopez envisions the company being more than twice its current size with more than $100 million in revenue. They have recently opened a European office and have established an initial footprint in the Asia-Pacific market. While operating globally, he remains cognizant of the local community, supporting organizations such as the United Way. As they embark on a journey of global proportions, Lopez clearly retains a humble approach to life even as the company aggressively pursues a vision of global leadership in their market.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
TECHNOLOGY
Tara Kelly SPLICE Software Inc.
B
y the age of 35, Tara Kelly has started three companies, sold the first at a profit, sold part of the second one and is growing her third company rapidly. Her entrepreneurial flair started when she was just nine years old, when she wrote her first computer program. Exploring the potential of technology became a passion – one that she has very successfully translated into various business ventures years later. While working at one of her ventures, a health food and service store in Haysboro, she wondered if there was a better way to remind patients of their appointments. She quickly devised a plan called Simply Health Systems, but again wasn’t satisfied. So, true to her entrepreneurial spirit, pursued a different service model in enterprise marketing and voice messaging. Thus SPLICE Software was born in 2006. She developed an innovative “voice merge” technology that provides an authentic human voice with personalized interactions across phone, video, texting, websites and email, allowing companies to easily and seamlessly communicate with their clients. Her goals for the future will be an expansion of the finance and insurance market, moving into emerging markets such as South America and South Africa. “International markets definitely have a demand for automated interactions that are humanized and we are very excited about the initial response, but we must choose our path carefully as SPLICE still has plenty of growth available right here at home in North America,” says Kelly. She has grown her company organically so far, but plans to carry out future expansions through acquisitions as she raises capital to pursue a truly ambitious strategy. “International growth is just around the corner and we will be looking for great partners with local presence,” says Kelly.
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Dear family, friends, clients and my fellow SPLICEer’s Being recognized as a Prairie finalist for Entrepreneur Of The Year is a true honour and I am deeply grateful to Ernst & Young for empowering innovators around the world. My fellow SPLICEer’s, I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to know each of you and to work along side you. Thank you for bringing so much of who you are to work everyday, for making your mark on this company and for helping create a culture that I am so very proud of! May we forever challenge one another to make things a little better in all we do. To my clients, thank you for allowing us the chance to work with you as a partner to create better communication experiences for your customers. Thank you for sharing the goals and vision of your organization and allowing us to be a small part of making it happen. Working for you and with you, truly is our pleasure. We appreciate our seat at your table. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and birds of a feather do flock together…So all I want to know is how did I get so lucky to be in a flock with such an amazing bunch! You truly are the mosaic of who I am! Thank you for the unconditional love and support. ...And to my boys, Raymond and Samuel, you inspire me everyday, to reach higher, to try harder, to love deeper and to create value. You make me want to be a better person. There is a great big beautiful world out there, go forward, add value and always believe in your dreams! My name is Tara Kelly and I believe it can be better!
Tara Kelly President & CEO SPLICE Software Inc.
PROFESSIONAL AND INVESTMENT SERVICES
Terry Stephenson Blackjack Investments Ltd.
T
erry Stephenson is not your average accountant. While most people see the profession as being one of caution and an aversion to risk, Stephenson is the polar opposite – aggressive, with an inherent desire to seek calculated gambles. After 10 years working for a large public accounting firm and for a publicly-traded oilfield service company, he decided it was time to venture out on his own. In 2005, he purchased not one but two companies, identifying their complementary lines of business. From there, Blackjack Investments Ltd. was formed and has since acquired 18 companies, all of them focused on three core areas: construction; environmental consulting and engineering; and equipment rental.
Today, privately-held Blackjack Investments’ strategy is to manage several complementary businesses in the energy and resource sector to help facilitate their growth. A cornerstone of Stephenson’s success to date has been a clear recognition of the people who work with the company – he has 600 to 750 employees at any given time. “Our success has come from continuously delivering timely and innovative solutions to our customers,’’ he says. “This success would not be possible without the hard work, dedication and credibility of our employees, from our trades people in the field, our accounting and administrative groups to our executive group.” Blackjack Investments’ goal is to grow the top line by 25-45 per cent over the next three years while achieving earnings of 18-20 per cent of gross revenue each year. Because the company has achieved much of its success in smaller communities throughout Western Canada, Stephenson places a great emphasis on contributing to everything from local sports teams to volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, among many other causes. True to his farm roots, Stephenson is a shining example of the Western Canadian entrepreneurial spirit.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
PROFESSIONAL AND INVESTMENT SERVICES
David Aplin David Aplin Group
D
avid Aplin is an engineer with an MBA from York University who spent several years working for Canadian National Railway, 3M and Eaton’s. He had an entrepreneurial upbringing and worked with his father in several family-owned businesses. When he found himself looking for work when one of his employers shut down, he discovered there wasn’t a local staffing firm that met his needs. So, in 1975 he set out to create his own – David Aplin Group.
Over the span of 37 years, the staffing company has firmly entrenched itself in the middle of the staffing industry with a model based on providing deep specialization by job category, a wide geographical scope across the country and a broad range of recruiting services. It now has 10 offices in Canada in four major segments: Aplin Professional; Aplin Office; Aplin Executive; and Aplin Outsource. It’s a formula that has proven itself over time as a “one-stop shop” for staffing needs. Aplin has persevered through many economic cycles. During the 2009 recession, Dave’s son, Jeff, was appointed president to steer the company forward. The strategy worked and, today, the company is thriving again and ingrained into the communities where it operates. Dave says, “Our country works better when there is a spirit of volunteerism and corporate support in local communities. At David Aplin Group, we talk this talk and walk this walk!” The company is proud to match all employee donations to local United Way campaigns. Many employees take the David Aplin Group corporate challenge to become active volunteers in their local communities seriously and choose to support such organizations as Volunteer Calgary, Kids Up Front and Distress Centres Ontario, among others. Dave is currently setting up the David and Grace Aplin Charitable Foundation – a testament to his commitment to philanthropy as the company embarks on a new era.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
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PROFESSIONAL AND INVESTMENT SERVICES
Chris Izquierdo and David Cronin DevFacto Technologies Inc.
B
orn and raised in Cuba, Chris Izquierdo immigrated to Canada 13 years ago. David Cronin is a born-and-raised Albertan. Their paths crossed after working for several firms when the two began working at Time Industrial in Edmonton, having amassed years of technical experience. Over time, they learned what they liked and what they didn’t like in an employer and decided to start their own IT consulting practice in 2007 – DevFacto Technologies Inc. The dream was to create a different kind of company with a healthy workplace that allowed talent to flourish, while building superior software that had a brilliant customer service edge.
“We treat company culture as our most important asset; it is our workforce that makes us different and allows us to continually outperform our competition,” says Izquierdo. “For us it’s a simple formula: happy employees equals happy clients,” adds Cronin. They started out with just $1,000 of personal cash to start up the business. Over the following five years, DevFacto grew to 60 consultants delivering solutions for companies such as Enbridge, PCL Constructors, Viterra and Epcor, among others. It has earned them numerous awards to date – too many to mention – that serves as proof of their commitment to building a truly unique kind of company. Instead of an HR department, they split the function into two divisions: talent and culture. Their distinct business model has served them well. Staff turnover sits at zero per cent – an amazing feat for any company, especially in Alberta. Community remains close to the hearts of both entrepreneurs as they donate to charities such as the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. As they continue to grow, it’s clear that drive, ambition and determination are their biggest assets.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
ENERGY – PUBLICLY TRADED
Don Caron Bri-Chem Corp.
D
on Caron has an eye for opportunity. He carefully sought out intriguing entrepreneurial ventures throughout his career and has continued to use his vast business experience expanding companies ever since. As a serial entrepreneur, it’s in his blood. Starting at age 13, during summer holidays, he began operating heavy equipment for his father’s road building construction company. After working several years in construction, he decided to pursue a completely different path in his career, becoming an accountant. Working in a large public accounting firm only set the stage for Caron to subsequently start up a private equity firm where he would seek out and manage highly-successful entrepreneurial business ventures in many diversified industries. Caron sought out Bri-Chem Corp. in 2006 when the privatelyheld drilling fluids distributor was generating revenues in Canada of approximately $60 million a year with an employee base of 20. Five years later, after taking over as chief executive officer, its revenues are reaching $200 million with a workforce of over 110 employees. The company completed three acquisitions, diversified its product offerings, entered into the giant U.S. drilling fluids market and accomplished the installation of North America’s first thermal pipe expansion facility for manufacturing of large diameter steel pipe. No small feat. Today, Caron is focused squarely on the future of Bri-Chem’s continued success. “It is our goal to establish Bri-Chem as the North American leader for the distribution and niche manufacturing of drilling fluids and large diameter steel pipe.”
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
ENERGY – PUBLICLY TRADED
Brian Vaasjo Capital Power
W
ithin three weeks of spinning off a group of power generation assets from the municipally-owned Epcor Utilities Inc. into publicly-traded Capital Power Corp. (CPC) in July 2009, Brian Vaasjo convened a leadership meeting for all management where he laid out a clear vision for the company and culture. Capital Power’s vision is to be recognized as one of North America’s most respected, reliable and competitive power generators. The dramatic and almost immediate shift that occurred speaks volumes about his entrepreneurial leadership style.
Under Vaasjo’s leadership, CPC’s initial public offering, which was the first major IPO after the global recession at the end of 2008, was successfully completed. From these early days Vaasjo implemented the corporate strategy and has worked with his team to develop the company into what it is today. After 1,000 days of being a public company, six large power plants have been acquired, Capital Power’s interest in Capital Power Income LP has been divested, construction is complete on $2.2 billion of power projects, and more than $1.5 billion is committed to the construction of new Canadian wind projects. “The CPC team, with the support of our board and families, has achieved great things over the last three years – growing the company and at the same time creating a culture that focuses on execution and doing the right thing,” says Vaasjo. Aside from being intricately tied to the community through its various charitable giving initiatives, CPC has become an innovator in power generation and a leader in good governance under Vaasjo’s direction.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
ENERGY – PUBLICLY TRADED
Jim Rakievich McCoy Corporation
O
il was trading at $10 per barrel and after a successful career with Manitoba-based Kleysen Transport, Jim Rakievich was recruited to McCoy Corp. to turn around its service operations. He’d already proven his leadership at Kleysen, so 15 years ago he took on the challenge. In 2001, he was promoted into the position of president and chief executive officer of McCoy after demonstrating his unique ability to solve problems. His work wasn’t done yet. There were operational challenges; the board of directors needed a new leader and Rakievich rose to the challenge. He joined a long line of accomplished leaders in the history of the company first founded in 1914. After 10 years as the CEO, Rakievich has increased revenue to $154 million, refocused operations of the company and delivered products to 44 countries in 2011. “Over the past three years, McCoy has been reshaping itself into a pure play products and services supplier for the global oil and gas industry,” says Rakievich. “This will continue with additional focus on new product development in an increasingly technology-driven industry.” McCoy, which provides equipment, services and replacement components for the oil and gas sector worldwide, operates in two segments: energy products and services, and mobile solutions. Rakievich has a handle on both of them. When he recalls the early years of his career, he says he took some risks that paid off and learned what leadership, execution and empowerment is all about. It’s one of the reasons Rakievich has been a proponent of McCoy being very active in the community. From the Ronald McDonald House to the Terra Centre for Pregnant and Parenting Teens to the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS), Rakievich has found a formula for success on all levels.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
you EXPECTED WE SuRPASSED
I am honored to be recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Finalist. McCoy’s success is dependent on the qualities and capabilities of our people and none of what we’ve accomplished would be possible without their loyalty and expertise. Thank you to all of our employees, partners and Board of Directors. Every one of you has contributed in making McCoy a successful company.
Jim RakiEvich PrEsIDEnT & CEO MCCOY COrPOraTIOn
suITE 301, 9618 - 42 avEnuE nW EDMOnTOn, alBErTa T6E 5Y4 WWW.mccoyglobal.com
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Maury Van Vliet, Todd Van Vliet, Scott Van Vliet Environmental Refuelling Systems Inc.
I
n 2004, Maury Van Vliet was set to retire from his remote helicopter refuelling business. His son, Todd, was practicing law, and his other son, Scott, had come home from managing a large cattle ranch in South America to assist him with the business. Scott saw the potential of refuelling for the booming oilsands business and talked his father and brother into taking a gamble to haul fuel and build tanks to serve the oilsands companies. As a result Environmental Refuelling Systems (ERS) was born in 2005. The trio, with very different backgrounds, came together and contributed in different ways: Maury with his extensive business experience, Todd with his 20 years of varied legal practice and Scott with his “hard riding” can-do attitude. From just a few employees, ERS has grown into a company of more than 150 employees today. Two boards were set up – an internal board consisting of Maury, Scott and Todd, to handle day-to-day business challenges, and an external advisory board comprised of people with years of experience and success in the business world. Between the two, growth has been remarkable and consistent. Facing all kinds of challenges, not the least of which include logistics and the up-and-down cyclical nature of the business, the trio has demonstrated an uncanny ability to stay a step ahead in this highly-competitive industry with creative (and patented) approaches to various industry needs. Throughout it all, ERS has also demonstrated its commitment to the communities where it works through involvement in all types of local sports teams. “Coming from rural backgrounds, we recognize the importance of community and the need to contribute to its well-being,” they all agree. As they look to the future, this family trio sees good times ahead.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
You Can’t Actually Walk In These Shoes. You Have To Strut.
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BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Kim Caron
Executive Mat Service Ltd.
K
im Caron sold his home in 1996 to risk it all with his family by building a niche business providing high-end rental mat service. As a self-described “born entrepreneur,” it was in his blood to take the gamble and Executive Mat Service Ltd. was incorporated in 1997. With just one employee, Caron handled every aspect of the business as it started to grow, despite intense competition from more established players in the industry. Determined not to use debt to finance the growth of his venture, he relied on cash flow to expand into new areas of business, such as industrial towelling, uniform service and janitorial supplies – a strategy he still employs today as the company thrives in its completely self-sustainable facility using recycled energy. He relied – and still does – heavily on surrounding himself with a team of employees and advisers to build the business. Roland Batt was instrumental in sourcing, installing and maintaining production equipment. Today, he’s focused on technology innovation and acts as chief engineer, while Shawn Whitley has focused on developing the company’s award-winning service department. They are extremely fortunate to have a team that understands the importance of quality and service in developing long-term business relationships – you are only as good as your last delivery is a motto preached at Executive. The business has come a long way from its start as a one-man operation. Looking to the future, he is staying true to his roots of technological innovation, particularly with respect to safety and clean energy. Executive Mat recently became ISO 14001 (environmental management system) certified and COR Safety Certified. The future looks bright – and green – for Executive Mat Service.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
“It is a great honour to share this recognition with our team. I have been very fortunate to attract team members that share the same core values that I do. Hard work and a genuine desire to be the best has brought us success and should guide us well into the future.”
ISO14001 Certified COR Safety Certified
Executive Mat and Janitorial Supply #6, 115 - 28th Street SE Calgary, AB T2A 5K4 www.executivemat.com
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Angela Santiago The Little Potato Company
I
t wasn’t the career path Angela Santiago envisioned when she started her agricultural business, The Little Potato Company, in 1997 with a degree in political science. Working alongside her father – a longtime potato advocate since his days growing up in Holland – Santiago spent her first year on a small, one-acre plot near Edmonton. She shopped her baby “creamer-size” potatoes around at local farmers markets and ended up landing some prestigious clients.
Today, The Little Potato Company has grown into the largest brand in the creamer potato market with thousands of acres of the tiny potatoes planted in Canada and the U.S., now sold through major retailers and food-service companies throughout North America. Through technological innovation, determination and persistence, Santiago has overcome numerous regulatory and industry challenges to build a highly-successful business that she is passionate about in every way. She is now even pursuing potato-breeding programs in Canada, Chile, France and the Netherlands. Her passion also extends to establishing several community relationships with local charities, industry associations and working with several schools to educate young people about the agricultural sector. “Being part of providing a healthy simple food product to people is a humbling and honourable way to make a living and is an exciting business to be part of,” says Santiago. The best advice Santiago ever received is to “not compromise your values for anything and be willing to lose money for it.” It appears she has taken that advice, but rather than losing money has evolved her tiny operation into a vast, North American entrepreneur success story.
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Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012
Save the potato. potato. Save Feed the world. world. Feed
TM
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To all our employees, growers, brokers and partners – thank you for believing in our dream and helping it come true.
To all our employees, growers, brokers and partners – thank you forLittle believing our dream and helping it come true.and The Potatoin Company specializes in finding, growing selling unique potato varieties across North America. It is on a The Little Potato Company specializes in finding, growing and mission to save the potato from bland and boring, and to better selling unique potato varieties across North America. It is on a feed the world with this delicious and nutritious vegetable. mission to save the potato from bland and boring, and to better feed the world with this delicious and nutritious vegetable.
w w w.l i ttl e p o tato e s. com | w w w. fa cebook . com/potatopower
Proud sponsor of the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards
Business in Calgary and Business in Edmonton would like to extend our congratulations to the finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year速 2012 Prairies region. We wish you great success in your future endeavours.
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