“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who cor‑ rectly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). These are words that Barry Rempel’s grandfather instilled in him as a child and which he carries with him in his job as chief executive officer of the Winnipeg Airports Authority. For more than 10 years Rempel has overseen a burgeoning aviation corporation that employs 150 people directly (and thousands more indirect staff including airlines, airport concessions and restaurants, cleaners, couriers and ground transportation providers such as taxis and limos). Most recently, he oversaw the completion of the new airport terminal, “the largest construction project that has ever happened in Manitoba, at $600 million,” he says. Rempel, a Christian, acknowledges that unless he maintains a close relationship with Christ, “the spokes of my wheel, no matter how strong they individually are,” are insufficient to carry him. Nurturing the “hub,” that relationship to Christ, is Barry Rempel in Winnipeg’s new Richardson Internacentral to him. tional Airport on opening day, Oct. 30, 2011. Growing up in a Mennonite home, Rempel’s family moved in 1969 to Vancouver, where his father was the director of maintenance for Air Canada. Rempel started out in maintenance and eventually took time off to get a business degree. He feels fortunate to be one of a few to bring a well‑rounded aviation background to his position, having spent Dave Anderson doesn’t have much patience 27 years with an airline before switching to the airport side of the with unprepared job candidates. Being a business. “I got to do almost everything except be a pilot,” he says, Christian boss doesn’t mean lowering stanincluding working as a flight attendant. dards, he writes, adding “Hasty hiring brings The lessons of servant leadership that he learned from his grandeventual firing.” When his company posted a father and the Mennonite church are central to his understanding of job opening for an administrative assistant on his role and the vision he brings to the aviation industry. “They are a college web site it was deluged with e-mail biblical principles that have stuck with me throughout my career,” applications. In How to Lead by The Book, he Rempel says. “Our values of respect, integrity and service are consistdescribes what made it easier to cull the list: ent with the ministry that Jesus extended to people.” 1. Some applicants had multiple spellAt times the business of faith has not intersected easily with the ing or grammatical errors on their e-mails or business of the world. It is “difficult in this day and age in Canada resumes. (One of the company’s core values is because you cannot be seen as being the preacher or be seen to be attention to detail). leading for the purpose of converting people to your way of think2. Some sent e-mails in all-lowercase ing,” he says. “The only way allowed in today’s environment is to letters, as though they were writing a text inspire people to a vision of common good. I hope to lead by example message. and then hope people ask me about my faith.” 3. An applicant failed to call back at the One resource Rempel has found helpful is “a group of people in appointed time we had scheduled in reply to similar positions like myself — presidents of companies, people that her resume. hold positions with a fair significance on others. Originally we were 4. An applicant called one hour before a group of eight, six of whom were Mennonites.” This group meets the interview to cancel and move it to another regularly to share experiences, learn from each other and bring their day. faith perspective to the challenges they face. 5. While speaking with the applicant on Rempel attends Grant Memorial Baptist Church in Winnipeg. “At the telephone, it was obvious that she did not Grant I realized there was a connectivity with a broader cross‑section speak clearly or coherently. of the Christian family,” he says. “I started to learn things there that 6. The applicant spelled his own last name I didn’t appreciate until I went there.” — Evelyn Rempel Petkau, Can‑ wrong! He spelled it differently in two differadian Mennonite ent places on the resume.
You’re hired (not)
The Marketplace May June 2012
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Photo courtesy of Winnipeg Airports Authority
Faith that flies
