Top Banner
March 2013 $3.50 businessinedmonton.com BOMA NEWS: Official newsletter of ‘Building Owners and Managers Association’ of Edmonton. Century Hospitality Group beats the odds with an exceptional story of teamwork and success. THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCE Meetings & Conventions Calgary Meet the new Calgary. It’s Not Easy Being a Junior Junior oil and gas companies get tough and feisty in uncertain economic times. Edmonton’s Bright Construction Forecast
80

March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Mar 24, 2016

Download

Documents

Business in Edmonton March 2013
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Page 1: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Mar

ch 2

013

$3.

50bu

sine

ssin

edm

onto

n.co

m

BOMA NEWS: Official newsletter of ‘Building Owners and Managers Association’ of Edmonton.

Century Hospitality Group beats the odds with an exceptional story of teamwork and success.

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCE

Meetings & Conventions CalgaryMeet the new Calgary.

It’s Not Easy Being a JuniorJunior oil and gas companies get tough and feisty in uncertain economic times.

Edmonton’s Bright Construction Forecast

Page 2: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

The fire and water, cleanup and restoration specialists of

SERVPRO® are proud to call Canada home. So when the

things that matter most are on the line, make sure we are

too by calling 780-784-7777 or visiting servprocanada.com.

Services in Canada provided by Independently Owned & Operated Franchises of Servpro International, LLC.

780-784-7777

CLI

ENT:

SE

RV

A

D: j

S

JO

B N

UM

BER

: SE

RV

0432

JO

B N

AM

E: c

an

ad

ian

pR

int

ad

D

ATE

PRO

DU

CED

: 8/0

7/12

PUB

: bu

Sin

ES

S in

Ed

mo

nt

DAT

E: 9

/01

LI

VE A

REA

: 6.8

75"

X 9.

75"

TR

IM: 7

.875

” X

10.

75”

B

LEED

: 8.3

75”

X 1

1.25

CO

LOR

: cm

YK

SERV0432_Canadian_Print_MJS.indd 1 8/8/12 11:07 AM

Page 3: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

THIS IS NOT AN AD FOR ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT.

But it is an ad for everything we stand for. Things like honesty, integrity, and helping you put food on your family’s table. But above all, it’s an ad to let you know that none of those things are going away because we’re calling ourselves Rocky Mountain Equipment. Because even if the name on the sign is changing, our values won’t.

Introducing the newRocky Mountain EquipmentDEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO.

The fire and water, cleanup and restoration specialists of

SERVPRO® are proud to call Canada home. So when the

things that matter most are on the line, make sure we are

too by calling 780-784-7777 or visiting servprocanada.com.

Services in Canada provided by Independently Owned & Operated Franchises of Servpro International, LLC.

780-784-7777

CLI

ENT:

SE

RV

A

D: j

S

JO

B N

UM

BER

: SE

RV

0432

JO

B N

AM

E: c

an

ad

ian

pR

int

ad

D

ATE

PRO

DU

CED

: 8/0

7/12

PUB

: bu

Sin

ES

S in

Ed

mo

nt

DAT

E: 9

/01

LI

VE A

REA

: 6.8

75"

X 9.

75"

TR

IM: 7

.875

” X

10.

75”

B

LEED

: 8.3

75”

X 1

1.25

CO

LOR

: cm

YK

SERV0432_Canadian_Print_MJS.indd 1 8/8/12 11:07 AM

Page 4: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

For nearly a century Canmore was an important coal mining centre in southern Alberta.

Over time, the town evolved into an international recreation centre and

tourist destination. While the town of Canmore changed, the Canmore Hotel

did not. Located in the heart of downtown Canmore, the Canmore Hotel

remains a precious landmark from those early mining days. As the second oldest,

continuously operated hotel in Alberta, the pub has been catering to both locals

and visitors alike for over 120 years. The Canmore Hotel was originally one of the

town’s four grand hotels. As the sole survivor, it has spent a lifetime keeping watch

over Canmore.

It is now time to restore, expand and sensitively rehabilitate this historic establishment so that its legend -- and its rich history -- will live on.

Full page bleed 50p3 67p6 8.375” 11.25”Full page trim size 47p3 64p6 7.875” 10.75”Full page image area 41p3 58p6 6.875” 9.75”

We are pleased to offer eligible investors an opportunity to participate in this exciting and rewarding development.

•RRSPandTFSAeligible•9%annualpreferreddividendpaidquarterly•Additionalprofitfromyourownershipinbothawellestablishedpubandanenlivenedboutiquehotel•SelectVIPhotelprivileges

For more information about this investment opportunity visit canmorehotel.comSellingagentsprotected

Canmore hotel- buz in Calgary full page.indd 1 13-01-06 11:30 PM

This investment is only for investors by way of subscription agreement. This is not a solicitation for sale or purchase of securities, without the appropriate exemption documents being provided to prospective purchasers. The information enclosed is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation as to any investment product. The information above is inherently limited in scope and does not contain all of the applicable terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the investment described herein.

Page 5: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

TM Trademarks of Alberta Treasury Branches.

10years

Living Leadership

Leaders never rest.

No matter what the hour, or how many hours they have in front of them, leaders stay the course. Through good times and bad, we’ve done just that, custom building solutions to help our clients do what they do best…lead. Because Alberta means the world to us.

atb.com/Leaders

Page 6: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

6 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

SECTIONTITLE

FeaturesRegularsEach and every month

CONTENTSMARCH 2013 | VOL. 02 #03

View our electronic issue of this month’s magazine online at www.businessinedmonton.com

24IT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOR BY JOHN HARDY

Features

10 DRIVING FORCE BY MARK KANDBORG

Celebrating their 35th Anniversary

29 S2 ARTCHITECTURE BY MARY SAVAGE

Celebrating their 20th Anniversary

53 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS CALGARY BY DEREK SANKEY Meet the new Calgary

74 HIGHLAND MOVING & STORAGE BY MARK KANDBORG

Celebrating their 75th Anniversary

Company Profiles

12 OFF THE TOP Fresh News across all sectors.

77 EDMONTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

18

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCE BY MARK KANDBORG Century Hospitality Group beats the odds with an exceptional story of teamwork and success.

Cover

Junior oil and gas companies get feisty and Edmonton is under construction. Plenty of good things going on in this forward-thinking, growing city.

77

Page 7: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Entrepreneurs. They turn us on.

To new ideas, new ways of thinking and new possibilities. We’ve shone the spotlight on entrepreneurs for 20 years — and we’ve only just begun. Nominate starting March 1.

Find out more at ey.com/ca/EOY! And follow us on Twitter: @EYCanada.

20 years of inspiration

20 years of inspiration

National sponsors Platinum sponsors Gold sponsor

© 2

013

Erns

t & Y

oung

LLP

. All

Rig

hts

Rese

rved

. Ernst & Young is a proud supporter of

Page 8: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

OFF THE TOPNEWS FROM THE MONTH

Features continued

70 EDMONTON’S BRIGHT CONSTRUCTION FORECAST | BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

66

LANDLOCKED: AN INDUSTRY WITH NOWHERE TO GO

BY DEREK SANKEY

The oil sands industry faces barriers in every direction in getting its product to export markets.

PUBLISHER BUSINESS IN EDMONTON INC.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Brent Trimming [email protected]

EDITOR Mark Kandborg

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Nerissa McNaughton

COPY EDITORS Nerissa McNaughton Nikki Mullett

ART DIRECTOR Jessi Evetts [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS Cher Compton

ADMINISTRATION Nancy Bielecki Sarah Schenx [email protected]

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Jason Brisbois

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Mark Kandborg John Hardy Derek Sankey Nerissa McNaughton

PHOTOGRAPHY Cover photo by Epic Photography Inc.

ADVERTISING SALES Evelyn Dehner [email protected] Rachel Katerynych [email protected] Bobbi Joan O’Neil bobbi@ businessinedmonton.com Carla Wright [email protected] Renee Neil [email protected]

DIRECTORS OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING Wayne Holowaychuk [email protected] Kim Hogan [email protected] Bob Kenyon [email protected]

EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES #1660, 10020 - 101 A Ave. NW Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2 Phone: 780.638.1777 Fax: 587.520.5701 Toll Free: 1.800.465.0322 Email: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS Online at www.businessinedmonton.com Annual rates: $31.50; $45 USA; $85 International Single Copy $3.50

Business in Edmonton is delivered to 27,000 business addresses every month including all registered business owners in Edmonton and surrounding areas including St Albert, Sherwood Park, Leduc/Nisku, Spruce Grove and Stony Plain.

The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and all representations of warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Canadian publications mail sales product agreement No. 41126516

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation dept. #1660, 10020 - 101 A Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2

8 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Junior oil and gas companies get feisty and Edmonton is under construction. Plenty of good things going on in this forward-thinking, growing city.

45 BOMA NEWSLETTER

Official newsletter of ‘Building Owners and Managers Association’ of Edmonton.

Page 9: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

CLIENT: shawJOB NAME: Shaw Bus Mass PrintDOCKET #: P13-0322AD #: SCS6663PUB: Business in Calgary/EdmontonAD SPACE: col x lines

OUTPUT SCALE: NoneFONTS: Sahw Bold

TRIM: 7.875” x 10.75”SAFETY: 6.875” x 9.75”BLEED: 8.375” x 11.25”INSERTION DATE: NonePPI: 300

PROOF #: 6DATE: 2-7-2013 10:51 AM

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Studio WHIP:Volumes:Studio WHIP:SHAW:P-Dockets:P13-0322_Shaw_Bus_Mass_Print:SCS6663_Business_in_Cal_Edm_7.875x10.5.indd

At Shaw we mean business.Don’t let the adorable robots fool you.

Shaw has the tools (and yes, the ’bots) to boost your

bottom line. We’re talking ultra-fast Internet. 24/7 local

business tech support. Business phone lines loaded with

up to 18 features. And that’s just the beginning. With

Shaw Business, you won’t miss a thing.

Call us today at 1 877 SHAW BIZ (742 9249) or visit shaw.ca/business

SCS6663_Business_in_Cal_Edm_7.875x10.5.indd 1 2/7/13 10:52 AM

Page 10: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

hicles,” he says. These technologies include items such as track-ing GPS and telemetrics. “There are hundreds of GPS products out there, and there are a lot of factors that go into choosing what’s best for our customers. We’re in the process of doing that right now.” And telemetrics? “That’s a technology that can have a real impact on the way companies keep track of the ve-hicles in their fleet. Where they’re going, what they’re doing and when” he says. “At the simple end, these systems moni-tor movement, but they can also keep track of speeding and hard braking, sending alerts back to the company by email. Our vehicles will be able to know when they’re being driven outside of work hours or specific geographic zones.” The big idea is that access to this level of information puts control back in the hands of those who pass out the keys each morning. It’s been said that information is power, but in this case it’s a road to greater efficiency and cost savings. Of course, it will be up to the individual customer whether, and to what extent, they take advantage of these emergent technologies. “Our job right now is determining the cost of delivering these options.”

There’s another mission Polovick has set for himself to com-plete, and it’s been a particularly happy and rewarding one. He’s spent weeks traveling across Western Canada and the North to personally thank his team members for the past year and cel-ebrate with them for being recognized by their peers for doing such a great job of satisfying their customers.

“Building a sustainable business has given me great satisfaction,” Polovick says about the passing of this month’s milestone. “These

past 35 years have shown that our values and principles have stood the test of time.” As for being included in the “Best Managed Com-panies” club again this year, he considers it to be “icing on the cake. It’s the best third party endorsement there can ever be.”

The definition of any driving force is a power that compels ever forward. That seems to describe Polovick’s company per-fectly. So, where does his DRIVING FORCE go from here? “We’re going to be doing lots of the same things, naturally,” he says, “but there are always new opportunities on the horizon.”

If the past 35 years are any indication, we can expect Jeff Po-lovick, his hand steady at the wheel, to lead his expertly man-aged team straight toward those opportunities and beyond. In fact, construction has already begun on 12,000 sq. foot replicas of the Edmonton West End location in Langley and Fort St. John, both scheduled to open in June. Add to that the opening of a brand new location in Terrace, B.C. this month and it’s easy to see that Polovick’s FORCE is one to be reckoned with for years to come.

Happy Anniversary, Everyone. Jobs well done.

A lot can happen in 35 years. Mo-zart can grow up and assemble notes in a way that will change

the world. Excited kids can burst through school doors into a summer filled with possibility thirty-five times. And an idea can develop from a sim-ple thought put into action to a thriv-ing company with great memories and even greater success.

“When I think back over the last 35 years, it’s hard to believe,” says Jeff Po-lovick, president of DRIVING FORCE, of their anniversary this month. “I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to have worked with such great team members and customers. We’ve pur-chased, leased and sold thousands of vehicles, and it’s been lots of fun.”

As a result of Polovick placing so much value in surrounding himself with a happy and productive team, DRIVING FORCE has received a very special gift for their 35th anniversary, one that couldn’t please him more. DRIVING FORCE has earned the distinction of making the list of Cana-da’s “50 Best Managed Companies” — for the seventh year in a row. “I’m extremely proud. It says so much about the people here. It’s got nothing to with me,” says Polovick.

The evolution of DRIVING FORCE is truly one of Edmonton’s great business success stories. Polovick started Grove Rentals and Leasing in a small service station in Spruce Grove, Alberta. Since then, he’s guided it unflinchingly through a mercurial economy to become DRIVING FORCE Vehicle Rentals, Sales and Leasing. With a standing inventory of nearly 10,000 vehicles at 20 loca-tions and over 375 employees in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Yu-kon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, DRIVING FORCE is now one of the country’s largest vehicle rental and suppliers.

Although they are primarily known as a leasing company, retail sales are a big part of DRIVING FORCE as well. They sold more than 3,800 used vehicles last year. “We’ve weathered some pretty heavy economic storms since 1978”, he points out. “Having a retail component has helped to recession-proof our business. When things got slow out there, when companies were scaling down their fleets to manage costs, we adjusted our inventory.” When dark clouds rolled in and whitecaps en-croached, Polovick and his team chose to change tack and sail through rather than batten down the hatches. “We were able to move assets depending on the market. If we had units sitting on the lot, we’d sell them. It kept the money flowing. That made a

huge difference.” As the saying goes, you can’t control the wind, but you can adjust the sails.

This sense of community doesn’t stop at the DRIVING FORCE gates. As Polovick sees it, “If you’re living in a community, you have to participate, enhance relationships. Encourage role mod-els and support leadership.” The walls of the head office in Ed-monton are lined with photographs that demonstrate this com-mitment to developing and maintaining affiliations with local community leaders. Former Eskimo Henry “Gizmo” Williams, Oiler legend Dave Semenko, Olympic gold medalist Jamie Salé, tri-athletes, race car drivers — the list goes on. Judging by the positive messages scrawled thereon, the support goes both ways.

DRIVING FORCE is currently focusing on helping the Sas-katchewan Association for Community Living, an association dedicated to creating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. As honorary chairman, Polovick has helped raise over $750,000 for the organization in Edmonton. DRIVING FORCE itself pledged $10,000 to the association for the next three years. Not content to simply put their money where their mouth is, the company has also hired a number of workers with developmental disabilities, welcoming them into the DRIVING FORCE family.

Polovick’s company is dedicated to keeping individuals and companies on the move and the DRIVING FORCE team is just as interested in keeping their business in motion. They know that the future is always just around the corner. “We’re taking an aggressive position on information technologies, bringing a lot of resources online to develop and utilize them in our ve-

11025 - 184th Street Edmonton, AB T5S 0A6Phone: 780-641-1090 • Toll Free : 1-800-936-9353

drivingforce.ca

35 YEARS ON THE FORCE

35YEARS

THE ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT IN SASKATOON JANUARY 30, 2013. BACK ROW: GEORGE LANGE - CONTRACT DRIVE;, RICH PREDDY - CONTRACT DRIVER; CHRIS OOMS - DRIVER / DELIVERY; MIKE HRYCAN - SALES CONSULTANT; MATTHEW DYCK - DETAILER; JAMES KRAWCHUK - SASKATOON BRANCH MANAGER; AND JEFF POLOVICK FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT. LEFT TO RIGHT FRONT ROW: KRISSY BAUMGARTNER, - RENTAL CONSULTANT; MICHELLE LUKIAN - RENTAL CONSULLTANT; ANGELA HEBERT - RENTAL CONSULTANT; ANGELA CHAYKOWSKI - F & I ASSISITANT. MISSING: ORANGE DE JESUS - FLEET MAINTENANCE MANAGER

BY MARK KANDBORG

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IS JEFF POLOVICK; FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT; GARY NELNER, CFO; CLAUDETTE LAROCQUE, DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS; MARK NOLIN, GENERAL SALES/ASSET CONTROL MANAGER; JOHN BLIMKE, COO.

Page 11: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

hicles,” he says. These technologies include items such as track-ing GPS and telemetrics. “There are hundreds of GPS products out there, and there are a lot of factors that go into choosing what’s best for our customers. We’re in the process of doing that right now.” And telemetrics? “That’s a technology that can have a real impact on the way companies keep track of the ve-hicles in their fleet. Where they’re going, what they’re doing and when” he says. “At the simple end, these systems moni-tor movement, but they can also keep track of speeding and hard braking, sending alerts back to the company by email. Our vehicles will be able to know when they’re being driven outside of work hours or specific geographic zones.” The big idea is that access to this level of information puts control back in the hands of those who pass out the keys each morning. It’s been said that information is power, but in this case it’s a road to greater efficiency and cost savings. Of course, it will be up to the individual customer whether, and to what extent, they take advantage of these emergent technologies. “Our job right now is determining the cost of delivering these options.”

There’s another mission Polovick has set for himself to com-plete, and it’s been a particularly happy and rewarding one. He’s spent weeks traveling across Western Canada and the North to personally thank his team members for the past year and cel-ebrate with them for being recognized by their peers for doing such a great job of satisfying their customers.

“Building a sustainable business has given me great satisfaction,” Polovick says about the passing of this month’s milestone. “These

past 35 years have shown that our values and principles have stood the test of time.” As for being included in the “Best Managed Com-panies” club again this year, he considers it to be “icing on the cake. It’s the best third party endorsement there can ever be.”

The definition of any driving force is a power that compels ever forward. That seems to describe Polovick’s company per-fectly. So, where does his DRIVING FORCE go from here? “We’re going to be doing lots of the same things, naturally,” he says, “but there are always new opportunities on the horizon.”

If the past 35 years are any indication, we can expect Jeff Po-lovick, his hand steady at the wheel, to lead his expertly man-aged team straight toward those opportunities and beyond. In fact, construction has already begun on 12,000 sq. foot replicas of the Edmonton West End location in Langley and Fort St. John, both scheduled to open in June. Add to that the opening of a brand new location in Terrace, B.C. this month and it’s easy to see that Polovick’s FORCE is one to be reckoned with for years to come.

Happy Anniversary, Everyone. Jobs well done.

A lot can happen in 35 years. Mo-zart can grow up and assemble notes in a way that will change

the world. Excited kids can burst through school doors into a summer filled with possibility thirty-five times. And an idea can develop from a sim-ple thought put into action to a thriv-ing company with great memories and even greater success.

“When I think back over the last 35 years, it’s hard to believe,” says Jeff Po-lovick, president of DRIVING FORCE, of their anniversary this month. “I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to have worked with such great team members and customers. We’ve pur-chased, leased and sold thousands of vehicles, and it’s been lots of fun.”

As a result of Polovick placing so much value in surrounding himself with a happy and productive team, DRIVING FORCE has received a very special gift for their 35th anniversary, one that couldn’t please him more. DRIVING FORCE has earned the distinction of making the list of Cana-da’s “50 Best Managed Companies” — for the seventh year in a row. “I’m extremely proud. It says so much about the people here. It’s got nothing to with me,” says Polovick.

The evolution of DRIVING FORCE is truly one of Edmonton’s great business success stories. Polovick started Grove Rentals and Leasing in a small service station in Spruce Grove, Alberta. Since then, he’s guided it unflinchingly through a mercurial economy to become DRIVING FORCE Vehicle Rentals, Sales and Leasing. With a standing inventory of nearly 10,000 vehicles at 20 loca-tions and over 375 employees in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Yu-kon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, DRIVING FORCE is now one of the country’s largest vehicle rental and suppliers.

Although they are primarily known as a leasing company, retail sales are a big part of DRIVING FORCE as well. They sold more than 3,800 used vehicles last year. “We’ve weathered some pretty heavy economic storms since 1978”, he points out. “Having a retail component has helped to recession-proof our business. When things got slow out there, when companies were scaling down their fleets to manage costs, we adjusted our inventory.” When dark clouds rolled in and whitecaps en-croached, Polovick and his team chose to change tack and sail through rather than batten down the hatches. “We were able to move assets depending on the market. If we had units sitting on the lot, we’d sell them. It kept the money flowing. That made a

huge difference.” As the saying goes, you can’t control the wind, but you can adjust the sails.

This sense of community doesn’t stop at the DRIVING FORCE gates. As Polovick sees it, “If you’re living in a community, you have to participate, enhance relationships. Encourage role mod-els and support leadership.” The walls of the head office in Ed-monton are lined with photographs that demonstrate this com-mitment to developing and maintaining affiliations with local community leaders. Former Eskimo Henry “Gizmo” Williams, Oiler legend Dave Semenko, Olympic gold medalist Jamie Salé, tri-athletes, race car drivers — the list goes on. Judging by the positive messages scrawled thereon, the support goes both ways.

DRIVING FORCE is currently focusing on helping the Sas-katchewan Association for Community Living, an association dedicated to creating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. As honorary chairman, Polovick has helped raise over $750,000 for the organization in Edmonton. DRIVING FORCE itself pledged $10,000 to the association for the next three years. Not content to simply put their money where their mouth is, the company has also hired a number of workers with developmental disabilities, welcoming them into the DRIVING FORCE family.

Polovick’s company is dedicated to keeping individuals and companies on the move and the DRIVING FORCE team is just as interested in keeping their business in motion. They know that the future is always just around the corner. “We’re taking an aggressive position on information technologies, bringing a lot of resources online to develop and utilize them in our ve-

11025 - 184th Street Edmonton, AB T5S 0A6Phone: 780-641-1090 • Toll Free : 1-800-936-9353

drivingforce.ca

35 YEARS ON THE FORCE

35YEARS

THE ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT IN SASKATOON JANUARY 30, 2013. BACK ROW: GEORGE LANGE - CONTRACT DRIVE;, RICH PREDDY - CONTRACT DRIVER; CHRIS OOMS - DRIVER / DELIVERY; MIKE HRYCAN - SALES CONSULTANT; MATTHEW DYCK - DETAILER; JAMES KRAWCHUK - SASKATOON BRANCH MANAGER; AND JEFF POLOVICK FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT. LEFT TO RIGHT FRONT ROW: KRISSY BAUMGARTNER, - RENTAL CONSULTANT; MICHELLE LUKIAN - RENTAL CONSULLTANT; ANGELA HEBERT - RENTAL CONSULTANT; ANGELA CHAYKOWSKI - F & I ASSISITANT. MISSING: ORANGE DE JESUS - FLEET MAINTENANCE MANAGER

BY MARK KANDBORG

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IS JEFF POLOVICK; FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT; GARY NELNER, CFO; CLAUDETTE LAROCQUE, DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS; MARK NOLIN, GENERAL SALES/ASSET CONTROL MANAGER; JOHN BLIMKE, COO.

Page 12: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

12 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

OFF THE TOPNEWS FROM THE MONTH

MARTYSHUK HOUSING WORKS TO ABOLISH HOMELESSNESS IN EDMONTON Martyshuk Housing believes in

safe, affordable housing for everyone, regardless of their background, life-style, ability or creed. Founder Dave Martyshuk launched Martyshuk Housing in 2004 as an oil and gas housing business. Three years lat-er a housing crisis hit Edmonton and more than 200 homeless gath-ered into what became known as Tent City. Moved by their plight, Martyshuk and his team looked for ways to provide accommodations for those without. Soon Martyshuk Housing was receiving steady calls from agencies looking for assistance in accommodating hard-to-house in-dividuals. Martyshuk modified the company’s objective and developed a business plan designed to assist anyone seeking affordable housing. This unique business model has en-abled the company to help hundreds of homeless individuals in Edmon-ton. “We have simply made a business out of the abolishment of homeless-ness,” states company owner Dave Martyshuk.

Martyshuk Housing is not a non-profit organization nor a government sponsored program. “The fact that we are a private sector allows us to be more creative,” Martyshuk says. “We use only private capital. This means, if we run into a problem, we can use financial means to fix it quickly; usu-ally within a couple of days.”

Approximately 60% of Mar-tyshuk’s clients are classified as “high need.” While his clients are primarily those without credit or financial resources to rent single ac-commodations, Martyshuck housing residents tend to hold onto these accommodations longer than any-where else. Many find comfort in the community living arrangements, as they interact with roommates

sharing the same background. All appreciate being treated with re-spect and dignity, no matter their existing circumstances.

Today, Martyshuk Housing is the go-to organization for agencies seek-ing housing for at-risk individuals. Martyshuk gets regular calls from

CONSTRUCTION

A DOWNTOWN PROUD! EMPLYOEE HARD AT WORK.

A KITCHEN FROM ONE OF THE MARTYSHUK HOUSING HOMES.

Page 13: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 13

NEWS FROM THE MONTH OFF THE TOP

Boyle Street Community Servic-es, Bissell Center, Edmonton Police Service, hospitals, MLAs, Alberta Mental Health, and McMan Youth Family and Community Services As-sociation to name a few. Andrea Fuller from Corrections Transitions Team sums up the thoughts of groups seeking placement for clients by stat-ing, “There are shelters, the housing first programs that have waiting lists, and then there is Martyshuk Hous-ing. Our clients successfully utilize all three housing services, but Mar-tyshuk Housing has been able to offer our clients somewhere excep-tionally safe, stable, and immediate. Without Martyshuk Housing, we would be sending our clients to shel-ters, which often times are too full to accommodate. As a result, our cli-ents sometimes end up staying with friends and/or family that do not provide them with a healthy environ-ment to live in.”

Recently, Martyshuk Housing along with the Downtown Business

CanadaSharperEye_BIC2/3pageVert_ol.indd 1 10/11/12 3:20 PM

Page 14: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

14 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

OFF THE TOPNEWS FROM THE MONTH

Association and Boyle Street Com-munity Services created Downtown Proud! The Downtown Proud! crew is compromised of formerly home-less Edmonton residents that remove an average of 1,000 pounds of garbage each week from the downtown area.

“Our success comes from adapt-ing our services to clients and not clients to our services,” concludes Martyshuk. It is this positive, for-ward-thinking attitude that may see his dream of affordable housing for everyone in Edmonton realized dur-ing his lifetime. BIE

RESPONSE TO NEW PIVOT DATA CENTRE EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONSPivot Data Centres’ Edmonton fa-

cility opened in August 2012 and it has already surpassed projected de-mand. “The demand in Edmonton has exceeded our expectations in the period of five months,” says Pivot’s president and CEO, Michael Koury. “We have exceeded 50 per cent of our capacity. Therefore we have accept-ed an option on additional space that will double the size of our facility in Edmonton. We are very excited.”

Pivot Data Centres provides co-lo-cation IT solutions for organizations of all sizes. The company originat-ed in 1989 as Care Factor, a company that designed, built and helped man-age data centres for clients. As time and technology evolved, business owners became aware of the expense and maintenance required to keep their computer data and electron-ic operations running securely from their own data centres. Companies wanted to use their capital to further the main goals of their organizations, so they began turning to co-loca-tion data centres to house their IT operations.

While the IT co-location idea is popular in the United States, it is just now gaining momentum in Can-ada. The last few years have seen an exponential increase in companies investing in this concept. “There is a pent-up demand for facilities like this in Edmonton,” Koury points out. “We are getting interest from both the pri-vate and public sector.”

Edmonton’s $30 million state-of-the-art facility accommodates clients from all over North America. Piv-ot’s clients have 24/7 access to the facility. The reason for this, Koury ex-plains, is that while each client can access their files remotely, techni-cians prefer to make physical changes to their systems during their com-

pany’s downtime. This can be at 3 a.m. or on weekends. A comfortable lounge complete with kitchen facili-ties allows clients to relax and refresh when a break is needed from working with the computer equipment.

No detail is overlooked in keeping Pivot’s client data safe and accessible. Pivot has taken extensive measures to ensure that the facility has uninter-rupted power, cooling and network connectivity. Pivot’s is located well away from high-risk zones such as flight paths and flood plains. Pow-er supplies are on separate feeds from downtown city centre to protect each client’s IT assets in case of power fail-ures. Entrances and exits are tightly

MICHAEL KOURY, PRESIDENT AND CEO, PIVOT DATA CENTRESLOCAL BUSINESS

Visit Our New Edmonton Showroom: 14835 137th Ave NW Phone: 780-482-7444 Toll Free: 1-888-430-7444 source.ca

Edmonton’s LargestOffice Furniture ShowroomWe are the largest office furniture dealer in Canada specializing in quality commercial grade office products – backed by the Source quality and price guarantee. Visit our new 85,000 sq ft location today and experience the Source difference.

Page 15: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 15

OFF THE TOPNEWS FROM THE MONTH

controlled through such measures as front desk security, key cards, mantrap doors, electronic surveillance and bio-metrically-controlled access points.

This facility is Pivot’s third data centre (two exist in Calgary) and the largest of its kind in Edmonton. You can learn more about Pivot Data Cen-tres at www.pivotdci.com. BIE

TEC EDMONTON PROVIDES TOOLS FOR TECHNOLOGY START-UPSTEC Edmonton is a business accel-

erator for technology entrepreneurs. Started in 2006 as a joint venture between the Edmonton Economic De-velopment Corporation (EEDC) and the University of Alberta (U of A), TEC focuses on providing early-stage businesses access to facilities, training, and expert advice that help entrepre-neurs grow their companies. “If you are running a young technology com-

PIVOT DATA CENTRE SUITE SERVER RACKS + RAISED FLOOR

TECHNOLOGY

Are you an HR professional who takes pride in developing others?

The Government of Alberta is always looking for HR professionals to help grow and develop a talent pool of over 25,000 employees. We need the right people to ensure the success of our province and it starts with you. If you see HR as an integral partner to help employees succeed, visit jobs.alberta.ca for more information and to stay informed on job opportunities.

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER ADVANCING CAREERS.

GOVCHRC26563 BusCalg&Edm_Advance.indd 1 13-2-7 4:10 PM

Page 16: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

16 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

pany or want to start one, come and see us. We can almost certainly help you, and if we can’t, we can put you in touch with people that can,” says Chris Lumb, CEO of TEC Edmonton.

Services offered are broken down into three main categories: business development, technology transfer and entrepreneur development. Business development includes mentoring, coaching, assistance obtaining financing, regulatory guidance and help with business plans. Technology transfer services provide assessments for patents and marketing, protection strategies for intellectual property, and assistance with marketing and technology licensing. Entrepreneur development provides incubator space and a variety of training opportunities including the annual VenturePrize competition where participants compete for over $150,000 in prizes and incentives to help launch their businesses.

TEC Edmonton works in detail with over 100 companies each year. In 2011 TEC Edmonton clients generated $73 million in revenue, invested $17M in

research and development, and raised $27M in investment capital. Clients are from all sectors: examples include an advanced cancer screening diag-nostics company, a high value natural product purification company, a trans-portation logistics company, a bovine genetic analysis company, various oil and gas products companies, environ-mental technologies companies, and many more.

TEC Edmonton hosts many events throughout the year and lists oth-er relevant events on an interactive calendar on their website. The TEC calendar details two important events for April.

1. Business Basics for Innovators is scheduled for April 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 13:30 p.m. on the 4th floor of En-terprise Square (10230 Jasper Ave). Attendees will evaluate their business plans’ strengths, identify areas that need focus and create action plans for making their companies and prod-ucts stand out. To learn more about BBFI, contact Noreen Hoskins at [email protected].

2. TEC Edmonton will be holding the 11th annual VenturePrize Awards Event on April 17. The top three final-ists will be competing for the grand prize of more than $80,000. Tickets will go on sale soon. Visit www.ven-tureprize.com for more details.

Emerging technology companies in Edmonton can partner with TEC Ed-monton for information, education, networking and other opportunities. To learn more about VenturePrize, TEC events or how this Edmon-ton organization can help grow your business, check out www.tecedmon-ton.com. BIE

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WELCOMES NEWLY ACCREDITED MEMBERSThe Better Business Bureau (BBB)

recently welcomed several new busi-nesses from Edmonton, including Bitzer Trucking Ltd, Contact Prop-erty Services Ltd, Moran Financial, Riteway Movers, Seven T Bar Truck-ing Ltd, and Simple Water Services. “We are thrilled to have a number of brand new businesses join our ranks,” says Ron Mycholuk, Public Rela-tions Manager for BBB of Central and Northern Alberta. “We are always pleased when businesses choose to stand with BBB and show customers that they can trust what that business is doing. We look forward to having them for a number of years.”

NEWS FROM THE MONTH OFF THE TOP

build the spirithelp create alegacy of caring

DONATE TODAY!P: 780-440-6346

[email protected] or visit our websiteto pledge your support.

Help Build the Spirit!Support our Capital Campaign

CHRIS LUMB, CEO OF TEC EDMONTON

BUSINESS

Page 17: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 17

Nicholas Hordziejko, owner of Simple Water Services, says of the accreditation process, “They defi-antly asked me some challenging questions. It was very hard to be com-pared to similar companies in our field. The challenge was to prove how we were different and better than the competition.”

Contact Property Services own-er Paul Foster was impressed by the level of assistance offered by BBB throughout the application process. “I was quite surprised how eager they were to help me get set up with the BBB. It made for a much smooth-er process than it would have been without their help,” remarks Foster. He points out that BBB helps busi-nesses understand what is required of them for licensing and other documentation.

As part of the accreditation pro-cess, each business must agree to BBB’s eight standards of trust:

1. Build Trust: Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.

2. Advertise Honestly: Adhere to established standards of advertis-ing and selling.

3. Tell the Truth: Honestly repre-sent products and services, including clear and adequate disclosures of all material terms.

4. Be Transparent: Open-ly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the business, and clear-ly disclose all policies, guarantees and procedures that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.

5. Honor Promises: Abide by all written agreements and verbal representations.

6. Be Responsive: Address marketplace disputes quickly, profes-sionally, and in good faith.

7. Safeguard Privacy: Pro-tect any data collected against mishandling and fraud, collect per-sonal information only as needed, and respect the preferences of con-sumers regarding the use of their information.

8. Embody Integrity: Approach all business dealings, marketplace transactions and commitments with integrity.

Accredited members reap bene-fits such as the ability to customize their online BBB review page with photos, videos and detailed company information; Google™ priority place-ment; use of the BBB logo; discounts on products and services provided by other BBB members and more.

Each member helps BBB achieve their vision of an ethical market-place where buyers and sellers can trust each other. Edmonton busi-nesses interested in obtaining BBB accreditation can download appli-cation forms from www.edmonton.bbb.org or call 780-488-6632 for more information. BIE

NEWS FROM THE MONTH OFF THE TOP

Each member helps BBB achieve their vision of

an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers

can trust each other.

www.ritewayfencing.com

Residential / Industrial

Repairs

Free Estimates

Rite-WayFencing Inc.

8625-63rd AvenueEdmonton, Alberta T6E 0E8

[email protected]

780.440.4300 Toll Free:1.800.425.5120

• Chain link fencing• Ornamental Iron fencing

• Wood fencing• Dog runs

• Electric gate systems• Rent-A-Fence

• Agricultural Fencing• Guardrail• Repairs

• Residential / Industrial• Free Estimates

Page 18: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

It’s been said the most stressful job in the world is be-ing a military fighter pilot in the middle of a dog fight.

Valid, but some might suggest that the job of opening and running a restaurant isn’t far behind. Both professions involve a headlong rush into unknown dangers and the possibility of a crash-and-burn ending. So let’s take a mo-ment to acknowledge the dedication of those brave men

and women who put it all on the line to provide us with food and drink in an oft-needed home away from home. And for those who have fallen in the quest, those embat-tled restaurateurs for whom a parachute was nowhere to be found, a special prayer. Lest we forget.

The preceding comparison is neither to understate the dangers of combat nor to overstate the stresses of running

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCECOVER

18 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Century Hospitality Group beats the odds with an exceptional story of teamwork and success.

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCEBY MARK KANDBORG

Page 19: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

a restaurant, but to point out that the latter is an exceptionally challenging undertaking where failure is not only an option, it’s commonplace.

There are success stories in the restaurant business, however, and some of them spectacular. Edmon-

ton’s own Chris Lachance, president of Century Hospitality Group and the main man behind Century Grill, LUX Steakhouse + Bar, Delux Burger Bar, Hundred Bar/Kitchen, Centu-ry Room, Century Catering & Event Planning, the new MKT Fresh Food

Beer Market and The Parlour Ital-ian Kitchen and Bar (opening soon) is without question one of our most impressive.

It is difficult to fathom that a sin-gle entrepreneur can have the energy, focus and passion necessary to create such an extensive and diverse stable of successful restaurants. Difficult, that is, until you meet him. The man is a human dynamo.

I met with Lachance one chilly af-ternoon at MKT, his train station turned culinary pub on steroids just off Whyte Avenue. I started to pull a pad of paper out of my bag and asked him a question. By the time the pad had hit the table, I had some catch-ing up to do. After a minute of madly scribbling away, I realized there was no point. I laid my pen on the table, checked that my back-up audio re-corder was working, then leaned forward and listened. The sheer power of Lachance’s passion for the restaurant business simply can nei-ther be tamed nor contained. Some things you just have to let run free.

What had kicked Lachance’s mind into gear was a question about the notoriously high failure rate among new restaurant owners. “What most people see when they look at this business is just like the tip of that ice-berg. They have no idea what they’re really looking at – what’s under the water – until it’s too late,” he says. He likes to use sports analogies with his team and uses one here. “Can you imagine if the coach just showed up 10 minutes before the game, walked into the dressing room and said: ‘Okay guys, everybody ready? Okay, super.’ He walks out to the bench and starts turning to the fans and wav-ing and shaking hands and out comes the team. Well, after the first period it’s going to be 15-0, and he’ll wonder what the hell happened. Hard work’s done in the coach’s room, assessing the competition and in practice. The same thing goes for this business.”

This is going to be the easiest inter-view of my life.

Lachance first got into the game in 1988 when he took a job right out of high school at a restaurant called

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCECOVER

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 19

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCE

Page 20: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

20 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Trumps, an inauspicious event which marked the begin-ning of what he likes to call his ‘rags to rags story.’ “When Trumps opened up, this is no word of a lie, there was the Whitemud, and there was Trumps, and there was literally nothing else all the way to the airport. It was on the out-skirts of town,” he says. After a couple of months, the man who hired him, Hans Voegeli, who is still a well-regarded fixture of Edmonton’s dining scene, took Lachance aside. “He said ‘you’ve really got a knack for this business.’ And I’m this young, impressionable 18-year-old guy just hav-ing fun. I wanted to be a lawyer but Hans said to me, ‘Law school can always wait. I think you should give this a go.’ I remember joking with him and saying maybe if you can convince my father of that.’ Cause if I was to go home and say, ‘Hey, Dad, guess what? I’m not going to go to universi-ty, I’m going to hang out in the restaurant business…” Two weeks later, Lachance saw his boss and his father having lunch together. His father suggested he take a year to try it out and then make a decision.

The decision, as it turns out, almost made itself. “That was the Oilers’ heyday. I’m a young guy, they’re in there celebrating and I’m drinking champagne out of the Stanley Cup and I’m thinking, this is a great business! I loved every aspect of it.” So Lachance stuck with it, learned as much as he could, and twelve years later when the opportunity came to buy Trumps, he did. That property today is Centu-ry Grill. “I always say don’t get emotionally attached, but if I was ever going to be emotionally attached to a business, it would be Century Grill. I started off there as a waiter, and if you saw me in there on a busy night you’d still think I was a waiter, 20-some-odd years later,” he laughs.

Lachance realizes how fortunate he was to have cre-ated a successful operation on his first attempt. “Seventy percent of the restaurants out there go broke in the first year, and in the second year, 80 per cent of the 30 per cent that are remaining are gone,” he says. “We were fortunate enough to beat the odds.”

So after five years of not failing at his first venture, La-chance did what few would recommend and what almost

nobody would do. He opened another, completely different restaurant. “I looked at what was out there in the market-place and at that time there were steak houses downtown, which were somewhat dated, and steak houses catering to the masses in suburbia. We clearly saw an opportunity to go in and do something similar, but at the same time, very dif-ferent. Our tag was ‘LUX…a rare steak house well done.’”

The intervening years have been an impressive story of growth. For Lachance and Century Hospitality Group, the secret to continued success in this business, indeed in any business, is obvious. “What makes up a great organi-zation is the people in it, the culture that you have and the core values that you need to embrace. You need to live and breathe them,” he says.

Lachance firmly believes that the personalities in his restaurants are a big draw for customers. “We get a lot of resumes, a lot of interest in our company, but we want to hire on personality and attitude vs. skill set. Certainly the look and feel of your establishment has to be represented by your people, but we can’t just put out a bunch of pret-ty faces and expect to be successful with that,” he says. “There are restaurants where you walk in and there’ll be three young girls standing at the front door, but collective-ly they’re having a tough time trying to figure out where they should seat you for dinner.”

It would be very difficult to overstate how important the “people” aspect of his business is for Lachance. “I use WestJet as a prime example of a culture that works. What’s the worst thing you can say about WestJet? Their bad jokes? It’s a great company with a lot of young people in it that look like they’re enjoying their jobs. We’ve got 400 strong in this company, and those are the people that need to be the raving fans, the ambassadors of your brands,” he says. “If you’re out there talking to your customers and it’s not just the standard ‘How is everything here tonight?’ it’s ‘Hey, what brought you down?,’ that kind of thing, you get to know your customer.”

Lachance and Century Hospitality Group have an inter-esting way of looking at the oft-cited problem of attracting

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCECOVER

“We get a lot of resumes, a lot of interest in our company, but we

want to hire on personality and attitude versus skill set. Certainly

the look and feel of your establishment has to be represented by your

people, but we can’t just put out a bunch of pretty faces and expect to be

successful with that.” ~ Chris Lachance, president of Century Hospitality Group

You’re paYing too much corporate tax.

Where do you go from here?

Having an in-depth understanding of your needs and developing a strategic tax plan for your business is essential in minimizing your tax exposure. MNP’s Les Creasy helps you set up the appropriate business structure to assist with all your taxation needs, including the sale of your business, estate planning, income splitting and much more. Working closely with you, he delivers personalized strategies to ensure you pay the least amount of tax possible, while maximizing the returns to your business.

contact Les creasy, ca, tep at 780.453.5386 or [email protected].

Page 21: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

You’re paYing too much corporate tax.

Where do you go from here?

Having an in-depth understanding of your needs and developing a strategic tax plan for your business is essential in minimizing your tax exposure. MNP’s Les Creasy helps you set up the appropriate business structure to assist with all your taxation needs, including the sale of your business, estate planning, income splitting and much more. Working closely with you, he delivers personalized strategies to ensure you pay the least amount of tax possible, while maximizing the returns to your business.

contact Les creasy, ca, tep at 780.453.5386 or [email protected].

Page 22: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

22 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

good employees. “A players attract A players,” he says, and that’s what Lachance believes separates his organization from their competitors. Much, if not most, of Century Hos-pitality’s recruitment comes from within. “It’s not just about posting a position online or putting a help wanted sign on the front window, it’s about great people really wanting to work with other great people and for a great company.”

As for holding on to stel-lar employees once you’ve found them, Lachance be-lieves that how you and they think of their job is key. “There seems to be this perception out there that this industry has always been a great stepping stone to something else. If you’ve ever read a bio on any mu-sician or actor they always say, yeah, I had a job as a waiter, or a bartender. It re-ally irks me when I hear it. The way I look at it, this is a real job. This is a real com-pany, these are real people and this is a dynamic in-dustry. It’s ever changing.”

The dynamic, ever changing nature of the in-dustry is one of the things that keeps Lachance and company revved up, and also a step ahead of the competition. He sees himself more as an entrepreneur and a busi-nessman who happens to be in the hospitality in-dustry versus that of a restaurateur or a chef who happens to be in the busi-ness. He loves to innovate. “If something’s trending out there in the industry, we better be the ones to

know about it, formulate it, figure out how to make it fit in the Edmonton marketplace and be the first ones in,” he says. “Everyone is jumping on the gourmet burger band-wagon these days, however we were there six years ago with our first Delux Burger Bar. When steakhouses were making a comeback, LUX came into the Edmonton mar-ketplace first again. Now beer is back and bigger than ever

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCECOVER

Page 23: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 23

and there was Century Hospitality Group with our take, MKT. We will always look to lead rather than follow.” Which brings us to The Parlour.

The opening of The Parlour this summer may actually be able to change the minds of those who think there’s noth-ing new under the Tuscan sun. “It’s going to be a really sort of cool, Italian kitchen/bar. You know, wine on tap, pizza mozza bar, great courtyards. We want to be different.”

It may be mere coincidence that Lachance roughly means opportunity, but it’s a noteworthy confluence. To find and explore new opportunities seems to be what Chris Lachance is all about. “I’m certainly not one of those guys who’s go-ing to stand up there and wave the pom-poms around, but I love what I do. I love the building process and the grow-

ing process. I mean, there’s nothing more motivating and rewarding for us than taking an empty, raw space and bring-ing it to life with a vibrant, action-packed restaurant full of people, all enjoying Century Hospitality Group’s genuine hospitality. That’s the real inspiring part.”

As I shut off my recorder and we shake hands, Lachance shares one last thought with me. “I hope that you can relay in how you write your story that it’s so much about the people in this organization,” he says. “I don’t want this to be an article about Chris Lachance. I want it to be about the people who drive it. Everything that I’m sitting here talking about, that I’m very passionate about. I want my staff to be able to read your article and go ‘this is not B.S. This is all true.’ Because without them, there is no company and no story to tell.” BIE

THE RESTAURANT GAME OF LACHANCECOVER

It may be mere coincidence that Lachance roughly means opportunity, but

it’s a noteworthy confluence. To find and explore new opportunities seems to

be what Chris Lachance is all about.

Page 24: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

24 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

OIL & GASIT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOR

Page 25: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

It’s nice of the oil and gas industry not to be too conde-scending when it comes to the differences between big

and small. No matter what, it’s bound to be a put-down, unless they use the word “junior.” Junior sounds better. Friendlier, gentler and only a hint of patronizing because dictionaries and Wikipedia say “junior” means “low-ranking, inferior, lesser or underling.” Of course that’s not what Imperial Oil, Husky, Suncor (Canada’s three largest oil and gas companies) and others meant to say. It’s just that, aside from subsidiaries, the Canadian oil and gas industry only has about a half dozen booming (truly Ca-nadian) giants.

The Toronto Stock Exchange/TSX Venture Exchange confirms that Canada is home to 35 per cent of the world’s publicly traded oil and gas production companies. Indus-try facts and figures show that the majority of Canada’s publicly traded oil and gas companies are vital, aggres-sive, resilient, entrepreneur-driven, risk-taking juniors. But suddenly, even in oil-and-gas-rich Alberta, it’s not easy being a vital, aggressive, resilient, entrepreneur-driven, risk-taking junior. At least not as easy as it used to be about seven or eight speed-bumped years ago.

Carmen Goss, President of Prominent Personnel has been staffing Alberta’s oil and gas industry for more than 20 years and works from a database of some 55,000 con-tacts. She relates to the current bumpy ride. “Before 2008, we had a niche market and things were great. And then came the infamous two-year slump from 2008 to 2010. A slump in funding followed. Rig counts and hiring was dras-tically down,” Goss remembered. The going got tough and

Junior oil and gas companies get tough and feisty in uncertain economic times.

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 25

OIL & GASIT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOR

JOHN HARDY

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOR

Page 26: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

26 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

the tough keep going. To-day’s juniors now confront an octopus-like, multi-ten-tacled dilemma.

Soaring costs guessti-mates of the $20 million start-up costs of 10 years ago are now well beyond $100 million, but it’s not only about funding. Juniors must also deal with dismal prices, sagging production volumes, changing trends, weak markets as well as re-luctant investors.

Prices are at 11-year lows and still sinking. Gas production is also drop-ping. Statistics Canada crunched numbers to show that Canadian compa-nies produced 5.9 per cent less natural gas in Janu-ary 2012 than in January 2011. (Crude oil production grew 8.4 per cent during the same period.)

“Last January, when gas prices took a sharp dive, gas juniors became the walking dead. No hope for attracting investors but not yet bankrupt,” said Keith Schaefer, the founder and editor of the Oil and Gas Investments Bulletin and an industry expert with more than 20 years experience raising oil and gas exploration capital. “Unfortunately, many gas juniors are still stuck in that situ-ation.” Others have either vanished or are still running into dead-ends, trying to find buyers for their devalued gas assets while they tread water, hoping and waiting for a natural gas turnaround which (if it happens at all) could take years.

Depressed natural gas prices have forced many well-fi-nanced juniors to shift their strategic business plans and re-invent themselves into oil producers. Even Encana, Canada’s largest gas producer with a $13-billion market cap, has been selling multibillion-dollar assets and focus-ing on liquids, hoping to compensate for the depressed price of North America’s natural gas.

Encouragingly, some are turning industry lemons into lemonade.

They got feisty, experimented with new drilling technol-ogies and tapped so many new oil plays that they actually reversed sluggish and declining conventional oil produc-tion. Many are still growing and keeping debt low to ensure staying power over the longer term.

“The 1,000 or so juniors and intermediates range from small start-ups to publicly traded companies. It’s im-possible to track the private ones because they function so independently, they don’t have to report or send out press releases on what and how they are doing,” said Gary Leach, executive director of the Explorers and Pro-ducers Association of Canada (EPAC). “There are about 100 publicly traded juniors active in the Canadian oil patch. While that number is down about a third in the past five or so years, all things considered, the outlook is still positive.”

Alberta is the largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in Canada. Edmonton is considered the pipeline junction, manufac-turing, chemical processing, research and refining centre of the province.

“The industry is in transition and proving to be very adaptable. They are working with new business models; most have reduced their reliance on natural gas and near-ly half their production is now from oil,” Leach explained. “They are also bigger than they used to be and quicker in adapting to industry changes.”

Juniors, like Guide Exploration, Bonterra, Angle and Vero have made drastic adjustments, sold off natural gas properties and transformed themselves into tight oil pro-

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOROIL & GAS

KEITH SCHAEFER, THE FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF THE OIL AND GAS INVESTMENTS BULLETIN

GARY LEACH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EXPLORERS AND PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA (EPAC)

Depressed natural gas prices have forced many well-financed juniors to shift

their strategic business plans and re-invent themselves into oil producers.

Even Encana, Canada’s largest gas producer with a $13-billion market cap,

has been selling multibillion-dollar assets and focusing on liquids, hoping to

compensate for the depressed price of North America’s natural gas.

Page 27: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Since 2006, CSI Canada Safety has been redefining health, safety, security and environment for the HSSE industry through a passion for innovation and quality. By working

closely with their clients in all aspects of the oil and gas sec-tor, CSI has become key mentors and influencers for safety on drilling and completions, mining exploration, oilsands cor-ing and exploration, construction, service rig operations and camp facilities.

Experience matters! With well over a thousand years of oil and gas experience in its workforce of about 125 highly trained, qualified team members, the company works at all levels to lead real change in the HSSE industry. They provide guidance for workers to eliminate hazards wherever they may exist and to ensure legislative and company standard compliance to avoid potential incidents.

A wide range of services include:Safety Services

• Maintaining safety regulations on the worksite• Regular safety audits and site inspections

• Quality safety meetings, orientations and JSAs• Documentation tracking for regulatory compliance

• Emergency drill development, execution and analysis • Industry incident reviews and thorough investigations

• Camp safety management and inspections• First aid, Enform approved well service BOP, general lifting and customized training courses

• Rig start-up specialists • COR audits

Rentals• Breathing air trailers • Heated safety showers

• Security trailers • AED’s etc.• State-of-the-art air monitoring systems

In addition, CSI truly goes above and beyond by continually analyzing, interpreting and innovating on all levels of HSSE on their worksites. The company has established itself as an indus-try leader by mentoring workers and influencing how people view worksite safety. They will stop any unsafe work practices and closely monitor and review all practices on a worksite to ensure HSSE standards are met, but strive to have standards ex-ceeded to ensure everyone goes home safely.

They bring their expertise directly to their clients. CSI’s team members receive ongoing training to maintain a higher level of service than other companies in the HSSE industry.

They are proud of that. They are continually grow-ing to serve an expanding base of clients. Growth is always done with quality as a foremost consideration, as they work to expand operations in North and South America to the ever-growing need for their services. The aim is to build their staff level to 200 in the future as they further expand. “We’re planning on be-ing worldwide within the next couple years,” says CSI’s HSSE manager Larry Stewart.

CSI recently acquired Tallrig International in late 2012 to help achieve growth targets. As a proven leader that offers com-plementary services to CSI, the acquisition adds a new layer of services to clients. They can now build health and safety man-agement systems by developing safety manuals, orientation manuals, H&S forms, reporting spreadsheets and other docu-ments. They offer industry training courses customized to meet the client’s needs as well as conduct COR safety audits and all related fieldwork. Not only can they design a client’s program, they will place specialists on the sites to manage it.

CSI is wholly owned by its management and consultant team, which reinforces a strong commitment and belief in the viability of the company. As the company grows, ownership will be opened up to a wider range of team members to further demonstrate this commitment to ownership, quality and excellence in its field.

Dean Shaver, who founded CSI with little more than a trailer, a laptop and some business cards in its early days, did so be-cause after suffering his own workplace accident – and by see-ing how disjointed and unorganized the HSSE industry was at that time – he wanted to instill an unprecedented level of dedi-cation, accountability and pride in the company and its people. Today, the team of safety professionals demonstrates this pas-sion in every aspect of what they do.

“CSI is successful because we care,” explains Shaver. “This is not just a job. We want people to go home. We have been there our-selves on the worksite and we know what changes should happen.”

CSI is different than any other HSSE company because all of their staff has been on the worksite, from the CEO to the field worker. They get the calls and have done the job. How do you stop an unsafe act if you don’t have the knowledge about the job? We have the knowledge and experience.

Call toll-free 1-877-919-7473 (or 780-826-7642) • www.csicanadasafety.comCalgary • Bonnyville • Fort St. John

CSI CANADA SAFETYExperience. Passion.

Page 28: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

28 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

ducers. However, Leach cautioned that for original-ly gas-producing juniors, it’s not always a painless transformation. “You can’t turn yourself from a gas producer into a crude oil producer overnight. Prices are very low for gas-weight-ed assets and in many cases there may not be any buyer interest.”

Despite all the gung-ho daring and successes in promising plays in Bak-ken, Montney, Cardium and Shaunavon, Alberta’s re-invented and re-focused juniors wonder if luck and circumstance will ever be on their side. They now confront yet another challenge and this one is completely beyond their control. The volatile and unpre-dictable crisis in Europe is discouraging investors from anything that could be risky or tough to sell in a hurry.

Although no junior is “typical” when it comes to ef-fectively dealing with the gamut of current challenges, Shoreline Energy is a dynamic and interesting case-in-point example. “Fortunately we are flexible with the ability and expertise to adapt,” acknowledged Shoreline president and COO, Kevin Stromquist. “Our timing was right and we are moving from a gas-weighted to a more balanced oil and gas-weighted production profile. We adjusted from being a 10 per cent oil-weighted compa-ny to now being about 30 per cent oil-weighted. By mid 2013 we hope to be 40 per cent oil and the ultimate goal is to be 50-50.”

“Since 2008 most juniors have been moving toward a balanced production portfolio. Growth needs 5,000 to 10,000 BOEPD (barrels of oil equivalent per day) to be market relevant. Most juniors won’t wait that long” is Stromquist’s reality check. “That’s why they are consoli-dating, aiming for a viable boepd to sell to a major or an intermediate looking for growth.”

Alberta juniors also face the frustrating challenge of vi-able markets. “They are being squeezed,” Schaefer said with a passion, pleading the case against same old/same old markets. “Canadian energy is, by far, the cheapest in the world and the only savior for this group is finding al-ternate markets. We need to take the gas to Asia, not the United States!”

“The industry’s most pressing current and short term need is getting our oil volumes to viable markets. While juniors have boosted volumes of oil, ultimately new oil ex-port pipelines are desperately needed,” Stromquist said.

Carmen Goss, who is well-connected to oil and gas mov-ers and shakers in her Prominent Personnel files, echoes the push for new markets. “I hear it a lot, lately. Transpor-tation and new markets are definitely hot topics.”

Juniors must also deal with the often simplistically stereo-

typed financing challenge. Funding, always an impor-tant fact of business life, is particularly vital for Alberta juniors as they do whatev-er it takes to navigate the bumpy ride of today’s (and tomorrow’s) volatile oil and gas speed bumps.

“We are looking at solu-tions that are going to take 5, 10 or 15 years for im-provement on the demand side,” Leach predicted. “So how do you get through the

next quarter or the next year or the next two years?” “We can maximize cash flows, pay a sustainable divi-

dend and grow prudently but ultimately it all comes down to the drill bit,” Stromquist shrugged. “At the end of the day, we must find, produce and market hydrocarbons at a low price. That’s the bottom line.”

Despite gloomy forecasts about sagging prices, demand, production volumes, changing trends, investor jitters, transportation and new markets, Alberta’s oil and gas ju-niors are proving to be a tough, feisty and resilient group. Industry insiders say exploration and production of un-conventional oil and gas will be a boon to Alberta’s juniors and investors with an appetite for risk.

“I see it as a challenge to the entrepreneurial spirit, which Alberta has in abundance,” Kevin Stromquist said with a hint of gutsy pride. “Juniors are very adaptable and they keep proving that it’s possible to flourish, even in tough times. They will figure out the road map to success, as they always have.” BIE

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A JUNIOROIL & GAS

KEVIN STROMQUIST, SHORELINE PRESIDENT & COO

Despite gloomy forecasts about

sagging prices, demand, production

volumes, changing trends, investor

jitters, transportation and new

markets, Alberta’s oil and gas

juniors are proving to be a tough,

feisty and resilient group.

CARMEN GOSS, PRESIDENT OF PROMINENT PERSONNEL

S2 Architecture: Where Diversity Thrives and Design EnduresDefining the Essence of Community for 20 YearsBy Mary Savage

“Some people dream of great accomplishments,while others stay awake and do them.” - Anonymous

If the most successful people in the world were brought together and asked to define success, you would likely hear a different response from each individual in the room, but there would also be an undercurrent of shared philosophies.

And when you look at companies that are successful, it is measured by both the small and large victories – successful companies don’t limit themselves, they are not narrowly defined, nor do they rest on their laurels.

They are passionate and persistent. They listen to their colleagues and clients – fostering an open exchange. They are experts in their chosen field, but they also aspire to be lifelong learners. They collaborate, create and accomplish great things, and when the task at hand is complete, they move on to the next one.

The leaders who embrace this philosophy are a rare breed: they don’t look for accolades. They simply and quietly go about their work, and do it time after time. And in the heart of downtown Calgary, the leaders of S2 Architecture exemplify this mentality.

On a spring afternoon, the six partners of S2 gathered to talk candidly about their business, how they define success, community and their vision to create a legacy firm. They didn’t speak of award-winning buildings that freckle the skyline, nor did their egos collide around the room.

Much like the way they conduct business, it was an open forum where thoughts flowed freely. At the heart of S2, everything starts by listening: to their clients, to the community and to the younger generations found within the firm.

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 1

Page 29: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture: Where Diversity Thrives and Design EnduresDefining the Essence of Community for 20 YearsBy Mary Savage

“Some people dream of great accomplishments,while others stay awake and do them.” - Anonymous

If the most successful people in the world were brought together and asked to define success, you would likely hear a different response from each individual in the room, but there would also be an undercurrent of shared philosophies.

And when you look at companies that are successful, it is measured by both the small and large victories – successful companies don’t limit themselves, they are not narrowly defined, nor do they rest on their laurels.

They are passionate and persistent. They listen to their colleagues and clients – fostering an open exchange. They are experts in their chosen field, but they also aspire to be lifelong learners. They collaborate, create and accomplish great things, and when the task at hand is complete, they move on to the next one.

The leaders who embrace this philosophy are a rare breed: they don’t look for accolades. They simply and quietly go about their work, and do it time after time. And in the heart of downtown Calgary, the leaders of S2 Architecture exemplify this mentality.

On a spring afternoon, the six partners of S2 gathered to talk candidly about their business, how they define success, community and their vision to create a legacy firm. They didn’t speak of award-winning buildings that freckle the skyline, nor did their egos collide around the room.

Much like the way they conduct business, it was an open forum where thoughts flowed freely. At the heart of S2, everything starts by listening: to their clients, to the community and to the younger generations found within the firm.

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 1

Page 30: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 2

The roots of S2 date back to 1993 when Robert Spaetgens went to work for himself. After one year, he moved the office from his basement to Kensington where David Symons and another architect joined the business as partners.

For Spaetgens and Symons, it was the third time they would work together. The first time was in university: they were room-mates while studying architecture, during their master’s year, at the University of Manitoba.

The second time found them working together at another of Calgary’s successful architectural firms where they spent almost a decade. Spaetgens and Symons were ambitious and progressive thinkers, and ready to take their career to the next level.

As fate would play out, Spaetgens and Symons came together for the third time to lead the firm known today as S2.

For almost another decade, Spaetgens and Symons grew the business. They hired more architects, technolo-gists and design specialists, landing larger and more prominent projects.

In 1997, the firm hired James McLaughlin as an intern

architect. McLaughlin had been recruited some time after graduating from McGill University, and after an intricate inter-view process with 12 different firms, he chose S2 because of the firm’s mentality. Spaetgens and Symons subscribed to an open mindset and that proved to be the tipping point for McLaughlin.

Shortly thereafter, Peter Bradshaw joined S2 although he is not an architect. This move reflected the partners’ insight and ability to expand the firm beyond the traditional perimeters, and they welcomed Bradshaw’s hands-on expertise as a valu-able addition. Bradshaw built his career in the construction industry and was drawn to the challenges and opportunities that S2 presented – working as a construction consultant – but he was equally attracted to the firm’s philosophy, thereby making it an easy choice.

And a few months later, Craig Bowd joined S2 and like Bradshaw, Bowd is not an architect either. Bowd is a senior technologist and brought decades of expertise in the field of production and technology. During the late 1990s and as the story of hiring Bowd unfolded, Spaetgens, Symons and Bowd

“ ... even at the highest levels of athletic performance, recreational facilities must be inclusive, creating a meaningful experience for both the participant and spectator enriching the sense of community.”

Foothills Athletic Park Master Plan, Calgary, Alberta

The Evolution of Partnership“I started with stars in my eyes … and starting out,

the less you know the better. If you realized all the pitfalls, you probably wouldn’t do it.”

- David Symons, Architect, Principal

Page 31: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 2

The roots of S2 date back to 1993 when Robert Spaetgens went to work for himself. After one year, he moved the office from his basement to Kensington where David Symons and another architect joined the business as partners.

For Spaetgens and Symons, it was the third time they would work together. The first time was in university: they were room-mates while studying architecture, during their master’s year, at the University of Manitoba.

The second time found them working together at another of Calgary’s successful architectural firms where they spent almost a decade. Spaetgens and Symons were ambitious and progressive thinkers, and ready to take their career to the next level.

As fate would play out, Spaetgens and Symons came together for the third time to lead the firm known today as S2.

For almost another decade, Spaetgens and Symons grew the business. They hired more architects, technolo-gists and design specialists, landing larger and more prominent projects.

In 1997, the firm hired James McLaughlin as an intern

architect. McLaughlin had been recruited some time after graduating from McGill University, and after an intricate inter-view process with 12 different firms, he chose S2 because of the firm’s mentality. Spaetgens and Symons subscribed to an open mindset and that proved to be the tipping point for McLaughlin.

Shortly thereafter, Peter Bradshaw joined S2 although he is not an architect. This move reflected the partners’ insight and ability to expand the firm beyond the traditional perimeters, and they welcomed Bradshaw’s hands-on expertise as a valu-able addition. Bradshaw built his career in the construction industry and was drawn to the challenges and opportunities that S2 presented – working as a construction consultant – but he was equally attracted to the firm’s philosophy, thereby making it an easy choice.

And a few months later, Craig Bowd joined S2 and like Bradshaw, Bowd is not an architect either. Bowd is a senior technologist and brought decades of expertise in the field of production and technology. During the late 1990s and as the story of hiring Bowd unfolded, Spaetgens, Symons and Bowd

“ ... even at the highest levels of athletic performance, recreational facilities must be inclusive, creating a meaningful experience for both the participant and spectator enriching the sense of community.”

Foothills Athletic Park Master Plan, Calgary, Alberta

The Evolution of Partnership“I started with stars in my eyes … and starting out,

the less you know the better. If you realized all the pitfalls, you probably wouldn’t do it.”

- David Symons, Architect, Principal

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 3

had many lengthy conversations. Ultimately, Bowd made the decision to join S2 because of the firm’s leadership style and their approach to business.

As the old expression says, “Great minds think alike…” and as Spaetgens and Symons grew the firm, they hired people who mirrored a similar mentality. They hired people who wanted a ground-floor opportunity: to help build the internal S2 infrastructure, shape the leadership and provide opportunities to the younger generation that was not readily available.

A pinnacle year for S2 was 2006. They moved their office from Kensington to the ninth floor of TransAlta Campus, Tower One, in the beltline district. And today, S2 continues to call the ninth floor home.

The leadership team also expanded that same year with James McLaughlin, Peter Bradshaw and Craig Bowd becoming partners. The move to make both Bradshaw and Bowd partners stressed the importance of disciplines found within architecture, and successful leaders under-stand the importance of hiring outside your immediate

sphere of influence – sometimes it’s necessary in order to find the best people.

Rounding out the year, Linus Murphy joined the firm in 2006, and the following year he became the sixth partner to join S2. When Murphy moved to S2, he brought almost 20 years of experience and was instrumental in develop-ing S2’s extraordinary reputation in the emergency services sector.

As the six partners sat around the table and continued their candid discussion, they recalled the early days of forging a career elsewhere where they did not always have the luxury of mentorship, open communication, progressive thinking and working in a respectful environment. Looking back, this type of environment was rare. And it still is today.

Collectively, the partners have created a firm that fos-ters growth, guidance and longevity because they were without it. They are also building a firm that is multigen-erational – a legacy firm – that will survive long after the partners have retired, and in doing so they have raised the bar – on everything.

“ ... many efficiencies were realized including, a smaller ecological footprint and decreased operating costs. The new facility also meets the growing demand for emergency services in the city’s northeast with the capacity to accommodate future growth.”

Saddle Ridge Multi-Services Centre, Calgary, Alberta

Page 32: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 4

Much like defining success, most peo-ple talk about ‘community’ in a context that is relevant to their lives – unless you work in an industry that contributes to shaping a community.

From the sidewalk, architecture is a profession where all roads lead to creation: an ultra-sleek highrise with glass walls that touches the clouds to a refurbished historical landmark that has brought new life to a withering community.

Structures span the centuries and as towns become cities, each new build-ing provides a glimpse into generations past. The streetscapes and communities are akin to an alluvial fan in the world of prominent designers and architects – or so it would seem.

For S2, the design process begins by listening. Their goal is to extract an inevi-table array of agendas, opinions and

“Our relationships with industry professionals help us understand the trends, the needs and how we support that vision to develop strong communities.” Vicky Couture, Project Lead, Designer

“We ask the right questions at the right time which enables us to guide the client through a very complex process and respond to their needs for accommodation.”Robert Spaetgens, Architect, Principal

Commencing the Conversation

“The single most important skill we have is not drawing; it’s listening critically. The drawings are how we communicate everything we’ve heard.”

- James McLaughlin, Architect, Principal

“ The vision was to create both external and interior spaces for the building that supported the intellectual and social community.”

Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California

Page 33: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 4

Much like defining success, most peo-ple talk about ‘community’ in a context that is relevant to their lives – unless you work in an industry that contributes to shaping a community.

From the sidewalk, architecture is a profession where all roads lead to creation: an ultra-sleek highrise with glass walls that touches the clouds to a refurbished historical landmark that has brought new life to a withering community.

Structures span the centuries and as towns become cities, each new build-ing provides a glimpse into generations past. The streetscapes and communities are akin to an alluvial fan in the world of prominent designers and architects – or so it would seem.

For S2, the design process begins by listening. Their goal is to extract an inevi-table array of agendas, opinions and

“Our relationships with industry professionals help us understand the trends, the needs and how we support that vision to develop strong communities.” Vicky Couture, Project Lead, Designer

“We ask the right questions at the right time which enables us to guide the client through a very complex process and respond to their needs for accommodation.”Robert Spaetgens, Architect, Principal

Commencing the Conversation

“The single most important skill we have is not drawing; it’s listening critically. The drawings are how we communicate everything we’ve heard.”

- James McLaughlin, Architect, Principal

“ The vision was to create both external and interior spaces for the building that supported the intellectual and social community.”

Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 5

interests voiced by the client, and get that information onto the table. As ideas surface, S2 helps convert their goals into principles with an objective to create design that is contextual and meaningful.

It is insightful and responsive to both the physical and cul-tural context of the surrounding environment. It is a reflection of what the client needs, followed by site requirements and environmental considerations. S2 drives the client to achieve design excellence, but more importantly, they know how to navigate the process.

Emergency services, schools, highrise residential towers, recreational centres, health clinics, mixed-use developments – all of these structures help communities evolve. It provides a glimpse into S2’s working arena, but it also illustrates their understanding of a much broader picture.

As professionals who spend a lifetime helping define com-munities, the S2 design teams look at more than just the façade and streetscape. Community is also about the people. It is a ‘state of being.’

Community extends beyond a neighbourhood, building or a group of people: it’s a sense of place and what feels com-fortable. As an example, S2 has designed community service facilities, recreational, educational and emergency services throughout different quadrants of the city and each building has a different vibe depending on the location.

It’s also a sense of place and the people who use that place, how they interact and the relationships that are found within that place. For S2, people are an integral part of the community. They pride themselves on the ability to design and build what’s suitable and appropriate for a particular context and a particular environment.

Their philosophy is to deliver outstanding solutions that leave a lasting, positive mark on users and the community. They strive for design excellence and build structures that ‘work’ – in a meaningful and positive way.

“We understand what the needs are – even before the client understands that they have a need. We design to solve that problem.” James McLaughlin, Architect, Principal

“ … a striking yet elegant design that fits perfectly in the hip new beltline community of downtown Calgary. ”

Nuera, Calgary, Alberta

Page 34: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 6

When you step inside a structure, two worlds meet: the interior and exterior work together seamlessly. They reflect a true meeting of the minds – it is the continuum of design.

Historically, the firm has offered inte-rior design services, but the partners wanted to expand their vision to provide

a fully-integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Interior design dovetails into architecture by providing ‘functional programming.’ The objective is to create an interior space that’s both comfort-able and functional while adhering to the client’s identity and brand. From repurposing or retrofitting an existing

space to working within a new building shell, interior design echoes the same process as architecture.

But the key to providing this multidisci-plinary approach meant hiring the right individual. In keeping with S2’s leader-ship mantra, they had to find someone who not only brought substantial experi-ence to the firm, but who also knew how to build and lead the design team. After a three-year search, the partners’ vision started to take shape when they hired Natasha Jalbert, interior design lead.

Much like the other professionals found within the S2 world, Jalbert set out to build the interior design team with an integrated, collaborative and empowering approach. It’s a method-ology that allows the design team to see past a client’s vision by understand-ing what they need. From the reception area and workspaces to new furniture and fixtures, interior design enables a client to create a more productive environment that reflects not only their brand, but the corporate cultural and corporate identity as well.

For S2, all roads continue to lead back to the craft of listening and in doing so, they complete the life cycle of design – taking S2’s interior design team through the front door where the continuum of design comes to fruition.

The Continuum of Design“As people transition into a building, they have a continuous experience

throughout the space: the outside has to complement the inside.”- Natasha Jalbert, Interior Design Lead

“The exterior design of the building focuses on a new image for Cana-dian Pacific Railway — a modern image which looks to efficiency, streamlined processes and a great future for the railway. We are proud to be a part of the legacy of this 120 year old Canadian company.”

Canadian Pacific New Headquarters, Calgary, Alberta

Page 35: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 6

When you step inside a structure, two worlds meet: the interior and exterior work together seamlessly. They reflect a true meeting of the minds – it is the continuum of design.

Historically, the firm has offered inte-rior design services, but the partners wanted to expand their vision to provide

a fully-integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Interior design dovetails into architecture by providing ‘functional programming.’ The objective is to create an interior space that’s both comfort-able and functional while adhering to the client’s identity and brand. From repurposing or retrofitting an existing

space to working within a new building shell, interior design echoes the same process as architecture.

But the key to providing this multidisci-plinary approach meant hiring the right individual. In keeping with S2’s leader-ship mantra, they had to find someone who not only brought substantial experi-ence to the firm, but who also knew how to build and lead the design team. After a three-year search, the partners’ vision started to take shape when they hired Natasha Jalbert, interior design lead.

Much like the other professionals found within the S2 world, Jalbert set out to build the interior design team with an integrated, collaborative and empowering approach. It’s a method-ology that allows the design team to see past a client’s vision by understand-ing what they need. From the reception area and workspaces to new furniture and fixtures, interior design enables a client to create a more productive environment that reflects not only their brand, but the corporate cultural and corporate identity as well.

For S2, all roads continue to lead back to the craft of listening and in doing so, they complete the life cycle of design – taking S2’s interior design team through the front door where the continuum of design comes to fruition.

The Continuum of Design“As people transition into a building, they have a continuous experience

throughout the space: the outside has to complement the inside.”- Natasha Jalbert, Interior Design Lead

“The exterior design of the building focuses on a new image for Cana-dian Pacific Railway — a modern image which looks to efficiency, streamlined processes and a great future for the railway. We are proud to be a part of the legacy of this 120 year old Canadian company.”

Canadian Pacific New Headquarters, Calgary, Alberta

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 7

The Internal Landscape“We may not have all the answers, but we know where to go to get them

and that’s an important part of what we do.” - Peter Bradshaw, Contract Administration and Construction, Principal

Inside the S2 studio, it’s business as usual on the ninth floor: design teams and clients gather – every meeting room is full. From a highrise tower to a fire hall, the small groups collabo-rate behind floor-to-ceiling glass walls, while an architect, an interior designer and project manager emerge from down the hall. The energy exudes an air of engagement, produc-tivity and transparency.

It is an environment where tradition meets innovation and evolution is often pragmatic. It is a world where opposites thrive and input from everyone is encouraged and expected – from intern architects and junior technologists to partners. No question is deemed insignificant and no inquiry is side-stepped. It is, simply put, what you find every day when you enter the milieu of S2.

“The built environment can help maximize the control seniors have on their surroundings and reduce their sense of displacement and anxiety.”

Rocky View Lodge, Supportive Living, Crossfield, Alberta

“Overall, there is an immense amount of respect at S2: from co-worker to co-worker, from partner to co-worker and partner to partner, and that is not something you see every day. It is a pretty unique environment.” Genevieve Giguere, Senior Team Lead, Intern Architect

“The best decision I made was coming to S2.” Craig Bowd, Production and Technical Services, Principal

“The people at S2 are genuine … and that’s what keeps me here.” Jane Kratochvil, Office Manager

Page 36: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 8

Beyond the main foyer and boardrooms, the hallway opens to a large, open-concept space where several more groups work together: reading plans on a drafting table or gathered around a large computer screen. The office is void of doors, unless you’re sitting in a boardroom. It’s a cohesive environment where different disciplines work side by side: interior designers, architects and technologists.

As they fine-tune the ‘works in progress,’ there is one thing you will never find at S2: a signature style. No two buildings – inside or out – look the same and their self-effacing approach is truly unique. In an indus-try that’s notorious for prima donnas, you won’t find a single S2 employee bragging about anything as being a signature architectural style as spe-cific to S2.

What you will find is a deep-rooted sense of teamwork and respon-siveness. Much like the philosophy expressed among the partners, the same mentality is ever-present among the project teams. Their internal community fosters respect and growth, and everyone has a voice. There is an undeniable ambi-ence that is positive and genuine.

For the people who call S2 home, their voices are poignant as they describe their work world and this men-tality is threaded throughout every relationship, project and meeting.

Project teams work with purpose and passion – commu-nication is open and unassuming. They are progressive and innovative thinkers, yet thoughtful and consistent. They are dedicated and focused. It is an exceptional and unique environment.

To capture the essence of a well-designed community in a singular word is nearly impossible and the same rings true of S2’s internal culture. Their approach to business reflects

Everyone is included in the decision-making process and that’s rare. It’s about allowing everyone to be involved and feeling like they have a part of crafting the future of S2.” Brian Corkum, Architect

“Your co-workers have your back … as an intern architect, I can walk up to anyone with a question and they always take the time to answer it. We have a group of experts at S2 and they are willing to share their knowledge, and that’s not something you always find.” Erin Hampson, Intern Architect

Photo by Light on Paper Photography.

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 9

Thirty years ago, an architect was viewed as a master builder and over time, this role has been redefined and somewhat diminished. One of S2’s mandates is to broaden this role by restoring the original principles of a ‘master builder.’ Archi-tecture involves ‘building science’ as well as artful composition and working with code and construc-tion specialists – it is all encompassing.

The majority of S2 architects and designers are involved with numerous organizations and act not only as advocates to broaden the role of a master builder, but also to help shape urban, business and environmental development. Their voices contribute to land use redesignations as well as design principles, guidelines and polices.

Many of the partners and design teams actively support our communities by fostering goodwill within and for the design industry. Brian Corkum, Architect, sits on the Calgary Subdivision and Development Appeal Board. James McLaughlin, Architect, Prin-cipal, was recently appointed to the Urban Design Review Panel (UDRP) and Robert Labonte, Architect, was appointed to the Edmonton Design Committee (EDC) in December 2012.

S2 is proud to be a founding firm member of the Consulting Architects of Alberta (CAA). The organiza-tion exists today because of firms like S2 who, along with 11 others, helped to spearhead the associa-tion. Currently, Linus Murphy, Architect, Principal, sits on the CAA board of directors. The CAA provides a business voice for Alberta architects where they are represented and supported in their practice to build a positive business environment.

On the Mount Royal University campus, you will find Natasha Jalbert, S2’s Interior Design Lead teaching at the faculty of interior design.

Vicky Couture, Project Lead, is one of only three designers in the city who is also a licensed member of the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). Her involve-ment with CREB keeps her apprised of commercial real estate trends and provides insight into inner-city developments.

Indeed, S2 is a strong advocate in shaping urban renewal, developing communities and restoring the guiding principles of a master builder.

an array of core beliefs that – collectively – are much larger than ‘great design.’

And when S2 holds their AGM, it’s akin to an open forum – there are no hidden agendas. The details of the business are an open book – from finances to future plans – no ques-tion goes unanswered. And when the partners are asked about the future, they talk about building a legacy firm and all that it entails.

Page 37: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 8

Beyond the main foyer and boardrooms, the hallway opens to a large, open-concept space where several more groups work together: reading plans on a drafting table or gathered around a large computer screen. The office is void of doors, unless you’re sitting in a boardroom. It’s a cohesive environment where different disciplines work side by side: interior designers, architects and technologists.

As they fine-tune the ‘works in progress,’ there is one thing you will never find at S2: a signature style. No two buildings – inside or out – look the same and their self-effacing approach is truly unique. In an indus-try that’s notorious for prima donnas, you won’t find a single S2 employee bragging about anything as being a signature architectural style as spe-cific to S2.

What you will find is a deep-rooted sense of teamwork and respon-siveness. Much like the philosophy expressed among the partners, the same mentality is ever-present among the project teams. Their internal community fosters respect and growth, and everyone has a voice. There is an undeniable ambi-ence that is positive and genuine.

For the people who call S2 home, their voices are poignant as they describe their work world and this men-tality is threaded throughout every relationship, project and meeting.

Project teams work with purpose and passion – commu-nication is open and unassuming. They are progressive and innovative thinkers, yet thoughtful and consistent. They are dedicated and focused. It is an exceptional and unique environment.

To capture the essence of a well-designed community in a singular word is nearly impossible and the same rings true of S2’s internal culture. Their approach to business reflects

Everyone is included in the decision-making process and that’s rare. It’s about allowing everyone to be involved and feeling like they have a part of crafting the future of S2.” Brian Corkum, Architect

“Your co-workers have your back … as an intern architect, I can walk up to anyone with a question and they always take the time to answer it. We have a group of experts at S2 and they are willing to share their knowledge, and that’s not something you always find.” Erin Hampson, Intern Architect

Photo by Light on Paper Photography.

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 9

Thirty years ago, an architect was viewed as a master builder and over time, this role has been redefined and somewhat diminished. One of S2’s mandates is to broaden this role by restoring the original principles of a ‘master builder.’ Archi-tecture involves ‘building science’ as well as artful composition and working with code and construc-tion specialists – it is all encompassing.

The majority of S2 architects and designers are involved with numerous organizations and act not only as advocates to broaden the role of a master builder, but also to help shape urban, business and environmental development. Their voices contribute to land use redesignations as well as design principles, guidelines and polices.

Many of the partners and design teams actively support our communities by fostering goodwill within and for the design industry. Brian Corkum, Architect, sits on the Calgary Subdivision and Development Appeal Board. James McLaughlin, Architect, Prin-cipal, was recently appointed to the Urban Design Review Panel (UDRP) and Robert Labonte, Architect, was appointed to the Edmonton Design Committee (EDC) in December 2012.

S2 is proud to be a founding firm member of the Consulting Architects of Alberta (CAA). The organiza-tion exists today because of firms like S2 who, along with 11 others, helped to spearhead the associa-tion. Currently, Linus Murphy, Architect, Principal, sits on the CAA board of directors. The CAA provides a business voice for Alberta architects where they are represented and supported in their practice to build a positive business environment.

On the Mount Royal University campus, you will find Natasha Jalbert, S2’s Interior Design Lead teaching at the faculty of interior design.

Vicky Couture, Project Lead, is one of only three designers in the city who is also a licensed member of the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). Her involve-ment with CREB keeps her apprised of commercial real estate trends and provides insight into inner-city developments.

Indeed, S2 is a strong advocate in shaping urban renewal, developing communities and restoring the guiding principles of a master builder.

an array of core beliefs that – collectively – are much larger than ‘great design.’

And when S2 holds their AGM, it’s akin to an open forum – there are no hidden agendas. The details of the business are an open book – from finances to future plans – no ques-tion goes unanswered. And when the partners are asked about the future, they talk about building a legacy firm and all that it entails.

Page 38: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 10

is…

“Ambitious, pragmatic,

vibrant.” Jason Dolha,

Sr. Architectural Technologist

“Motivated, friendly, productive.”

Cynthia Toyota, Architect

“Fun and energetic.” Shannon Thomson, Senior Marketing

and Graphics Coordinator

“Meaningful, creative, communicative.”

Jason Curtis, Project Leader

“Motivated, adaptable, intelligent.”

Michael Evans, Senior Technologist

“Adaptive, supportive, successful.”Megan Chwiecko,

Interior Designer

Our people are talented, inspired individuals who bring energy and passion to our culture along with a collaborative spirit to our work. S2 aspires to cultivating a fun and creative work environment that encourages creativity, innovation and teamwork.

Page 39: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 11

“Steady, spirited, committed.”

Donald O’Dwyer, Intern Architect

“Young, open and aware.”

Christine Perry, Senior Interior Designer

“Meaningful, creative, communicative.”

Jason Curtis, Project Leader

“Intelligent, social and enduring.”

Candice Scott, Jr. Architectural

Designer

“Relaxed, professional, respectful.” William Woodcock,

Architectural Technologist, Interior Design

The team at S2 Architecture in Calgary. Photo by Light on Paper Photography.

Page 40: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 12

Two years ago, the S2 partners drafted a list of long-term goals – among them was a desire to create a firm that lived on for many generations.

Through research, the partners came to learn that creating a legacy firm was defined by certain characteristics: it is a sustainable entity that thrives for generations; it’s built on strong relation-ships where everyone is equal; it means being in different markets and continu-ing to grow; and the partners realized they had already engaged many of these traits.

In 20 years, S2 has completed sev-eral projects in Edmonton and over time, their presence has gradually been infused in the northern region. They have forged relations with government, developers and clients – encouraging a

more permanent presence within the city of Edmonton.

Last year, S2 decided to open an office in the Edmonton market and it was a natural progression in the evolu-tion of the firm. But in order to achieve their goal and in keeping with the lead-ership philosophy, they had to find the right people.

By August 2012, S2 had secured office space on the 20th floor of the Scotia Place tower in the heart of Edmonton’s downtown on Jasper Avenue. With Mur-phy leading the way, they hired Robert Labonte, Architect. Labonte, schooled at UofA, Dalhousie, McGill, and Harvard, was originally from Edmonton and after spending two decades in the Toronto market, he returned to his roots.

Next they hired Brent Conner, a senior

technologist with a diverse portfolio of work in Western Canada spanning over 20 years, and Erin Hampson, an intern architect, fresh out of the mas-ter’s program at Ryerson University. The

“We have built a core group of senior people … it’s hard to find good talent, but we are off to a great start.” Robert Labonte, Architect

Living the Legacy: The Edmonton Studio“As architects, we need to instil a certain amount of confidence with the promise that we will get

you to where you need to go.” Linus Murphy, Architect, Principal

The team at S2 Architecture in Edmonton. Photo by EPIC Photography.

Page 41: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 12

Two years ago, the S2 partners drafted a list of long-term goals – among them was a desire to create a firm that lived on for many generations.

Through research, the partners came to learn that creating a legacy firm was defined by certain characteristics: it is a sustainable entity that thrives for generations; it’s built on strong relation-ships where everyone is equal; it means being in different markets and continu-ing to grow; and the partners realized they had already engaged many of these traits.

In 20 years, S2 has completed sev-eral projects in Edmonton and over time, their presence has gradually been infused in the northern region. They have forged relations with government, developers and clients – encouraging a

more permanent presence within the city of Edmonton.

Last year, S2 decided to open an office in the Edmonton market and it was a natural progression in the evolu-tion of the firm. But in order to achieve their goal and in keeping with the lead-ership philosophy, they had to find the right people.

By August 2012, S2 had secured office space on the 20th floor of the Scotia Place tower in the heart of Edmonton’s downtown on Jasper Avenue. With Mur-phy leading the way, they hired Robert Labonte, Architect. Labonte, schooled at UofA, Dalhousie, McGill, and Harvard, was originally from Edmonton and after spending two decades in the Toronto market, he returned to his roots.

Next they hired Brent Conner, a senior

technologist with a diverse portfolio of work in Western Canada spanning over 20 years, and Erin Hampson, an intern architect, fresh out of the mas-ter’s program at Ryerson University. The

“We have built a core group of senior people … it’s hard to find good talent, but we are off to a great start.” Robert Labonte, Architect

Living the Legacy: The Edmonton Studio“As architects, we need to instil a certain amount of confidence with the promise that we will get

you to where you need to go.” Linus Murphy, Architect, Principal

The team at S2 Architecture in Edmonton. Photo by EPIC Photography.

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 13

Congratulations to S2 Architecture!

ACO Systems, Ltd.Tel: (877) [email protected]

We salute you, S2 Architecture, for 20 years of great design. Halsall is proud of the inspired work we have done together.

TM

To find out how Halsall can engineer solutions to meet your needs, please contact: John Ford: 403.255.7946

Structural Engineering n Green Planning and Design Building Envelope Consulting n Restoration n Property Condition Assessments

Tandus Flooring congratulates S2 Architecture on 20 successful years!

tandus.com

Page 42: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 14

Edmonton office then welcomed Charles Gushaty, a senior contract administrator and building science specialist with over 29 years of experience working in the Edmonton market, and most recently, Jane Lam, a senior technologist with 25 years of experience throughout Alberta, Eastern Canada and Asia.

In December 2012, Labonte was appointed – by unanimous vote – to the Edmonton Design Committee (EDC). The EDC is an organization that is integral to formulating urban design principles, guidelines and polices, and as Edmonton contin-ues to rejuvenate and transform the cityscape, S2 is poised to be a part of the process.

Currently, S2 is involved with several projects in Edmonton and the surrounding area. Several EMS stations, a mixed-

use development, a new fire station, civic offices, public works and operations buildings and a 911 call centre are all underway.

For any design, there is a great moment at its inception when it feels like a clean slate. It is a world of possibilities that contribute to ideas taking shape. It is a world of optimism, reju-venation and significance. But it is also the evolution of many conversations, exploring options and listening to the clients – and this is something S2 does extremely well. As Edmonton undergoes a major transformation, S2 is ready to engage the conversation.

Inside S2’s current Edmonton location, the team is preparing to move to their permanent home located at the north end of 124 Avenue. The team wanted to be situated on the edge of ‘revitalization’ and after a bit of searching, they found an ideal location and space.

Renovations are currently underway for their new home – 4,400 square feet on the second floor of an owner/operator building. And in keeping with the Calgary studio, they are cre-ating an open and collaborative environment that reflects the philosophy and expression of the firm.

“S2 creates opportunities for participation, engagement and ownership in the daily activities of architectural design.” Jane Lam, Senior Technologist

Photo by EPIC Photography.

“There are many great opportunities in Edmonton. The political establishment is focused on moving things forward: they are encouraging development, which encourages investment. Over the next decade, there is going to be an amazing amount of redevelopment and S2 is going to be a part of it … and that’s very exciting.” Robert Labonte, Architect

Page 43: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 14

Edmonton office then welcomed Charles Gushaty, a senior contract administrator and building science specialist with over 29 years of experience working in the Edmonton market, and most recently, Jane Lam, a senior technologist with 25 years of experience throughout Alberta, Eastern Canada and Asia.

In December 2012, Labonte was appointed – by unanimous vote – to the Edmonton Design Committee (EDC). The EDC is an organization that is integral to formulating urban design principles, guidelines and polices, and as Edmonton contin-ues to rejuvenate and transform the cityscape, S2 is poised to be a part of the process.

Currently, S2 is involved with several projects in Edmonton and the surrounding area. Several EMS stations, a mixed-

use development, a new fire station, civic offices, public works and operations buildings and a 911 call centre are all underway.

For any design, there is a great moment at its inception when it feels like a clean slate. It is a world of possibilities that contribute to ideas taking shape. It is a world of optimism, reju-venation and significance. But it is also the evolution of many conversations, exploring options and listening to the clients – and this is something S2 does extremely well. As Edmonton undergoes a major transformation, S2 is ready to engage the conversation.

Inside S2’s current Edmonton location, the team is preparing to move to their permanent home located at the north end of 124 Avenue. The team wanted to be situated on the edge of ‘revitalization’ and after a bit of searching, they found an ideal location and space.

Renovations are currently underway for their new home – 4,400 square feet on the second floor of an owner/operator building. And in keeping with the Calgary studio, they are cre-ating an open and collaborative environment that reflects the philosophy and expression of the firm.

“S2 creates opportunities for participation, engagement and ownership in the daily activities of architectural design.” Jane Lam, Senior Technologist

Photo by EPIC Photography.

“There are many great opportunities in Edmonton. The political establishment is focused on moving things forward: they are encouraging development, which encourages investment. Over the next decade, there is going to be an amazing amount of redevelopment and S2 is going to be a part of it … and that’s very exciting.” Robert Labonte, Architect

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 15

KRAWFORDCONSTRUCTION

Specializing in:•NewBuildings•BuildingRenovations•CommercialConstruction• IndustrialConstruction

8055ArgyllRoadNWEdmonton,ABT6C4A9Tel:780-436-4381Fax:780-437-2766

Bay2,11166-42StreetSECalgary,ABT2C0J9Tel:403-203-2651Fax:403-203-2657

Visitusat:krawford.com

Construction Managers General ContractorsDesign Builders

Congratulations to S2 Architecture on 20 years in Calgary, and your expansion into Edmonton!

Suite 206 | 610-70 Ave S.E.Calgary, AB T2H 2J | Ph: 403.509.20056

9604-41 Ave N.W.Edmonton, AB T6E 6G9 | Ph: 780.436.6827 www.mppeng.ca

We wish S2 Architecture many years of

continued success. It’s a pleasure working

with the S2 team!

AMES CONGRATULATES

S2 ARCHITECTS ON

20 GREAT YEARS!AND THE STUDIO GRAND OPENING IN SPRING 2013

17203 - 102nd Avenue(780) 483-8002

www.amestile.com

KBK Cost Consulting Inc.126, 315 – 5155 130th Ave SE, Calgary AB T2Z 0N3

(403) 217-6035 | [email protected]

Congratulations, S2 Architecture, on 20 years in Calgary, and your expansion into Edmonton!

Karl B. Kristiansen15+ Years of Cost Consulting Services

Professional Liability Insurance for Architects and Engineers

XL Group’s Contract eGuide Learning Management System

CE Credits • 10% Premium Credit

Phone: 800 837 8521

XL Group is the global brand used by XL Group plc’s insurance subsidiaries. Coverages are underwritten by XL Insurance Company Limited—Canadian Branch, an XL Group plc insurance company. Coverages not available in all jurisdictions.

xldp.com/learnmore

Quadrant-XL_3.125x2.315 ad.indd 1 12/26/2012 10:26:40 AM

www.choicecontractingltd.ca403-248-1319

Congratulations to S2 Architecture on their success in Calgary, and best of luck with their expansion into Edmonton!

Page 44: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

S2 Architecture | 20 Years | 16

As the discussion with the six partners drew to a close, they looked at one another with an undercurrent of excitement in their eyes. It’s the kind of energy that flows freely when you know you’re moving as a united front. They are steadfast, but also keenly aware that growth brings a certain element of unpredictability. Although the conversation brought varying opinions to the table, unequivocally, they all share the same vision: to create a legacy firm.

Easy to say, but tough to accomplish and part of what drives this leadership team forward is found looking in the rear-view mirror. When the partners embarked on their careers, the notion of succession planning was not part of the landscape. As wide-eyed junior architects, their voices were rarely heard and it took years of ‘proving yourself’ before a hint of respect seemed attainable. But this particu-lar group thought differently and two decades later, they have built a different firm.

In 20 years, adapting to ‘change’ is part of business – it is necessary for growth. But as the partners observed, a hand-ful of things have remained the same: their internal culture, respect for people and their ability to contribute. For S2, these traits will never change and the consistency of their internal community propels them forward: through the change and through the growth.

When the partners were asked about defining success, they did not lean back, throw their arms to the sky and speak of ‘great design.’ In fact, they questioned if they should ever truly define ‘success.’ For S2, success it is not measured by awards. It is measured by how they do their jobs – every day. And when they have finished a project, they simply and qui-etly move onto the next one.

As S2 acknowledges their 20th anniversary, they pause from the workday to articulate a moment of gratitude. ‘Thank you’ to the business communities and their industry partners that have been instrumental in helping S2 achieve this milestone.

The last question of the afternoon brought the conversa-tion back to the future, and true to form, the six partners came together as one voice. They spoke of design excel-lence that pushes forward with open minds and watchful eyes. They spoke of inspiration and innovation that con-tinually adapts in an ever-changing environment, and they spoke of a singular goal: to create architecture that is practical, sustainable and thoughtful – simply put, to create beautiful buildings that work.

The Guiding Principles “Now, more than ever, it is essential that design and planning are geared towards future needs

and not simply providing sufficient solutions for current ones.” - Robert Spaetgens, Architect, Principal

“The ability for people to follow their dreams generates success and we are following a dream to create a legacy firm. It’s a firm that grows beyond us to the betterment of everybody that’s with us.” Peter Bradshaw, Contract Administration and Construction, Principal

“Our drive for success hasn’t changed in 20 years and I’m not quite sure we’ll know when we’ve reached it. Maybe we’ll never really know and maybe that’s what drives us forward … but we strive to keep our baseline of corporate culture and that is founded in respect for people’s opinions.” David Symons, Architect, Principal

“It’s not about defining success; it’s our job. It’s our baseline performance. Our minimum expectations are to keep our clients happy … and once we achieve that goal, then we start to measure real success.”Craig Bowd, Production and Technical Services, Principal

www.s2architecture.com

Page 45: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | March 2013 1

BOMA BEST PROGRAM A PRIORITY

FOR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT IN YEAR ONE When Benjamin Shinewald joined

BOMA Canada in early 2012 as the association’s new pres-ident and chief executive officer, he took no time in lay-ing the groundwork for the continued success of the Asso-ciation’s marquee program, the Building Environmental Stan-dards (BOMA BESt) program.

BOMA BESt was launched in 2005 by BOMA Canada to address the industry’s needs for realistic standards for energy and environmental per-formance of existing buildings based on accurate, indepen-dently verified information.

Armed with the continued support of the volunteer board and eleven local BOMA chapters, the as-sociation’s CEO plans to maximize the value of the program and to expand.

The hiring of Hazel Sutton, manag-er of environmental standards, prior to Benjamin’s arrival was followed by a lengthy recruitment process for the director of environment and ener-gy, John Smiciklas. Together, the new BOMA BESt team will grow BOMA Canada’s leading energy and environ-mental certification program.

The annual BOMA BESt Ener-gy & Environmental Report (BBEER) highlights issues of importance to the commercial real estate industry and is a leading resource for best practices in efficient and effective building man-agement and operation. Featured in the report are BOMA BESt certified build-

ings from across the country along with performance benchmarks on the state

of the commercial real estate industry across the six key areas of environmental per-formance and management. BOMA Canada is currently consulting with stakeholders in preparation for the next BBEER, which will be pre-senting 2012 building data.

A tenant engagement tool-kit is being developed with the help of numerous stakehold-ers to provide building owners and managers across Canada with the resources needed to reach out to building tenants and visitors and engage them

in environmental efforts. In addition to assessment surveys for

several asset types such as office and light industrial buildings, retail plazas, and shopping centres, and a new assess-ment survey for multi-unit residential buildings, BOMA Canada is getting close to rolling out a health care module.

To further support the program, BOMA Canada most recently launched its BOMA BESt Strategic and BOMA BESt Technical Committees and looks forward to the guidance and technical support these two national committees will provide.

The newly launched National Ad-visory Council, an exclusive network of senior commercial real estate lead-ers providing the officers and board of BOMA Canada with strategic perspec-tives on the state and trends of the real

Citywide: 8.3%

Central Business District: 6.9%

Financial Vacancy: 6.9%AA 9.0%A 5.3%B 5.7%C 6.8%

Government Vacancy: 6.9%A 8.9%B 6.3%C 3.1%

Vacancy: 10.7%A 9.2%B 11.0%C 15.6%

Absorption 2012 Q4Citywide: 400,976 sfDowntown: 262,200 sfSuburban: 138,776 sf

E D M O N T O N O F F I C E V A C A N C Y

2012 - Q4

Page 46: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

estate industry, will also serve as an invaluable resource for the program.

BOMA Canada’s annual conference and exhibition, BO-MEX®, will be held October 1 – 3, 2013 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and will offer strategies and solutions of interest to those pur-suing building excellence. The National Awards Gala, held during the same time, will recognize outstanding buildings from across the country. BOMA BESt is now a mandatory en-try requirement for the Gala awards.

With over 1,537 currently certified buildings as of Decem-ber 31, 2012, BOMA BESt has more energy and environmental third-party verified data for existing buildings than any oth-er program in North America. BOMA BESt continues to help many building owners and managers realize greater energy and water efficiencies for their buildings, improve the sustain-ability of Canada’s built environment, and improve the quality of life for building occupants – a priority shared by countless stakeholders across Canada.

About BOMA Canada:Established in 1944, BOMA Canada is a dynamic federation comprised of over 3,200 members in the industry represent-ing over 2.1 billion square feet in office space in Canada. As a Federation, BOMA Canada has 11 local associations1 located in 9 provinces across Canada, two of which are based in Alberta and Ontario. BOMA facilitates national initiatives and the ex-change of ideas that support its member associations in the promotion of education, advocacy, recognition of excellence and networking. For more info visit www.bomacanada.ca

Welcome to Currents of Windermere, conve-niently located in southwest Edmonton just off

Anthony Henday and Terwillegar Drive. Currents of Winder-mere is Edmonton’s premium new shopping destination and a lifestyle centre that features quality retailers, convenient services, exciting entertainment and dining experiences.

Built around a central common, Currents will offer more than 1.4 million square feet of retail and office space spread along easy-to-navigate streets and boulevards. The design fea-tures a pedestrian friendly environment where shoppers are able to freely explore the natural beauty and great shopping that Currents has to offer.

Popular retailers such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Safeway, Canadian Tire and London Drugs are here and we are proud to be home to many Alberta “first” retailers such as the only Cabela’s Outdoor Outfitters, the first and only VIP Cinemas (operated by Cineplex), and Western Canada’s largest liquor store, Wine and Beyond. If you are ready for a meal, there’s plenty of dining available with everything from Swiss Cha-let to Montana’s to Chili’s to casual fare from Quizno’s, Opa! and Edo Japan. Services including Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Alberta Treasury Branch, TD Canada Trust, QNails and Beaner’s Fun Cuts for Kids are open for business.

In April, Cineplex Odeon Windermere and VIP Cinemas opened its doors, the first of this concept in Alberta. With 11 screens, the 49,000 square foot state-of-the-art theatre features seven traditional auditoriums, one UltraAVX™ auditorium and three VIP Cinema auditoriums. The luxurious VIP cinematic experience is available to movie-goers 18+ and offers reserved seating in large leather seats with expanded legroom and moveable tray tables. The Ultra AVX theatre is the next level of cinema with a giant wall-to-wall screen, crystal clear digital projection, an immersive sound system and large rocker chairs. Cineplex Odeon Windermere and VIP Cinemas also have a di-verse selection of food offerings for guests to enjoy. The theatre is the first in Edmonton to offer Poptopia, a premium brand of popcorn created by Cineplex and sold in a variety of unique flavours such as cookies and cream, all dressed and more. Burg-

Western Canada’s leadingjanitorial and maintenance service provider

www.SerVantage.ca

We’re doing it right...Everyday

SerVantage Services Group

(toll free) [email protected]

CURRENTS OF WINDERMERE:

BRINGING A LITTLE CITY TO THE SUBURBS

1The eleven members of BOMA Canada are BOMA British Columbia, BOMA Calgary, BOMA Edmonton, BOMA Regina, BOMA Manitoba, BOMA Toronto, BOMA Ottawa, BOMA Québec, BOMA Nova Scotia, BOMA New Brunswick (which provides some services in Prince Edward Island) and BOMA Newfoundland and Labrador.

2 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

Page 47: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

estate industry, will also serve as an invaluable resource for the program.

BOMA Canada’s annual conference and exhibition, BO-MEX®, will be held October 1 – 3, 2013 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and will offer strategies and solutions of interest to those pur-suing building excellence. The National Awards Gala, held during the same time, will recognize outstanding buildings from across the country. BOMA BESt is now a mandatory en-try requirement for the Gala awards.

With over 1,537 currently certified buildings as of Decem-ber 31, 2012, BOMA BESt has more energy and environmental third-party verified data for existing buildings than any oth-er program in North America. BOMA BESt continues to help many building owners and managers realize greater energy and water efficiencies for their buildings, improve the sustain-ability of Canada’s built environment, and improve the quality of life for building occupants – a priority shared by countless stakeholders across Canada.

About BOMA Canada:Established in 1944, BOMA Canada is a dynamic federation comprised of over 3,200 members in the industry represent-ing over 2.1 billion square feet in office space in Canada. As a Federation, BOMA Canada has 11 local associations1 located in 9 provinces across Canada, two of which are based in Alberta and Ontario. BOMA facilitates national initiatives and the ex-change of ideas that support its member associations in the promotion of education, advocacy, recognition of excellence and networking. For more info visit www.bomacanada.ca

Welcome to Currents of Windermere, conve-niently located in southwest Edmonton just off

Anthony Henday and Terwillegar Drive. Currents of Winder-mere is Edmonton’s premium new shopping destination and a lifestyle centre that features quality retailers, convenient services, exciting entertainment and dining experiences.

Built around a central common, Currents will offer more than 1.4 million square feet of retail and office space spread along easy-to-navigate streets and boulevards. The design fea-tures a pedestrian friendly environment where shoppers are able to freely explore the natural beauty and great shopping that Currents has to offer.

Popular retailers such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Safeway, Canadian Tire and London Drugs are here and we are proud to be home to many Alberta “first” retailers such as the only Cabela’s Outdoor Outfitters, the first and only VIP Cinemas (operated by Cineplex), and Western Canada’s largest liquor store, Wine and Beyond. If you are ready for a meal, there’s plenty of dining available with everything from Swiss Cha-let to Montana’s to Chili’s to casual fare from Quizno’s, Opa! and Edo Japan. Services including Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Alberta Treasury Branch, TD Canada Trust, QNails and Beaner’s Fun Cuts for Kids are open for business.

In April, Cineplex Odeon Windermere and VIP Cinemas opened its doors, the first of this concept in Alberta. With 11 screens, the 49,000 square foot state-of-the-art theatre features seven traditional auditoriums, one UltraAVX™ auditorium and three VIP Cinema auditoriums. The luxurious VIP cinematic experience is available to movie-goers 18+ and offers reserved seating in large leather seats with expanded legroom and moveable tray tables. The Ultra AVX theatre is the next level of cinema with a giant wall-to-wall screen, crystal clear digital projection, an immersive sound system and large rocker chairs. Cineplex Odeon Windermere and VIP Cinemas also have a di-verse selection of food offerings for guests to enjoy. The theatre is the first in Edmonton to offer Poptopia, a premium brand of popcorn created by Cineplex and sold in a variety of unique flavours such as cookies and cream, all dressed and more. Burg-

Western Canada’s leadingjanitorial and maintenance service provider

www.SerVantage.ca

We’re doing it right...Everyday

SerVantage Services Group

(toll free) [email protected]

CURRENTS OF WINDERMERE:

BRINGING A LITTLE CITY TO THE SUBURBS

1The eleven members of BOMA Canada are BOMA British Columbia, BOMA Calgary, BOMA Edmonton, BOMA Regina, BOMA Manitoba, BOMA Toronto, BOMA Ottawa, BOMA Québec, BOMA Nova Scotia, BOMA New Brunswick (which provides some services in Prince Edward Island) and BOMA Newfoundland and Labrador.

2 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | March 2013 3

ers, hot dogs, pizza and frozen yogurt are also available. The licensed lounge for guests 18 years of age and older features an expanded menu that includes delectable fare such as cala-mari, chicken wings and wraps.

For lovers of wine and specialty spirits, a visit to Wine and Beyond is a must. The store is Western Canada’s larg-est liquor store in terms of product selection and size with approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space. Wine and Beyond carries over 6,000 wines, 2,500 spirits, and 1,800 beers from over 44 countries. Other store highlights include tasting bars, wine education classrooms, and in-store experts. Wine and Beyond complements the existing convenience-fo-cused Liquor Depot, which opened at Currents in 2011.

As construction continues throughout 2013, we anticipate summer openings of Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt, Jugo Juice, Chatter’s Salon and Urban Radiance Medical Aesthetics Spa, to name a few.

The Currents Medical Wellness Centre will be a 60,000 square foot facility and home to Medical Imaging Consul-tants (MIC) as well as a full offering of medical services that will serve southwest Edmonton. It is expected to open in the fall of 2014.

WE HAVE A STRONG NATIONAL PRESENCE TO HELP SERVE THE

DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR TENANTS

Fully integratedtenant solutions

www.dundeerealty.com780.423.4800

To view our portfolio of properties, visit:

Or contact us at:

Northwest Territories British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan

Ontario Quebéc New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia

WINE AND BEYOND, CURRENTS OF WINDERMERE

MONTANA’S, CURRENTS OF WINDERMERE

Page 48: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

4 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

The final development phase at Currents involves the con-struction of an Urban Village, which will feature fashion retailers and a unique mix of service oriented tenants along-side entertainment and food services. The heart of the Village will be Towne Square, a community gathering place and a cen-tre of activity for things to do in southwest Edmonton, with programmed community and entertainment events through-out the year.

By combining aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian friendly ur-ban village architecture with attractive retailers and services, Currents of Windermere embodies the next step in the evolu-tion of open-air shopping centres – selection with personality and convenience.

For more information, visit Currents of Windermere at www.shopcurrents.ca or contact Harvard Developments Inc. at (780)413-7060.

INNERSPACES BUSINESS FURNISHINGS INC.

BY LANE JOHNSON

Innerspaces Business Furnishings Inc. represents design driven industry leaders in Commercial Business Interiors.

We have been committed to filling spaces in the Edmon-ton marketplace for over 20 years. Projects are made easy while we take care of all the details from the simplest space of 80 square feet to Edmonton’s top architectural buildings in design. We invite you to find out why we are the choice of Edmonton’s most trusted design firms, facility managers, leasing agents, purchasers and the citizens of Alberta.

We are comprised of an in-house team which includes a full service Architectural Wall Division made up of sales, designers, project management, and office administration. Some of the areas in which this team operates include ar-chitectural products, full-height moveable wall systems and space planning.

Innerspaces is the DIRTT Modular Interior distribu-tion partner in Edmonton, servicing central and northern Alberta. Working closely with DIRTT, we are able to cre-ate customizable, sustainable architectural interiors. Using state-of-the-art ICE® software, a Java-based 3D application, we design solutions not only for movable walls, but also for millwork and plug n’ play power and data. All aspects of de-sign are fully customizable, allowing our clients virtually unlimited freedom.

The key to DIRTT’s flexibility is technology. Using ICE® and ICEvision® intuitive software, our designers can design a project from scratch or integrate an existing AUTOCAD drawing into ICE®, minimizing the potential for errors. We use this software for many purposes including but not lim-ited to creating interactive environments in real time using clear, graphic communication to design, envision, specify,

Harvard Developments Inc. provides a full range of real estate services which focus on creating value assets. Dealing in com-mercial, office, retail, industrial and investment markets, nationally and internationally, the company has an exceptional record of performance in leasing, property management, development and the acquisition and divestiture of properties. Harvard De-velopments Inc. is a Hill Company, celebrating 110 years of breaking new ground.

DIRTT SHOWROOM AT NEOCON 2012

Page 49: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

4 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

The final development phase at Currents involves the con-struction of an Urban Village, which will feature fashion retailers and a unique mix of service oriented tenants along-side entertainment and food services. The heart of the Village will be Towne Square, a community gathering place and a cen-tre of activity for things to do in southwest Edmonton, with programmed community and entertainment events through-out the year.

By combining aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian friendly ur-ban village architecture with attractive retailers and services, Currents of Windermere embodies the next step in the evolu-tion of open-air shopping centres – selection with personality and convenience.

For more information, visit Currents of Windermere at www.shopcurrents.ca or contact Harvard Developments Inc. at (780)413-7060.

INNERSPACES BUSINESS FURNISHINGS INC.

BY LANE JOHNSON

Innerspaces Business Furnishings Inc. represents design driven industry leaders in Commercial Business Interiors.

We have been committed to filling spaces in the Edmon-ton marketplace for over 20 years. Projects are made easy while we take care of all the details from the simplest space of 80 square feet to Edmonton’s top architectural buildings in design. We invite you to find out why we are the choice of Edmonton’s most trusted design firms, facility managers, leasing agents, purchasers and the citizens of Alberta.

We are comprised of an in-house team which includes a full service Architectural Wall Division made up of sales, designers, project management, and office administration. Some of the areas in which this team operates include ar-chitectural products, full-height moveable wall systems and space planning.

Innerspaces is the DIRTT Modular Interior distribu-tion partner in Edmonton, servicing central and northern Alberta. Working closely with DIRTT, we are able to cre-ate customizable, sustainable architectural interiors. Using state-of-the-art ICE® software, a Java-based 3D application, we design solutions not only for movable walls, but also for millwork and plug n’ play power and data. All aspects of de-sign are fully customizable, allowing our clients virtually unlimited freedom.

The key to DIRTT’s flexibility is technology. Using ICE® and ICEvision® intuitive software, our designers can design a project from scratch or integrate an existing AUTOCAD drawing into ICE®, minimizing the potential for errors. We use this software for many purposes including but not lim-ited to creating interactive environments in real time using clear, graphic communication to design, envision, specify,

Harvard Developments Inc. provides a full range of real estate services which focus on creating value assets. Dealing in com-mercial, office, retail, industrial and investment markets, nationally and internationally, the company has an exceptional record of performance in leasing, property management, development and the acquisition and divestiture of properties. Harvard De-velopments Inc. is a Hill Company, celebrating 110 years of breaking new ground.

DIRTT SHOWROOM AT NEOCON 2012

www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | March 2013 5

price, manufacture and deliver any product open to mod-ification. ICE® eliminates the potential for human error or possible design misrepresentation by a third party, cutting down lead times and reducing unnecessary product waste.

With manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Georgia, Tex-as (opening soon), Calgary, DIRTT is able to service greater North America. These facilities are not only used for manu-facturing, but also for educating and showcasing the latest

innovations from DIRTT. We are very proud to be partnered with DIRTT and are eager to demonstrate all that is DIRTT through an interactive presentation at your workplace, in our working showroom, or through a tour of the Calgary facility.

DIRTT SHOWROOM AT NEOCON 2012

LEFT - LUNCHROOM DESIGNED BY DIRTT WITH CUSTOM PRINTED GLASS. CENTRE - DIRTT MILLWORK IS IDEAL FOR HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, CORPORATE AND COUNTLESS OTHER APPLICATIONS. RIGHT - DIRTT SHOW PIECE INCORPORATING RECLAIMED WOOD.

Page 50: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

6 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

BOMA EDMONTON REACHES OUT TO POST SECONDARY STUDENTS

BY PERCY WOODS, BOMA EDMONTON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Last year the BOMA Edmonton board of direc-tors decided the organization needed to take

proactive steps to ease the staffing and recruitment problem many of the members were facing. An ad hoc recruitment committee was formed to look at what BOMA could do to attract people into the industry.

Shaun Wuschke of Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP and the 2012 BOMA Edmonton President asked the committee to look at how BOMA members could connect with post-secondary students and en-courage them to consider commercial real estate as a career. Having already become a partner with the University Of Alberta (U of A) School Of Busi-ness through a donation to the Melton Chair in Real Estate, the committee reached out to MacEwan University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to see if there were opportuni-ties to connect with their students. Both institutions were quick to provide BOMA’s recruitment com-mittee with a list of how they could help connect with the students and programs that would graduate potential hires for commercial real estate.

At the November board meeting, the BOMA Edmonton Board of Directors accepted the recruitment committee’s recommendation to invest in partnerships with MacEwan, NAIT and the U of A. The committee further recommended that recruitment be added to the membership committee’s mandate to ensure the investment in post-secondary institu-tions would foster an interest in the commercial real estate industry among Edmonton’s post-secondary students.

The partnerships with the U of A, MacEwan and NAIT have already started to reap rewards and provide oppor-tunities to interest students in commercial real estate. On January 22, BOMA Edmonton was a participant in the NAIT Career Fair. This annual event attracts over 6,000 students from NAIT’s various programs.

Laura Sharen, Harvard Property Management Inc. and Education Committee Chair was one of the volunteers at the BOMA booth. “It was a great day and I really enjoyed my time connecting with dozens of students. It was gratify-ing to give the students information about our industry. They were very eager to learn about us. Many of them said they would add commercial real estate as a potential area to look for work when they graduate.”

Brad Marchand from Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP and a member of the education committee said, “The Career Fair was a great chance to introduce NAIT students to commer-cial real estate as a career option and to start the promotion of an under-promoted industry. I had a chance to talk to sev-eral power engineering students and give them new options apart from Fort McMurray to consider when they complete their training. I even had one eager student hand me his re-sume and we will be interviewing him shortly.”

On January 23, BOMA Edmonton attended the reception for the MacEwan Business School’s Amazing Case Study Competition. This event, sponsored by BOMA Edmonton, involved eight teams of four student members that competed over two days to prepare and present a case study of a busi-ness problem. The winning team is awarded $1,000 while second and third place competitors receive $800 and $400 respectively.

Percy Woods, BOMA Edmonton executive vice president, was one of the judges. “This was a great experience and a wonderful time to watch the students present their solu-tions. I was impressed by how they were able to apply what they have been learning in preparing the case. But the real upside to BOMA participating in the event was that the stu-dents have already approached the program chair to ask her to schedule a pizza night so they can get more ‘face time’ with BOMA members.”

NAIT CAREER FAIR - BRAD MARCHAND, KEVIN ROBINSON, CAROLE LAJOIE

Page 51: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

6 March 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

BOMA EDMONTON REACHES OUT TO POST SECONDARY STUDENTS

BY PERCY WOODS, BOMA EDMONTON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Last year the BOMA Edmonton board of direc-tors decided the organization needed to take

proactive steps to ease the staffing and recruitment problem many of the members were facing. An ad hoc recruitment committee was formed to look at what BOMA could do to attract people into the industry.

Shaun Wuschke of Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP and the 2012 BOMA Edmonton President asked the committee to look at how BOMA members could connect with post-secondary students and en-courage them to consider commercial real estate as a career. Having already become a partner with the University Of Alberta (U of A) School Of Busi-ness through a donation to the Melton Chair in Real Estate, the committee reached out to MacEwan University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to see if there were opportuni-ties to connect with their students. Both institutions were quick to provide BOMA’s recruitment com-mittee with a list of how they could help connect with the students and programs that would graduate potential hires for commercial real estate.

At the November board meeting, the BOMA Edmonton Board of Directors accepted the recruitment committee’s recommendation to invest in partnerships with MacEwan, NAIT and the U of A. The committee further recommended that recruitment be added to the membership committee’s mandate to ensure the investment in post-secondary institu-tions would foster an interest in the commercial real estate industry among Edmonton’s post-secondary students.

The partnerships with the U of A, MacEwan and NAIT have already started to reap rewards and provide oppor-tunities to interest students in commercial real estate. On January 22, BOMA Edmonton was a participant in the NAIT Career Fair. This annual event attracts over 6,000 students from NAIT’s various programs.

Laura Sharen, Harvard Property Management Inc. and Education Committee Chair was one of the volunteers at the BOMA booth. “It was a great day and I really enjoyed my time connecting with dozens of students. It was gratify-ing to give the students information about our industry. They were very eager to learn about us. Many of them said they would add commercial real estate as a potential area to look for work when they graduate.”

Brad Marchand from Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP and a member of the education committee said, “The Career Fair was a great chance to introduce NAIT students to commer-cial real estate as a career option and to start the promotion of an under-promoted industry. I had a chance to talk to sev-eral power engineering students and give them new options apart from Fort McMurray to consider when they complete their training. I even had one eager student hand me his re-sume and we will be interviewing him shortly.”

On January 23, BOMA Edmonton attended the reception for the MacEwan Business School’s Amazing Case Study Competition. This event, sponsored by BOMA Edmonton, involved eight teams of four student members that competed over two days to prepare and present a case study of a busi-ness problem. The winning team is awarded $1,000 while second and third place competitors receive $800 and $400 respectively.

Percy Woods, BOMA Edmonton executive vice president, was one of the judges. “This was a great experience and a wonderful time to watch the students present their solu-tions. I was impressed by how they were able to apply what they have been learning in preparing the case. But the real upside to BOMA participating in the event was that the stu-dents have already approached the program chair to ask her to schedule a pizza night so they can get more ‘face time’ with BOMA members.”

NAIT CAREER FAIR - BRAD MARCHAND, KEVIN ROBINSON, CAROLE LAJOIE

The University of Alberta will be hosting the second Annu-al Alberta School of Business Real Estate Industry Night on February 6. This will be a networking and information gath-ering session that will attract 50 – 75 commerce and MBA students. BOMA and industry members will connect with students and provide them with a better understanding of the commercial real estate industry.

“As the 2013 president for BOMA Edmonton, I am real-ly encouraged by the increased emphasis BOMA is putting on recruiting new people to the industry and am particular-ly gratified by the results we have already seen in the short time we have been working on this. I look forward to more exciting things from the committee and for opportunities for

BOMA members to connect with more students as we con-tinue our partnerships with the U of A, MacEwan and NAIT,” concludes Tony Prsa of Harvard Property Management Inc.

“BOMA Edmonton is a professional organization that exists to serve the needs of its members. The organization will represent the industry to outside parties and act as a resource for information on issues relevant to the membership.” BOMA stands for Building Owners & Managers Association.BOMA Edmonton offers its members an excellent opportunity to meet other professionals in their field on a social basis. Meetings provide members with a valuable forum for the sharing knowledge and information that assists with effective and efficient day-to-day operations.BOMA Edmonton monitors and lobbies pertinent legislative, regulatory and codes/standards issues, including electricity de-regulation, capital gains tax relief, telecommunications, indoor air quality, private property rights and risk assessment.

MACEWAN UNIVERSITY AMAZING CASE STUDY COMPETITION TEAMS WITH PERCY WOODS, BOMA EDMONTON EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Looking to reduce energy costs?ATCO EnergySense can help. We offer unbiased commercial energy assessment services tailored to your needs.

Our energy management experts will develop custom solutions to help you achieve energy savings of up to 30 per cent, contributing to a cleaner environment and improving your bottom line.

Book your commercial energy assessment today or visit us at BUILDEX Edmonton March 19 – 20.

310-SAVE (7283) | atcoenergysense.com

www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | March 2013 7

Page 52: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Official Nomination FormGo Online to www.businessinedmonton.com/lot

Submissions Directions: Please complete the application in its entirety. Send the form via fax to 587.520.5701; or scan and email to [email protected]

Eligibility: All nominees must own, be a partner, CEO, or President of a private or public company, and be a primary stakeholder responsible for the recent performance of the company. In addition, the nominee’s company must be Edmonton and area based and have been in existence for a minimum of three years.

Judging Panel and Criteria: The independent panel of judges will consist of a selection of successful business leaders from the community. The judges will analyze an extensive list of criteria that will include finances, strategic direction, product or service innovation, company leadership (including personal integrity, val-ues and key employee initiatives), community involvement and philanthropic activities.

Nominee’s Name:

Title:

Company Name:

General Company Phone:

Business Address:

City: Province: Postal Code:

Company Website:

Nature of Business:

Nominee’s Phone: Nominee’s Email:

Assistant’s Name:

Assistant’s Phone: Assistant’s Email:

Has Nominee previously been nominated for Consideration? Yes / No

Year(s):

For any questions or follow up related to this information; please designate a contact, or confirm nominee or assistant as primary contact.

No

min

ee Print or Type Only Please

Platinum Partner Gold Partners

HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA

Page 53: March 2013 Business in Edmonton
Page 54: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Even the best of neighbours can sur-prise each other. Take a closer look at Calgary and you’ll find some amaz-

ing things you probably didn’t know about this thriving city to the south. That’s where Meetings + Conventions Calgary (MCC) comes in. As your go-to source for every-thing about holding a meeting or conven-tion in Calgary, MCC will show you exactly what the city is all about.

Formed as a partnership between the Calgary Hotel Association and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, MCC is the first organization of its kind in Canada. We’re still a new organization, but we bring a wealth of experience to the table. We are high energy!

MCC is a one-stop shop for meeting plan-ners, corporate clients, government and association executives. Since our connec-tions run so deep, event planners have un-fettered and direct access to suppliers with-out any hassles of dealing with each facility on its own.

We are in the business of energy. We part-ner with you to produce the results and success you expect. Energetic, engaged, resourceful, helpful, professional and pro-active, we produce results and successes. We have a great amount of Western pride in being collaborative and innovative at every step, and our services are 100% free.

You can expect an ease of doing business like nowhere else. Integrity, transparency, ac-countability and enthusiasm are trademarks of our unique brand of Western hospitality.

Let us show you why Calgary is the prime location for your meetings and conventions.

An Event Planner’s Dream

With delegate capacity of up to 17,000, more than 12,000 guestrooms and over 1.2 million square feet of meeting space, Cal-gary has no shortage of options for event planners when you work with MCC. Relat-ed services abound, catering to the whims of all types of travelers and planners alike. Calgary has more than 100 years of experi-ence in hosting international events. Larger venues such as the Calgary TELUS Conven-tion Centre, the Calgary Stampede’s BMO Centre and many smaller venues are easily found depending on your needs.

2 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Meet The New CalgaryEnergy with Impact. Exhilarating.

Let us show you why Calgary is the prime location for your meetings and

conventions.

SPARK INNOVATION

AT THE CENTRE OF

ENERGYDISCOVER WHY 75% OF CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE CLIENTS ARE INSPIRED TO RETURN.–FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

calgary-convention.com

Page 55: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

SPARK INNOVATION

AT THE CENTRE OF

ENERGYDISCOVER WHY 75% OF CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE CLIENTS ARE INSPIRED TO RETURN.–FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

calgary-convention.com

Page 56: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

4 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Ric’s Lounge & GrillFour Points by Sheraton Calgary Airport2875 Sunridge Way NE, Calgary, Alberta

For more information, visit us online at: www.fourpointscalgaryairport.ca or call 403.648.3180

EASY MEETINGSWe make it easy for your event, large or small, to be a success. Book your next meeting or conference here, and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, professional support and great rates. We offer over 6,000 square feet of meeting space, and 159 guest rooms, all with beautiful open spaces and great natural lighting. High-speed wireless internet is offered throughout the property, and complimentary parking is available for all guests.

DELICIOUS MEALSAll catering is prepared fresh, in-house daily from our team at Ric’s Lounge & Grill. Whether it’s a small boardroom meeting, to a large banquet style dinner, our team can work with you to create a tailor made meal crafted from the freshest ingredients.

LOYALTY COUNTSFour Points by Sheraton is part of Starwood Preferred GuestTM, the world’s leading loyalty program. Sign-up and become an SPG member to start accumulating points for every meeting or event you book. Accumulated points can then be used by you for free hotel nights at Starwood Properties around the world.

Why Calgary

Did you know ginger beef was created in Cal-gary in 1974 by a chef at the Silver Inn? Prob-ably not. Well, it’s the stuff of Calgary legend, but obviously the city is vastly different from those days. Today, Calgary is a prime exam-ple of one of the cities that can boast some of the world’s most creative chefs and the best restaurants, offering up culinary delights ranging from AAA Alberta Beef to the tastes of the most refined palettes.

It’s just one example of an ever-evolving city that is now on the leading edge of the most cosmopolitan trends, from cuisine to arts and culture to a vast array of outdoor and indoor amenities. Big ideas are born under the big skies of Calgary, set with roll-ing foothills to the west and sunset views of the Rocky Mountains atop the Calgary Tower. It’s a city that inspires.

Pre + Post

With 8,000 hectares of parkland within the city, it’s also just an hour’s drive to the vistas of the Rocky Mountains and all of the cycling, hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding you can desire. Fly fishing, horseback riding at ranches surrounding the city, the equestrian prowess of Spruce Meadows, local rodeo

action, numerous golf courses, mountain climbing, cross-country skiing - we’re just getting started. MCC will guide you through the options so you’ll feel like an expert.

Calgary plays host to 23 major annual fes-tivals each year, not to mention the action of the Calgary Stampede. You can bobsleigh at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park, enjoy a day at one of many spas or perhaps opt for a quiet stroll along the Bow River in Prince’s Island Park in the glimmer of downtown’s skyline. Browse the more than 1,000 bou-tiques and shops in the city’s core; whatever your tastes, you won’t be disappointed with your selection of amenities.

Year-round major attractions include:

• Calgary Stampede

• Calgary Zoo

• WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park

• Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

• Heritage Park

• Fort Calgary

• TELUS Spark Science Centre

• Glenbow Museum

• Calgary Tower

With 8,000 hectares of parkland within the city, it’s also just an hour’s drive to the vistas of the Rocky Mountains and all of the cycling, hiking,

biking, skiing and snowboarding you can desire.

Page 57: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

4 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Ric’s Lounge & GrillFour Points by Sheraton Calgary Airport2875 Sunridge Way NE, Calgary, Alberta

For more information, visit us online at: www.fourpointscalgaryairport.ca or call 403.648.3180

EASY MEETINGSWe make it easy for your event, large or small, to be a success. Book your next meeting or conference here, and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, professional support and great rates. We offer over 6,000 square feet of meeting space, and 159 guest rooms, all with beautiful open spaces and great natural lighting. High-speed wireless internet is offered throughout the property, and complimentary parking is available for all guests.

DELICIOUS MEALSAll catering is prepared fresh, in-house daily from our team at Ric’s Lounge & Grill. Whether it’s a small boardroom meeting, to a large banquet style dinner, our team can work with you to create a tailor made meal crafted from the freshest ingredients.

LOYALTY COUNTSFour Points by Sheraton is part of Starwood Preferred GuestTM, the world’s leading loyalty program. Sign-up and become an SPG member to start accumulating points for every meeting or event you book. Accumulated points can then be used by you for free hotel nights at Starwood Properties around the world.

Why Calgary

Did you know ginger beef was created in Cal-gary in 1974 by a chef at the Silver Inn? Prob-ably not. Well, it’s the stuff of Calgary legend, but obviously the city is vastly different from those days. Today, Calgary is a prime exam-ple of one of the cities that can boast some of the world’s most creative chefs and the best restaurants, offering up culinary delights ranging from AAA Alberta Beef to the tastes of the most refined palettes.

It’s just one example of an ever-evolving city that is now on the leading edge of the most cosmopolitan trends, from cuisine to arts and culture to a vast array of outdoor and indoor amenities. Big ideas are born under the big skies of Calgary, set with roll-ing foothills to the west and sunset views of the Rocky Mountains atop the Calgary Tower. It’s a city that inspires.

Pre + Post

With 8,000 hectares of parkland within the city, it’s also just an hour’s drive to the vistas of the Rocky Mountains and all of the cycling, hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding you can desire. Fly fishing, horseback riding at ranches surrounding the city, the equestrian prowess of Spruce Meadows, local rodeo

action, numerous golf courses, mountain climbing, cross-country skiing - we’re just getting started. MCC will guide you through the options so you’ll feel like an expert.

Calgary plays host to 23 major annual fes-tivals each year, not to mention the action of the Calgary Stampede. You can bobsleigh at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park, enjoy a day at one of many spas or perhaps opt for a quiet stroll along the Bow River in Prince’s Island Park in the glimmer of downtown’s skyline. Browse the more than 1,000 bou-tiques and shops in the city’s core; whatever your tastes, you won’t be disappointed with your selection of amenities.

Year-round major attractions include:

• Calgary Stampede

• Calgary Zoo

• WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park

• Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

• Heritage Park

• Fort Calgary

• TELUS Spark Science Centre

• Glenbow Museum

• Calgary Tower

With 8,000 hectares of parkland within the city, it’s also just an hour’s drive to the vistas of the Rocky Mountains and all of the cycling, hiking,

biking, skiing and snowboarding you can desire.

Ric’s Lounge & GrillFour Points by Sheraton Calgary Airport2875 Sunridge Way NE, Calgary, Alberta

For more information, visit us online at: www.fourpointscalgaryairport.ca or call 403.648.3180

EASY MEETINGSWe make it easy for your event, large or small, to be a success. Book your next meeting or conference here, and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, professional support and great rates. We offer over 6,000 square feet of meeting space, and 159 guest rooms, all with beautiful open spaces and great natural lighting. High-speed wireless internet is offered throughout the property, and complimentary parking is available for all guests.

DELICIOUS MEALSAll catering is prepared fresh, in-house daily from our team at Ric’s Lounge & Grill. Whether it’s a small boardroom meeting, to a large banquet style dinner, our team can work with you to create a tailor made meal crafted from the freshest ingredients.

LOYALTY COUNTSFour Points by Sheraton is part of Starwood Preferred GuestTM, the world’s leading loyalty program. Sign-up and become an SPG member to start accumulating points for every meeting or event you book. Accumulated points can then be used by you for free hotel nights at Starwood Properties around the world.

Page 58: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

6 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

v

Courtyard Calgary Airport CourtyardCalgaryAirport.com 403.238.1000 1.877. 515.4094

Residence Inn Calgary Airport ResidenceInnCalgaryAirport.com 403.278.1000 1.877.515.4108

SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS – WE DO.Host your next meeting or event at a Marriott hotel in Calgary and enjoy:

• New, contemporary and flexible spaces

• Professional and expert advice

• Customizable world-class cuisine

• Discounted guestroom blocks*

Inquire about your next meeting or event today!

Calgary Marriott Downtown CalgaryMarriott.com 403.266.7331 1.800.896.6878

* Discounted guestroom blocks only available when booked in conjunction with meeting rooms.

A Global Corporate Energy Centre

The energy of this adrenaline-fuelled city can be found in the heart of the oil-patch. Calgary’s status as the home to the majority of Canada’s oil and gas produc-tion companies, major pipeline operators, oilfield service and drilling companies and energy-related engineering and con-sulting firms makes that clear. Calgary’s finance and business industry has experi-enced record growth in the last decade to keep up with the fast pace of the energy industry. In the centre of downtown, you can tap into the resources of the Global Business Centre, which has evolved into a hub for local and international busi-ness. Calgary also has the second-largest number of head offices in the country and leads the nation in technology start-up companies. Calgary is all about ener-gy, but there’s much more to it than that. MCC helps you make those connections in every industry.

A Transportation Gateway

The Calgary International Airport (YYC) has rebranded itself and is undergoing a $2 billion expansion and facelift, includ-ing a new 300-room hotel, the largest runway in Canada and the new Interna-tional Facilities Terminal. The city’s light rail transit (LRT) system has recently un-dergone a major expansion on several of its lines, making it even easier to get around the city. Wherever you’re going – and however – any mode of transporta-tion you need is within walking distance. The team at MCC will help you navigate any challenge.

Experience with Western Hospitality

From our famous White Hat ceremonies to the volunteer spirit of Calgary, everybody leaves the city with different memories. You can feel the cowboy spirit alive and well. The Smithbilt cowboy hat is an internation-ally recognized symbol of the city, but it only scratches the surface. It’s a city with a healthy balance of work and play, and a unique diversity that celebrates all who come. As a city with a large migration from other parts of Canada and abroad, we’re used to visitors and we welcome them.

Arts and Culture

Smile, relax and take in one of the shows at the estimated 190 venues for live performing arts around the city, in-cluding the EPCOR Centre for the Per-forming Arts. Cruise the city’s art galler-ies, discover the Glenbow Museum or take in the eclectic spirit of the 23 annual

In the centre of downtown, you can

tap into the resources of the Global

Business Centre, which has evolved into a hub for local and international

business.

Page 59: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

v

Courtyard Calgary Airport CourtyardCalgaryAirport.com 403.238.1000 1.877. 515.4094

Residence Inn Calgary Airport ResidenceInnCalgaryAirport.com 403.278.1000 1.877.515.4108

SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS – WE DO.Host your next meeting or event at a Marriott hotel in Calgary and enjoy:

• New, contemporary and flexible spaces

• Professional and expert advice

• Customizable world-class cuisine

• Discounted guestroom blocks*

Inquire about your next meeting or event today!

Calgary Marriott Downtown CalgaryMarriott.com 403.266.7331 1.800.896.6878

* Discounted guestroom blocks only available when booked in conjunction with meeting rooms.

Page 60: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

festivals held in Calgary each year. It is a social, creative, innovative, energetic arts and culture scene that runs late into the night and early into the morning. The Cantos Music Foundation and National Music Centre is set to undergo its trans-formation to become a stunning gate-way to downtown’s thriving and vibrant cultural district.

Feel the Energy

The Global Petroleum Show comes to town and brings 63,000 delegates every two years. It’s a shining example of the city’s concentration of energy firms as dis-plays go up and equipment is loaded into position at this trade show and industry networking event. Joining their Canadian counterparts, the city is also well-known as a hub for some of the world’s largest international oil and gas companies. It’s often said that Calgary is a big city that feels like a small town. That’s due, in part, to the high concentration of oil and gas workers, executives and high-powered decision-makers – all within walking dis-tance of each other in the city’s core.

A Technology Hub

Not to be overshadowed by the domi-nant energy sector are the thousands of thriving technology startups, from the smallest ventures to sudden success stories that explode. Calgary is home to the largest number of technology start-ups per capita in Canada. Innovation breeds creativity. That takes knowledge and ideas to new heights. The informa-tion and communications technology (ICT) firms also cater largely to the en-ergy sector, directly benefiting from the wealth generated in that industry.

The Weather

When a city can go from -20 degrees to 5 degrees above within a matter of hours, it brings instant reprieve from a few of those prairie winter days. Calgary is well-known for its extremely warm and wel-comed Chinooks. When it is cold, there’s always an extensive indoor elevated 15 degree pedway system that allows pe-destrians to skip the winter weather alto-gether. Calgary is also surprisingly close to many other types of climactic zones. To the southeast, you have the blistering heat of the badlands under a sunny sum-mer sky. To the west you have warm win-ter days in the summer at the top of some of the highest peaks in the Rocky Moun-tains. It’s a unique mixture, so layer up.

8 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Not to be overshadowed by the

dominant energy sector are the thousands of thriving technology startups, from the

smallest ventures to sudden success stories

that explode.Calgary is home to

the largest number of technology startups per

capita in Canada.

Page 61: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

For more information contact us at The Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre 1-800-661-1464 or 403-248-88881316 33rd Street NE, Calgary, Alberta www.calgaryplaza.com

SucceSSful MeetingS Start at the Coast Plaza Hotel and ConferenCe Centre

Business class comfort with 248 spacious guestrooms and suites.Versatile Meeting Facilities with over 20,000 sq. ft. of function space.Exceptional catering. Our skilled chefs will create fresh delectable fare capable of pleasing all tastes.Distinctive Facilities. Horizons Bistro, Barringtons Lounge, Jimmy’s Nightclub, Indoor Pool, Fitness Centre and Sauna. Complimentary parking and internet.

Dedicated to providing you with attentive service, a professional image and a memorable experience.

All inclusive meeting packages starting from $55.00 per person.

Page 62: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

10 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

1000, 11500 - 35th STREET SE | CALGARY, AB | T2Z 3W4 | 403-236-7529TOLL FREE: 1-888-875-4667 | WWW.DEERFOOTINN.COM

CALGARYʼS PREMIER CONFERENCE HOTELThe Deerfoot Inn & Casino

We’re here to make your meeting or convention a huge success. Let our

professional team handle all the details for you.

We Offer 327 SpaciousGuest RoomsAnd We Feature:

• 2 - 400 Seat Ballrooms• 10 Break Out Rooms

• Over 17,000 Sq FtMeeting/Conference Space

Let Us Host Your Next Event

Please contact the Sales Department at

403-236-7529 | [email protected] would be happy to start planning your event now!

+Guest Room Count Includes Deerfoot Inn & Casinoand Service Plus Inns & Suites Calgary

Join Us at one of our 6 dining establishmentsMohave Grill, Tobiko Sushi House, Wild Horse Pub, Cactus Lounge, Chrome Room or the Wildhorse Cafe

Sundance Ballroom

SUNDANCEA

SUNDANCEB

SUNDANCEC

WOMENSWASHROOM

MENSWASHROOM

DEERRUN

LAKEBONNAVISTA

FRONTDESKHOTEL LOBBY

CASINO ENTRANCETO THE CHROME ROOM

CORRIDOR

COATCHECK

BANQUETLOBBY BRIDLEWOOD

ABRIDLEWOOD

BBRIDLEWOOD

C

WOODBINE

MIDNAPOREA

MIDNAPOREB

MCKENZIETOWNE

SOMERSET

SHAWNESSY

CH

RO

ME

RO

OM

What’s New

Calgary’s accommodation and hotel op-tions are continuously expanding. Open-ing in 2013 is the 120-room Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre Airport East, fea-turing five banquet rooms totaling 13,500 square feet that can accommodate up to 600 people. Additionally, the Fairfield Inn by Marriott will open adjacent to Central Memorial Park and will include 124 guest rooms, a workout facility, valet parking, and a restaurant.

Your Partner in Planning

Focus your energy and get ready. MCC is the ultimate partner and will work with you every step of the way when planning a meeting or convention. Our energetic team is resourceful, proactive and profes-sional – we are the doers. We cover every

angle of your event as your trusted advi-sors. We offer our services free of charge to help you plan a successful event.

• Research to find meeting rooms, exhibition halls and hotel rooms that will

best suit your needs

• Coordination of your requests for proposals with hotels, venues and DMCs

• Creation of detailed and personalized presentations of all Calgary

services, events and attractions

• Production of bid documents

• Recommendations on rate negotiations and site availability

• Assistance of a convention services manager

• Assistance in identifying local leaders and setting up a local

organizing committee for your event

• Development of customized promotional and attendance building

tools tailored to your event

• Assistance in logistical support and organizing pre/post/spouse programs

MCC is the ultimate partner and will work with you every step of the way when planning a meeting

or convention. Our energetic team is resourceful, proactive and professional– we are the doers.

Calgary’s accommodation

and hotel options are continuously

expanding.

Page 63: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

1000, 11500 - 35th STREET SE | CALGARY, AB | T2Z 3W4 | 403-236-7529TOLL FREE: 1-888-875-4667 | WWW.DEERFOOTINN.COM

CALGARYʼS PREMIER CONFERENCE HOTELThe Deerfoot Inn & Casino

We’re here to make your meeting or convention a huge success. Let our

professional team handle all the details for you.

We Offer 327 SpaciousGuest RoomsAnd We Feature:

• 2 - 400 Seat Ballrooms• 10 Break Out Rooms

• Over 17,000 Sq FtMeeting/Conference Space

Let Us Host Your Next Event

Please contact the Sales Department at

403-236-7529 | [email protected] would be happy to start planning your event now!

+Guest Room Count Includes Deerfoot Inn & Casinoand Service Plus Inns & Suites Calgary

Join Us at one of our 6 dining establishmentsMohave Grill, Tobiko Sushi House, Wild Horse Pub, Cactus Lounge, Chrome Room or the Wildhorse Cafe

Sundance Ballroom

SUNDANCEA

SUNDANCEB

SUNDANCEC

WOMENSWASHROOM

MENSWASHROOM

DEERRUN

LAKEBONNAVISTA

FRONTDESKHOTEL LOBBY

CASINO ENTRANCETO THE CHROME ROOM

CORRIDOR

COATCHECK

BANQUETLOBBY BRIDLEWOOD

ABRIDLEWOOD

BBRIDLEWOOD

C

WOODBINE

MIDNAPOREA

MIDNAPOREB

MCKENZIETOWNE

SOMERSET

SHAWNESSY

CH

RO

ME

RO

OM

Page 64: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

12 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Meetings + Conventions Calgary offers a turnkey solution for all your event and conven-tion planning needs. We are ‘the’ resource and will work with you as your one-stop shop and your Partner in Planning. Start planning your event today!

Jennifer Solanne StewartBusiness Development Manager

[email protected]

W. BRETT WILSONChairman, Canoe Financial Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Author, Dragon

SUCCESS

Space is never an issue. Calgary has 1.2 million square feet of meeting space.

With room for up to 17,000 delegates, it’s easy to host small or large groups.

Calgary is a catalyst for opportunity. An entrepreneurial spirit energizes the city, making it the perfect place to talk prospects, profitability and possibilities.

MEETINGSCALGARY.COM

Page 65: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

12 Meetings + Conventions Calgary

Meetings + Conventions Calgary offers a turnkey solution for all your event and conven-tion planning needs. We are ‘the’ resource and will work with you as your one-stop shop and your Partner in Planning. Start planning your event today!

Jennifer Solanne StewartBusiness Development Manager

[email protected]

W. BRETT WILSONChairman, Canoe Financial Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Author, Dragon

SUCCESS

Space is never an issue. Calgary has 1.2 million square feet of meeting space.

With room for up to 17,000 delegates, it’s easy to host small or large groups.

Calgary is a catalyst for opportunity. An entrepreneurial spirit energizes the city, making it the perfect place to talk prospects, profitability and possibilities.

MEETINGSCALGARY.COM

W. BRETT WILSONChairman, Canoe Financial Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Author, Dragon

SUCCESS

Space is never an issue. Calgary has 1.2 million square feet of meeting space.

With room for up to 17,000 delegates, it’s easy to host small or large groups.

Calgary is a catalyst for opportunity. An entrepreneurial spirit energizes the city, making it the perfect place to talk prospects, profitability and possibilities.

MEETINGSCALGARY.COM

Page 66: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

66 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Gordon McCormack is somewhat dismayed by the re-sistance to the various pipeline projects that have

been proposed to export Alberta’s bitumen to new mar-kets and to expand output capacity to our only major existing customer – the United States. “I think even Al-bertans, who live with it and directly benefit from all this resource development … take it for granted,” says McCor-mack, president and CEO of Edmonton-based Hyduke Energy Services Inc., which designs and builds the oil rigs and equipment used in the field. “We’ve had it good for many, many years.” When it comes to projects like the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries, he’s baffled, not unlike many in the industry, about all the commotion; especially given the industry’s strides in en-vironmental improvement.

The esteemed journal Nature supports it, U.S. state gov-ernors and many congressmen support it, a majority of the U.S. Senate support it, industry supports it, a majori-ty of Americans and Canadians support it, there is a clear demand for it and supply of it, Alberta’s and Canada’s economies are almost dependent on it to get our bitumen on par with world oil prices – and to recoup the billions of dollars in lost royalties each year for both levels of govern-ment – so what gives?

Despite all the sup-port for it, TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline has faced innumer-able obstacles in its push for a 2,700-kilometre pipe-line from Alberta’s oil sands to Texas refiners in the Gulf Coast. Critics and oppo-nents have been successful, at least to some degree, in their public relations battle to stop this energy highway from being built.

“The problem is appar-ent,” says David MacLean, vice president of the Alber-

ta Enterprise Group (AEG), which represents many energy titans and other businesses that rely on a thriving ener-gy industry. “We’ve got competitive royalties, we’ve got a great tax structure in Alberta … we’ve got a great industry with regard to how it works with the community and re-spect to the environment. We’ve got everything going for us, but we have a market access problem.”

LANDLOCKED: AN INDUSTRY WITH NOWHERE TO GOENERGY

Landlocked: An Industry with Nowhere to Go

The oil sands industry faces barriers in every direction in getting its product to export markets.

BY DEREK SANKEY

GORDON MCCORMACK, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF EDMONTON-BASED HYDUKE ENERGY SERVICES INC.

CREWS WORK TO INSTALL PIPE ON ONE OF ENBRIDGE’S HUNDREDS OF KILOMETRES OF PIPELINE IN NORTH AMERICA. PHOTO COURTESY OF ENBRIDGE INC.

Page 67: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 67

Now, the ultimate decision on Keystone XL rests in the hands of President Barack Obama, who recently appoint-ed environmentally-minded Senator John Kerry to the position of Secretary of State (the State Department will give it the final ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ before Obama signs off one way or another to Keystone XL).

The vital pipelines that carry Alberta’s valuable (if un-dervalued) crude oil from the oil sands to the industry’s customers are having a tough time these days. Look east, and there’s opposition. Look south, and there’s opposition. Look west, and there’s more opposition. North? Who knows.

The pipeline industry has become a lightning rod for controversy in recent months, despite having operated largely behind the scenes for decades without any signif-icant opposition. Now, they’re front and centre in a debate about energy that seems to contradict itself at every turn. Pipelines, for a myriad of reasons, have become a political hot potato – both at home and south of the border.

“Canada is hemorrhaging billions of dollars a year – a result of the huge gap between world prices and what we receive for our oil and gas,” Al Monaco, president and CEO of Enbridge Inc., told a crowd of Edmonton business own-ers who gathered in January at an event hosted by AEG. “At the same time, we are seeing unprecedented opposi-

tion to all forms of energy development and transpor-tation,” added Monaco, whose company is behind the proposed $5.5-billion, 5 2 5 , 0 0 0 - b a r r e l - a - d a y Northern Gateway pipe-line from Alberta’s oil sands to a marine terminal on the West Coast in Kitimat, B.C.

Alberta crude oil current-ly sells at a huge discount compared to world oil pric-es – roughly $40 a barrel below West Texas Interme-diate (WTI) and well below Brent crude prices. The

reason is simple: we have one customer – the U.S. – and as supply builds up with no other buyers available and no-where to go, prices have plunged for Alberta crude. So far, the industry hasn’t even been able to get as much product as it could to its existing customer.

The direct impact on the federal government is easily $6 billion a year, and another $6 billion in lost revenue to

LANDLOCKED: AN INDUSTRY WITH NOWHERE TO GOENERGY

ONE OF HYDUKE’S SLANT WORKOVER RIGS IN ALBERTA. PHOTO COURTESY OF HYDUKE.

Landlocked: An Industry with Nowhere to Go

AL MONACO, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ENBRIDGE INC.

Page 68: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

68 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

the provincial government – the same amount Premier Alison Redford’s Conservative gov-ernment is losing out on.

“Clearly, the stakes – for our industry, for Alberta, for Canada – could not be higher,” Monaco stated. “Our resources are landlocked, essentially with access to only one customer – our partners to the south.” Enbridge is already taking steps to expand its capacity in the U.S., with $15 billion directed to new market access initiatives, not including Gateway, with proj-ects in the U.S. to expand its capacity there.

“We lack sufficient infrastructure to ac-cess the best U.S. markets today, and we have virtually no export capability beyond the U.S. market – forcing Canada to sell its most valu-able export at a massive discount,” Monaco stated. “We need to come to grips with the fact that tomorrow’s energy growth lies with the economies of Asia, requiring export capacity to the West Coast.”

Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline to Seattle markets has proposed doubling its ca-pacity as another solution to ship about 800,000 barrels a day. Meanwhile, refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick are eager to start receiv-ing Alberta crude, but there is more opposition there as governments position themselves ac-cording to political gain.

“The solution is obviously beefing up our ability to get our product to market and to get it to market now – not in 10 years – but in 2014 or 2015,” MacLean says. “We need increased market ac-cess … now.”

Eastern Canada currently imports foreign oil to its ports and refineries – something that could change if En-bridge reverses one of its current lines to ship crude east to those energy-hungry markets. Shipments by rail, mean-while, have been increasing rapidly.

“We can’t build pipelines east, west or south, so some-thing’s gotta give,” says MacLean. “It’s classrooms, it’s hospitals (and) how we pay these bills, so it’s very real. Across the country, we see roadblocks.”

The oilfield services industry is just one of many that rely on accessing new markets while expanding supply to its existing customer to fuel growth and to create jobs in this province. “To me, it’s absolutely imperative that we look together as a country – not only as a province – to devel-op a plan to access new markets,” says McCormack. All the while, the U.S. continues to move toward its goal of “ener-gy independence.” This isn’t an issue that’s solely about the West. It’s about the economic prosperity of all of Canada.

What is also crucial is that the industry continues to im-prove on its gains in communicating with the public as to exactly what’s at stake. For years, the industry didn’t do a good enough job of getting their message out. Over the past several months, the level of understanding and awareness

by the public has increased dramatically, says Monaco. A lot of money and jobs are on the line. Studies project about $1 trillion in revenues could be lost, or up to $35 billion a year over the next 30 years.

In the meantime, uncer-tainty pervades the energy industry – along with the livelihoods and the quali-ty of life of every Canadian that uses a hospital, school, road or otherwise enjoys

the luxuries of life in this country.For the energy industry, it’s been a frustrating exercise

and one that has no immediate solution on the horizon. You can bet energy executives and the public alike will be eagerly watching the Obama government as it reaches the final stretch of what’s hoped to be a positive outcome for the industry.

It is vital for Alberta’s and Canada’s economic well-be-ing into the future. “It’s important to recognize this is not just a problem for the energy industry,” Monaco concludes. “It impacts all Canadians.” BIE

LANDLOCKED: AN INDUSTRY WITH NOWHERE TO GOENERGY

DAVID MACLEAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP (AEG)

Zama

Wood River

Toronto

SarniaToledo

Superior

Seattle

Blaine

Salt Lake City

Regina

RowattPortland

Patoka

Chicago

Norman Wells

MontrealOttawa

Minot

Hardisty

Fort McMurrayCheecham

Edmonton

Cushing

New Orleans

Cromer

ClearbrookGretna

CasperBuffalo

Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Inc.

Olympic Pipeline

Waupisoo Pipeline

Athabasca Pipeline

Enbridge System

Enbridge Saskatchewan System

North Dakota System

Lakehead System

Frontier Pipeline

Spearhead System

Mid-Continent System

Mustang Pipeline

Chicap Pipeline

Toledo Pipeline

Tinsley Pipeline

Louisiana Liquids Pipeline

Enbridge Liquids Pipelines

MAP OF ENBRIDGE’S EXISTING LIQUIDS PIPELINES. COURTESY OF ENBRIDGE.

Page 69: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

Pioneer Truck Lines • 25 Years

Pioneer Truck Lines Ltd. would like to send out a special thank you to all the Customers and Suppliers that sent such warm greetings to our company for our 25th anniversary.

Without their continued support and services we never would have grown as we have.

8321 – 1st Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6P – 1X2 • Tel: 780.467.8880 Fax: 780.417.8956www.pioneertrucklines.com

Thank you! We wish you the best in the future.Let’s continue growing together.

Edmonton Kenworth Ltd. DRM Recovery Ltd.

FPB Insurance BrokersOK Tire

City Spring Ltd.Cooling Systems Services

Kendall Oilfield Contracting Ltd.Central Cam

Canfab Products Ltd.R & D Trailer Rentals Ltd.

The LEDCOR Group of CompaniesFountain Tire Fleet and Truck

Campbell- Mack Supply (1985) Ltd.

Page 70: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

70 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

EDMONTON’S BRIGHT CONSTRUCTION FORECASTCONSTRUCTION

Edmonton’s Bright Construction Forecast

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

Positive construction trends across all sectors in Edmonton builds excitement for homebuild-

ers, leasing agents and neighbourhoods slated for improvements.

The running joke in Edmonton is that we don’t experi-ence typical seasons. We have winter, spring, construction and fall. Work on main roads, repairs of overpasses and the proliferation of new buildings during our short weeks of summer makes it seem like Edmonton is in a constant state of construction. But with the building boom of 2006 - 2008 behind us and the recession that followed now a fad-ing memory, what does the future hold for construction in Edmonton?

According to numbers released by the City of Ed-monton along with views of homebuilders and leasing agents, the future looks promising. The last six months of 2012 showed a positive construction trend with the City of Edmonton issuing 6,510 building permits across all sectors for a total construction value of over $1 billion. These permits added 5,195 new units (apartment, de-tached, semi-detached and row housing) in Edmonton. Between January 2, 2013 and January 15, 2013, the City of Edmonton issued 386 building permits worth a total con-struction value of $64 million. The permits issued during that time frame will add 327 new units to the metropolis. Comparatively, the value of Edmonton’s building permits for 2011 totaled $2.82 billion ($1.82 billion residential value and $1 billion non-residential value). The value of building permits for 2012 was $3.42 billion ($2.17 bil-lion residential value and $1.24 billion non-residential value). Values rose 21 per cent between 2011 and 2012. Industrial permits experienced the highest increase in construction value while commercial permits increased by 25% and residential by 19 per cent. These trends are expected to continue in 2013.

Page 71: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 71

EDMONTON’S BRIGHT CONSTRUCTION FORECASTCONSTRUCTION

Edmonton’s Bright Construction Forecast

Page 72: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

72 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

This trend is good news for homebuilders. Parkwood Master Builder, a family owned and oper-ated builder of elite custom homes, is very optimistic. Parkwood has been in business for 24 years, and 2012 was their strongest year to date. Callie Hamill, sales and mar-keting manager, looks forward to the momentum continuing in 2013. “The economy is very good in Ed-monton and that means people want to buy homes,” says Hamill. “We are very excited.”

Eric Nashman, sales and mark-ing manager for Greenboro Homes, points out a possible reason for renewed interest in new-construc-tion homes. The price gap between new and previously owned homes has narrowed considerably. Cur-rently, there is not a large disparity in the prices, so many homeown-ers are opting to build rather than buy used. Like Parkwood, Green-boro had a strong year in 2012 and looks forward to a great year in 2013. “It won’t be like it was in 2007 and 2006,” says Nashman, “but it will be healthy and people are more accepting when there is a positive outlook.”

The construction boom of 2006 – 2008 resulted in a massive shortage of skilled trade labour; however, both Hamill and Nash-man agree that despite healthy projections for 2013, the trades should be relatively stable. Nashman has not seen a lot of new start-up companies in the trades, but notes the es-tablished companies are busy and have the advantage of selecting which projects they want to undertake. Park-wood Master Builder is less affected by the availability of trade labour because they opt to build up to 120 homes in Edmonton per year (contrasted with up to 600 per year built by national homebuilders) using a selection of trades with which the company has an established working rela-tionship. “A boom is where people are literally lined up at the door and the builder has to limit sales,” says Hamill. She feels that Edmonton is not at that level of intensity right now.

Homebuilders are not the only ones expecting great things from 2013. Commercial building permits are also on the rise and according to Statistics Canada, “investment (in non-residential building construction) increased in 18 of 34 census metropolitan areas. The largest increases were in Vancouver, Montréal, Ottawa and Edmonton.”

When asked about retail construction in Edmonton, Jamie Topham, retail division leader in Edmonton for Cushman & Wakefield Global Real Estate Solutions, says “2012 was a robust year and this should continue into 2013.” Topham explains that Windermere, Manning Free-way, Century Crossing and Emerald Hills are just some of the non-residential construction projects that are driven by big box and quick service retail (QSR). When nation-al retailers such as Winners, Walmart or Save On Foods “anchor” a location, QSR franchises follow. Brands such as Subway, Starbucks, and Reitman’s benefit from being grouped together with the anchor, creating quick and easy access for shoppers who want to buy at Walmart, lunch at Subway, grab a coffee at Starbucks and then pop into Payless.

However, as Nora Lizotte of Lizotte and Associates watches commercial condos go up around Edmonton, her firm faces an interesting challenge. “We have a big demand for people wanting freestanding buildings over commer-

EDMONTON’S BRIGHT CONSTRUCTION FORECASTCONSTRUCTION

THE FINISHING TOUCHES GO ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE NEW SUBWAY AT CENTURY CROSSING.

ROW HOUSES UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN A GREENBURY DEVELOPMENT.

Page 73: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 73

cial condos,” says Lizotte. “People are not selling (their freestanding commercial buildings) right now, or they go on the market and they get multiple offers.”

Lizotte feels the demand for freestanding commer-cial units is not backed by positive numbers, and that is why commercial condos, which are more cost effective to build and maintain, are being constructed over free-standing units. “It’s always a numbers game for the seller and the buyer,” says Lizotte. As the older freestanding commercial spaces are demolished to make way for new business condos, demand for these vanishing units in-creases dramatically. Commercial buildings on 124th street, for example, are particularly desirable, but the owners rec-ognize their value and do not want to sell.

Like Hamill and Nashman, neither Topham nor Lizotte feel Edmonton is in another construction boom – at least, not yet. “There is some optimism, but it’s hard to predict more than a few years. Investors and financers are wary because of the United States’ economy,” cautions Lizotte. Topham indicates that we are “not in an uncontrolled boom, but there is an upward trend.” While he feels con-struction prices will remain stable during the anticipated period of construction prosperity, he predicts a boom could occur in 2013.

The City of Edmonton’s 2012 – 2014 capital budget in-

cludes a number of infrastructure construction projects. A total of $765.2 million has been allocated for road de-sign and construction. This will encompass rehabilitation of arterial roads, primary highways, collector roads, ma-ture neighbourhood rehabilitation, planning studies, streetscapes and major interchange construction. This budget also includes the Neighbourhood Renewal Pro-gram, which consists of preventative maintenance and renewal of the roadway base, paving, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks in existing neighbourhoods. Of the $752.9 mil-lion planned for transit initiatives, a significant portion will go towards the expansion of the LRT line to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and preliminary engineering for the west and southeast LRT lines. A por-tion of the $45.4 million intended for neighbourhood and community development will go to support construction of a permanent sports park for non-motorized recreation in southeast Edmonton.

Construction in Edmonton across all sectors is looks very positive for the near future, and while we can ex-pect winter to bring snow, spring to bring rain, and fall to turn Edmonton into a artistic canvas of colored leaves, we know that the season of construction will bring prosperi-ty to Edmonton; and that is just as welcome as a summer heat wave. BIE

EDMONTON’S BRIGHT CONSTRUCTION FORECASTCONSTRUCTION

A PYLON SIGN AT CENTURY CROSSING FILLS UP AS NEW STORES OPEN.

Page 74: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

The year was 1938 and Peter Kachur had just bought him-self a truck that carried his future. It came bundled with a company called Jim’s Express Transfer and Baggage Haul-

ing, Ltd. Legend has it that Peter kept the name Jim’s Express be-cause he didn’t have the paint to change the writing on the doors. What he did have was business sense, which he applied liberally to his little business, growing it bit by bit over the decades.

By the mid-60’s, Peter’s two sons, Norman and younger brother Don, were each considering ways of making their own mark in the world. Their father’s health was failing, so he of-fered his eldest the chance to take over the busi-ness. Norm agreed, and ran Jim’s Express suc-cessfully for the next 10 years. In 1974, younger brother Don bought into the company.

The forming of that fraternal partnership was auspicious as it marked the germination of an entirely new business model. “We knew that delivering used furniture wasn’t the fu-ture,” Don Kachur, now president of the com-pany, says. “We saw that MacCosham’s was rich, and we weren’t. So we said, let’s do what they’re doing.” They joined United Van Lines, bought land, built a warehouse and got down to the task of selling their services to the cor-porate sector.

The company made bold decisions. “We went head-to-head with MacCosham’s to land a contract with Canadian Bechtel,” Don says. Bechtel needed a company to handle the employees that were about to transfer to Ft. McMurray to build the massive Syncrude oil sands plant. “We got the job.”

Norman and Don realized it was time to change the name during a meeting with Brian Ascough of PWA. There was one thing keep-ing them from landing the account. “Brian asked if we would feel safe flying to Calgary on ‘Pete’s Airline’. We got the point.” Jim’s Ex-press and Baggage Hauling was re-imagined as Highland Moving and Storage, and in 1994, Don Kachur assumed full ownership of the company.

A few years later, a conversation between Don and a successful colleague, Jim Thomp-

son, brought about another change. Thompson, head of the world’s largest international moving company, said: “Come with me to Hong Kong, and in three days you’ll know about interna-tional moving.” Upon his return, Don started looking for some-one with international experience to take Highland to the next level. Enter Paul Wielens, Highland’s International rating clerk and now, their CEO. International moving requires exceptional skills to navigate the regulations and paperwork involved. “We ship everywhere,” Wielens says. “You name it, we’ll get it there.”

Highland Moving Turns 75

Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. | 75th Anniversary

Highland Moving now operates out of its new warehouse in Edmonton’s west end. Don’s son Casey became a managing part-ner three years ago and manages the Calgary operation. Including their Calgary Branch, they employ 36 office staff. With more than 60 trucks and up to 200 employees, they pride themselves on their ability to get the job done.

It’s been 75 years since an ambitious man bought that first truck, but with 1,600 moves last year and a projected 2,000 in 2013, the future remains bright for this family business.

WE HAVE A STRONG NATIONAL

Fully integratedtenant solutions

www.dundeerealty.com

780.423.4800

To view our portfolio of properties, visit:

Or contact us at:

Northwest Territories British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan OntarioQuebéc New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia

Congratulations to Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. for 75 Years in Business!

7 8 0 4 6 3 - 8 2 3 1 • w w w. p i g i . c a

Congratulations Highland Moving and Storage Ltd.

on your 75th anniversary! Printing Impressions and Graphics is proud to be part of your success.

4960 - 92 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6B 2V4 • Fax 780-462-9726

R.M. Moving Supplies Plus Ltd.5239 - 86 Street NW Edmonton, AB T6E 6T1 • Ph: 780-469-9198 • Fax: 780-469-9173

Toll Free: 1-866-469-9198 • www.rmmoving.ca

Congratulations Highland Moving and Storage Ltd.on your 75th anniversary!

Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. | 75th Anniversary

By Mark Kandborg

Above: Paul Wielens,

Don Kachur, and Casey Kachur

continue a 75-year tradition in moving.

Right: They really mean it when

they say “we started in a

garage.”

15305 – 128th Avenue N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5V 1A5Phone: 780-453-6777 • Fax: 780-453-6622

Email: [email protected]

Secure, heated storage in Highland Moving’s modern warehouse.

Page 75: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

The year was 1938 and Peter Kachur had just bought him-self a truck that carried his future. It came bundled with a company called Jim’s Express Transfer and Baggage Haul-

ing, Ltd. Legend has it that Peter kept the name Jim’s Express be-cause he didn’t have the paint to change the writing on the doors. What he did have was business sense, which he applied liberally to his little business, growing it bit by bit over the decades.

By the mid-60’s, Peter’s two sons, Norman and younger brother Don, were each considering ways of making their own mark in the world. Their father’s health was failing, so he of-fered his eldest the chance to take over the busi-ness. Norm agreed, and ran Jim’s Express suc-cessfully for the next 10 years. In 1974, younger brother Don bought into the company.

The forming of that fraternal partnership was auspicious as it marked the germination of an entirely new business model. “We knew that delivering used furniture wasn’t the fu-ture,” Don Kachur, now president of the com-pany, says. “We saw that MacCosham’s was rich, and we weren’t. So we said, let’s do what they’re doing.” They joined United Van Lines, bought land, built a warehouse and got down to the task of selling their services to the cor-porate sector.

The company made bold decisions. “We went head-to-head with MacCosham’s to land a contract with Canadian Bechtel,” Don says. Bechtel needed a company to handle the employees that were about to transfer to Ft. McMurray to build the massive Syncrude oil sands plant. “We got the job.”

Norman and Don realized it was time to change the name during a meeting with Brian Ascough of PWA. There was one thing keep-ing them from landing the account. “Brian asked if we would feel safe flying to Calgary on ‘Pete’s Airline’. We got the point.” Jim’s Ex-press and Baggage Hauling was re-imagined as Highland Moving and Storage, and in 1994, Don Kachur assumed full ownership of the company.

A few years later, a conversation between Don and a successful colleague, Jim Thomp-

son, brought about another change. Thompson, head of the world’s largest international moving company, said: “Come with me to Hong Kong, and in three days you’ll know about interna-tional moving.” Upon his return, Don started looking for some-one with international experience to take Highland to the next level. Enter Paul Wielens, Highland’s International rating clerk and now, their CEO. International moving requires exceptional skills to navigate the regulations and paperwork involved. “We ship everywhere,” Wielens says. “You name it, we’ll get it there.”

Highland Moving Turns 75

Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. | 75th Anniversary

Highland Moving now operates out of its new warehouse in Edmonton’s west end. Don’s son Casey became a managing part-ner three years ago and manages the Calgary operation. Including their Calgary Branch, they employ 36 office staff. With more than 60 trucks and up to 200 employees, they pride themselves on their ability to get the job done.

It’s been 75 years since an ambitious man bought that first truck, but with 1,600 moves last year and a projected 2,000 in 2013, the future remains bright for this family business.

WE HAVE A STRONG NATIONAL

Fully integratedtenant solutions

www.dundeerealty.com

780.423.4800

To view our portfolio of properties, visit:

Or contact us at:

Northwest Territories British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan OntarioQuebéc New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia

Congratulations to Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. for 75 Years in Business!

7 8 0 4 6 3 - 8 2 3 1 • w w w. p i g i . c a

Congratulations Highland Moving and Storage Ltd.

on your 75th anniversary! Printing Impressions and Graphics is proud to be part of your success.

4960 - 92 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6B 2V4 • Fax 780-462-9726

R.M. Moving Supplies Plus Ltd.5239 - 86 Street NW Edmonton, AB T6E 6T1 • Ph: 780-469-9198 • Fax: 780-469-9173

Toll Free: 1-866-469-9198 • www.rmmoving.ca

Congratulations Highland Moving and Storage Ltd.on your 75th anniversary!

Highland Moving & Storage Ltd. | 75th Anniversary

By Mark Kandborg

Above: Paul Wielens,

Don Kachur, and Casey Kachur

continue a 75-year tradition in moving.

Right: They really mean it when

they say “we started in a

garage.”

15305 – 128th Avenue N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5V 1A5Phone: 780-453-6777 • Fax: 780-453-6622

Email: [email protected]

Secure, heated storage in Highland Moving’s modern warehouse.

Page 76: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

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.ca780-432-3742

[email protected]

Page 77: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | March 2013 77

EDMONTON.COM

NEW TOURISM VP JOINS EEDC THIS SPRING

Maggie Davison joins Edmonton Economic Development Cor-

poration as vice-president of tourism effective April 8, 2013.

Currently the CEO of tourism Jas-per, which she created from the ground up, Davison evolved Jas-per into a premier destination in the Canadian Rockies. Before ar-riving in Jasper she led significant initiatives at the Canadian Tourism Commission starting in 2005. She headed Canadian tourism market-ing, increased United Kingdom visits to Canada and led business develop-ment for the commission’s Vancouver Olympic Games strategy.

Davison’s original brush with tourism and travel began through her acquisition and operation of a Goliger’s Travel franchise in 1990

where she grew the agency’s sales. Following this, she moved to TravelP-

lus, a huge consortium of independent owners, where she eventually became CEO and president, implementing North America’s first international quality certification of its kind. From there, Maggie became managing di-rector of the travel retail division at First Choice in 2001.

Playing a key role in working with the industry and shaping Edmonton’s future, Davison says, “I am excited to be joining EEDC’s team and espe-cially look forward to building on my already established relationships with key partners like Edmonton’s Des-tination Marketing Hotels group, Travel Alberta and the Canadian Tour-ism Commission.” Her experience and vision align with EEDC’s goal of making the region one of Canada’s top-performing tourism destinations.

MAGGIE DAVISON

EEDC UNVEILS 2013 STATEMENT OF INTENT

Did you miss our 2013 Impact luncheon on January 15? Ed-

monton Economic Development Corporation president and CEO, Brad

Ferguson, outlined the organiza-tion’s new structure and how it will contribute to a productive agency through its 2013 statement of intent.

“We are upfront and clear in outlining what we are about and what we will do this year,” says Ferguson. “Edmonton is a great northern city with unlimited en-trepreneurship, education and energy — we will be a beacon to-ward which people who crave opportunity will come.”

Keynote speaker Rick George, for-mer president and CEO of Suncor Energy, spoke about energy oppor-tunities in Alberta and beyond in his recently published book, Sun Rise: Suncor, The Oil Sands, and the Future of Energy.

For more on the Impact event, visit www.edmonton.com/impact where you can watch a video of both speeches and read EEDC’s Statement of Intent.

EEDC HEAD BRAD FERGUSON DISCUSSES WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2013.

Page 78: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

EDMONTON.COM

78 March 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

More than 5,000 participating athletes and a worldwide tele-

vision audience of 21 million will make Edmonton the world’s sport-ing capital in September 2014 when we host the International Triath-lon Union’s (ITU) Grand Finale. The bid’s success is the result of collab-oration by Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Triath-lon Academy.

Already host of an annual ITU World Cup event in the summer that brings 750 competitors to the city, Edmonton will host the Grand Final, the last race on the 2014 World Tri-athlon Series calendar. As a result, Edmonton will rank alongside such international cities as Auckland, New Zealand (2012 host) and London, England (2013 host).

Between $15 and $20 million in

economic impact is expected to be generated by the event, bringing new spending into the region’s economy. In addition, the Grand Final will fur-ther establish Edmonton as the home of triathlon in Canada. The Edmonton Triathlon Academy was accredited re-cently as one of only five Canadian regional triathlon training centres.

This will be one of the largest gatherings of athletes in Edmonton. Around 22,000 participants met here for the 2005 World Masters Games while the 2001 World Championships in Athletics brought in almost 1,700 athletes. The 1983 University Games attracted 2,400 athletes, and the 1978 Commonwealth Games were attend-ed by approximately 1,500 athletes. Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Games at-tracted just over 2,500 athletes.

Hosting international events rais-es global awareness of Edmonton and

brings new spending into the region-al economy. Statistics from last year’s Grand Final in Auckland showed that the 3,200-plus age-category athletes and an equal number of their families and friends visited the host country for an average stay of 10 days.

EDMONTON LANDS PRESTIGIOUS 2014 TRIATHLON FINALE

ONE OF EDMONTON’S LARGEST GATHERINGS OF ATHLETES WILL TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER 2014.

• Edmonton hosts the 2013 ITU World Cup event June 21-23• Edmonton will forego hosting the smaller 2014 ITU World Cup event to focus on hosting the 2014 Grand Final• Event will attract 5,000-plus athletes and TV audience of 21 million in 160 countries• Elite, age group, junior and paratriathletes from all continents will congregate in Edmonton

Page 80: March 2013 Business in Edmonton

YOU LOVE BEING GREEN!SO DO WE!