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SASKATCHEWAN’S
2013
CLASS OF
Airline Hotels Ltd. Alliance Energy Ltd. Brandt Group of Companies Concentra Financial Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd. Great Western Brewing Company Kramer Ltd. Magna Electric Corporation
Mega Group Inc Partner Technologies Incorporated Saskatchewan Minerals Inc. Simpson Seeds Inc. Solvera Solutions South Country Equipment Ltd. Western Sales (1986) Ltd. West Wind Aviation
Program Partners
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CEO Forum sponsor
Canada’s Best Managed Companies The symbol of corporate success
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..................................................... page 5 Privately owned organizations with revenues greater than $10 million may be eligible for the prestigious distinction of being named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, a designation that has become synonymous with corporate excellence and success.
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In 2013, Deloitte welcomed Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd. as Saskatchewan’s newest member of Canada’s Best Managed companies. Also honoured in 2013 were Western Sales (1986) Ltd., which achieved Gold Standard status in their fourth year in the program,
There are distinguishing characteristics amongst Best Managed Companies in how they execute their strategic plan and engage their people. While many companies have “well run” operations, the Best Managed awards program celebrates adaptability, sustainability and success.
Business leaders receive valuable insight into best practices that are being employed by Canada’s Best Managed companies, and how they can be applied to their respective organization. Many companies have identified the application process as having been useful as a benchmark to measure their current success and to better evaluate their team in their pursuit of business excellence.
Professionals from Deloitte and CIBC Commercial Banking conduct an indepth review of each business and coach applicants throughout the process.
The application process is rigorous, as it challenges an organization to evaluate the calibre of management abilities and practices. The application begins with
and West Wind Aviation, which achieved Platinum Club status in their seventh year in the program.
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Apply today at www. bestmanagedcompanies.ca For more information, email us at BestManagedCompanies@deloitte.ca
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2013 SASKATCHEWAN’S Best Managed Companies NEW WINNERS Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd. commitment to developing talent and leadership in order to create a sustainable and valuable company. In addition to the benefits of applying, there are many advantages to being a member of this elite group some of which include: • Exclusive use of the Best Managed designation • A celebration for the efforts and commitment of the entire company • Extensive media exposure
REQUALIFIED WINNERS Airline Hotels Ltd. Magna Electric Corporation Simpson Seeds Inc. Solvera Solutions South Country Equipment Ltd.
GOLD STANDARD WINNERS Alliance Energy Ltd.
• Networking opportunities with other Best Managed Companies
Clayton Veresh Partner, Deloitte
Continued from Page 1 an evaluation of a company’s strategic plan. The next phase is assessing capabilities, including building and sustaining a customer-focused approach to sales and marketing; raising and managing finances; and capitalizing on the use of technologies and solutions. The final phase of the application evaluates a company’s
Kramer Ltd.
• An enhanced ability to attract and retain top talent
Partner Technologies Incorporated
• A new business competitive edge
Saskatchewan Minerals Inc.
• Professional development at the Best Managed Symposium • Complimentary one-year membership in a professionally moderated CEO peer learning group with MacKay CEO Forums. Best Managed program partners include CIBC, Queen’s School of Business, National Post and MacKay CEO Forums.
Western Sales (1986) Ltd. (new)
PLATINUM CLUB MEMBER WINNERS Brandt Group of Companies Concentra Financial Great Western Brewing Company
The application period is currently open for 2014. Please contact Clayton Veresh at cveresh@deloitte.ca or 306-565-5202 for further information to start the application process.
Mega Group Inc. West Wind Aviation (new)
Best Managed Company Reaping the rewards of exporting
Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is a Best Managed company and privately held Saskatchewan corporation that supplies high-quality natural sodium sulphate to customers across North America. Shipping a low-margin, high-bulk commodity is inherently risky, and rail contracts and transportations costs must be carefully managed. Yet Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals has reduced this risk when it expanded into new markets. This insight is echoed in Deloitte’s report entitled The future of productivity: Smart exporting for Canadian companies, which shows that Canadian companies can actually lower their risk and improve their business performance through exporting. The trouble is, less than four per cent of Canadian firms export today. Bucking the trend, this Best Managed company took the bold step and entered the U.S. market, which provided strong incentive for it to transform its logistics network to be more competitive and improve productivity. It created a logistics co-operative that pooled goods and commodities from other small, regional producers that faced similar transportation
cost risks. The company also invested in new personnel and tracking mechanisms and expanded its network of transportation companies. Entering the U.S. market compelled Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals to transform its expertise into a profit centre, enhancing its logistics network and lowering its transportation costs in both Canada and the United States. According to Deloitte, exporting lowers overall business risk for companies by diversifying its geographic exposure across many markets. Exporting enhances business stability even when foreign markets are more volatile than the domestic market. Exporters also grow faster and are more productive than their domestic counterparts. Deloitte’s report outlines a three-stage journey to become a winning exporter, based
NEW WINNER
Shaun Airey of Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd. accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte .
on interviews with Best Managed companies and experienced exporters like Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals. To learn more, The future of productivity: Smart exporting for Canadian companies is available at productivity.deloitte.ca.
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REQUALIFIED WINNERS
TODD ASMUNDSON and LAUREN SIERMACHESKI of Airline Hotels Ltd. accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte .
Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison, spoke at the awards ceremony that was held on June 10, 2014.
REG ROBINSON and JIM OSTERTAG of
Solvera Solutions accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte .
DEALERSHIPS DONE DIFFERENTLY
The Driving Change Automotive Group is incredibly proud of our people that have made being a Best Managed Company possible.
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PAUL MCLELLAN of Alliance Energy Ltd.
GOLD STANDARD WINNERS
accepts award from John Hughes of Deloitte.
BOB PERRY and TIM KRAMER of Kramer Ltd.
STUART GIBSON of Partner Technologies Incorporated accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
accept award from John Hughes of Deloitte.
ROD MCCANN of Saskatchewan Minerals Inc. accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
JASON HINTZE, GRANT MCGRATH and CARL PERSSON
of Western Sales (1986) Ltd. accept award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
Family | Integrity | Quality | Innovation
On behalf of the entire team at Alliance Energy, we’re proud to have been selected as a
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GOLD STANDARD WINNER OF CANADA’S BEST MANAGED COMPANIES PROGRAM for the 6th year in a row!
ALLIANCE-ENERGY.COM
306.693.2132 | www.simpsonseeds.com Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan REG26401442_1_1
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RECEPTION
Kramer Ltd. is built to get the job done right. That’s why, every day since 1944, we have been committed to making our customers more profitable by providing safe, innovative, cost-effective solutions. We’re proud to be Saskatchewan’s Caterpillar dealer, and we are honoured and humbled to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the fifth year in a row.
Celebrating Kramer’s rich history Kramer Ltd. is celebrating 70 strong yearsinSaskatchewanin2014.Founded in 1944, the company has expanded a great deal from its humble beginnings in the Regina warehouse district. With branch locations in Regina, Saskatoon, Tisdale, Estevan, Swift Current, Kindersley, and Battleford, Kramer’s coverage is unmatched in the industry. “We will be hosting a series of open house events at all our branches throughout the month of September,” says Devin Wallin, Kramer’s marketing manager. “We are proud of our roots throughout the province, and look forward to hosting people within each of the communities we operate in to mark this significant occasion.” The Battleford branch will also celebrate its grand opening in September, as the company recently completed construction of the new facility to keep pace with customer demand in the area. Kramer also operates two Cat Rental Store locations that offer a full line of pumps, compressors, hand tools, concrete saws, and safety equipment so clients always have the right tools to get jobs done.
MACHINES CAN BE BOUGHT. RELATIONSHIPS HAVE TO BE BUILT. Kramer Ltd. is a 2013 Gold Standard Requalified member of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
KRAMER.CA
While plenty has changed in the 70 years that Kramer has been in operations, “We’ve been a Caterpillar equipment dealer since the beginning,” says Wallin. The same machines the company started out selling, such as motor graders and wheel loaders, continues to be the backbone of the business. What is changing most is the use of technology in the industry. “Kramer is proud to be certified by Caterpillar as a Level 5 Equipment Management Solutions dealer,” continues Wallin. “Think of it
“We are proud of our roots throughout the province, and look forward to hosting people within each of the communities we operate in to mark this significant occasion.” — Devin Wallin, Kramer’s marketing manager like ‘On-Star’ for heavy equipment.” EMSolutions uses onboard diagnostic tools that come factory-installed on a lot of new equipment, or that can be retrofitted onto older pieces in a customer’s fleet. Kramer employees will actively monitor customers’ machines for warnings signs and anomalies, and also review trends uncovered through their Scheduled Oil Sampling (SOS) services. “With SOS, we can detect microscopic changes in the particles found within the fluids of a customer’s machine. Just like a blood test does when you go for your checkup at the doctor, our SOS analysts can identify problems by observing trends in the fluid samples before they turn into major and costly issues. We feel SOS is the ultimate in preventative maintenance.” With a history of success in the province, and accolades such as the Best Managed Companies award paving the way to the future, Kramer is well positioned for the next 70 strong years. REG26204589_1_1
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CANADA'S BEST MANAGED COMPANY RECOGNITION IS HELPING TO SHAPE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR A COMPANY WITH A LONG HISTORY
PLATINUM CLUB MEMBER WINNERS Overseeing operations at Chaplin Lake, the heart of the Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals sodium sulphate enterprise.
Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc. is proud to be named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies by Deloitte for the fifth consecutive year, and to win the program's Gold Standard designation for the second year. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and attention to detail of all of our employees, who share in our pride. The company’s rich history, spanning more than six decades, provides a solid foundation for our operations and forms our vision for the future. Our recent name change, from Saskatchewan Minerals Inc. to Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals, Inc., reflects the diversity of our operations and our long-term direction. We are heading into the future as leaders in our industry and our business community.
ROD BOWES of Brandt Group of Companies accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
The involvement of Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals in the Canada’s Best Managed Companies program has sparked a company-wide push for improvement and the pursuit of excellence in every area of operations. Continued recognition by the program has given the company the culture and discipline, as well as the confidence, to take risks, think creatively and pursue growth. Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is grateful to the Best Managed Company program sponsors, as well as the program coaches from Deloitte, who provided guidance and expertise in navigating the program requirements. Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is North America’s leading producer of natural anhydrous sodium sulphate, supplying the detergent, pulp and paper, glass, textile, starch, deodorizer and several other industries worldwide. The company’s location, adjacent to both the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, facilitates efficient distribution to more than 80 domestic and international customers. Along with achieving the Best Managed Companies Gold Standard for the second time, Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is proud to be ISO 9001/2008 certified, and is dedicated to continuing our long history of supplying sodium sulphate of consistently high quality, along with exemplary customer service to our discerning clients.
Harvesting Pride BRIAN GUILLEMIN of Concentra Financial accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
Thank you to everyone who helped Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals to become one of Canada’s Best Managed >CMBGLPT@ SCA ?QT US?Q KTGA A=LLPLRH VTEAT BAC=D ?C @QGAT this designation with so many visionary companies in WG@OG?FQTXGLJ GFAC@@ ?QT FC=L?AK GLD GAC=LD ?QT XCANDH
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CONSECUTIVE YEAR GOLD MEMBER
COLLEEN YEAGER of Mega Group Inc accepts award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
GORD GILLESPIE and RICK PHILIPENKO of West Wind Aviation accept award from Shannon Jakes of CIBC and Clayton Veresh of Deloitte.
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