May 2014 Business in Calgary

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MAY 2014 $3.50

The Secret of Matt Campbell’s

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and Calgary’s top individ than 100 families have ex NEGOTIATING trusted expertise & unp SAM has built an enviable reputation for having a high level of Do you have right ag professionalism in real estate sales and service.

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SAM does not believe in cutting corners at-large. He brings you t when it comes to getting results for clients. His unique commitment ethic andhaswell-rounded sk to superior and far-reaching marketing brought success for buyers and sellers of Calgary homes across ALL price ranges.

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SAM is committed to giving WOW service to all of his clients during One key toSAM SAM’s every step of the home buying and selling process. prides himself success on developing relationships with his clients... for life.

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Iffamilies you list y have worked with SAM for as many as 10 times in 20 years and others findsuccess its with full have consistently experienced SAM 3colour to 5 times. Repeat image s relationships and enthusiastic referrals are PROOF that SAM thrives on quality publications.

SAM his commitment to his CLIENTS FOR LIFE. SPRINGBLUFF POINT SW

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success SPRINGBANK is his belief in quality advertising. His ad HILL | $2,900,000 GARRISON GREEN – $839,000 u list your home with him, you’ll be pleased to mage shining in some of the best-read, highestM I K E R A L P H W AY S W . SAM does not believe in cutting corners Inner city detached home, fully developed & offering almost 3200 SF of livetting results for clients. His unique commitment ing space, a fenced west backyard & double garageHuge island kitchen with dining area, flex room, living room with fireplace. Big master suite with lots r-reaching marketing has brought success for of built-in storage & spa-like ensuite featuring multi-head shower, oversized tub & his/her vanities. Basement with media room, games room, wet bar, of Calgary homes across ALL price ranges. full bathroom & den or guest room. Backyard has poured patio w/ outdoor

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speakers. Walking distance to parks & playgrounds, Mt Royal University & local pubs/restaurants, quick commute to downtown, easy access to several schools & lots of shopping.

o giving WOW service to all of his clients during me buying and selling process. SAM prides himself onships with his clients...for life.In fact,some families

Contents

volume 24 • number 5

PuBLishers

Pat Ottmann & Tim Ottmann

eDitor

John Hardy

on our cover…

coPy eDitors

Lisa Johnston & Nikki Mullett

Matt Campbell, CEO, Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc.

art Director

Cher Compton cher@businessincalgary.com

contriButing Designer aDMinistration

MAY 2014 $3.50

Nancy Bielecki nancy@businessincalgary.com Kim Hogan kim@businessincalgary.com Melissa Arthur info@businessincalgary.com

www.businessincalgary.com

Jessi Evetts

reguLar contriButors Richard Bronstein Frank Atkins David Parker Lonnie Tate Mary Savage

this issue’s contriButors Heather Ramsay Vivian Krause Dan Cooper Parker Grant Colleen Wallace Mary Savage Julia Marshall Shannon Stucky Stewart McDonough Andrea Mendizabal

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

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eDitoriaL, aDVertising & aDMinistratiVe oFFices

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aDVertising saLes

The Secret of Matt Campbell’s

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PhotograPhy

Cover photo courtesy of Bookstrucker Photography

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COVER 51 • The Secret of Matt Campbell’s Success He’s energized and energizing. He’s trusting and trustworthy. And he’s one happy man.

By John Hardy

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Contents

volume 24 • number 5

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

103

26 • It’s time to Play Ball Against U.S. Funders of Anti-Oil Activists

Alberta’s potential in jeopardy because of the Tar Sands Campaign

By Vivian Krause

32 • Calgary as a Really Good Pitch Calgary’s $1.6 billion business

By John Hardy

39 • The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry

Our industry has a great story to tell

By Dan Cooper

44 • Calgary’s Ambitious Push for Sustainability

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Compared to other Canadian communities, Calgary gets a B+

By Colleen Wallace

61 • Calgary’s Recycling Progress Rethinking and reducing how much stuff gets bulldozed into Calgary landfills

By Colleen Wallace

65 • Dealing with the Rail and Trucking Crises The problems will impact the Canadian consumer and the economy

By Parker Grant

103 • The Secret of the Swing That’s why it’s called a swing, not a hit

By Parker Grant

65 REGULAR COLUMNS 12 • Stop Me Now if You’ve Heard This

By Richard Bronstein 14 • Flood Mitigation

By Frank Atkins

COMPANY PROFILES

16 • Budgeting for Generations of Albertans

By Lonnie Tate

75 • James Electric Motor Service ‘Service Extraordinaire’ for 40 Years 83 • Sunshine Coach The Key to their Success is found in the Details 87 • Questor Technology Inc. 20 Years of Clean Air Advancements 91 • Standard The New Standard in Calgary’s Nightlife 95 • Anderson Vacations Fulfilling Bucket Lists for 20 Years

109 • Leading Business 113 • The Calgary Report Current developments for Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and Innovate Calgary

118 • Marketing Matters

By David Parker

10 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

stop Me now if you’ve heard this • Richard [title] • Bronstein [section]

By richarD Bronstein

Stop Me Now if You’ve Heard This

o

n March 31 this year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued renewed warnings about the world’s descent into the certain hell of climate change.

The IPCC’s current findings received wide coverage in the western media for a few days. Within a week, however, the story died and we were back to chronicling the bizarre world of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. (I can’t say for a fact but I doubt the IPCC report received more than scant, if any, coverage in Russia, Saudi Arabia or dozens of other countries where state-owned enterprises control oil and gas production.)

I’m not going to get into the details of the latest IPCC report – it’s all available online. But I am pretty sure that no more than 0.9 per cent of the world’s population will actually Google it.

What is more interesting to me is that the IPCC has now issued five assessment reports (1990, 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2014). All these reports are fairly consistent in their findings – climate change because of greenhouse gas emissions is an urgent global problem. However – and I guess this is the punchline – since the first IPCC assessment was issued in 1990, annual global greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels have gone up by 60 per cent.

As Graham Readfearn wrote in the Guardian recently, there is a sheer hellish monotony to all of this.

Consider that when this process began, in 1990, the World Wide Web had just been born. Reflect for a moment on the revolutionary effects of the Internet and wireless communication in just 20 years. But in that same time period society seems to be slumbering in the case of climate change initiatives.

When will we stop snoring and take action? Hard to tell.

But I do know what won’t work. Stopping Keystone XL is not the answer. Delegitimizing Alberta’s oilsands is not the answer. Placards, protests, demos and boycotts are not going to be successful either.

The current emphasis by environmental activists to target petroleum producers perhaps makes some people feel good, but it doesn’t achieve any results.

The problem is not the producers – it’s us consumers.

12 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

If you really want to shut down oilsands production the best way to do it is for everyone in Canada to give up their automobiles. Suncor would go bankrupt within a week.

All the Newfies in northern Alberta would go home. And moose would soon be wandering the deserted streets of Fort McMurray.

Energy companies supply a needed product. Only by changing demand for that product will you influence supply. Of course, we’re not going to stop driving automobiles any time soon, or flying airplanes, or heating our homes and powering our factories, moving freight, or stop using the 1,001 byproducts such as plastics, clothing, personal care items, medicines and so on.

But there is a way to adjust our consumption of fossil fuels so that we start bending the curve in the right direction. And that is through a carbon tax. All true-blue conservatives should support this because it is the ultimate user-pay system. Until people have to pay for something, everything else is theory. As the late baseball legend Casey Stengel (or was it Yogi Berra?) used to say, “There is no difference between theory and practice. Except in practice.”

A carbon tax is not the easiest legislation to write and regulate, but it is probably the most effective tool we have to set up a fair, free market solution to the problem of growing fossil fuel demand and what that is doing to our planet.

The particular problem we have in Canada is that we are part of a common North American market in oil and gas. We can’t implement a carbon tax that will put our businesses – and jobs and investment – at a disadvantage if the U.S. does not also implement a carbon tax.

Unfortunately for all of us, there are no signs that the Canadian or U.S. governments are working on a joint carbon tax policy. Our governments want to get elected more than they want to do the right things. So we keep nibbling on the edges of the problem by encouraging modest investment in alternative energy sources and trying to squeeze a few more miles a gallon from our cars. Maybe when waves from the Atlantic Ocean are lapping the sidewalks on Wall Street things will start changing. BiC

Wo o d Auto m ot ive G ro up

Advantage Ford

Greg Eagleson, general manager at Advantage Ford

Gerry Wood, president, Wood Automotive Group

“Being part of the Wood Automotive Group has definitely contributed to the success of Advantage where we all challenge one another to be better on a daily basis.” ~ Gerry Wood, president, Wood Automotive Group

T

hey say anything can happen at Advantage Ford and great things do every day, given the dealership’s dynamic personality and calibre of products. For the past 20 years, this location has been growing its talented and fun-loving team, and been selling and servicing a broad range of Ford vehicles.

Advantage Ford broke the mould when it joined Wood Automotive Group, becoming the first place in Canada to have two Ford dealerships in one city owned by the same dealer principal.

“It took a lot of time and effort to convince Ford that this was a good idea,” says Gerry Wood, president, Wood Automotive Group. Ever since the decision was made Advantage Ford has never looked back with continual growth and presence in Calgary’s market. “Being part of the Wood Automotive Group has definitely contributed to the success of Advantage where we all challenge one another to be better on a daily basis,” says Wood.

Greg Eagleson, general manager at Advantage Ford, says the team behind the dealership genuinely enjoy what they do. “Life is too short to be serious all of the time and it’s

a great feeling to know you’ve put a smile on someone’s face. Our priority is to ensure the entire process is smooth and that every customer sincerely feels valued and a part of the Advantage family. Nothing beats sharing a laugh with someone and seeing them get truly excited about buying a new vehicle.”

With a 75 per cent customer repeat and renewal rate, the next generation of buyers are clearly loyal to the dealership too. As the largest Ford retailer in Calgary for three years running, Advantage Ford offers extensive new and used product inventory as well as service. Commitment to quality and customer service has earned them standing as one of the top two largest Mustang dealers in Canada, and one of the top 10 Ford dealers in the country.

Advantage Ford offers a full suite of trucks, SUVs and cars, and is pleased to now also offer Shelby products. “Our doors are always open and we host a family barbecue every Saturday, rain, (snow) or shine. We are in the heart of a great community and everyone is welcome here. It’s the Advantage way,” says Eagleson.

“There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.” ~ Henry Ford

www.woodauto.ca | www.advantageford.ca | 403-225-3636

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Flood Mitigation[title] • Frank Atkins • [section]

i

often run along the Bow River at the western end of the city. This is a particularly difficult place to run since the floods of last summer.

The south jogging path is completely closed from approximately Crowchild Trail to Edworthy Park. The north path is open but with many detours around areas of reconstruction. This reconstruction is part of what the city is calling “flood resilience projects” which are going to cost Calgary taxpayers $15 million. The city has had to prioritize these projects due to budget constraints. It is nice to see that the city appears to be at least beginning to learn about budget constraints and implementation of priority lists.

While on a recent jog, I was detoured off the pathway in the community of Parkdale. I assumed that this was another flood mitigation project. However, there are signs at each end of this detour proudly announcing that this project is the construction of the Parkdale Plaza. It did not seem to me that a construction site called the Parkdale Plaza had very much to do with flood resilience or mitigation, so I looked up this project on the City of Calgary website. I encourage everyone to do this, as the city has a lovely description of this project: “Parkdale Plaza, located along the Bow River at the end of 34A St. NW, is a new plaza for Calgarians to pause, enjoy and reflect.

This inviting space, which will be under construction until fall 2014, is the result of architects, engineers and an artist working together to develop a

Flood Mitigation place that connects us not only to our river, but to the water systems hidden beneath our communities.”

There is something very wrong in this whole project. Here we have a city that has had to spend a great deal of taxpayer money not only cleaning up after the floods but also rebuilding damaged infrastructure. The bill for this was getting large enough that the city wisely chose to prioritize projects,

ers. As always, the city appears to be unable to look at the budget picture as a whole. This has been going on for a long time. I can remember a time more than five years ago when I was driving along Memorial Drive North West, Mayor Bronconnier was talking about potential cuts to the police. I looked around me, and there was construction that was basically beautifying Memorial Drive.

This is a fundamental problem with the manner in which the City raises revenue and spends.

presumably by importance of the particular infrastructure that needed to be rebuilt. However, here we have a project that appears to have nothing to do with flood mitigation, being built at the same time that we appear to have trouble paying for the necessary flood mitigation projects. What is even more wrong about this project is that at the same time that this is being built, the following headline appeared on the CBC news website: Fire Chief says More Budget Cuts Would Force Layoffs. The story quotes fire Chief Bruce Burrell as saying that any more budget cuts to his department will force layoffs of front-line firefighters.

This appears to be an odd tradeoff, a plaza for Calgarians to pause enjoy and reflect, or more firefight-

14 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

This is a fundamental problem with the manner in which the city raises revenue and spends. This is the fundamental reason why the $52 million in tax room was not given back to Calgary taxpayers. The city is forever trying to be everything to everybody all of the time. This type of socialism is very expensive, and this is why our municipal taxes will just keep going up in the future. BiC

Frank atkins is an associate ProFessor oF econoMics at the University oF calgary, a senior Fellow at the Frontier centre For PUblic Policy and a MeMber oF the advisory board oF the institUte For PUblic sector accoUntability.

© 2014 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.

By Frank atkins

It takes high-flying talent to know talent.

Thank you to our judges for lending their time and talent to select the Prairies’ gravity-defying entrepreneurs.

National sponsors

National silver sponsor

Platinum sponsors

Š 2014 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.

EY is a proud supporter of entrepreneurship

Linda Hohol Director Various Boards

Darryl Levy Asif Mawji President and CEO Chief Executive Officer NPO Zero Corp.

Wynward Insurance Group

Kelley Smith Consultant

Dale Wishewan President and CEO Booster Juice

Stephanie Yong Director W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence

budgeting for generations of albertans • Lonnie Tate

By Lonnie tate

Budgeting for Generations of Albertans

i

am glad that I live in a province where the two principal political parties are conservative. I am mad that neither party presents a common-sense conservative plan for financing our provincial government. Rather … we get kneejerk commentary from the nitwits of both parties designed to attract media attention and get press. Bashing the other party seems to be the all-consuming reason for their existence.

What they need is a little common sense. And to get that, they simply need to turn inward and look at their own personal financing. The average person knows (and also understands) that having no debt is a good thing and saving is a good thing. And when that average person buys a house, most understand they need equity and some borrowing capacity to build their future.

Provincial operations are not much different. Unfortunately, all the nitwits get in a panic when a few zeros are added to the end of the numbers. Not knowing what to do, they start slinging arrows at the other guys and making incredibly dumb statements.

For instance: In the fuss over the current fiscal budget, various PC ministers have said it is best to borrow because we are earning 11 per cent on investments and borrowing costs are less than four per cent. Come on you guys! Follow that to its logical conclusion and we should borrow another $100 billion and put a net $7 billion in the bank every year.

Good grief!

Or: The Wildrose camp says we should never borrow a nickel. The $5 billion (or so) of borrowing in this year’s budget destined for schools and roads should not be spent. I guess we should have fewer schools and roads than seem necessary.

So let me try some comparisons that even nitwits can understand.

Start with a family. The average, stable family almost never has enough cash to buy their home outright. They need a mortgage. What do they do? They find out how much they can qualify for based on the principal and interest payments they can make. For the past 50 years, the rule of thumb has been a third of family income can go to debt service.

I’ll bet every one of us (even the nitwits) has been in discussion with our spouse over what we can buy versus the rule of thumb. That is probably the most important financial debate in marriages. How else can they enter the Canadian equivalent of Valhalla – a spouse, two kids and a mortgage?

That is the debate we should demand of our nitwits. We don’t need rash exclamations about how we are mortgaging our future. We need people who understand that (from time to time) we need to borrow to ensure our future.

So as best as I can determine, our province is going to bring in $45 billion in revenues and expend $43 billion in operations. It seems to me the difference should be spent on our future; schools, hospitals, roads and the like. And if we need more than $2 billion for this, we should debate the need and then borrow what is necessary.

Just like the rule of thumb for individuals, there should be rules for government to limit debt to what we can afford to repay in principal and interest. I don’t care how much we will spend next year on interest payments. I want to know that we can afford the interest and the repayments of principal within our present and future cash flow constraints.

There is another consideration in all this. I do not understand why people in our province should be forking over cash today to buy assets with long, useful lives. Without debt, we pay today so that tomorrow, future Albertans can have a free ride.

In the utility business, the concept of inter-generational equity is well understood. Power plants, pipelines, telephone lines (and the like) that last a long time are financed with borrowing. Equity is achieved because those who use the facility, pay for it through rate-base fees. The vehicle to achieve that equity is debt that is carefully controlled. The province should adopt the principle of inter-generational equity.

On another level, there is some possibility that the current nitwits will be replaced with new nitwits in the next election. I wonder – what will they spend the savings on? Think about it! BiC

16 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

CIBCa

CIBCad_PWM_CAL_BC.indd 1

2014-04-02 3:10 PM

off the top • News

The MNP Success Story Continues to Grow

The Calgary-based tax, accounting and business advisory services firm recently posted the largest revenue increase (13.3 per cent) among the country’s seven biggest firms, moving MNP into sixth place on Canada’s Top 30 list.

The dynamic accounting and business advisory company – specializing in consulting, corporate finances, enterprise risk, insolvency, investigative and forensic services, succession, tax, training solutions, valuation and other customized services – now has more than 80 offices across the country and strategically focuses on “relationships” to better understand individualized client needs and define the most efficient, effective and customized services.

“Although mergers tend to grab the headlines in the financial services sector,” says MNP CEO Daryl Ritchie, “much of the credit goes to MNP’s strong organic growth in every province we practise in and in every service line, as well as some key strategic mergers we continue to achieve.

“Today, more than ever, readers and other users demand relevant, reliable and independently reviewed financial information that reflects the organization’s activities,” he explains. “Our MNP assurance team also realizes that organizations face unique challenges and opportunities that need efficient, effective and customized service.”

Ritchie admits that while MNP

Daryl Ritchie, CEO of MNP

“Today, more than ever, readers and other users demand relevant, reliable and independently reviewed financial information that reflects the organization’s activities.

Our MNP assurance team also realizes that organizations face unique challenges and opportunities that need efficient, effective and customized service.” ~ Daryl Ritchie, CEO of MNP

18 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

did continue on the merger path, particularly growing its Ontario footprint with four mergers last year (Wade Group in Burlington, MSCM LLP in Toronto, entering northern Ontario for the first time with Sudbury-based Laberge Venne and Partners, and Buset Sarvas Mozzon in Thunder Bay) the trusted and Calgary-based firm also forges ahead, building national brand presence and even some industry name recognition.

MNP has re-entered three-year partnerships with three iconic Canadian sports operations: the Toronto Blue Jays, Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Ritchie acknowledges that “being involved with such high-profile professional sport clients, the firm signals to the business community that, like those high-profile and winning operations, MNP delivers reliable and winning solutions for our conventional markets and our clients.” He also points out that the Roughriders, Alouettes and Blue Jays relationships boost MNP presence and exposure in Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario.

The MNP focus to build strong, customized relationships is obviously a sound decision in the right direction.

The company once again racked up the strongest growth of the Big Seven business advisory firms in Canada and shows no sign of slowing down. BiC

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Stewart Drummond Studios receives the 2013 Family Enterprise of the Year Award - Calgary Chapter

Mark Chambers, Jordan Fordyce, David Fordyce, Audrey Liepins and 15-year employee June Pinter of Stewart Drummond Studios. Photo credit: Studio White Photography.

There’s the family business. And there’s the business of family. When the two bond together, it can not only be magic but solid success.

That’s the “award-winning” success story behind Calgary’s Stewart Drummond Studios, the tremendously respected and third-generation, wholesale design resource centre for Calgary area designers.

Not only is Stewart Drummond Studios a solid Calgary family business with a tremendous reputation for expertise, quality and professionalism, all three generations are still involved, ”go into the shop” and happily work together every day, as well as the family’s two standard poodles.

Family roots and family ties are nice warm ’n’ fuzzies and may make it all happen, but it is very much performance, the competitive bottom line, success and other business aspects about Stewart Drummond Studios that were judged 22 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

Fordyce acknowledges that the three generations of her family are very conscious to avoid the notorious risks of family businesses.

“We carefully determine what is business and what is personal.

Never confuse the two.”

off the top • News

and earned the coveted 2013 Family Enterprise of the Year Award from the Calgary chapter of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE).

Jordan Fordyce is now partners with her father David Fordyce and works in the Stewart Drummond Studios Calgary showroom and offices, together with her energetic, 81-year-old grandmother (and co-founder) Audrey Liepins and their nine loyal staff.

Her husband, Mark Chambers, is also involved in the family business, looking after outside sales, mostly in summer since he is a teacher in the Calgary area.

“I agree that I have had a slightly unusual career path,” Jordan Fordyce admits, graduating as a lawyer and with a psychology degree, “but I have a passion for this industry and absolutely a sensation in my heart for our family business.

After all, I go to work and get to see my dad and my grandmother every day!”

Fordyce acknowledges that the three generations of her family are very conscious to avoid the notorious risks of family businesses. “We carefully determine what is business and what is personal. Never confuse the two.”

According to Todd Coleman, the current president of the CAFE Calgary chapter, “Family-owned businesses have continued to be recognized as some of the most important and valued employers throughout the Calgary area. This year’s Calgary Family Enterprise of the Year Award finalists spotlight families who have shown their dedication to our community and strengthening the family business footprint in Calgary.”

As the 2013 Calgary area winner, Stewart Drummond Studios will now go on to represent Calgary in the CAFE national competition in Vancouver in May. “I’m so lucky to have such a close family and we love and enjoy each other,” she says. “Being at work together is actually just a bonus. And Calgary is such a dynamic and exciting market to do business. There is so much diversity and growth. The city prospers and creates terrific opportunities.” BiC

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RUN MAy, NOveMBeR

off the top • News

Best Managed Companies - Upside Engineering There’s a legendary, Canadian business slogan: “Our product is steel, our “We have exceptionally strength is people.”

A contemporary, Calgary version talented, dedicated and could well be: “Our product is engineering. Our strength is people.” It could collaborative staff and be a perfect slogan for Calgary-based Upside Engineering, particularly since we are truly honoured the company – one of Western Canada’s by this designation.” fastest growing engineering and design firms in the energy sector – was recently ~ Rod Evans judged and voted one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for 2013.

The prestigious Canadian business rec“We’re much more nimble and manageognition program, sponsored by Deloitte, ment is unconditionally approachable.

CIBC, National Post, Queen’s School of We have an environment that encourBusiness and MacKay CEO Forums, has ages people to listen to customers and been screening Canadian-owned and unconditionally give customers exactly managed private companies with revRod Evans, President & Chief Executive Officer of Calgary’s what they want.

Upside Engineering enues over $10 million with a rigorous “I had always wanted to run my own and independent process to evaluate company and bring that different twist management skills and practices for to the work,” Evans explains. “That twist is perhaps best more than 21 years. described as empowerment and is one of the aspects that Each year, hundreds of Canadian entrepreneurial compasets us apart. We have exceptionally talented, dedicated and nies have competed for the coveted Best Managed Company collaborative staff and we are truly honoured by this desdesignation. ignation.”

This year, after much national review and consideration, Management practices like leadership, communication Calgary-based Upside Engineering is surprised, thrilled and and strategy are also vital in contemporary business manhonoured to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed agement and the popular Canadian recognition program is Companies. The proud news is extra wonderful in a year that also keeping up to date. also marks Upside’s 25th anniversary.

“Many of this year’s Best Managed Companies are hiring As one of the leading engineering, procurement and consenior people with specific skill sets and accelerating their struction support companies in Western Canada, offering development so they can add value quickly and deliver the full spectrum of engineering and design services, Upside outcomes,” says John Hughes, Deloitte Canada’s managing has more than tripled in size to a current staff of 320 people partner, growth enterprises, and national leader of Canaand, according to Rod Evans, Upside’s president and chief da’s Best Managed Companies program. BiC executive officer, the success is directly attributed to staff.

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it’s time to Play ball against U.s. Funders of anti-oil activists • News

It’s Time to Play Ball Against U.S. Funders of Anti-Oil Activists

N N N N

alberta’s potential in jeopardy because of the tar sands campaign

By ViVian krause

V

isiting Calgary, as I did last month, one is impressed.

Even after a long winter, Calgary exudes that undefeatable attitude for which Alberta became so admired during the 2013 floods.

Calgary’s prosperity is easy to see. There’s The Bow tower and the $1.3-billion South Calgary Hospital Centre, not to mention the $2-billion airport expansion that’s on the way.

Much of Calgary’s economic prosperity comes from Alberta’s extraordinary natural and human potential, the oilsands and the people who develop them. To fully realize this potential, major infrastructure projects are required: pipelines and ports that can bring Alberta energy to global markets.

Having researched the funding of environmental activism for more than a decade, I worry that Alberta’s potential is in jeopardy because of the Tar Sands Campaign, a sophisticated, well-funded initiative that is landlocking Alberta energy within North America. Whether it was the original intention or not, the Tar Sands Campaign continues the U.S. monopoly on Alberta oil, keeping Canada over a barrel.

As Albertans know, this is no small matter. CIBC estimates that in 2012, $25 billion in oil revenue was lost because Alberta oil was sold into the U.S. below market value. The Canadian Energy Research Institute estimates that if Alberta

26 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

oil is landlocked within North America, Canada stands to lose $1.3 trillion of gross domestic product and $276 billion in taxes by 2035.

Vivian Krause Raising the negatives, raising costs, slowing down or stopping infrastructure and enrolling key decision-makers is what the Tar Sands Campaign is about, according to a campaign strategy paper.

Generating media coverage, a steady drumbeat of news is central to this campaign. “We need to be able to buy media to amplify embarrassing or disturbing facts about the tar sands,” the strategy says.

During the first five years of the Tar Sands Campaign, the focus was on the Enbridge Northern Gateway project and the Keystone XL pipeline. But that has changed.

The same groups that stalled Keystone XL are now setting their sights on the Energy East pipeline, Line 9, the Line 3 rebuild, the Alberta Clipper (Line 67), Flanagan South and the Seaway pipelines. Equiterre, Environmental Defence, New Venture and other environmental and First Nations groups have been funded specifically to campaign against these pipelines.

Over the past five years, I have reviewed more than 100,000 pages of U.S. tax returns in order to follow the money trail on the campaign against Alberta oil.

Most of my research is based on U.S. tax returns because the IRS requires greater disclosure than the Canada Revenue Agency.

From my research, it is evident that many of the individuals on the front line of the Tar Sands Campaign are as Canadian as I am but the big funders aren’t. The Tar Sands Campaign is heavily funded by sources south of the border.

Since 2009, I’ve traced more than 200 grants from U.S. sources, totalling in excess of US$75 million for conservation initiatives and campaigns that explicitly aim to thwart fossil fuel development in Canada. In addition, I’ve traced more than $250 million for large-scale conservation initiatives (the Great Bear Rainforest Initiative, the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, the Sacred Headwaters Initiative and the Boreal Initiative) that aim

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it’s time to Play ball against U.s. Funders of anti-oil activists • News

Tides has specifically funded groups to cultivate grassroots opposition and put a negative slant on public opinion about the oilsands. This is not exactly what a charitable foundation such as Tides is supposed to be doing. to put more than one third of Canada off-limits to the development of oil and gas and other natural resources.

Leading the charge against the Keystone XL pipeline, and now Energy East, is Bill McKibben. His campaign, 350.org, has the look and feel of an amateur, grassroots operation, but in reality, it is a multimillion-dollar outfit run by staff earning six-digit salaries. During 2011-12, the most recent year for which tax returns are publicly available, 350.org had a $2-million payroll, including $600,000 for consultants.

By my analysis, the main intermediary organizations involved in funding the Tar Sands Campaign are the Tides Foundation (“Tides”) and the New Venture Fund.

U.S. tax returns filed by Tides show that since 2008 it has granted at least $25 million to 75 organizations that campaign against Alberta oil in the U.S., Canada and in Europe. In the U.S., these organizations have more than 2,000 employees, more than 20,000 volunteers and combined annual revenues of half a billion dollars. These numbers give an indication of the clout that the Tar Sands Campaign can draw on.

Where did Tides get the $25 million for its Tar Sands Campaign? That’s not entirely clear. Tides has annual revenue of roughly $95 million from many sources. What we do know for sure is that since 2004, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation paid Tides nearly $10 million for reducing fossil fuel development in Canada. Tides also received $8 million from the Sea Change Foundation, funded by James Simons, a hedge fund billionaire, and members of his family. At least $2 million from Sea Change was “to promote awareness of and opposition to tar sands.”

Another big funder of Tides is Warren Buffett. Over the past decade, his foundation, “NoVo,” has granted $28 million to Tides, including $12 million for environment and indigenous leadership. NoVo representatives do not say how Tides spent NoVo funds except that they are not used in the Tar Sands Campaign.

Whether it was planned or not, Warren Buffett’s rail business, BNSF, may have benefited substantially from Tides’ anti-pipeline campaign since oil shipments by rail have skyrocketed because Keystone XL has been stalled.

Until the fall of 2013, little information was publicly available about the specific activities that the Tar Sands Campaign funds. That changed when more than 2,700 covering letters on payments made by Tides were found online. I came across these covering letters unexpectedly, using Google.

Among the 2,700 covering letters that I have seen, at least 70 appear to pertain to the Tar Sands Campaign. Made between June and October of 2013, these 70 payments total $3 million and were made to 40 organizations in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

28 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

From the Great Bear Initiative, directed by Art Sterritt, and the First Nations at Fort Chipewyan to the groups pushing for the EU fuel quality in Europe, Tides funds every major organization that is campaigning against the Alberta oil industry.

Tides also funds the beginning of a new campaign against in situ mining. Tides also funds ForestEthics to get Coke or Pepsi to refuse to buy Alberta oil.

The push to get the European Union to pass the Fuel Quality Directive, which would disadvantage Alberta oil in global markets, is also funded by Tides through at least six organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. For example, in September of 2013, Tides, based in San Francisco, paid a numbered company in Fort Chipewyan $55,000 “to build the case for rejecting the Shell and Teck Frontier mines; participate in regulatory processes and use legal tools to increase regulations; work with groups in Europe to support the Fuel Quality Directive; and build public opposition to tar sands and pipelines.”

Tides has specifically funded groups to cultivate grassroots opposition and put a negative slant on public opinion about the oilsands. This is not exactly what a charitable foundation such as Tides is supposed to be doing.

The Dogwood Initiative, based in Victoria, B.C., was funded “to cultivate widespread public opposition to tar sands oil tankers and pipeline proposals in British Columbia.” It’s not all tankers that Dogwood is funded to oppose, only tankers carrying Alberta oil. Since 2009, Tides has granted Dogwood at least $US920,000.

Several grants mention building relationships with First Nations and supporting their legal action against oilsands development projects. For example, Tides funded the Pipe Up Association “to build the grassroots movement to oppose the Kinder Morgan pipeline, build relationships with First Nations along the pipeline and participate in public meetings on Kinder Morgan.”

The Canadian organization that has received the most funding from Tides, as indicated in these letters, is the Pembina Institute, granted $280,000 for 2013. Pembina was paid “… to advance the narrative that oilsands expansion is problematic” and “… for furthering awareness of the negative impacts of the tar sands economy.” Indeed, with the release of reports such as, “Booms, Busts and Bitumen,” Pembina is doing what it is funded to do.

Since 2004, the Pembina Foundation and the Pembina Institute have been paid nearly $7 million from U.S. sources that fund organizations opposed to Canadian energy development.

Another component of the campaign against Alberta oil is “Dirty Oil Sands,” an online initiative. Its newsletter, The Dirt, and its Twitter feed consistently put Alberta oil in a negative light while praising anti-pipeline activists.

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it’s time to Play ball against U.s. Funders of anti-oil activists • News

The Dirty Oil Sands website is registered to the New Venture Fund (“New Venture”), a charitable organization based in Washington, D.C. Another website registered to New Venture is RETHINK ALBERTA, a campaign to steer tourists away from Alberta. Whatever the beef over oil, it hardly seems fair to take it out on tourism.

Like Tides, New Venture executes “donor-developed projects,” keeps the books and manages payroll for projects on a wide range of issues. New Venture’s biggest funder is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which has granted at least $50 million to address college readiness and malnutrition in developing countries.

For 2012, New Venture’s total revenue topped $52 million, up from $36 million the year before. Since 2009, New Venture has been granted at least $32 million to protect the environment, reduce fossil fuel development and promote renewable energy. In 2012, for example, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund paid New Venture $250,000 “to cap tar sands production in Alberta, Canada, and to reduce demand for tar sands derived fuels in the United States.”

Given the influence of U.S. funders, it is time to bring them into the conversation. Dialogue with local, Canadian stakeholders is important and must remain a priority. The U.S. funders must also be brought to the table.

It’s fair for Canadians to ask some rather pointed questions:

t

Why is there no campaign against the tankers that import oil into the U.S. on a daily basis? Why no campaign against oil imports by rail? Why no multimillion-dollar campaign to cap industry expansion in Texas and North Dakota – where oil production has soared? Why is the Tar Sands Campaign only against the pipelines that would take Alberta oil to offshore markets?

My hope is that a small group of forward-thinking leaders from the Alberta business community will strike up a formal dialogue directly with the U.S. funders of the Tar Sands Campaign, in particular, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Oak Foundation, Tides and Sea Change. There is common ground: we all want a sustainable future, more renewable energy, better energy efficiency and less waste.

The broader group of American charitable foundations that fund the Tar Sands Campaign has more than $50 billion in assets and gives away more than $2 billion each year to a wide range of causes. They can’t be outspent. To use an analogy from baseball, this is Moneyball and Alberta might as well be sporting the uniforms of the Oakland A’s.

Spring has arrived. It’s time to play ball. BiC vivian kraUse is a vancoUver researcher and contribUtor to the Financial Post. on twitter, she’s @FairQUestions.

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calgary as a really good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

Photos, this page, courtesy of Travel Alberta.

Calgary

as a Really Good Pitch Calgary’s $1.6 billion business

BY JOHN HARDY

i

n the business of travel and tourism, Calgary is so much more than an international popular and booming destination. Calgary is a great experience and a dynamic and exceptional brand.

That’s the potent strategy and the focused business plan of the Calgary pitch, whether it’s being aired in Winnipeg, Glasgow, Houston, Regina, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Toronto, Melbourne, Beijing or Vancouver.

It’s also the challenge, the mandate and the potent double whammy of the innovative Travel Alberta team that promotes everything Alberta, and the limitless opportunity of the energetic and gung-ho Tourism Calgary team that promotes everything Calgary.

In terms of conventional business strategy, trending and revenues, most people rarely think about tourism as either 32 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

an industry or a business. It’s not like oil and gas, IT, investment, legal, accounting, manufacturing or retail. There are no trackable performance reports, cash flow streams and data analysis.

People in traditional office and industrial workplaces often subscribe to stereotypes and conventional jobs and workdays, and assume that tourism is just a vague PR function and mostly happens on its own – that pitching Calgary across Canada and around the world is an interesting and cinchy job but it’s not really work. Making the rounds with stacks of glossy brochures, fancy PowerPoint presentations, wine and cheese receptions and razzle-dazzle about the Stampede, fabulous Calgary restaurants, the Rockies, floating down the Bow on sunny summer afternoons, no sales tax, white cowboy hats, the Badlands, the warmth and

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calgary as a really good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

friendliness of western hospitality, Flames and Stampeders games, the fastest growing airport in Canada, the +15s, the C-Train and even the Komodo dragon display at the Calgary Zoo. Of course that is grossly out of whack and wrong.

On the contrary, as the supercharged and focused Tourism Calgary and Travel Alberta team members openly admit, tourism may be a somewhat unusual, misunderstood, action-packed and even fun job, but effectively pitching the travel and tourism aspects of Alberta, and particularly Calgary, is serious, big business.

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calgary as a really good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

“There’s no doubt about it,” beams Cindy Ady, the upbeat and high-energy CEO of Tourism Calgary. “There is much buzz about Calgary throughout Canada, the U.S., Australia, Europe and, more and more, in Asia.

Calgary is definitely noticed and getting attention for being a terrific tourist destination for many reasons.”

According to the Conference Board of Canada, Calgary is forecast to lead all major Canadian cities in tourism growth for 2014.

The New York Times recently put Calgary on its influential list of “52 Places to Go in 2014.”

In the U.K., the Guardian recently selected Alberta (and especially Calgary) as the ninth Cindy Ady, CEO of Tourism Calgary. best place to visit in the world. Calgary is also shortlisted as one of the top 30 Ultimate Sports Cities in the world and this year – from broomroom availability, per-day spending, regional, domestic and ball to rugby – Calgary is hosting 10 national championships international markets, rack rates, group rates, incentive and 10 World Cup or major international sporting events. options, ease-of-access and more.

“We’re definitely doing a lot of things right,” Ady says Plugged-in and constantly updated market strategy is a with pride and enthusiasm. key part of the hard work and focus that is Alberta and speThe fiercely competitive business of travel and tourism cifically Calgary tourism. usually deals in factors and variables like room nights and “Regional, national and especially international tourism

businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 35

Calgary as a Really Good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

downtown core, the Rockies, Canmore, Banff, is a long-term project,” says Royce Chwin, the spectacular natural beauty and the West the exuberant vice president of marketing Edmonton Mall to the Badlands and the and communications for Travel Alberta. His unusual but increasingly popular overnight responsibilities include the global marketing coach tours to the Suncor and Syncrude oilof Alberta for 11 markets worldwide. sands operations in Fort McMurray – Alberta “We talk about the province as a whole tourism is a $7.8 billion business. Royce and key specifics like Calgary. We stay conChwin and his Travel Alberta staff are comsistent; we constantly monitor situations and mitted and on track to achieve a $10.3 billion determine what is trending and what is saltarget by 2020. able. Equally as important in the business of The latest industry stats and figures resoundtourism: what is not trending or salable. Our ingly underscore what a tremendously popular strategies are built around the traveller, their tourist destination Calgary continues to be. wants and interests and their motivation to Royce Chwin, vice president of marketing and Despite popular assumptions about Calvisit certain destinations,” he explains. communications for Travel Alberta gary’s booming business sector creating a “Provincewide and particularly in Calgary, steady flow of business travel to Calgary the three primary drivers for tourism busiand the city’s robust conference and convention activity, it ness are: leisure travel, visiting friends and relatives and is undisputedly leisure travel (pleasure travel and visiting business travel. We carefully target each market individually friends and family) that is the key for Calgary tourism. and we have a defined and calculated growth strategy.”

Just last year, leisure travel accounted for 74 per cent (5.6 Maximizing the tourism potential and actual tourism million) of the city’s total 7.5 million visitors who spent value of all three types of Alberta – and Calgary – visitors more than $1.6 billion on everything from Calgary taxis, is a finicky and complex marketing and business plan, a hotels and motels, restaurants, car rentals, Stampede Park changeable and strategic management manoeuvre and serievents, shopping for fashion in the CORE and for western ous big business. gear at Lammle’s Western Wear and Tack to Saddledome and From popular Alberta hot draws like Calgary and the

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Calgary as a Really Good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

McMahon Stadium tickets and admissions to the Calgary Tower.

According to Tourism Calgary tracking, almost 90 per cent of leisure tourists come from other areas of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan; nearly seven per cent from the U.K., Germany, Japan and Australia; and just under four per cent from California, (the state of) Washington and Texas.

“It’s not only very exciting and a great opportunity for Calgary,” says Ady, “but according to the Conference Board forecast, Calgary will have a four per cent growth in overnight visits and a 6.8 per cent growth in tourism spending in 2014.

“The big airport expansion – the new runway that will be operational this summer and the big, new international terminal that will be completed next year – and the enormous business and investment confidence in Calgary that is being reflected by the additional 2,400 hotel rooms being built and will increase our hotel room supply by about 20 per cent are tremendous for our long-term tourism business.”

She is energized, knowledgeable and in the perfect job

Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta.

as Calgary’s top tourism booster. “We are already getting recognition as an area of cosmopolitan cool with unique western warmth and we are terrifically positioned for positive growth.

“Just this year alone, Calgary has three major, special anniversaries to celebrate. It’s Heritage Park Historical Village’s 50th,

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Calgary as a Really Good Pitch • Tourism & Travel

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it’s the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon’s 50th and it’s also the Fairmont Palliser’s centennial. There is lots new at the Stampede, it will be another great year for the PGA Shaw Golf Classic, A Taste of Calgary, Opera in the Village, the (still to be confirmed) Tour of Alberta international bike marathon and Beakerhead, the superb and uniquely Calgary art, science and engineering festival.

“They are all key Calgary special events that are also travel motivators, brand builders and will show our unique diversity of tourism experiences,” Ady says with enthusiasm and a whole lot of Calgary pride.

The Tourism Calgary and Travel Alberta business plans both focus heavily on travel and tourism trending and positioning, anticipating what the various types of visitors want and expect and ensuring that it is being properly promoted and available once the tourist gets here.

“Direct air access is so important,” Chwin emphasizes, “especially for international tourists. A key preference is the ability to fly direct to a destination. Alberta is now a direct flight from Iceland, which is big plus since Iceland is a major air hub for most of Europe and it will make coming to Alberta much easier (and cheaper) for visitors from the U.K., Germany, Netherlands, France and Austria. And Calgary’s expanded new airport will also be very valuable for tourists.”

While Calgary visitors from other areas of Alberta as well as B.C., Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario will continue to be important, Ady and her Tourism Calgary team are also expanding their focus and their strategy.

“Brand USA – the new, deep-pockets and aggressive American campaign to keep Americans tourists travelling in their own country – is big and strong and they certainly have their act together,” she says. “We can’t be complacent in the business of tourism. The CTC [Canadian Tourism Commission, Canada’s national tourism marketing

38 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

organization] is shrinking budgets and the U.S. is outspending us to boost their brand.

“As a country, we must collectively come together. We could be outmarketed if we’re not careful,” she cautions. “A continuing concern, not only for us but for all tourism jurisdictions in Canada, is an over-reliance on domestic and regional tourism.

That’s why it’s vital that we grow our presence in the United States and overseas.”

Both Chwin and Ady agree that pitching Alberta and especially Calgary to the Asian markets like China, Japan and India, is a priority. The recent surge of Japanese tourists to Banff is likely to continue this year.

“Whether it’s Canada, Asia, in the U.S. or Europe, our strategies are built around the traveller and trends about their motivation to visit destinations,” Chwin points out. “We try to position ourselves as authentic experiences and breathtaking landscapes. We have vibrant urban centres like Calgary, we have the mix of cultures, the cuisine and world-class restaurants, and the Rockies. Our landscapes are the DNA of this province.”

He explains a subtle but altered and defined Alberta tourism strategy, triggered by a stereotypical trend of tourists who land in Calgary, flood to the Rockies and usually head west.

“Our positioning still emphasizes the Rockies, because it’s such a must-visit attraction, but we now include the advertising positioning to ‘go northeast,’ not west.”

Boomers are still the biggest leisure tourist target market, followed very closely by gen-Xers and millennials.

That’s why more and more tourism professionals are stepping up social media and websites as essential components of their marketing strategy.

‘Tis the season. And 2014 is shaping up to be very good news for Alberta and especially for Calgary.

From Regina, Ottawa, Tokyo, London, Amsterdam and Vienna – here they come! BiC

The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry • Forestry

Is waiting for your

taking way too long?

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The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry Our industry has a great story to tell

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t seems everyone is talking about renewable resources and overlooking the industry that not only relies on it but actually does something about it.

Forestry!

The solid, vital but generations-old industry that’s often taken for granted in a business world fixated on more exciting, volatile and vogue industries like energy, technology, engineering, law, health sciences and finance.

And like the tortoise in the race to win business profile and attention, forestry just keeps plodding along, strong and steady.

Forests may just be Canada’s ultimate renewable resource as well as a $57-billion-a-year business that employs more than 600,000 Canadians and accounts for 12 per cent of Canada’s manufacturing GDP. Not bad for an industry that’s been around since before the days of fur traders paddling canoes but probably wouldn’t even show up in the Jeopardy category of “Canada’s Biggest Businesses,” Alex.

The Canadian forest industry has weathered generations of highs and lows, enjoying boom times and riding out threatening social and economy speed bumps.

The most recent broadsides were different.

“The industry is much better off than five years ago, at the beginning of the downturn,” says the personable and knowledgeable Brock Mulligan, director of communications for the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA).

“Particularly price-wise and preparedness-wise. Focusing on one customer – the U.S. – just wasn’t prudent. It worked like a charm for many years but especially the crash of the American housing market was the key factor that made us learn a lot about ourselves.

“By size, the U.S. market will likely always be a driver for much of our business but it made us realize that we had to diversify. Forestry had to start developing other markets. Asia is not new to the industry because Japan has been a strong market for us for years but now several companies are building relationships and opening offices in China.

“We also realized that the industry has to be smarter about our processes and our products. We needed to maximize every piece of fibre and get use and value out of every piece of fibre.

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The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry • Forestry

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Some good examples are residual products, like wood chips and sawdust.”

The smarter and more up-to-date forestry industry now uses wood chips as feedstock for the pulp mills while shavings and sawdust go to make MDF board or are used by the mills to make power and generate heat.

Mulligan also cites price as another trigger for the Canadian forestry sector’s recent adjustments. The demand slump for lumber and for newsprint was a bit of a wake-up call. So was the healthy loonie which always works out to be a challenge for not only forestry but most export-reliant industries.

Regardless, the Canadian forestry industry is solid and resilient and current prices are a reflection of a recovery. “Lumber prices, for example, have gone from $180 per 1,000 board feet to now $390. From 2012 to 2013, we have had about 14 per cent growth,” he points out.

Although there is positive momentum, the forestry sector is by no means challenge-free.

J. Craig Armstrong is president and CEO of Millar Western Forest Products and the current AFPA chair. With more than 35 years of experience in all aspects of the forestry industry, he is plugged-in, eloquent and somewhat intrigued by some of his industry’s new issues.

“Doing business in Alberta is great and we have a terrific relationship with our government. The nature of the business is that we must maintain a long-term access to fibre. That’s the key,” he explains. “But we now face a few challenges the industry didn’t really anticipate. Like maintaining access to people, skilled trades and the important knowledge transfer from the boomer generation which is retiring.

“For quite a few years, the oil and gas sector, especially here in Alberta, was attracting much of the available new talent. And our industry shoulders some of the blame,” he says candidly and with some regret. “From 20072011 forestry was in survival-mode with cutbacks on funding for training and apprenticeship programs. To be

40 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

Robert (Bob) Schulz, professor in strategy and global management and business and environment at the Haskayne School of Business.

J. Craig Armstrong, president and CEO of Millar Western Forest Products and chair, AFPA.

Brock Mulligan, director of communications for the Alberta Forest Products Association.

The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry • Forestry

blunt, we are stretched and trying to maintain our workforce. The reality is that we will need 60,000 new employees by 2020.

“We’re working hard to aggressively dispel the perception that we are a low-tech, slumping industry. In fact, we have some of the most exciting technology and a superb environmental footprint.”

Millar Western (MW) manufactures spruce, pine and fir (SPF) dimension lumber for various markets, including residential and commercial construction, fencing and decking. MW’s annual lumber production capacity is over 550 million board feet with most of the company’s lumber products being shipped to customers in Canada and the U.S., with a small but growing proportion destined for Asian markets like China, Japan and India.

Pulp is made from the cellulose fibres of wood chips and is the main ingredient in everyday consumer products from printer paper for the office, paper towels and disposable diapers to coated papers and cereal boxes. MW’s bleached chemithermo-mechanical pulping (BCTMP) process combines heat, mild chemicals and mechanical action to produce a wide range of high-quality, chlorinefree pulp grades.

“As a social phenomenon there is a continuing decline, especially in the North American demand, for newsprint and of course lumber is heavily reliant on the housing cycles. But we make a unique, high-yield grade of pulp for high-quality paperboard used for the packaging of consumer goods which is probably 50 per cent of our business,” Armstrong points out. “Two unique growth areas are printing and writing grades of paper and tissues and towelling. There is also significant growth in what we call ‘the absorbent pulps’ or the fluff pulps, like diapers.”

With an annual pulp production capacity of 315,000 tonnes, Millar Western supplies customers in all major pulp consuming regions, including Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Robert (Bob) Schulz is a professor in strategy and global management and

“For the past couple of years, espebusiness and environment at the Hascially the Alberta forest industry has kayne School of Business and he agrees been ravaged by the mountain pine with Armstrong that a long-term supbeetle. They attack trees if they are not ply of product is crucial and that there cut down. So the cuts for lumber have is cause for the industry to consider the been accelerated,” he explains the staffing it will take to make it happen. tough to control curse of nature. “The “The industry is already noticing pine beetle problem has been a sigchallenges recruiting new talent,” he nificant problem in the past five years cites. “Most contemporary university and the sector has been forced to do students look to careers in Calgary or clear cutting as prevention and to also Edmonton, not in the smaller areas whereMercado, forestryWSL, happens.

That could WS Leasing, Calgary, Speedquickly remove trees that are dead. be a problem. To work in forestry you Ws14-calg-business-thirdpage-speed.indd “Accelerated cutting affects sustainable supply and some mills in B.C. had most likely have to live in rural areas, C M Y K to Newsprint FILE SIZE: 4.5"today wide Xtend 4.75” SNAP 2007 lack of supply.

Overand most students to high drift | to close due| US BLEED: 0.0" on all sides cutting was necessary because of the to urban careers.” rate of beetle infestation.” But Schulz is Schulz emphasizes that, whether it’s Prepared by: Westminster Department optimistic that 2014 may welcome some lumber or for pulp and paper, Savings forestryMarketing Manager, Brand & Marketing Services: Ben goodChampion news. “This winter was colder than is a commodity product and a retailnormal and some in the industry hope it drivenD industry, and aE vital aspect of 604.528.3800 bchampion@wscu.com has killed off the beetles.” the industry is that major retailers Most industry insiders and even demand a certified sustainable supply.

Prepared by: Westminster Savings Marketing Department some environmental critics agree that, He warns that the supply is now very Senior Graphic Designer: David Greb whether for image, perception, profile seriously threatened by a factor that D 604.528.3845 E dgreb@wscu.com or most importantly, the long-term has nothing to do with swings in the viability of forestry, the industry must economy or global market factors.

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businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 41

The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry • Forestry

BOW VALLEY COLLEGE CELEBRATES BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPOINTMENT Dr. Roger Gibbins

is a retired professor of political science from the University of Calgary who holds an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia and a masters and doctorate degree in Political Science from Stanford University.

From 1998 to June 2012 Dr. Gibbins served as President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, a public policy research group operating across the four western provinces.

He also served on a number of other charitable organizations including the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, and i150, a Calgary organization providing thoughtful leadership for Canada’s upcoming 150th anniversary in 2017. He is currently serving on the management panel overseeing the City of Calgary’s flood mediation initiatives.

An active writer and commentator on western Canadian issues and national politics, Dr. Gibbins has authored, co-authored or edited 23 books and more than 150 referred articles.

In recognition of his contribution to Canadian public life, Dr. Gibbins was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada and awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence.

42 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

unconditionally address the (often media warped) contentious issue of deforestation and aggressively stay the course of reforestation, for the health of the business and the health of the planet.

“We are managers of forests and, as a simple overview, our industry replants two trees for every one that we harvest.

The statistics show that Canada has the highest proportion of forests that remain on earth,” Mulligan explains with focused confidence. “In some countries, when settlement or harvesting occurred, the land was stripped and left gaping and bare. In Canada, lands that are harvested are replanted.”

Aside from Mulligan’s subjective but dynamic bias and despite the occasional flare-up of controversies, it is a documented fact: deforestation simply does not happen in Canada. Forests may just be the ultimate renewable resource and reforestation is the process of re-establishing trees removed during harvesting.

Forestry is a highly regulated and complex Canadian industry with some of

The Ultimate Renewable Resource Industry • Forestry

In Alberta, reforestation has been the law for over 30 years. The requirements for reforestation exist in the Forests Act, Timber Management Regulation and various forest management agreements.

Companies are required to start reforestation activities within two years of completing harvesting.

the most stringent resource and sustainability management rules in the world.

In Alberta, reforestation has been the law for over 30 years. The requirements for reforestation exist in the Forests Act, Timber Management Regulation and various forest management agreements. Companies are required to start reforestation activities within two years of completing harvesting.

The actual, and sometimes technical, reforestation procedures follow approved plans and are designed to meet legislated reforestation standards.

Forest managers use both natural and artificial methods to regenerate harvested areas. “Leave-for-Natural” (LFN) reforestation uses the forest’s natural regeneration process to establish new trees. “Artificial reforestation” involves planting reforestation material, such as seedlings or seeds brought into the harvested area.

“Our industry has a great story to tell and we put a lot of emphasis on being proactive,” the AFPA’s Brock Mulligan says with revved enthusiasm and pride. BiC

BOW VALLEY COLLEGE CELEBRATES BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPOINTMENT Cathy Orr is the Vice-President of RGO Office Products, a family business located in Calgary, and has helped significantly in developing the company into one of the largest of its kind in Canada.

Mrs. Orr attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics with a major in clothing and textiles and a minor in business.

Mrs. Orr’s commitment to Calgary and its people is demonstrated through her support for such initiatives as Woods Homes, Feed the Hungry, Habitat for Humanity, and the United Way, Calgary.

businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 43

calgary’s ambitious Push for sustainability • Friends of the Environment

Calgary’s Ambitious Push for Sustainability Compared to other Canadian communities, Calgary gets a B+ By coLLeen waLLace

u

nfortunately, many Calgarians and Calgary businesses know vaguely little, if anything at all, about the purpose, the goals or any of the key details of the formal and technical-by-necessity document called The 2020 Sustainability Direction.

Because “sustainability” has become a popular and sometimes overused buzzword, city hall clarified the purpose and the intent of its detailed and specific sustainability plan to

minimize the chances for misunderstanding, confusion and politician-speak.

At the 2010 launch of The 2020 Sustainability Direction, the city explained, for the record: “Sustainability is about making our community a better place for current and future generations. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This

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calgary’s ambitious Push for sustainability • Friends of the Environment

In plain language, it is about building a great city for everyone, forever.

translates into striving for community well-being, a sustainable environment, a prosperous economy and smart growth and mobility choices. This is achieved by having a balanced financial capacity and creating a sustainable corporation that will drive toward this vision and provide the services Calgarians need today and in the future.

In plain language, it is about building a great city for everyone, forever.

In specific theory (and in municipal policy) “2020” is an environmental hit list and master plan that the city launched four years ago with ambitious goals about long-term sustainability in key areas such as reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, brownfield remediation, air quality, waste management, urban biodiversity, water quality and quantity as well as smart growth and mobility.

The 2020 Sustainability Direction is a strategic guide for transformation that identifies what must happen at the city over the next six years to contribute towards the imagineCalgary 100-year vision.

DB LA distinguished business leader A W A R D

The plan links the “imagineCalgary” long-term vision and plan to the city’s business plans and budgets that act as reference points in moving forward toward the remaining six-year horizon.

This provides a logical place in time to meet community needs and expectations, and establish the capacity to deliver on these results.

The 2020 Sustainability Direction is an integrated, innovative and long-term approach for achieving a more sustainable city. The process in developing this strategy involved people in every single department across the city hall organization.

The grand plan is into its fourth year of action and mostly in line with similar environmental action plans across the country and, in fact, many communities around the world.

Obviously situations, priorities, logistics and practical realities vary from location to location and specific tracking of target progress, challenges and shortfalls is sometimes difficult and spotty but, almost halfway there, Calgary is doing well. Not

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calgary’s ambitious Push for sustainability • Friends of the Environment

Carolyn Bowen, manager of the office of sustainability for the City of Calgary.

Nicole Schaefer, senior sustainability consultant for the City of Calgary.

Information on the program is available at great but well. And better in some areas than www.greencalgary.org. others.

“In various ways,” Bowen says with posiNo excuses but documented facts of Calgary tivity and some pride, “the city is a leader life are inescapable factors. in GHG reduction and we are perceived as “We’re on target and, in some areas, we’re Noel Keough, assistant professor of sustainable design at the University of Calgary. leaders. But we want to lead by example and doing better than expected,” says Carolyn encourage the community-at-large to take Bowen, manager of the office of sustainabilsimilar action and follow. ity for the City of Calgary. “The numbers show that Calgary ”The city has already implemented some terrific changes is a very dynamic and desirable place to be, the population like alternative fuels, a pilot project using compressed natuis increasing and GHG per capita is bound to increase. ral gas for city buses, a citywide anti-idling policy, we have “And contrary to simplistic stereotypes, it’s not only the polmodified street lighting and lighting in parking lots and we lution from cars. There are many external factors that impact have energy efficiency training programs for drivers of our GHG levels. Our homes and our buildings,” she explains. “We fleet vehicles.” must consider the efficiency (or inefficiency) of our homes, One sometimes contentious aspect about meeting Calthe insulation, the windows, air leakage, the efficiency of the gary’s GHG emission targets by 2020 is informally known furnaces and overall reducing electricity use. as “urban sprawl.” The topic can be controversial but some “In Alberta, our electricity comes from coal-based plants unbiased and objective experts say it’s inevitable and which results in higher greenhouse gas emissions per capita. unavoidable.

As a result, we are working with the community to encour“With population growth like we have in Calgary, we’re age increased energy efficiency of homes and buildings.” bound to build new communities,” Schaefer notes. “And Bowen refers to an infrared heat map study done in northwhen we build new communities in areas far from the downeast Calgary that was very revealing about the efficiency town core, it will take a long time for the population density and inefficiency levels in average homes. needed to justify public transit and there aren’t many transNicole Schaefer is Calgary’s senior sustainability consulportation choices. People must rely on cars to get to work tant and mentions Green Calgary’s important Healthy Homes and get around.”

Calgary service – a two-visit consultation that addresses “Let’s face it. The intentions are good but the economy, environmental issues in Calgary homes and provides accesand life in general, is still extremely dependent on oil and sible, easy-to-use information, as well as the resources and gas,” warns Noel Keough, an assistant professor of sustaintools necessary to make positive and lasting changes like able design at the University of Calgary. “Especially for waste reduction, water conservation, energy efficiency, nonAlberta and Calgary it provides prosperity but it is also the toxic cleaning products and sustainable food choices.

46 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

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calgary’s ambitious Push for sustainability • Friends of the Environment

Source: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calgary_footprint_calculator

The www.calgary.ca website features a Calgary Personal Footprint Calculator. Taking the online quiz will show how much land area it takes to support personal lifestyles, to learn a home’s or business’ biggest areas of resource consumption, and how you can do your part to achieve Calgary’s 2020 targets. biggest contributor to GHG and it impacts our political reputation internationally.

“Urban sprawl is a reality and a significant issue certainly not unique to Calgary. Most new houses are still being built in suburbs, the density is increasing and the neighbourhoods are almost completely reliant on commuting by cars.

Realistically it’s hard to imagine those communities – and life in general – being anything but auto dependent for a long, long time.”

But, as experts like Bowen, Schaefer and Keough point 48 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

out, in various 2020 sustainability categories, Calgary is on target or even ahead. By mid-2013, the city was at an impressive 40 per cent of the total 2020 target for GHG emissions and there were 15 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings and more being developed by the private sector.

Calgary residents and businesses are buying into the dual sustainability concepts of water quality and quantity and the city is right on target or even a little ahead.

“The treatment plants are up to date and continue to meet

calgary’s ambitious Push for sustainability • Friends of the Environment

all requirements and regulations, even during the flood,” Bowen says. “And as far as water quantity, the public is helping us be a bit ahead of targets.

“Our water efficiency goal is 210 litres [per household] per day. We’re now at 237 litres and in 2010 we started with 257 litres.”

Interesting residential water quantity stats show that outdoor use is still heavy in the summer. Year round, endless showers, flushing and other bathroom use accounts for more than 60 per cent of water usage.

“Calgary is right on track, meeting national and provincial air quality standards, especially sulphur dioxide and nitrogen levels. We constantly monitor and measure at designated monitoring stations at various locations in Calgary and we’re on target,” Bowen explains.

The challenge, also not unique to Calgary, is getting the public and some businesses to buy into the changes and the factors that impact sustainability. It’s a statistical fact that the city and large companies can make all the changes they can, like reducing electricity use, water and increasing heating and cooling efficiency but ultimately it’s up to average residents to embrace the program and achieve the goals.

Schaefer has a fascinating and revealing suggestion. The www.calgary.ca website features a Calgary Personal Footprint Calculator. Taking the online quiz will show how much

land area it takes to support personal lifestyles, to learn a home’s or business’ biggest areas of resource consumption, and how you can do your part to achieve Calgary’s 2020 targets.

“One of the overarching issues is that we have one of the largest ecological footprints in North America,” Keough warns, “mostly due to our consumption of resources: the wood to build our homes; the fuel to heat our homes and drive our cars. We must look at all the resources on the planet and calculate just Calgary’s usage and consumption.

“The numbers don’t lie. If everybody lived like a Calgarian, we would need four planets to live this way. Our footprint shows that changes are happening way too slow and at the present rate of change, there’s no way we’ll meet our goals.

“Although we have some work to do,” the blunt but respected Keough points out, “Calgary is doing well toward the 2020 targets. Progress is definitely happening. Air pollution is headed down, waste-to-landfill is being reduced thanks to Calgary’s effective and good recycling programs and waste reductions, Calgary’s drinking water has positive 98 per cent tests and we have been really good at reducing the amounts of water we use.

“Compared to similar Canadian communities, I give Calgary a B+.” BiC

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businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 49

the secret of Matt campbell’s success • Cover

The Secret of Matt Campbell’s

Success Matt Campbell, CEO, Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc. Photo by Bookstrucker Photography

He’s energized and energizing.

He’s trusting and trustworthy.

And he’s one happy man.

BY JOHN HARDY

w

ith an admired and distinguished business track record and in all other aspects of his hectic, action-packed and successful life, Matt Campbell is a phenom.

He’s a respected business leader, a renowned straightshooter, a consummate people person and a man of extremely high standards. In his business life, his negotiations and dealmaking, his colourful, gung-ho and no-regrets past, his passions and guilty pleasures, and indulging his ridiculously wild, tough but exhilarating hobby.

And there is a secret to Matt Campbell’s success!

It’s been more than 36 remarkable years of entrepreneurial guts, business smarts and daring, and the impeccably

dressed Campbell leans back in his third floor, Calgary office, flashes a characteristic broad and toothy smile and reflects on his most recent business deal as being his most exciting and best ever.

He’s happy. After 20 years of business adventures like building, kick-starting and selling car dealerships, scrap metal sales, sand and gravel hauling, asphalt paving, road salt operations and even a joint-venture manufacturing business in South Africa, Campbell bought the Case Construction equipment dealerships in Edmonton and Calgary in 1993 and quickly expanded his Hammer Equipment dealership operation to include six branches located across Alberta. businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 51

the secret of Matt campbell’s success • Cover

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All stores now operate homogenously as Rocky Mountain Equipment – one of Canada’s largest agriculture and construction equipment dealership networks.

Photos, this page, by Bookstrucker Photography

As friends, clients and even competitors know full well, Campbell is a driven and determined business dynamo who rarely stops thinking, doing and thinking some more.

In 2006 he negotiated a merger of his booming Hammer Equipment dealerships with Hi-Way Service Ltd. and formed the Rocky Mountain Dealerships umbrella company.

Store-level operations continued under the original Hammer Equipment and Hi-Way Service names.

By 2008, as Rocky Mountain Dealerships business and momentum grew and the Alberta heavy equipment juggernaut launched its IPO (TSX: RME, OTCQX: RCKXF), expansion strategy brought Miller Equipment into the fold, primarily to broaden the company’s exposure beyond Alberta and into Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Two years ago, to strengthen the brand and avoid possible redundancy and confusion particularly at store levels, the three legacy brands of Hammer Equipment, Hi-Way Service and Miller Equipment – and several smaller brands that were acquired since 52 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

the IPO – meshed as Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME).

All stores now operate homogenously as Rocky Mountain Equipment – one of Canada’s largest agriculture and construction equipment dealership networks, with 38 dealerships across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (25 locations just in Alberta) selling, renting and leasing new and used agriculture and construction equipment.

Although few of the RME staff would dare say it publicly, it’s possible that Campbell – their energized charismatic, respected but hyperactive CEO – may just be the most content and satisfied than he has ever been in his colourful, high-achieving and go-getter professional life.

Maybe it’s the solid and impressive RME growth and performance (in 2013, the company achieved revenue growth of 4.3 per cent, with revenues of just over $1 billion) or his trust and confidence in president Derek Stimson, the senior management team and the 960 staff who are now part of the RME family.

UNDER PRESSURE Why More Public Companies are Considering Going Private

By Debra Beck

Management Buyout Approach

In today’s capital markets, there is considerable pressure to generate a return of capital for shareholders. As interest rates continue to remain low, investors are relentlessly pressing companies to either increase dividends or consider share buy backs to create liquidity for the founding shareholders. To complicate matters, a number of public companies are suffering from a small public float with limited liquidity and limited analyst coverable to increase shareholder value. So should more public companies consider going private?

Raising Capital Challenges

Over the past five years, it has become increasingly difficult for public companies to raise the capital required to execute business plans and strategies. “Capital markets, financial institutions and large institutional investors have changed their lending pattern, which has made it more difficult for new businesses to raise capital,” says James Fuerderer, CA, Public Companies Advisor, MNP LLP. “There has been a return to traditional lending whereby investors are looking for companies with a strong history of growth and cash flows, as well as a solid management team with a proven track record. This move has had a negative impact, particularly for start-ups, junior oil and gas companies, junior mining companies and certain companies listed both on the TSX-V and TSX.” There is considerable pressure by shareholders and analysts to generate returns in the short term as opposed to taking a longer-term view. Going private can remove pressure from shareholders who want results now.

Other benefits of going private include: • Eliminating the costs of being a reporting issuer • Reducing the potential liability of officers and directors for compliance with national instruction 52,101 – Internal controls over Financial Reporting • Minimizing the disclosure of competitive information in the MD&A, financial statements and other reporting requirements • Allowing for greater control over the company’s

shareholder base Fuerderer hastens to add that with the advantages also come disadvantages, such as the inability to use equity in acquisitions and eliminating employee stock options plans to attract and retain employees. “If you are thinking of going private, it’s important to discuss your options with a professional so you can make the right choices based on your goals.”

“One approach a company may use to go private is a management buyout by officers and directors. With this method, management sets up a new company and buys out the existing public shares with cash. This usually involves management providing additional capital and then leveraging up its debt position, either though bank debt or private equity, to finance the purchase of the shares,” explains Fuerderer. “The disadvantage of this approach however, is the depletion of the company’s cash resources, which makes it difficult to finance new acquisitions.”

In addition, given the nature of the financing, the company may be left with very restrictive financial covenants that could be challenging to maintain. The objective in the short term then, is to improve cash flows through cost savings, increasing margins and growing sales.

To facilitate a management buyout, the company will be required to establish an independent committee of the board of directors and engage a financial advisor to render a “fairness opinion” to protect the interest of all the shareholders.

A Final Word

Having worked with a number of companies considering going private, Fuerderer believes a take-private transaction is an attractive and viable alternative for many public companies. “As long as debt levels are reasonable and the company continues to maintain or grow its free cash flow, operating and running a private company frees up management’s time and energy from compliance requirements and short-term earnings management and may provide long-term benefits to the company and its shareholders.”

Working with an experienced team of professionals, James Fuerderer has helped numerous companies going private. From preparing fairness opinions, assisting with financial reporting requirements of the new private company to valuation services and tax planning for both the shareholders and the corporation, James ensures you remain well informed and are prepared at every stage.

James Fuerderer, CA Public Companies Advisor, MNP LLP 403.648.4155 james.fuerderer@mnp.ca

the secret of Matt campbell’s success • Cover

On location at the Balzac branch. Photo by Bookstrucker Photography.

Campbell’s razor-sharp focus and remarkable gift for instant recall of dates and details give the inspiring impression of a leader with a knack for business, wheeling, dealing and success. If the truth be known, his tremendous business savvy is actually the wisdom of astute experience and lessons learned.

His story is an animated and sometimes bumpy-ride tale of business hits and misses – from hustling scrap metal, sand and gravel hauling to landing a lucrative asphalt contract before he actually had a manufacturing plant to produce product – gutsy determination, a whole lot of smarts and proverbial flair for turning lemons into lemonade.

Looking back, Campbell is adamant that he wouldn’t change a thing (except for growing up in brutal Thompson, Manitoba winters) and he outright credits his various busi54 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

ness highs and lows and occasional speed bumps as part of the vital learning curve that made him strong.

“I have made every possible mistake in the world. I just never make them twice,” he roars with an endearing, deep and hearty laugh. “I have been on the verge of bankruptcy many, many times and really felt like throwing the keys on the banker’s desk. But I’m convinced that, to be a business survivor, you must have a high risk tolerance and the mindset to never, ever, give up.

“Maybe reinvent the business, reinvent yourself or maybe go ahead and just relocate. Most businesses go through their share of downturns but, eventually, business always turns for you.”

Like many successful high achievers, Campbell has a gift for compartmentalizing key aspects, demands and stressors

the secret of Matt campbell’s success • Cover

Campbell is known for his exceptional people skills and a rare but genuine interest in everyone he meets, deals and works with.

in his hectic business life, and the joys, pleasures and several weaknesses of his somewhat unusual personal life.

He doesn’t flinch admitting that, when it comes to core values and feelings, the lines do get blurred.

“Attitude and personality forms when you’re very young,” he lapses into emotions and memories of his early years in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

“I was the second oldest of six brothers and maybe that’s where my competitiveness came from. My mother wanted me to be a classical pianist but my father was in the heavy construction business.

“And there we were, stuck in Thompson, Manitoba with no road out. I worked in the family business and, because I was 20 going on 40 and sensed that I was meant to be in business, I bought my father’s company, ran it and grew it. Eventually I had to get out of Thompson so I sold it back to him and moved to Saskatoon for 14 years, running a heavy equipment rental business and several other small businesses.”

Campbell gets sentimental but open and positive that he learned valuable business and life lessons early and fast.

“Success is important, but loyalty is everything,” he says with sincere conviction. “Many of my best friends are from 30 years ago; they are still in Saskatoon and they are still my best friends. True success is when you can walk into a room and hold your head high. I never screwed anybody and I don’t have many worries about the past.”

It’s not uncommon for senior executives to sometimes talk the talk, but Campbell’s true business priority is his staff.

According to Judi Palmai, his super-efficient executive assistant of more than eight years, Campbell is known for his exceptional people skills and a rare but genuine interest in everyone he meets, deals and works with.

She says, before the Rocky Mountain merger, Campbell used to know all 250 Hammer Equipment staff on a first-name basis and would often ask about their spouses and kids. It’s not so easy now, with a total RME staff of nearly 1,000.

“I value, appreciate and respect my employees,” he says with pride. “And I never felt a need to beat up an employee to make my money.”

At 63, with enough business milestones, lessons and successes to fill several lifetimes, Campbell scoffs at the suggestion of slowing down and he noticeably bristles at a mention of the word “retirement.”

Whether it’s serendipity or by strategic Matt Campbell-design, he just happens to have a few weaknesses, guilty pleasures and one rough, tough and incredible hobby to balance his fiercely competitive business life.

He admits that he’s done his time when it comes to after-hours committees and being involved with politics and politicians. “Besides, it’s a lot like teaching a pig to sing,” he laughs. “It’s a waste of your time and it annoys the hell out of the pig.”

With his hectic schedule – “everybody wants a piece of Matt and sometimes it’s hard for him to find a spare 10 minutes in a day,” says Palmai – when he is at home in Calgary, Campbell and his wife, Melanie, prefer to stay in and cook or spend quiet and relaxing evenings at Da Guido, Fleur de Sel or La Chaumière.

“For 40 years I ate every lunch and most dinners in restaurants, so if we go out now, it has to be special. Besides, we’re both pretty good cooks.” businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 55

the secret of Matt campbell’s success • Cover

El Martillo Racing at the Calama Desert dunes in Chile. Photo courtesy of Shakedown Photo.

Matt with his El Martillo crew at the Dakar Rally parade presentation in Rosario, Argentina, January 4.

Photo courtesy of El Martillo Racing.

Campbell’s eyes light up and there is a glow on his face whenever he touches on their shared true weakness: anything Cabo. Relaxing in Cabo. Going for walks in Cabo.

Making the rounds at neat little fish places in Cabo. Entertaining friends or RME clients in Cabo. And deepsea fishing every chance they get on their boat in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

“A long time ago I developed an aversion to cold. Melanie and I used to ski quite a bit but, let’s just say that we do not love Calgary winters and only put up with as much as necessary. And my bucket list is fairly short. Enjoying life with Melanie. Cabo. My boats. Cabo. Deepsea fishing. Cabo.”

And in the past couple of years, racing. Campbell remembers that as far back as his 20s, he was interested in racing but had a decision to make: to be a broke car racer or a businessman. Fast-forward 40 years and Campbell was exposed to the heavy off-road race scene in Cabo. A neighbour got him hooked and, with his dog-with-a-bone determination, Campbell quickly became a champion Baja desert racer.

“I had always heard about the world-famous Dakar Rally, one of the most gruelling motorsport challenges in the world, but I never imagined I would ever be in it.”

The unexpected has a way of dropping into Matt Campbell’s life. So last June, he again said the three infamous words that have been such a familiar part of his business life: “let’s do it!”

The Dakar Rally is the international Wimbledon, Masters and Super Bowl of serious off-road racing and is acknowledged as an excruciating and life-endangering 56 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

8,500-kilometre endurance race that takes customized cars, trucks and motorcycles for 14 January days on back roads, barren desert stretches and sand dunes of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

“I’m very lucky and always have been,” he shrugs. “When I put my mind to do something, I do it! I lost 20 pounds the hard way, no diet or exercise, and I worked hard to get mentally prepared. Mental is a huge part of the Dakar.”

And so, the CEO of one of Canada’s biggest construction and agriculture networks purged his mind of sales, growth volumes and the $1 billion in revenues and, as he had done so many times before for more than 40 years, riveted his attention and energy on the job at hand.

Putting together the 16-man El Martillo (Spanish for hammer to honour his original heavy equipment company) racing team, fine-tuning the customized off-road machine, navigating and racing during 55-degree scorchers and even some impromptu “heavy equipment service” of changing three clutches in the burning desert sand.

At the finish line? Another Matt Campbell success story!

His El Martillo crew was the only North American team to complete the Dakar. And of course there’s a next item on Campbell’s bucket list? “We have already started modifying the car, we’re quietly hoping for sponsors and we’re getting ready for January 2015.”

Matt Campbell’s secret?

A genuine affection and respect for people – his friends, his RME staff and his clients – and a genuine passion for everything he does, at work, at play or racing through the desert. BiC

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calgary’s recycling Progress • Recycling

Calgary’s Recycling Progress Rethinking and reducing how much stuff gets bulldozed into Calgary landfills By coLLeen waLLace

i

t’s unfortunate. The important fact of contemporary life and vital concept that is recycling too often gets bogged down and garbled with confusing, misleading and intimidating techno-jargon like organics, toxins, landfill leachates, diversion ratios, GHG emissions, biofuels and biodegradables, carbon footprint and others.

Such a shame. Especially since the idea (and the social responsibility) of recycling is so common-sensical, straightforward and simple: rethink and reduce how much stuff (that will only rot and make the soil toxic or that will never die) gets bulldozed into out-of-sight/out-of-mind landfill sites.

The recycling challenge is what to do with which kinds of material to minimize the need for landfills. Because the scientific reality is that dozing it under a landfill is not outof-sight or out-of-mind.

Research undisputedly proves that landfills account for more than 30 per cent of Canada’s human activity-related emissions of methane gas, which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide as one of several greenhouse gases.

Recycling is an effective way to ultimately reduce methane emissions into the air and shrink the stealth footprint of out-of-sight/out-of-mind landfills.

And it all matters. Scraps of leftover meat, vegetables, eggshells, potato and orange peels. Those convenient Styrofoam trays from the sausages and boneless chicken. Soup and cat food tins. Empty egg cartons, juice boxes and putrid diapers. Newspapers, pop cans, yogurt cups, crinkled chip and nacho bags, mangled water bottles and pizza boxes from the company lunch rooms.

In theory, doing something about household or workbusinessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 61

calgary’s recycling Progress • Recycling

“We had to do something because, in 2007, the situation was ridiculous. The voluntary community drop-off program we had was simply not working as hoped.” ~ Dave Griffiths, director of waste and recycling services with the City of Calgary

Five years ago Calgary adopted the Blue Cart Curbside Recycling program. Griffiths is enthusiastic about the facts and figures and says that it’s working. “The public and local businesses have been terrifically supportive and we have nearly doubled the diversion ratio. Calgary is now recycling Dave Griffiths, director of waste and recycling services with the City of Calgary. more than 30 per cent of the household waste stream.

“Our 2020 goal may be ambitious but it’s doable. We don’t want to be in the business of managing landfill resources. place-generated waste is a win-win situation for the city’s We want to reduce the need for landfills. I’m confident about ambitious waste management targets, good for Calgary’s the community’s support and our innovative recycling promany recycling businesses, good for public health and good grams that we will reach our 80/20 diversion ratio target.” for long-term sustainability.

Despite accusations of environmental skepticism and cynBut theory doesn’t always or easily translate into practice. icism, there are some (often credible and qualified) contrary Residentially and commercially, although Calgary is good opinions, theories and cautions about too much recycling. when it comes to recycling and reducing dependency on Winston Porter is a chemical engineer, a former senior landfills, there is consensus that it could do better. offi cial with the United States Environmental Protection Some say it was an embarrassing Canadian fact that just Agency (EPA) and president of the Waste Policy Center, an five years ago, Calgary was the last major Canadian city environmental consulting fi rm near Washington, D.C. to introduce curb-side recycling. “We had to do something “I’m very much an advocate of rational recycling. People because, in 2007, the situation was ridiculous. The voluntary say you can’t recycle too much but it community drop-off program we had turns out that you can. Recycling for was simply not working as hoped,” the sake of recycling is of little value, recalls Dave Griffiths, director of it’s invariably a waste of energy and waste and recycling services with the usually expensive. If you spend enough City of Calgary. money, you can recycle anything. That “More than 80 per cent of residendoesn’t necessarily mean you should.” tial, commercial and industrial waste The clichéd recycling of household was getting shipped off to the dump. glass is a specific recycling controversy.

We looked at the types of materials The dispute stems from the waste getting sent to landfill sites and realmanagement statistic that in the ized a need for a way to differentiate typical North American city’s solid between waste and what could actuwaste stream (including trash and ally be turned into resources. recyclables) aluminum and steel gen“We had to reverse what the waste erally account for just two per cent by industry calls the diversion ratio,” he weight.

Glass sent to recycling faciliexplains. ties is heavier, making up three to five “We were recycling less than 20 per per cent of typical household waste cent of our waste and sending 80 per by weight. And although it demands cent, or more, to the landfill. That worked more energy to collect and process it, Winston Porter, former senior official with the United States Environout to a 20/80 diversion ratio. We commental Protection Agency and president of the Waste Policy Center in there isn’t much use for it. mitted to reversing that by 2020.”

Washington, D.C. 62 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

calgary’s recycling Progress • Recycling

In some areas, the glass collected in recycling pickups ends up in a landfill, piled high and waiting for a buyer that may never happen. “Glass doesn’t break down, it has no effect on either air or water and used glass is simply a product there’s no demand for. It’s fairly cheap to make new glass,” Porter says with a knowledgeable but cynical laugh.

“After all, we’re not running out of sand.”

Porter cites the current push to recycle yard waste getting touted as recycling’s “new frontier” and a timely example when recycling may not make sense. “Why spend $70 a ton recycling yard waste into a product like mulch, which you turn around and sell for $10 a ton?

“Of course recycling is a very local matter. There are so many variables between Calgary, Phoenix and Atlanta.

It’s virtually impossible to compare apples to apples. Even though many major North American cities are setting recycling targets at 70 per cent or higher, research shows that 35 per cent is probably a reasonable level,” says the internationally respected and outspoken waste management expert.

“Trying to recycle more may be doable but it doesn’t necessarily make sense. It may help politicians score points and it’s probably good for their image,” he shrugs, “but ultimately you have to ask: the recycling involves how much work, at what cost, and what is the actual (not assumed) environmental value?”

Calgary’s current Blue Cart system is an exception to Porter’s logic because, aside from the unavoidable truck emissions and the labour it takes to collect the blue carts, the city is simply an agent, selling off a vast majority of classic recyclables like paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metal to local or regional recycling businesses, rolling the revenues back into funding the Blue Cart program and various upcoming recycling projects.

Calgary households receiving Blue Cart service are charged a monthly fee directly on their Enmax bill and the program is completely funded through the monthly fees and revenue from the sale of most recyclable materials. The more at curb side, the more the city sells to recyclers and the more revenue it generates.

In 2012, for example, Calgary residents who have Blue Cart service realized a 19 per cent reduction in monthly fees.

Stereotypically, Calgary recycling programs are still mostly aimed at the majority – single-family homes in residential suburbs and commercial and industrial locations.

Although recycling by multi-family (condo and apartment) buildings has been a voluntary system since 2007, Calgary recently voted for a mandatory multi-family unit recycling bylaw that is slated to be in place by 2016.

It will require condo and apartment residents to collect recyclables in blue carts, which will likely be located in

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businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 63

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calgary’s recycling Progress • Recycling

Much of the credit does go to the people in Calgary. The people who live in the Calgary ’burbs, downtown condos and apartments and who work in the Calgary businesses. Only people make effective recycling happen. common areas such as garages or garbage rooms. Unlike the city’s current curb-side pickups in single-family neighbourhoods, condo and apartment management will arrange for private contractors to haul away the recyclable loads from multi-family buildings.

“In Calgary, the commercial sector and major businesses, like Walmart and several big builders and developers, are very engaged. They get it! Waste is a burden on their bottom line. We are very encouraged,” says the upbeat and delighted Griffiths.

“Our next big focus is organics. Turning ordinary household waste, like meat, vegetables, eggshells, peelings and other common waste into high-quality compost rather than going to the landfill,” Griffiths points out.

“We have huge volumes of organics. A modest guesstimate is that 60 per cent of average household garbage is organics.

And contrary to what some people assume, organic waste is not benign. When it breaks down it is the main creator of landfill gases like methane.

“It will be called the Green Cart program; the organic waste will be composted and significantly reduce especially methane gas forming and being given off by landfills.”

64 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

To boost the transition from organic waste to compost, the city will build a large-scale, indoor/outdoor composting facility on the Shepard Landfill site to support the new citywide composting program that is scheduled to start in 2017.

Griffiths is very encouraged with a dry-run trial Green Cart program that is already in place. Residents in Abbeydale, Brentwood, Cougar Ridge and Southwood are Calgary’s composting pilot project, collecting their food and yard waste in a green cart for weekly, special curb-side collection.

Blue carts, green carts, sorting and turning organics into compost. The logistics of recycling in Calgary is positive and clearly on the right track.

Much of the credit does go to the people in Calgary. The people who live in the Calgary ’burbs, downtown condos and apartments and who work in the Calgary businesses. Only people make effective recycling happen.

Because, despite the science, engineering and administrative aspects of waste collection, recycling and sustainability, it does all come down to a very simple basic fact of Calgary life: rethinking and reducing how much stuff – that only rots and makes the soil toxic or that will never die – gets bulldozed into out-of-sight/out-of-mind Calgary landfills. BiC

Dealing with the Rail and Trucking Crises • Transportation

Dealing with the Rail and Trucking Crises The problems will impact the Canadian consumer and the economy

BY PARKER GRANT

W

hen it comes to commercial (freight) transportation in Canada, the industry and analysts have a time-sensitive warning about urgent problems and a possible domino effect.

Although two key industries of Canada’s transportation sector – rail and trucking – are in good shape from strong to steady earnings and Canadian transportation stocks, by and large, outperform the TSX benchmark, both have festering behind-the-scenes issues and problems to be dealt with before they become significant Canadian consumer and economy issues and problems.

Rail In altered and different ways, rail is as vital to Canada’s present and future as it was about 200 years ago when it helped pioneering settlers open and establish the country.

Although passenger use has been drastically reduced and is now mostly limited to some regional commuting or the Rocky Mountaineer and other enjoyable but time-consuming leisure travel, the business of rail is resoundingly ... business! Usually long-hauling things from potash, crude oil and lumber to cars, coal, grain and etceteras.

With more than 46,000 kilometres of tracks, the rail transport industry is a vital component in Canada’s economy as well as a big business that generates about $10 billion per year in revenues, 95 per cent from rail freight operations and approximately five per cent from commuters, intercity travellers and leisure tourists.

Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) are the two dominant freight rail operators with combined revenues exceeding $16 billion. Of total

Canadian rail transport industry revenues, CN accounts for over 50 per cent and CP for approximately 35 per cent.

Together, CN and CP represent more than 95 per cent of Canada’s annual rail tonne-kilometres, more than 75 per cent of the industry’s tracks, and three-quarters of overall tonnage carried by the rail sector.

Grain is one of Canada’s key export commodities and the bulk of Canadian grain is shipped through the Western Canada grain handling and transportation system (GHTS).

Transportation and logistics costs make up a significant portion of the export price, as with any bulk commodity that Canada exports.

As a result, the movement of the grains through the system – from the country elevators to the port terminals for export – affects their competitiveness in world markets, and the time taken to move grain is an important indicator of efficiency.

Simplistically, the business of hauling anything by rail is a feat of scheduling and coordination, better known in the transportation industry as the art and science of logistics.

And the logistics of rail recently collided with last year’s record crop of grain to expose a rail problem which, as some agriculture analysts imply, could worsen into a Canadian crisis.

Agriculture and export insiders say that last year’s record crop was up about 20 million tonnes and the total production of grains and oilseeds (G&O) in Canada at an estimated 81 million tonnes may well be the new Canadian normal.

Warning! If the recent rail-caused problems are any indication, there are some urgent and serious challenges that the train sector must resolve.

It’s easy to generalize but accusations are still flying businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 65

Dealing with the Rail and Trucking Crises • Transportation

It is a $65-billion industry that employs nearly 400,000 Canadians (more than 260,000 drivers) and a uniquely diverse industry made up of a few large companies and dominated by thousands of small and medium-sized businesses and independent owner-operators. that last year’s grain crop overwhelmed cent of total tonnage shipped intra-prothe GHTS and caught particularly CN vincially; and almost 80 per cent of our and CP off-guard. The grain was either trade with the United States, our largest badly delayed or, in some cases, not trading partner, are in large part delivered moving at all. by trucks,” says Vijay Gill, director of polFrustrated farmers were furious and icy research with the Conference Board of demanded that the federal government take Canada. action to fix the problem that created the For-hire trucking’s impact on the Canabacklog which became so bad that crops dian economy is enormous. were left in the field, piled-high mountains It is a $65-billion industry that employs of grain were outside jammed grain elevanearly 400,000 Canadians (more than tors and some ships went to sea empty after 260,000 drivers) and a uniquely diverse waiting in vain for grain shipments that industry made up of a few large compaVijay Gill, director of policy research with the Conference never arrived by rail. nies and dominated by thousands of small Board of Canada.

The frustrating backlog triggered anger and medium-sized businesses and indeamong farmers about GHTS and the rail system, wondering pendent owner-operators. what’s the point of a bumper crop is if they can’t get the Truck carriers with annual revenues of $12 million or more crop to market. account for about 57 per cent of the for-hire trucking industry.

If only rail logistics were as simple as adding more The Conference Board, the Alberta Motor Transport Assorailcars. It’s not. It requires revised policy, government reguciation and trucking insiders warn that, in addition to some lations and a lot of coordination from farm to rail terminal random broadsides that truckers and the industry must ride and to port. out, there is one unforeseen social that neither the trucking Something is being done. Ottawa is paying for half the industry or governments can do anything about. cost of a five-year, $3-million transportation study to “Truckers have always dealt with challenges,” Gill points review (and hopefully resolve) the rail problems that caused out. “Today’s reality is that fuel costs are 30 per cent of last fall’s backlogs and other rail logistics inefficiencies. The trucking and truckers must maximize their haul efficiency rest of the cost of the study is being matched by the Grain with back hauls and head hauls. Now, infrastructure and Growers of Canada, the Canadian Canola Growers Associaurban congestion are also significant factors and congestion tion, the Western Grain Elevator Association and the Inland costs are also hitting drivers hard.”

Terminal Association of Canada.

The logistics of hauling full loads both ways may be ideal, but the markets are changing.

Richard Warnock, the affable, knowledgeable and expeTrucking rienced executive director of the Alberta Motor Transport “Trucks move 90 per cent of all consumer products within Association (AMTA), explains some of the market changes, Canada – the food we eat, the goods that we enjoy and even especially for long-haul truckers. “Of course the export the homes we live in – for-hire truckers carry over 80 per

66 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

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H Dealing with the Rail and Trucking Crises • Transportation

Warnock echoes the discouraging fact that, particularly with spiking fuel costs and growing congestion problems, trucker expenses continue to rise without proportionate increases Richard Warnock, executive director of the Alberta Motor Transport Association.

market is stronger when the loonie is down, like it is now, but there has definitely been a change, especially out West.

When it comes to trucking, the West is unique from the rest of the country. Calgary is a major hub, especially for the south. And 55 per cent of the product is oil and gas related.

“By comparison, in Ontario it may be 10 per cent,” he notes. “The wood-building market is still strong but the manufactured goods side, like consumer goods and groceries, has slowed down. It used to be 40 per cent and now it may be 10 per cent.”

Warnock echoes the discouraging fact that, particularly with spiking fuel costs and growing congestion problems, trucker expenses continue to rise without proportionate increases in freight rates.

The trucking industry’s hottest concerns are not about fuel and other expenses but the serious issue of – not enough truckers.

According to the Conference Board, Canada is unmistakably heading for a severe trucker shortage and the situation will likely threaten the country’s supply chain and the nation’s economy.

The problem is not so much disenchanted or fed-up truckers but the generation gap. The aging workforce, and retiring boomers, are hitting the trucking industry harder 68 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

in freight rates. than other sectors. The board says that Canada could experience a shortage of about 30,000 truck drivers by 2020.

Even industry insiders agree that the for-hire trucking industry has a perception and an image problem that keeps trucking from being a viable career option.

“The average age of the Canadian trucker is 56-58,” Warnock says. “Most young drivers are looking for more home time than a generation ago. That’s not a big problem with urban short hauls like Calgary to Edmonton but the crosscountry or the Alberta-Houston oil lane means they are on the road for up to 10 days.

“Another major negative for recruitment is lack of professional designation or credibility. ‘Truck driver’ is not a recognized trade. There is no apprenticeship program or certified ‘professional driver’ status. The AMTA has made training and certification a priority and we are very proactive about it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight.”

The Conference Board’s Vijay Gill agrees that a change in policy – to recognize trucking as a skilled trade – could attract more younger, domestic and immigrant drivers to become truckers.

“The inability to meet a huge demand for drivers could be costly for the trucking industry, consumer goods and the Canadian economy,” Gill warns. BiC

HUMAN

RESOURCES

INSTIT UHRIA T ECelebrating O F Excellence ALB ER TA 2014 Awards — Winners

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE Human Resource professionals are accomplishing amazing results in Alberta workplaces.

At the Celebrating Excellence Awards, hosted in Calgary on April 10th, 2014, the Human Resources Institute of Alberta (HRIA) honoured these leaders and change makers.

Congratulations to our winners!

PRESENTING PARTNER

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

2014 HRIA Celebrating Excellence Awards — Winners

COMMUNITY CHAMPION Nancy Bailes, CHRP

N

ancy Bailes, CHRP, demonstrates exceptionally strong community leadership values and provides support to a wide range of not-for-profit agencies and professional groups. Her passion for community support is tireless. Nancy has served on the board of directors for CUPS for over 15 years, has chaired the human resource committee of CUPS, and has been instrumental in developing board governance, corporate structure, strategic planning and performance review processes for CUPS. In addition, Nancy has volunteered with other non-profit associations. While there are others who actively engage in the community, there are few who also have Nancy’s ability to inspire and involve others to take up the cause.

Nancy is a true community leader and exemplifies all criteria in this esteemed award.

RISING STAR Jessica Coulter, CHRP

J

essica Coulter, CHRP, has made a significant impact within the HR department of Parkland Fuel Corporation since she started with the company in 2010. She was instrumental in the launching of a new compensation program for the company, helped revamp Parkland’s bonus program which is now used for all employees, from front-line staff to the executive team, and drafted the company’s first employment equity plan.

She has automated, centralized and simplified the HR department. She is a change agent bringing growth and ingenuity into the business and has a true desire and passion for new learnings within the world of human resources.

With all she has accomplished so early, the sky is the limit from here!

DISTINGUISHED CAREER Dr. Melanie Peacock, CHRP

D

r. Melanie Peacock, CHRP, is a true advocate for the HR profession.

By developing current and future HR professionals and through networking with business professionals to promote the value of the CHRP designation, Melanie has committed almost 25 years to advancing the practice of HR management, both locally and nationally. She is an associate professor of HR at the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University and mentors countless individuals and provides guidance to many. Through her tireless dedication she has encouraged people to engage in, and enhance, the practice of HR management. Due to her strong educational background and extensive work history Melanie displays an inherent understanding of HR and is respected for her knowledge and contributions and will continue to be a true inspiration well into the future.

2 | HRIA CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

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INSTIT UHRIA T ECelebrating O F Excellence ALB ER TA 2014 Awards — Winners

STRATEGIC INNOVATOR AWARD BP Canada Energy Group ULC and Towers Watson

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series of business divestitures resulted in staff reductions exceeding 75 per cent of the upstream workforce creating a challenging time at BP Canada Energy Group ULC in 2011/2012. Following this change BP Canada knew it had to do something meaningful to show its continued investment in its people. To accomplish this goal, BP Canada teamed up with Towers Watson as its strategic adviser and consulting partner and developed a “best place to work strategy” that examined issues, opportunities and directions for change. Together, they launched the “Elements for Life” program in 2012. This groundbreaking employee flex and wealth plan is setting the bar and showing employees – and Canada – that BP is committed to its employees and to its future success.

AWARD WINNING

FACULTY

It’s the people of an organization who make the difference.

Their skills, character and values empower organizations to succeed and do great things. Mount Royal University Associate Professor Melanie Peacock, PhD, has dedicated almost 25 years to advancing the practice of human resource management and mentoring the next generation of HR professionals.

Congratulations Melanie, on your HRIA Distinguished Career Award. Talented faculty like you are what makes Mount Royal not your average university.

mtroyal.ca

www.hria.ca | May | 2014 | 3

2014 HRIA Celebrating Excellence Awards — Winners

FELLOWSHIP AWARD Todd den Engelsen, FCHRP

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odd den Engelsen, FCHRP, during his time on the Board of Directors to the HRIA, led the creation of a vision that brought the province together as one association. That vision inspired the organization’s strategic plan in 2011 creating a viable long-term future and a new framework that stretched the thinking beyond the association’s current role. Moving HRIA beyond a member-only service association to embracing its responsibility in serving all its stakeholders has taken the association in a new direction. The key initiatives identified in that plan – focus on marketing the CHRP and rebranding HRIA, becoming one association, and preparing for self-regulation – have resulted in lasting and significant changes. In a period of uncertainty and change, Todd’s consistent leadership and focus on HRIA’s mission, vision and values has left a lasting mark. By respecting the past, and looking to the future, he helped to shape a new reality for how the HR profession is viewed in Alberta.

FELLOWSHIP AWARD Peter Chung, FCHRP

P

eter Chung, FCHRP, has shown persistent and absolute dedication to the advancement of the CHRP designation and the HRIA through many decades of research, committees, projects and boards including up to this date with his work on self-regulation. Along with his areas of interest, Peter was a key member and implementer on the founding board of the HRIA and served on several subsequent boards and as president. He has been a committed and active member through diligently raising the intellectual concepts of what a CHRP should constitute in terms of HR competencies and professional practice concepts.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE – INDIVIDUAL Doug Dickson, CHRP

D

oug Dickson, CHRP, Vice President of Human Resources at BP Canada Energy Group ULC, is a true example of an achiever. Doug has been a catalyst of positive change in the organization following a period of significant business restructuring. In addition to delivering on promises with respect to other aspects of the employee-value proposition, he leveraged the new flexible benefits and wellness program, called “Elements for Life.” As the champion of this innovative and strategic program, Doug proved he is a trusted business partner at BP Canada. His vision has redefined the reputation of the organization that has a true and tangible commitment to its employees’ health and well-being. Doug’s excellence has changed the current and prospective employee’s view of BP Canada and positioned the company as one of “the best to work for” organizations in the industry.

4 | HRIA CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

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INSTIT UHRIA T ECelebrating O F Excellence ALB ER TA 2014 Awards — Winners

LEADER OF THE YEAR Ray Guidinger

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ay Guidinger, with Acklands-Grainger Inc., is the General Manager for the Alberta North Region. Ray lives by the words that “leadership is earned, not demanded, it is an act not a title and it is a privilege not a right.” He is a true professional who embraces the concept of employee engagement, employee development, leadership coaching and mentorship, while running the largest and most successful region for Acklands-Grainger Inc. Ray has grown the employee engagement of the team by over 22 per cent in the past five years and his secret to success is spending time understanding the issues and creating well thought out plans for addressing what is important to the team’s engagement. Ray is best described as bursting with energy, a strong business partner, an inspiring coach, a charismatic and compassionate leader and an unwavering supporter of the community of Edmonton.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE TEAM Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. HR Team

T

he greatest opportunity and the greatest challenge of Coalspur was being born from nothing. Coalspur is truly a new organization therefore it is not grounded in past practices or history. The team took risks, tried new approaches and approached others to provide innovative suggestions. A great example that highlights this innovative approach is the metrics model the HR team is building. They are working with the company’s leadership to understand “what does success look like” in order to build a dashboard of measurement that will help everyone understand what is important and tell the story regularly. Many organizations don’t do this work up front and this work will lay the foundation for years to come. The HR team has been instrumental in achieving organizational objectives and has met or exceeded all of the objectives identified in the HR strategy.

Congratulations to Doug Dickson, recipient of the 2014 HRIA Award of Excellence.

To learn more about BP Canada’s benefits program, visit bpcanadabenefits.ca

www.hria.ca | May | 2014 | 5

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2014 HRIA Celebrating Excellence Awards — Winners

Congratulations to all 275 of our new CHRP designation holders! This accomplishment means that you have achieved a level of professional knowledge in the HR field and are committed to upholding the ethics of the profession.

Abigail Tiangco, CHRP Aileena Minhas, CHRP Alan Dar, CHRP Alana Rowe, CHRP Alex Magera, CHRP Alicia Richmond, CHRP Alisa Lin, CHRP Alison Toms, CHRP Alix Louise Day, CHRP Allison Woods, CHRP Ally MacGregor, CHRP Amanda Salopek, CHRP Amanda Tarzwell, CHRP Ameet Brar, CHRP Amy Wheatley, CHRP Andrea Gillespie, CHRP Andrea Jeannotte, CHRP Andrea Rist, CHRP Aneta Thompson, CHRP Angie Duong, CHRP Aniptal Nina Mann, CHRP Ann Hrabok, CHRP Arjan Sharma, CHRP Arron Dobson, CHRP Arthur Lee, CHRP Asma Aejaz, CHRP Aynsley Winkler, CHRP Badeia Jawhari, CHRP Bekki Leon, CHRP Beverley Kent, CHRP Bianca Krimberg, CHRP Bonnie Cheung, CHRP Bonnie Chow, CHRP Bonnie Orr, CHRP Brenda Stokes, CHRP Brenda-Jazmin Flores, CHRP Bruce Baker, CHRP Bruno Vanasse, CHRP Candice Herlihy, CHRP Cassia Lardner, CHRP Catherine Labrie, CHRP Cathy Layton, CHRP Caylee Dutnall, CHRP Celia Koehler, CHRP Charity Shonhiwa, CHRP Chelsey Copithorne, CHRP Cheryl Leske, CHRP Christina Dean, CHRP Christina Mah, CHRP Christine Koshuta, CHRP Christopher Broughton, CHRP Claire Arneson, CHRP Connor McCarthy, CHRP Craig O’Connor, CHRP Curtis Gratton, CHRP Cynthia Campbell, CHRP Cynthia Ogbarmey-Tetteh, CHRP Dan Moro, CHRP Danielle McLennan, CHRP Danny La, CHRP Darby Brewer, CHRP

Darren Phelps, CHRP Dave Wegner, CHRP David Dial, CHRP Dawn Zentner, CHRP Dazy Parmar, CHRP Debra Samek, CHRP Dennis Begoray, CHRP Desiree M. Hombert, CHRP Dionne Miller, CHRP Donna Montney, CHRP Donna Moore, CHRP Elizabeth Conway, CHRP Elizabeth Vander Hoeven, CHRP Ellen Hollinger, CHRP Ellen Huynh, CHRP Emily Allsop, CHRP Emma Brookman, CHRP Emma Ryks, CHRP Eri Fujio, CHRP Eric Fizzell, CHRP Erinn Glessing, CHRP Erma Hadzic-Atanassov, CHRP Felipe Pizarro, CHRP G. Alexander Joyes, CHRP Garett Eisenbraun, CHRP Genevieve Primus, CHRP Geoff Parsons, CHRP Geraldine Rondot, CHRP Grace Aldridge, CHRP Greg Sinding, CHRP Hayley Chivers-Wilson, CHRP Heidi Fournier, CHRP Helen Lugosi, CHRP Hypatia Lauren Fric, CHRP Irene van der Kloet, CHRP JackLynn Trifaux, CHRP Jacqueline Goebel, CHRP Jane Nabholz, CHRP Janice Phan, CHRP Jason Matshes, CHRP Jennifer Aguilar, CHRP Jennifer Charters, CHRP Jennifer Flynn, CHRP Jennifer Levy, CHRP Jennifer Mansell, CHRP Jennifer Rogers, CHRP Jessi Duffy, CHRP Jessica Parmar, CHRP Jill Shiskin, CHRP Joanne Dial, CHRP Jocelyn Chang, CHRP Jocelyn Klyne, CHRP Joellen M. Short, CHRP Joey-Lee Morigeau, CHRP Johanne Johnson, CHRP Johnathan Fleming, CHRP Judy Bromhead, CHRP Julie Gray, CHRP Julie Shaw, CHRP Justin Boyd, CHRP Kaitlin Cabat, CHRP

Kamal Kahlon, CHRP Kara Tomadini, CHRP Karolyn Fleming, CHRP Karthik Swaminathan, CHRP Kasia Delert, CHRP Kate Jeffrey, CHRP Katherine Miller, CHRP Kathleen Tran, CHRP Kayla Dallyn, CHRP Kelly Mullins, CHRP Kelly vanOuwerkerk, CHRP Kelsey Gamble, CHRP Kelsey Poxon, CHRP Kelsie Collier, CHRP Kendall Wylie, CHRP Kendra Currie, CHRP Kerry Black, CHRP Kimberley Forseille, CHRP Kimberley Gladden, CHRP Kirstin Normand, CHRP Kittima Raksarat, CHRP Krishnan Nagarajan, CHRP Krista Baumgartner, CHRP Kristan Strate, CHRP Kristen Lefebvre, CHRP Kristy Petersen, CHRP Kyla Haidish, CHRP Kyla Stein, CHRP Laura Nugent, CHRP Laura VanderVeen, CHRP Laura Waters, CHRP Laurel Niskasari, CHRP Lauren Connell, CHRP Lauren Woodman, CHRP Leah Androkovich, CHRP Leah Stewart, CHRP Leisa Haddleton, CHRP Lesley-ann Dickenson, CHRP Leslie Lalani, CHRP Leslie Proulx, CHRP Liam Taylor, CHRP Liji (Lincy) Thomas, CHRP Lindsay Naugler, CHRP Lindsay Rutherford, CHRP Lindsay Silvester, CHRP Lindsey Sara Rocks, CHRP Lisa Leachman, CHRP Lisa Marentette, CHRP Lorrie Horne, CHRP Louisa Lungu, CHRP Luella Anderson, CHRP Lyudmyla Shmygelska, CHRP M. Troy Burnett, CHRP Madusari Madusari, CHRP Maninder Bhandal, CHRP Marcia Buchholz, CHRP Marie Mineur, CHRP Mary-Ann Flood, CHRP Matthew Chapelsky, CHRP Meagan Little, CHRP Meggan Marriott, CHRP

Meghan Richer-Poth, CHRP Melissa Nickerson, CHRP Merina Soroka, CHRP Michael Sanguin, CHRP Michelle Ginter, CHRP Michelle Hamel, CHRP Michelle Young, CHRP Milo Grubbe, CHRP Mirella Paulucci, CHRP Miriam Canderova, CHRP Monika Djuff, CHRP Nadia Attah-Effah, CHRP Nancy Lee, CHRP Naresh Mahay, CHRP Narmaya Gurung, CHRP Natasha Roche, CHRP Nicole Maharaj, CHRP Nicole Neufeld, CHRP Nicole Parrell, CHRP Nicole Stratychuk, CHRP Nicole Suitor, CHRP Nora Sargent, CHRP Omar Illodo, CHRP Phil Atherton, CHRP Priya Pooranalingam, CHRP Rachael My Thanh Ngo, CHRP Rachel Shillito, CHRP Ranjit Singh Bains, CHRP Rebecca Van Ginkel Leong, CHRP Rebecca Xu, CHRP Renee Thompson, CHRP Rhonda Cooper-Burgess, CHRP Robert Stephenson, CHRP Robyn Craswell, CHRP Rubina Gilani, CHRP Ryan Stovall, CHRP Samantha Chen, CHRP Samantha Kirby, CHRP Sandi Unruh, CHRP Sandra Protsko, CHRP Sanya Lakhani, CHRP Sarah Chin, CHRP Sarah McLeod, CHRP Sarah Nelubowich, CHRP Sarah Tanouye, CHRP Scott Tarabula, CHRP Serena Fischer, CHRP Serena Musil, CHRP Shad Smereka, CHRP Shahida Abba, CHRP Shalini Bhatty, CHRP Shannon Martens, CHRP Sharon Diep, CHRP Shawn Muzyka, CHRP Sheeba Vijayan, CHRP Shelley Stadnyk, CHRP Sheri Panas, CHRP Siju Ewhubare, CHRP Sonja Brazendale, CHRP Stacey Draganiuk, CHRP Stefanie McNeil, CHRP

HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA

6 | HRIA CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Stefanie New, CHRP Stephanie Abbott, CHRP Steve Cyr, CHRP Steven St. Amand, CHRP Sunny Kapur, CHRP Susan Gynane, CHRP Suzanne Ebelher, CHRP Svetlana Adaikin, CHRP Tanya Cake, CHRP Tanys Betuzzi, CHRP Tara Brossier, CHRP Taryn Barrie, CHRP Teisha Iglesias, CHRP Teresa Sims, CHRP Teresa Zamonsky, CHRP Tim Kee, CHRP Tim Simper, CHRP Timothy Nickerson, CHRP Tyler Johnson, CHRP Uzma Ahmed, CHRP Valerie Vega , CHRP Vanessa Latos, CHRP Vanessa Weg, CHRP Wallace McKay, CHRP Wendy Thorne, CHRP Wing Yin (Stephane) Au-Yeaung, CHRP Wynona Bablitz, CHRP Yewande Aturamu, CHRP Zahir Jessa, CHRP Zuraida Dada, CHRP

For details on what the CHRP designation can bring to your career or organziation visit

www.CHRPAlberta.ca

HUMAN

RESOURCES

INSTITUTE

OF

ALBERTA

James Electric Motor Service:

‘Service Extraordinaire’ for 40 Years Written by Mary Savage Photos by KLH Streets Photography

R

ick James’ exposure to the world of small motors and pumps started about the same time he learned how to walk. His earliest memories recall accompanying his father on service calls to fix everything from furnace motors to toasttoast ers and chicken pluckers. By the time he was five, Rick knew what his future held – he is one of those rare individuals who came into the world knowing exactly what he wanted to do.

“I knew I was going to fix, build and tinker with things and it was going to be mechanical in nature,” says Rick James, president, James Electric Motor Service Ltd. “And after 40 years in business, this is why I get up and go to work every morning. I love solving problems!”

In 1974 and while working for his father, Bob James – the well-known owner of Electric Motor Maintenance – he entered negotiations to purchase the business. His father, feeling that Rick’s offer was insufficient, fired Rick on his 24th birthday, along with two other employees. The following Monday the other employees were rehired, leaving Rick withwith out a job.

Now jobless and a recent graduate as an electrical mechanic from SAIT, Rick decided that it was time to combine his academic knowledge and work expeexpe rience along with his personal desire to succeed. It was time to start a business.

With personal savings of $1,000, a bank loan of an additional $3,000 and a used Datsun 510 stasta tion wagon, he opened James Electric on October 1, 1974. Due to the bank’s fear that they would never James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 1

Rick James, president, James Electric Motor Services

75

James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 2

see their money again, Rick had to deliver a list of accounts receivable to the bank manager every Friday. And within a year, Rick had paid off the loan. As he grew the business, he never incurred bank debt again. And in a strange turn of events after six years in business, his father was working for him.

“When I started, Calgary was a lot smaller and there was a lot of competition. Since I couldn’t afford to purchase expensive large motor repair equipment, I decided to concentrate on pumps and small motors,” explains Rick. Initially he concentrated on becoming a local service dealer for many of the major North American motor manufacturers, he then set his sights on becoming the local service dealer for HVAC pump manufacturers. “In the early days, we sold and serviced small motors, but quickly changed our focus to pumps – that became our niche,” he adds.

According to Rick, electric motors are the number one industrial manufactured item in the world and pumps are second only to motors. And just about every pump has an electric motor on it, so he bet on the pump business and his goal was to own the best pump repair shop in Canada.

“In order to grow the business, we needed to have local inventory and this meant that we had to stock a large inventory of parts – we could not wait for parts to be shipped from Toronto,” recalls Rick. “We secured the first pump manufacturer and then added a second line, but only after I flew to Toronto with a signed purchase order in my hand.”

During the early years, James Electric focused on small HVAC pumps, which meant initially working on smaller low-rise buildings. Gradually and through the addition of a group of well-trained employees committed to customer service, the business evolved to include providing repairs for some of the most reputable service contractors in Calgary as well as commercial buildings, schools, hospitals and hotels.

But it did not come easy.

It was almost a decade before Rick felt they were making significant headway, and then one afternoon proved to be a turning point. Rick was standing inside the Bank of Montreal building in downtown Calgary – talking to the maintenance manager and trying to secure their business.

“I had given him my spiel, but he wasn’t interested in our services, so I said to him, ‘I realize you already have

people who fix your pumps and motors, but I’ll bet you have something in this building that doesn’t work. Show me that equipment and I’ll fix it’ and in an instant, everything changed,” asserts Rick. The customer whisked him down to the lower mechanical room to look at the booster pumps that supplied water to the entire building.

“I wanted to know about the equipment that other people couldn’t fix – because I knew we could – and since that time we have repaired or replaced just about every booster package in the majority of the highrise buildings in this city,” he says.

“In fact, you can’t walk into a building in downtown Calgary today and not find my name on some piece of equipment – it would be almost impossible. We take pride in the fact that we have worked on every major building in the core at one time or another,” he adds.

“Without the aid of our employees I could not make that statement, day in and day out 24/7/365 days a year our staff will do whatever it takes to service our customers. I may be the owner but my employees are the ones who I am most proud of, they are the ones who, through their efforts, keep the customers coming back,” Rick asserts.

James Electric specializes in anything and everything that has to do with HVAC pumps, motors, fans and blowers, and with an inventory in excess of $3 million can honestly live up to the motto ‘All The Parts - All The Time.’ “I look at every part as a customer: sooner or later that part is going to satisfy a customer and without it I won’t have a satisfied customer,” says Rick.

Recently Rick called a customer to ask them about a pump on their ‘domestic cold water booster package’ and while they were discussing the replacement options, a second pump failed. It was now 2:00 p.m. and there was no water service to the upper floors of the building. Two James Electric technicians were sent to the site where they removed the piping from the first pump, while another technician was constructing a new pump at the James Electric shop. Within four hours the building was back in business: the new pump

James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 3

Mechanical Recovery in Record Time…

“When the flood hit last June, we did all the pump repairs inside Stampede Park including the Grandstand, the infield, the Big Four and the Saddledome – we were among the first people inside the Saddledome,” recalls Rick.

“We were asked to inspect the damage to the pumps and motors in the flood-affected buildings in Stampede Park, every building excluding the Saddledome. Years ago, we had fixed the pumps in the main office on the Stampede grounds, so I knew what we were dealing with. After our inspection, I called the consulting engineer and told him we had everything we needed ‘in stock’ – to repair or replace every pump in every building – with the exception of one pump,” recalls Rick.

James Electric also repaired the pumps at the Holy Cross site, the zoo, Talisman Centre, city hall and the list goes on. “Once the water had been drained, we were able to access the pumps and repair them. Many of the pumps were simply pulled out of the buildings, repaired in our shop and returned to the buildings again,” asserts Rick.

“It’s because we had the people, the equipment and the inventory, and when we needed to order any parts, we had priority shipping and our orders were processed immediately,” he remembers.

When Rick and his crew were asked to repair all the pumps at the Holy Cross site, there was a conference call to determine how the repairs should be handled – should they purchase new pumps or repair the existing ones?

“They left it up to us to make the right decision on their behalf – whether to repair or replace – we had experience with the pumps in those buildings and we had the parts in stock to complete the repairs,” says Rick.

They also knew they had a limited time-frame so each pump was evaluated and the decision to repair or replace was based on the overall condition of the pump and the replacement cost. The vast majority of the pumps were repaired.

“And about a month later, when the first set of repaired pumps had been returned, the insurance adjuster called to thank me … they couldn’t tell if the pumps had been repaired or replaced,” Rick says proudly.

and piping were installed and the water was turned back on. A few days later a second new pump was installed and James Electric was able to complete all of these repairs using parts out of their inventory.

James Electric has grown from a one-person, 500 square-foot shop to a 35,000-square-foot sales and service centre employing over 55 people. When Rick started the business, he never considered the option of failing; it’s simply not part of his DNA. “I knew from the get-go that we would succeed. I’m very persistent and I’m a perfectionist – I like things done right. And I always tell my employees we have one shot to do it right and after that it’s on our nickel,” comments Rick.

“We are experts in our field and we’ve set the bar very high from day one: every piece

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James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 4

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James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 5

of equipment that leaves our facility should look and pre preform as if it were new,” he adds.

Internally, Rick has created a series of binders that crossreference every pump, piece and part used in the majority of HVAC pumps built in North America. “We convert a lot of pumps and we’ve developed a conversion manual that contains all the different pump conversions,” says Rick.

“Everything we need to know is in the binders: how to do the conversion and what equipment to use.”

The employees simply punch the conversion number into

Congratulations to James Electric on 40 years of excellent service in Southern Alberta from

CBS Electric Insulation Materials Ltd. serving Alberta since 1979

(403) 243-1934 | cbselectric.com

the computer and every part that is needed is listed – it’s automatic – and it’s an internal system they developed in-house to build kits and modify pumps based on modifications that were designed by James Electric staff.

“We know the dimensions of every HVAC pump made in North America, what it’s capable of producing, what parts are needed to repair it – everything. We know more about some of these pumps than the manufacturers who build them,” notes Rick.

“Our job is to give our employees the right tools and training to do the best job possible and we have a group of individuals who take their jobs very seriously,” he adds. “We are always looking to improve our business, our operation and our processes – even after 40 years.”

James Electric has also worked hard to obtain industry certification as well as compliance with safety standards and practices. They obtained ISO 9001:2008 certification in October 2012. They have continued COR certification through Alberta Construction Safety Association and they are members of contractor safety organizations such as ContractorCheck, ComplyWorks, PICS Auditing, and ISNetworld.

And it comes as no surprise that James Electric has received the Consumer Choice Award for the past seven years. They are committed to the community, their customers, employees and providing a safe work environment.

Congratulations James Electric on 40 years of success!

YOUR INDUSTRY, OUR LEGACY. TECO-Westinghouse Motors (Canada) Inc. is a world leader in manufacturing electric motors, our product line includes low, medium, and high voltage motors ranging from 1/4 HP to 100,000 HP. We also offer a complete line of variable frequency drives, soft starters and motor protection.

Points West Marketing 10334c- 172 Street, Edmonton, AB T5S 1G9

Phone: 780.489.0757

Congratulations to James Electric on your th

40 Anniversary!

We wish you continued success.

1-800-661-4023 | www.tecowestinghouse.ca James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 6

the PUMP professionals “Congratulations on your 40th Anniversary James Electric!” Alberta’s Goulds/Xylem products distributor Edmonton 9840 – 47 th Ave. Ph: (780) 435-5919 Fax: (780) 435-6019 E-mail: edmonton@aquateck.com Calgary 2410A – 2 nd Ave. S.E. Ph: (403) 272-0052 Fax: (403) 272-0998 E-mail: calgary@aquateck.com

4053 – 92 St. Edmonton AB T6E 6R8 | 708-434-4900

www.ebaldor.ca

Congratulations James Electric on 40 years of business from the management and staff of Baldor Motors & Drives ( Alberta) Ltd.

Congratulations James Electric!

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Congratulations to James Electric on your 40th Anniversary! rogersinsurance.ca

To learn more please contact us at: John Crane Canada, Inc. 7123 Roper Road, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6B 3K3 tel: 780-466-1338 • www.johncrane.com

Congratulations to

James Electric!

From all of us at

www.solerpalaucanada.com

Congratulations to James Electric

on their 40th Anniversary!

Congratulations to James Electric on your 40th Anniversary!

1-877-355-7955 www.technosub.net

James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 7

1-877-484-7975 www.tsurumicanada.com

The team at James Electric

“Over the years, we’ve hired some very skilled people that have helped us grow and our customers have also contributed to our growth,” he says. “We’ve been successful because of our people, our customers and our drive – if we were willing to accept second best, we wouldn’t be here.”

Looking back, Rick is proud of his staff and the business they have helped to build, their commitment and his undeterred vision to provide the best products available today. “Aside from my family, my greatest accomplishment is growing a business from nothing into one of the largest of its kind in Canada and in the process, gaining the respect of my peers and business associates,” he says with a smile.

The business has consistently achieved growth – year over year – for 40 years. “We choose to specialize in pumps because it’s the heart of every building and our mandate is still the same: to provide better service than anyone else,” observes Rick. “We also picked an industry that was recession proof: we are in the pump repair business and regardless of how many people are working in a building it requires heating and cooling and our job is to keep those pumps running.”

As Rick looks to the future, he recognizes how much the industry has changed – how specialized everything’s become. “Business is more complex today and we must continue to develop ways to ensure our people can solve problems and develop innovative ways to stay on top of the industry. The pump and motor industry is moving very quickly – it’s changing drastically every day – and we cannot afford to let it pass us by,” he notes.

“If a manufacturer builds a bad design, we are on them – akin to a watchdog for the industry,” says Rick. “What they do affects us and if we find a problem, we bring it to their attention and in some cases we help them fix it. It’s looking at the bigger picture because our success depends on the success of our suppliers, so it is important to us that they succeed as well and how we work together – not independently.”

In 40 years, there are very few things that have remained the same with the business, but Rick still asks himself the same question every morning, “What problem am I going to solve today? When I’m no longer solving problems or contributing to making the business more efficient, then I’ll stop coming to work,” he adds with a twinkle in his eye. •

www.jameselectric.ca | 403-252-5477 James Electric Motor Services | 40 Years | 8

The Key to their Success is found in the Details Written by Mary Savage | Photographed by Bookstrucker Photography

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hen Judy and Willi Mair started Sunshine Coach in 1999, they already had a decade of experience in the transportation industry from offering limousine and van service. When a friend suggested they purchase a retired Greyhound passenger bus, it seemed like a natural fit. They sold the limo, established Sunshine Coach and they’ve never looked back.

“During our first summer, we found the right work which kept us very busy: running charters for many of the businesses in Calgary along with school outings,” recalls Willi Mair, operations manager.

A short time later, they secured the transportation contract with a major ski hill resort to transport skiers to and from the ski hill and city. “We got the contract because we were a small, ‘hands on’ company and we looked after

more than just transportation,” adds Judy Mair, owner.

“The ski resort wanted to establish a partnership with a company that could provide the total package, which included reservations, selling bus and/or lift tickets and, of course the transportation; and in 15 years that hasn’t changed.”

Five years ago, they were awarded another major ski resort contract – driving skiers to and from the hill – and it’s very similar to their other resort agreement. “It’s a real partnership when you work with the ski hills,” adds Judy.

Today, Sunshine Coach is a thriving business with a fleet of 10 coaches that range in passenger capacity from 21 to 60 people. The have carved out a well-respected niche in the transportation industry that services ski hills, corporate events, sporting groups, schools, tourism and charters.

Sunshine Coach | 15 Years | 1

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Whether a company is planning a day trip to the mountains for a round of golf or a tourist group has booked a charter to the west coast, Sunshine Coach provides reliable, confortable and affordable transportation.

However, the key to their success comes from truly understanding customer service and customer expectations. They listen to their customers and pay attention to the details, and given their keen eye for detail, you will often find Willi sitting in the driver’s seat of a bus while Judy manages the administration and regulatory side of the business.

“We’ve had steady growth since we started the business and we will continue to have steady growth which means we will continue to get better,” notes Willi. “In our industry, getting better means being more reliable and safer. We already offer a reliable and safe service, but we are always looking for ways to improve our business and that means offering better buses, better trained people, and higher safety standards.”

According to Judy, they work with tour groups from around the world and bookings can range from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. “It may be a tour of the Rocky Mountains or it may be across the country. We schedule many six-day trips that originate in Calgary and go to the west coast or vice versa,” she says.

Sometimes the tour groups have planned their itinerary and other times they ask Sunshine Coach to plan the trip, but it’s always customized. “As an example, we had a group of tourists that came from India and they hired us for the bus portion from Calgary to Vancouver. From there, they boarded a cruise ship and sailed to Alaska,” says Judy.

Sunshine Coach caters to a variety of clients: corporations, schools, universities, seniors, sport teams, international travellers and wedding parties, to name a few.

Willi and Judy Mairz

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“In this business, our biggest challenge is to meet the customers’ expectations (once transportation rules and regulation requirements have been met),” asserts Willi. “Most of the time we exceed their expectations and on those rare occasions when this doesn’t happen, we still make every effort to satisfy our customers.”

As Judy has observed, people expect things to go smoothly when they’re traveling – plane, train, bus – whatever the mode of transport. “You need to be a good judge of character and you need to know how to read people, understand their needs and what they are going to want. It means communicating with each group and understanding what’s important to them before their trip gets underway.”

The tourist charters keep Judy and Willi busy from about April to October. The corporate events go year round and the winter months cater to outdoor recreational activities. Although, Sunshine Coach runs a scheduled service between the ski hills and city, they also provide transportation for several hockey teams, ski teams and charter schools.

“Over the years, the ski families have learned that they can bring their kids to us and they are safe, they will have fun, and it’s a fair price,” adds Willy. “We have developed a great reputation, our customers trust us and we’ve gained many new customers. Occasionally, we lose customers because they grow up and get their own cars, but then there are new teenagers who discover our bus service to the ski hill and their parents don’t want their kids on the road, especially if a snowstorm blows in.”

Sunshine Coach has also experienced an increase in adult ridership simply because it is cost effective, comfortable and allows them to relax on the bus, saving their energy for their skiing/ boarding experience.

“We have developed a great reputation, our customers trust us and we’ve gained many new customers.” ~ Willi Mair

Congratulations on your 15th year in business, Sunshine Coach! Cheers to one of our most hard-working and reliable customers!

CENTRAL DIESEL | 919 46th Ave SE | Calgary, AB T2G 2A5 Manager: Dennis Stephens

Over the past 15 years while Judy and Willi were running the business, they were also raising a family of four. Their oldest daughter worked for the company for a short time before attending university, but the other kids opted to pursue different fields of study.

When Judy isn’t taking care of the office work, you will find her working at her other job as an occupational therapist. “I work eight days a week,” she adds with a smile. “And when you run a transportation business, it’s 24/7.”

According to Judy, the only day they don’t operate the buses is on Christmas day, but they still answer the phone to take reservations for Boxing Day. Looking forward, both Judy and Willi share the same vision: to be a leader in the industry that’s parallel to their competitors

Sunshine Coach | 15 Years | 3

or even to pull ahead and become a formidable leader.

“We are never going to be as large as the national companies and size is not our mandate, but we offer great service, the best value for your money and our fleet is in great shape,” comments Willi.

Sunshine Coach recently purchased a maintenance and storage facility that can house their complete fleet and accommodate future growth. “The maintenance facility, coupled with our full-time mechanical crew, means we are well positioned to comply with all the safety codes, regulations and transportation acts. This maintenance facility also has ample space for our bus cleaning crew,” adds Willi. “We might only have 10 buses, but they are always in good shape, and ready to go.” For more extensive engine and transmission repairs, Sunshine Coach uses

one of Calgary’s most experienced maintenance firms.

As well, they have knowledgeable and well-trained drivers who speak a variety of foreign languages including Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, and Russian. Collectively, their driving team has many years of experience and they have an outstanding safety record. “…and it’s all of these details that allows us to offer the best value for the money – and that’s how we’ve grown the business,” adds Willi.

Judy and Willi alluded to future plans that could potentially change the industry, but their plans are still in the approvals stage and they were not at liberty to discuss the details. Suffice to say, their goal is simple: to be the first coach company that people call when they require transportation. •

For more information, visit the website or call Sunshine Coach: www.sunshinecoach.com Calgary Local (403) 241-0443 Toll Free: 1-866-666-6BUS (6287)

Sunshine Coach | 15 Years | 4

20 Years of Clean Air

Advancements Written by Julia Marshall

T

he phrase “in quest of” may be at the root of Questor Technology Inc.’s moniker, but if there’s one word to describe the company itself, it’s passion. “We all wholeheartedly believe in what we’re doing here,” explains Questor president and CEO, Audrey Mascarenhas. “We have faith in our people, the technology and the positive things we’re doing for the environment.”

Indeed, Questor is doing some very positive things for the environment. The company designs and manufactures incinerators that combust waste gas from oil and gas operations at 99.99 per cent efficiency. Compared to conventional gas flaring, where noxious gases are burned off into the atmosphere, Questor’s incinerators create no

“We have faith in our people, the technology and the positive things we’re doing for the environment.” ~ Audrey Mascarenhas, Questor president and CEO Audrey Mascarenhas. Photo by Melissa Arthur

Questor Technology | 20 Years | 1

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The team at Questor Technology. Photo by Melissa Arthur

visible flame, smoke or black plume, and only emit vaporized water and carbon dioxide. Even the heat generated from the process can be reused for different purposes.

The technology is particularly unique in that it creates a win-win for both industry and environment. “There really isn’t a loser with what we do,” says Mascarenhas. “It makes business sense for clients to use our technology, for both

cost-saving and compliance reasons. At the same time, it creates social license within communities due to cleaner air and reduced visibility and noise.”

Questor’s incinerators operate unmanned and require 80 per cent less fuel than a flare when combusting low-heat content gases, which significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. No extensive maintenance, vapor recovery units or external power sources are necessary. Companies enjoy significant cost savings with a four-month payback, and even more importantly, no toxic gases end up in the atmosphere.

Today, Questor is headquartered in Calgary with a fabrication facility in Grande Prairie. In 2014, the company plans to open a fabrication facility in Florida, an office in Houston and service centres in Pennsylvania and Texas. The company primarily serves oil and gas clients in Canada and the U.S. and has worked in France, Germany, Russia and China.

Congratulations to Questor on their 20th anniversary from the Side Group of Companies

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Questor Technology | 20 Years | 2

Questor’s technology can also be applied to tire recycling, water and sewage treatment plants, agricultural operations, landfills and railcar loading facilities – anywhere waste gases need to be disposed of as efficiently as possible.

The Pursuit of Cleaner Air Questor’s journey first began in 1994. A group of investors based in Vancouver compiled a number of eco-friendly innovations and formed a company. At the time, it was quite a novel concept to have a for-profit company in the environmental sector. Inspired by the quest-like nature of their objective, the founders named the company Questor Technology Inc. The company went public on the TSX Venture exchange in 1998 under the stock symbol QST. One of the original inventions in Questor’s portfolio was similar to what the company has today, but it couldn’t handle the large industrial volumes that would make it marketmarket able. To improve the technology, Questor’s founders turned to where they knew they’d find engineering expertise – Calgary. Excited about Questor’s potential to create cleaner air technologies, a handful of oil and gas professionals joined the company. One of those individuals was Dan Motyka, who left his position at Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. in the late 1990s to join Questor. (Gulf Canada was acquired by ConocoPhillips in 2001.)

“It was Dan who convinced me to come to Questor,” smiles Mascarenhas. “He was my former colleague at Gulf. He contacted me and said just come work here for six months.

That was 15 years ago now.” Mascarenhas, a chemical engineer, had worked at Gulf CanCan ada for 17 years. In 1999, she decided to take a step away from her career and stay at home with her young children, aged six and three. “I also really wanted more time to give back,” explains Mascarenhas. “I was able to sit on the board for the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, coach a lot of the kids’ sports, and volunteer with Girl Guides and Scouts.”

It didn’t take long for Mascarenhas to miss her professional life though, and she decided to go back to work part time. Mascarenhas received a lot of offers for full-time oil and gas work,

Congratulations to Questor Technology on their 20th Anniversary!

Box 61, Leslieville, AB T0M 1H0 Office: 403.729.3007 | Fax: 403.729.3606

WWW.WPIDHIRNEY.NET Congratulations to Questor Technology!

www.bodnarsteel.com Questor Technology | 20 Years | 3

which wasn’t what she wanted. Then, Motyka’s proposal came along. “I realized that with this company, I could work in the industry and still give back by making a positive difference in the world. I didn’t think I could do both,” says Mascarenhas.

Now, as Questor’s president and CEO, Mascarenhas is dedicating her professional life to improving air quality and reducing emissions worldwide with the company’s innovative technology.

The Passion Behind the People The desire to work in the industry and make a difference at the same time is also what drives the other dynamic professionals at Questor. “This is a big inspiration around here,” says Ritchie Stagg, Questor’s director of sales and marketing, referring to an image on his computer screen. It’s a picture of a woman and her children in a remote village, surrounded by open gas flares. Conventional flaring can emit particulate, hydrocarbons, methane, sulfur dioxide and other sulfur compounds that may be carcinogenic and are known to trigger asthma and other respiratory problems. The image on Stagg’s screen needs no further explanation.

Having grown up in a small town in Kenya, Mascarenhas can relate to the image. “One of the reasons why I love what I do is that a lot of flaring is done in areas where people are exposed to health risks and don’t necessarily have utility infrastructure,” she says. “Our technology not only improves

air quality, it also can provide some of the heat or power that these remote areas need.”

Kim Hubick, the company’s CFO and corporate secretary, and John Sutherland, Questor’s COO, emit the same enthusiasm as Stagg and Mascarenhas. “We have such a creative team of engineers, and we have one of the best solutions around,” says Hubick. “Now it’s about getting our story out, to change how people think and to raise awareness of how flaring can be done differently.”

“This has been an opportunity to work at something that interests me more than anything else has in my career,” says Sutherland, who previously worked with Mascarenhas at Gulf Canada. “We have a versatile technology that serves all industries and is a proven global solution.”

The Journey Continues As Questor celebrates its 20th anniversary, the company has more than achieved its quest to become a successful for-profit provider of clean technologies. But the journey, thankfully, is far from over. Recently, Questor acquired USbased ClearPower Systems Inc., a company that has developed an efficient system to convert waste heat to power. The technology has now been integrated into Questor’s offerings to open up global opportunities in other industries.

Questor has an impressive and growing list of clients, including AltaGas, Dominion Exploration, Nexen, Williams and Husky. The company’s U.S. operations are particularly Envisuccessful, thanks in part to strict regulations in the Envi ronmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act. “The year 2013 was a big year for us; we saw substantial growth in our revenue and profitability,” says Mascarenhas. “Clients are demstarting to choose our technology as a best practice to dem onstrate they’re in compliance with increasingly tougher rules on emissions.”

But helping companies comply with regulations is only one part of Questor’s journey. “There is still so much gas flared internationally. Daily, over 14 billion cubic feet of gas is flared baror vented globally, the energy equivalent of 2.5 million bar rels of oil per day. It’s an enormous waste of energy, it isn’t being combusted cleanly, it creates greenhouse gases and it’s a hazard for global health,” Mascarenhas concludes. “Making a positive difference around the world is our ultimate goal.” •

For more information, please visit www.questortech.com or call 403.571.1530

The New Standard in Calgary’s Nightlife Written by Shannon Stucky | Photographed by Melissa Arthur

“There are those who seek comfort in the ordinary, and then there are those who thirst for so much more. The night is yours … the new Standard in Calgary’s nightlife!”

T

here’s a new Standard in Calgary’s nightlife. A new type of venue for those looking for an upscale and sophisticated place to drink, dress up and dance in the heart of downtown Calgary. Situated on 7th Avenue and 1st Street, right across from the 1st Street SW LRT Station, this new nightspot hides in plain sight under an unassuming parking lot. The “New York-style Manhattan-meat-packing district” ultra-lounge is only accessible from the alleyway for those who know where to look. The space is surrounded by Calgary’s finer hotels like the Hyatt Regency Calgary, the Marriott Calgary Downtown and boutique Hôtel Le Germain to name a few. It is also neighbours with some of Calgary’s most prominent corporate buildings like The Bow, the Suncor Energy Centre and soon, the new Telus Sky building and Brookfield Place. With Calgary’s growth and build up of the downtown and the East Village, Standard is set to be in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. “Location is crucial,” owner Ramsey Haymour says, “and we’re here to stay.”

Standard | Grand Opening | 1

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Owners Ramsey Haymour and Zubin Kothawala

Owners Ramsey Haymour and Zubin Kothawala, longtime friends and business partners, recognized Calgary’s need for a high-end corporate nightspot, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Mynt Ultra Lounge shut down in 2007. Standard sets itself apart from the beer halls and the pubs that are prevalent in Calgary. “We designed it more for women … [they] don’t really have a place they can dress up and dance …we have that lounge feeling with a dance floor,” Haymour says. The collective years of hospitality experience was instrumental to the design, look and feel of Standard. These experiences include being involved with some of Calgary’s most high-profile nightspots like The Palace (now Flames Central), Lucky Lounge, The Drink and Mynt Ultra Lounge.

The owners created a unique space where every detail has been taken into consideration and all decisions have been made with the customer in mind. “Owning a nightclub is like being a rock star, everyone wants to be one or know one,” Kothawala says as he explains why at least one of the owners would always be in attendance. “If you’re not there, you’re not there. And if you’re there, everyone wants to see you and be recognized.”

It was no small undertaking to bring Standard to life. It took almost four years from its conception until the day it opened its doors for its exclusive, invite-only opening night.

Once the space had been located and a long-term deal was negotiated, Haymour and Kothawala got to work turning their vision into a reality. Over the next four years, Standard was magically transformed from a dilapidated underground parkade used to store cast-off ’60s furniture into a sexy, ultra-modern and spacious ultra-lounge. With the help of

designer Peter Hribar of Hribar Design Group, they knocked out walls, repaired leaks, resealed the floor, cleaned up the ceiling, created a rooftop patio and doubled the width of the staircases. These improvements were essential to maximize the safety, functionality and flow of the venue. Like many businesses in Calgary, Standard was also caught by June 2013’s flood which ended up delaying the grand opening until early 2014. Standard is open Wednesday through Saturday evenings and can be booked for small, large, corporate, specialty and fundraising parties and events.

Standard’s mystique is everywhere; from the hidden entranceway in the alley to the venue opening up as you go down the stairs. A wall of mirrors greets you, while giant subtle yet sexy murals adorn the walls. The lush furniture and high-end decor are flanked by exposed concrete floors and ceilings. The venue is a perfect blend of nouveau chic and industrial design; refined and wild at the same time.

The bars are smooth and streamlined while the footrests are rough and functional. There are also a few short freestanding pillars that are unobtrusive and yet compelling to the patrons who gravitate around them. No detail was overlooked in the design, “Everything is designed for flow,” Haymour says, “Form must follow function … and if it doesn’t it’s not going to work here.” Standard’s spacious design allows groups to mingle at one of the four bars, along the wall ledges, on the dance floor and in the VIP areas while still being able to move and circulate around the rooms. Tall ceilings and wide-open spaces make it easy to forget where you are. “You could be in the basement or the 50th floor of [an office] tower; that’s how this room was

Standard | Grand Opening | 2

designed,” says Haymour. The mystique and elegance of Standard is only furthered by its black, white and gold colours and its bold, modern lion logo.

Standard boasts four private VIP bottle service areas.

Each area can hold up to 25 people comfortably and must be booked to be used. “It’s so hard to take a large group of people out [these days],” Kothawala says, “and a lot of people don’t plan in advance.” Standard has made this easy by allowing patrons to book VIP areas when they arrive, or pre-book before they come. To maintain the exclusivity of these VIP areas, if they aren’t booked, they remain empty and roped off – even on the busiest of nights. All VIP areas offer a view of the dance floor and two of these areas even include access to private washrooms.

Music is essential to all nightspots and Standard is no exception. A professional sound engineer was brought in to ensure that the music in various rooms did not compete or interfere with each other. Standard has a mainstream top 40 dance floor, a room for “vocal, sexy house-style music” and a cognac bar near the entrance. These spaces are managed by many of Calgary’s most well-known DJs. In the summer these areas expand to include a rooftop patio and a large rock ’n’ roll and country music Stampede tent dubbed “The Standard Saloon.” Add it all up and Standard has enough room to cater up to a 1,000-person Stampede party with three different musical options for patrons to choose from.

Within the house-style music room, there is an elevated glass box that was designed as a featured performance space

Congratulations to Standard on their Grand Opening!

INFO@BBSSYSTEMS.COM

Standard | Grand Opening | 3

for specialty acts. These acts include musicians (percussionists, saxophone players, violinists, guitarists, etc.), singers and DJs. All artists chosen to perform in the box go through an audition process. This space doubles as a promotional spot for corporate and fundraising events to showcase people, posters and auction items. Due to its long-standing relationship with Standard owner Zubin Kothawala, the Alberta Children’s Hospital has already scheduled two fundraising events this year.

What really sets Standard apart is that its patrons must be older than 25 and must come “dressed to impress.” This not only allows for discretion at the door, but also maintains Standard’s image. It is a classy place that caters to the tastes of an older and more sophisticated crowd. Young urban professionals can frequent Standard without the worries and risks normally associated with nightspots. All patrons must be cleared at the entrance by Standard’s Servall system which flags potential problems through its connection with the Calgary Police Service. This system ensures safety and comfort for all of Standard’s clientele. The age rule is relaxed on Wednesday nights to give those between the ages of 21 and 25 a chance to experience Standard. Wednesday also happens to be ‘Industry Night’ where members of Calgary’s hospitality industry are invited to come by, hang out and socialize amongst themselves.

Standard also boasts an impressive tapas menu. This is especially useful on Thursday and Friday evenings when the venue opens early for its corporate clientele who are just getting off work. It is an ultra-lounge where professionals go for after-work drinks, parties, after parties and nights out where nightlife savvy patrons can dress up and go dancing at a classy and sexy downtown nightspot. •

For more information, or to book your corporate, Stampede or charity function please visit www.standardyyc.com or call (403) 474-4828

Fulfilling Bucket Lists for

20 Years

By John Hardy

“

W

e fulfill bucket lists,” beams the supercharged, upbeat and expert travel industry veteran Corey Marshall, president and CEO of the award-winning, Calgary-based Anderson Vacations. “We put together dream vacations for our clients.”

Of course there’s more, much more, to the Anderson difference than their superb range of unique and customized vacation products, including the most comprehensive Canada and Alaska program, and the second-to-none Australia/ New Zealand and the South Pacific Island products. The company also offers fully escorted deluxe coach tours, the renowned Grand Pacific Tours of New Zealand, and the breathtaking (and usually sold-out) iconic experience that is the Rocky Mountaineer (VIA rail adventure) through The Canadian Rockies.

There’s also the Anderson edge: the tremendous experience, the up-to-date knowhow and market savvy of the uncompromisingly client-focused Anderson team of Anderson Vacations | 20 Years

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Photos, this page: Staff and vendors at Anderson Vacations’ Agent Event, recently held in Calgary.

Photos by KLH Streets Photography.

travel and vacation specialists, along with their commitment of loyalty, responsiveness and timely, efficient and reliable service to their retail and supplier partners.

“This is our 20th year and, with constant market monitoring and research and vital input from our clients and suppliers,

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we have been able to carve out a niche,” Marshall explains.

“Our customized Australia and New Zealand programs have been extremely popular, and our years of experience and passion for exploring our own magnificent backyard in Canada allow us to provide even more expert knowledge of Canada as a travel destination.

“In fact,” he adds with pride and enthusiasm, “we specialize in destinations we are passionate about.”

Marshall’s cutting-edge travel industry professionalism underscores the complexity and detail that is required to put together smooth, efficient and problem-free, customized travel. A tailor-made vacation package takes a lot of searching and tracking down of options, checking and double-checking. Just one custom vacation likely involves about 30 – 40 different suppliers.

The know-how of sourcing, negotiating, co-ordinating and planning vacation travel has become a truly specialized

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Anderson Vacations | 20 Years

skill that the Anderson team continues to perfect with every client arrangement.

“Although the travel industry has changed tremendously, especially in the past several years, some things do stay constant,” says Vasil Vladinski, Anderson Vacations’ operations manager and specialist for the South Pacific. “Travellers expect value for their money and they are looking for – and deserve – a personalized and problem-free experience. It’s a priority.”

To optimize problem-free travel, Anderson has a double-barreled approach. Guaranteed Departures is an added Anderson feature, assuring that the scheduled tour is secure, without worries about delays and cancellation; and Anderson’s exclusive 24 hour emergency line is not a call centre, but staffed by trained travel experts.

Vladinski notes that today’s vacationing clients are also looking for cultural and experiential travel, not just flying into a destination and checking in to a resort. They want to make their vacation special and memorable by customizing the experience. That is just one of the unique aspects that sets Anderson Vacations apart.

“Travellers want to interact with the culture in their chosen destination and they want to have a sensory experience,” according to Heather Murray, Anderson’s client services manager. “Ultimately they want to experience the

who-what-and-why feelings and have the sensory memories, as well as the nice pictures. After all, that may be one of the subtle contemporary differences between a traveller and a tourist.”

Dawn Rueckl is Anderson’s general manager for Canada and agrees with the changing pace and nature of travel.

“Canadian vacation trends are shifting so fast, whether it’s a client’s first time visiting iconic Canadian sites like Calgary, The Rockies and the Stampede, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, out east in the Maritimes or the many growingly popular off-the-beaten path destinations. A new trend is travelers wanting to experience the people as who they are and what they’re all about, not just the sights.”

That’s why Canadian vacationers are increasingly interested in customized packages or independent travel to central and northern B.C., Prince Rupert and the whole of Vancouver Island, not just Victoria. They add extra time in Winnipeg to visit Churchill, on Cape Breton Island enjoying the neighbourhood céilí that starts with tea and ends with whiskey, or the popular and spectacular iceberg and whale watching excursions in Twillingate, Newfoundland.

Another vital Anderson Vacations priority is the specialness of the vacation experience and the comfort and hassle-free enjoyment of the traveller. A good example is Anderson’s exclusive “New Zealand Ultimate Small Group Tours”.

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With new coaches, the passengers travel in comfort and style, because on a coach originally built for 48 people, the interior has been reconfigured to comfortably accommodate just 20 luxury leather seats, which means every passenger has a window seat.

Aside from the interesting shift for vacations outside major cities (like Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Halifax) and enjoyably adventurous, off–the-beaten-path destinations like Anderson’s New Orleans Big Easy Tour, the Niagara Falls & Grand Hotel Tour, a two day shopping adventure to West Edmonton Mall, a 27-day escorted criss-cross tour of Canada and even a fascinating tour of the massive oil sands operations in Fort McMurray, the Anderson team is noticing a significant surge in interest about traditional and non-traditional ways to travel and vacation in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Corey Marshall, a professionally (and privately) seasoned Australia and New Zealand expert, explains that the two biggest changes when it comes to ‘down under’ and South Pacific travel are: much easier access by air and travelers no longer doing hectic three week marathons.

“It used to be grueling, but the flight is actually not bad now,” he says. “It’s a direct, overnight flight, it’s more affordable and lets travelers comfortably combine a trip to New Zealand with a few days in the Cook Islands or an Australian vacation with a Fiji or Tahiti stopover.”

The knowledgeable Anderson Vacations professionals also highlight new (and popular) South Pacific destinations such as French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga, and, due to easier and more affordable flight access, they are noticing more repeat travel to down under.

Anderson Vacations’ success reflects Marshall’s outsidethe-box mentality and entrepreneurial vision as well as his sharp market savvy and understanding of what contemporary travelers want and expect.

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He raves about “the remarkable Anderson Vacations staff,” not only for their exceptional travel industry expertise, but also for their solid client and service-focused commitment and hard work.

After 20 industry-leading and respected years, a dedicated and knowledgeable staff and solid relationships with longterm supplier partners, Anderson Vacations continues to earn a distinguished local, regional and international reputation as one of the most innovative and service-focused travel professionals in the business.

A special and well-deserved honor happened last December, when Anderson Vacations was chosen as the winner of the prestigious Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Award as “small to medium size business of the year,” presented by the national association to recognize tourism excellence, business success, leadership and creativity within the Canadian tourism industry.

Here’s to the next 20 years of Anderson Vacations fulfilling buckets lists! •

andersonvacations.ca

Hand-crafted excellence.

Thank you for recognizing us as Calgary’s #1 Employment Agency 1.855.266.7030 | tpd.com View our website to see our full range of products and to create your personalized spindle and rail pattern with our custom railing design program. www.prestigerailings.com

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100 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

People | Partners | Performance

Bon Ton Meat is Celebrating the Grand Opening of Their New Crowfoot Store

F

rom the iconic 900-square-foot store on 7th Avenue to the beautiful new store in Crowfoot, Bon Ton may have changed locations a few times, but the business model hasn’t. The owners have always been committed to the finest quality products coupled with the finest personal service.

“While a lot of companies have changed their way of doing business, we still believe in the old-fashioned way which means giving people what they want, exactly the way they want it, every time. No games, no limits, no memberships necessary – just real personalized one-on-one service by friendly, knowledgeable staff,” says Greg Keller, manager and COO of Bon Ton. Obviously the formula is working as Bon Ton has been voted the Consumers Choice Award winner for 13 consecutive years as Calgary’s best place to buy fresh meat.

The exceptional growth of Bon Ton made the new 7,000-square-foot store a necessity.

“With the tremendous growth, we felt it necessary to secure a location with easy access and lots of no-hassle, free

parking and to build a store that was more spacious for our customers and employees,” says Keller. “However, the new store had to be laid out exactly the same as the old one, right down to the colour scheme – same Bon Ton, just bigger and better. We’ll never change our business model of having a never say no attitude and will always be committed to only the finest products.”

Bon Ton carries only the finest AAA Alberta beef, freerange fresh poultry, fresh Alberta lamb, milk-fed veal from Quebec and fresh Alberta pork. Looking for bison, quail, duck, partridge, pheasant, guinea fowl, goose, venison, elk or rabbit? Bon Ton has it all.

They have 20 varieties of gluten-free sausages and 12 varieties of gluten-free burgers (all made in store). They also have a huge deli section with 20 varieties of salads, prepared fresh in store daily.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Bon Ton without mentioning their famous meat pies, still made fresh daily with the same recipes and equipment used in the original store.

Bon Ton Meat Market Bon Ton is proud to be your Consumer Choice Award winner for 13 years in a row 13 -time winner

Look to all you us for r enterta BBQ and ining needs !

Open 5am to 9pm, 7 days a week!

www.redroseflorist.com 2004 Centre Street NE, Calgary, Alberta

Our friendly experienced staff are always around to help make sure any customer will be a returning customer.

403-276-1184

403.282.3132 | 28 Crowfoot Circle NW www.bontonmeatmarket.com businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 101

the secret of the swing • Golf

The Secret of the

That’s why it’s called a swing, not a hit

By Parker grant

D

epending on your level of golfaholism, May is either the first or the second month of Calgary’s much-too-short golf season. For at least six months of hibernation and withdrawal, Calgary area golfers have been daydreaming “bring it on!”

Now – from Springbank Links, Harvest Hills, Fox Hollow and Priddis Greens to the recently redone Glencoe, the Hamptons, the Links of GlenEagles, D’Arcy Ranch and Bearspaw – it is resoundingly on!

So are some quirky and nagging aches and pains and the mistakes of gung-ho golfers not listening to their body and, in the spirit of rushing the season, doing too much, too soon.

Terry Carter, certified golf pro and the director of Calgary’s National Golf Academy

There’s neither a secret nor a mystery to the golf basic that, it’s all in the swing.

And most expert golfers sing the unanimous chorus that a swing doesn’t just happen and although some golfers make it seem maddeningly effortless and natural, a good golf swing doesn’t come naturally. It must be developed.

“Even this early into the season, it’s important to remember that golf is athletics, no matter how often or occasionally you get out to play,” says the terrifically personable and expert Terry Carter, a 25-year member of the Canadian PGA and director of Calgary’s National Golf Academy. “There are about 500 muscles at play, every time you golf. So never just get out businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 103

the secret of the swing • Golf

“Do some basic stretching.

Loosely swing two clubs and it will help you start stretching until you are ready to swing. Flexibility is so important.” ~ Terry Carter

Equity Golf Memberships and Annual Associate Golf Memberships available.

Corporate Tournament dates and public golfers welcome.

Contact Mike Gawryluk, CPGA Head Professional @ 403-949-3663, mikeg@redwoodmeadows.com; or Paddy Big Plume, General Manager @ 403-949-3733, paddy@redwoodmeadows.com

104 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

of the car, grab the driver and start whacking away.

“Do some basic stretching. Loosely swing two clubs and it will help you start stretching until you are ready to swing. Flexibility is so important,” Carter emphasizes. “Stretch out your legs, your hamstrings, your back, your rotator cuffs (better known as your shoulders). Even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.”

With charm and the expertise that doesn’t sound vaguely as preaching, he points out: “Remember, there are reasons why it’s called a swing, not a hit! A proper golf swing is like skipping a rock. And it’s all about flexibility. When you’re stiff you can’t go as far back.”

As bizarre as it seems, some personal golf trainers suggest a “clubless swing” manoeuvre. The emphasis is on the importance of correct body motion. It is advice on the premise that your body ultimately influences the path of your club at impact, which affects the initial flight of the ball.

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become a more consistent ball striker, you better learn to move your body correctly.

Here’s the drill. Standing without a club, assume a good set up. As you do these exercises, remember that we are practicing to hit a golf ball. Always stay in your spine angle and keep your vision down where the ball would be. You can criss-cross your arms over your chest, put your hands in your pockets, or put your hands behind your back.

Think of winding your upper body over the resistance of your lower body. If your knees are pinched in slightly at address, it’s easy to feel the weight stay on the inside of your right foot. You want the weight of your lower body to shift so it ends up positioned over your right hip, leg and foot.

For the backswing: your shoulders wind perpendicular to your spine angle and they turn so they are at a 90-degree angle to your target line. Of course, you may lack flexibility to make a complete 90-degree turn, so no worries. Just think of turning your shoulders twice as far as your hips turn. Try to turn your left shoulder (if you are right-handed) over your right knee.

For the downswing: after you have loaded your body weight into your right foot, you immediately shift your lower body back to the left as your upper body momentarily stays put. Specifically, your left hip bumps toward the target, which makes your right shoulder drop down.

Once this move has taken place, you can complete the sequence by turning your right side through to the finish.

Some common mistakes, especially on the backswing: keep in mind, you are just trying to turn to get your arms in position at the top of the swing. It is not necessary to lift, heave, lunge or overturn on the backswing. Be careful not to overturn on the backswing and raise your body up out of the original angle. If you raise up out of your posture then you will have to do something drastic on the downswing to compensate, usually resulting in fat or thin shots.

Practice the body motion drill often to make it a part of your swing. The more effectively and efficiently you can shift your weight, the more consistent a ball striker you will become.

The “science of golf” goes into intimidating detail about various aspects about what is just an enjoyable game.

There is actually much study (some say far too much study) devoted to “the physics of the swing.”

Whether that’s taking the enjoyable game of golf a bit too far or not, most reasonable and down-to-earth experts and wannabes agree on the concept that golf stroke mechanics is the means by which golfers make decisions (selecting clubs, selecting shots) and executing them (making shots).

Scientists and mathematicians have actually developed various equations to help explain the complexity of the swing. Regardless of that kind of golf seriousness, it is generally agreed that a successful and consistent golf swing requires precise timing and mechanics, from the grip and

Chipping

John Seymour Head Golf Professional Lynx Ridge Golf Club

A

s a golf teacher, I continually get approached and asked how to lower one’s game. Not the easiest things to do but one of the first things I like to analyze is the student’s short game. The short game is considered the most important part of a student’s success to shooting a good round. It is said that, “80 per cent of a golfer’s handicap is determined by what happens within 100 yards of the green.”

– David Pelz (Short Game Bible) Most students and amateurs have a difficult time committing and judging how hard to hit a chip shot. Many of these problems occur because they do not practice much or any of their short game. The short game is as much about feel as it is to touch. There are different chip shots for different scenarios – bump and run to lob shots. Using the key fundamental steps listed below will allow you to hit chip shots more consistent and allow you to have more confidence and greater success.

Steps to hitting a successful golf chip around the green: 1. Select the right club – If you have a lot of green to work with (your ball is at the front edge of the green and the pin is in the back) and your lie is decent, choose a lower lofted club like a 7 iron to play a bump and run shot. If you have very little green to work with and/or your golf ball is sitting down in the rough (bad lie), select a club with loft like a sand wedge or lob wedge to get the ball up in the air to be able to land the ball softly.

“

2. Setup – Place your golf ball back in your stance for a lower desired shot and forward in your stance for a higher ball flight.

3. Swing – Choke down on the shaft of the club to help with control; let the swing resemble a putting stroke in which you shouldn’t take the club up much higher than your knees.

4. Hips going towards target – The lower body stays still with both feet on the ground; have your hips open up towards your target which will allow the club to travel online towards the golf ball (see attached photo).

5. Wrists – Do not let the club head get ahead of your hands as this will break your wrists at impact which will affect the impact your club head creates with the golf ball (see attached photo).

6. Follow-through – Let your top hand (glove hand) go towards the target and maintain a constant downswing towards the golf ball.

7. Practice – Practice, practice, practice … this will create more confidence and control.

Hit 10 to 15 balls to one target and then switch to a new target – this will help you get focused on setup and the key fundamentals that you have just learned!

John Seymour, Head Golf Professional

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect.

It is at the same time rewarding and maddening and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented. ~ Arnold Palmer, US golfer

”

the secret of the swing • Golf

“The main components for a good swing are the grip, the ball position and the stance (positioning of feet) but the absolute keys for a good swing are flexibility and posture. Our spine is the axis of the swing, and the club swings around our spine. Without good posture, nothing works. A good swing relies on flexibility.” ~ Terry Carter position of one’s fingers to the position and movement of the feet.

At any moment of the swing – whether backswing, downswing or upswing – anything can go wrong that will throw off the whole body and result in a botched swing.

108 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

The eight teaching pros at Calgary’s National Golf Academy are not nearly as scientific or mathematical about the game of golf. They teach more than 10,000 down-to-earth, normal and friendly Calgary golf lessons each year, at the big dome or at McCall Lake, Shaganappi Point and Confederation Park.

“Most people aren’t realistic about what they think they can do. Too many have huge expectations. The fact is, everybody learns differently.

Most get tense and hold on much too tight,” Carter explains. “Our target is not the ball. It’s where we are hitting the ball.

“The main components for a good swing are the grip, the ball position and the stance (positioning of feet) but the absolute keys for a good swing are flexibility and posture. Our spine is the axis of the swing, and the club swings around our spine. Without good posture, nothing works. A good swing relies on flexibility.”

“But aging, at any age, is a golfer’s curse,” Terry Carter adds with a warm and polite smile and a shrug.

“The swings get shorter, quicker and slower. That’s a problem. It takes time to create speed and momentum. Look at Tiger! He is probably still the most fit golfer out there but, he is also aging. His flexibility and swing have changed. His drives are not nearly as long as they used to be.”

Some consolation because it’s not unique to golf. It’s a fact of life. BiC

Leading Business Connecting to solve business challenges

MAY 2014

Committed to Improving Market Access

T

he Calgary Chamber has identified the need for increased market access as a major barrier to Calgary’s competitiveness. In light of this, the Chamber’s environment and natural resources committee is working to enhance international market access for Alberta oil and natural gas products.

Market access is vital to Alberta’s economic growth, and cooperation between Alberta and the other provinces is imperative to enhanced market access.

This year, the Chamber will place particular focus on efforts to get our products to B.C. tidewater. Doing that will require establishing a common understanding of B.C.’s envi-

ronmental concerns regarding transportation of Alberta oil and natural gas, in order to maintain strong collaborative ties with the province.

The committee has identified that increased production and movement of Alberta products needs to be done in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner, and will be performing a comprehensive review of Alberta’s current environmental protection and monitoring programs as part of their efforts. This will evaluate whether Alberta is making proactive and effective steps to protecting the environment and whether existing programs facilitate responsible, efficient growth of the province’s biggest industry.

Supporting Calgary’s Mid-Market Companies

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strong focus for the Calgary Chamber is to develop better ways to support and provide value to Calgary’s mid-market business community. Calgary’s mid-sized firms are special, they are an engine of growth, and there are about three times as many of them as you would expect based on our population. All proof of Calgary’s entrepreneurial spirit. However, currently there isn’t a lot of information or research available on Calgary’s midmarket companies. In order to better examine the needs and day-to-day challenges of this market segment, the Calgary Chamber in partnership with EY produced a survey in March directed at Calgary’s medium-sized corporations (companies with revenues of $20M to $1B). The results of the 10-min-

ute survey will be used to identify issues around the capital agenda and shed light on how Calgary mid-market companies are presently preserving capital, optimizing capital, investing and raising capital. The results from the benchmarking survey will be compiled into a research report and publicly distributed shortly.

In the coming months the Calgary Chamber will be executing a series of breakfast roundtable sessions targeting the Calgary mid-market. The breakfast sessions will have a strong focus on developing mid-market networking opportunities with speakers and topics relevant to Calgary’s mid-market.

businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 109

2014 Board of

Directors

Chamber Member Spotlights

Executive Chair: Leah Lawrence, President, Clean Energy Capitalists Inc. Immediate Past Chair: Joe Lougheed, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP Chair Elect: Rob Hawley, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

The Calgary Chamber is proud to represent many Calgary businesses large and small; this month we are highlighting some of our industry leading members.

Second Vice Chair: Denis Painchaud, Director, International Government Relations, Nexen Inc. Vice Chair, Finance: Bill Brunton, President, Stratus Marketing Inc. CEO: Adam Legge, President and CEO, Calgary Chamber

Directors David Allen, President, Calgary Land, Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. Carlos Alvarez, Audit Partner, KPMG Lorenzo DeCicco, Vice-President, TELUS Business Solutions Rob Hawley, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Wellington Holbrook, Executive Vice-President, ATB Financial

ATCO Group ATCO Group is a diversified Canadian-based, international group of companies focused on profitable, sustainable growth with more than 9,000 people actively engaged in structures and logistics, utilities, energy and technologies. Founded in true entrepreneurial spirit in 1947, ATCO has grown from its Alberta roots into a Canadian success story. The company’s growth and strong performance over the years has been fuelled by the diverse range of industries in which they operate.

For more information visit ATCO.com.

Guy Huntingford, Chief Executive Officer, Urban Development Institute Bruce Okabe, Chief Executive Officer, Travel Alberta Phil Roberts, Vice-President, Axia NetMedia Corp Linda Shea, Senior Vice-President, AltaLink Mike Williams, Executive Vice-President, Tervita Corporation

Management Adam Legge – President and CEO Michael Andriescu – Director of Finance and Administration Kim Koss – Vice President, Business Development Scott Crockatt – Director of Marketing and Communications Rebecca Wood – Director of Member Services

Scotiabank Scotiabank is a leading financial services provider in over 55 countries and Canada’s most international bank. Through their team of more than 83,000 employees, Scotiabank and its affiliates offer a broad range of products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management, and corporate and investment banking to over 21 million customers. Since 1832, Scotiabank’s success has been built on a solid foundation of integrity and accountability, including a commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Their CSR philosophy is to integrate sound governance, economic and social practices into day-to-day business activities, working together with employees, customers, shareholders and communities worldwide to build brighter futures in an ethical and responsible way.

For more information visit Scotiabank.com.

Justin Smith – Director of Policy, Research and Government Relations

Leading Business magazine is a co-publication of the Calgary Chamber and Business in Calgary Calgary Chamber 600, 237 8th Avenue S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 5C3 Phone: (403) 750-0400 Fax: (403) 266-3413 calgarychamber.com

Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) The ERA (Electronic Recycling Association) is a not-for-profit organization focused on reducing electronic waste through the reuse and recycling of unwanted computers, laptops and related electronic equipment. The ERA as an ISO 9001:2008 certified company that offers pickup services, comprehensive data security measures and subsequent reporting. What sets the ERA apart from others in their sector is the organization’s “reuse” focus and donation activities. The ERA recovers and refurbishes electronic equipment and then donates these items to charities and other non-profit organizations at no cost. The ERA believes that “reuse” wherever possible is the most ecological approach to reducing unnecessary waste and environmental impact, while compelling real community goodwill at the same time.

For more information visit ERA.ca.

110 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

Upcoming Events For details and to purchase tickets for any of the Calgary Chamber’s events please visit CalgaryChamber.com.

The Hamptons Golf Club

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Play with the Presidents Golf Tournament Presented by TELUS 8am - 3pm | The Hamptons Golf Club | 69 Hamptons Dr. NW Golf is the game of business. It opens doors and makes connections. It’s hard to find a better place to build, deepen and strengthen business relationships than on the golf course. Where else would you have the opportunity to network and share business tips with some of the most influential business and political leaders in our city, other than the annual Play with the Presidents golf tournament? Attracting the top business and political leaders, as well as special guest celebrities, this tournament is really about high-level networking at its finest. Join us and other top business professionals for Calgary’s most prestigious business golf tournament.

Members: foursomes $1,900

Coming this fall Great Cities Event Series Over the past five years, Calgary has been rated as one of the top places to live and do business throughout Canada and the world by various polls and media. Calgary is on the tipping point of being a truly great world city. Making Calgary a better place to live and work is at the heart of the Chamber’s vision and mission. The Great Cities event series focuses on high-profile keynote speakers who will highlight best practices and success stories from other great cities to generate ideas and action plans for helping Calgary become the incredible world-city we know it can be.

The Calgary Chamber started the dialogue for this series last December with an annual event with Mayor Nenshi, and will be continuing the series this fall with a keynote address from Benjamin Barber. Benjamin Barber, political theorist and author of If Mayors Ruled the World, will lead what is to be an insightful discussion touching on topics such as how great cities support their business communities, how effective municipal government are structured and examples of how private sector and municipal governments are working well together in other cities around the world.

112 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

University of Calgary to Host international ConferenCe on CHild ProteCtion at tHe Calgary telUs Convention Centre [title] • [section]

In 2016, Calgary will host The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). The University of Calgary (celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016) will host the four-day conference. The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC) will be the meeting venue for the event.

Founded in 1977, ISPCAN is the only multi-disciplinary international organization that brings together committed professionals working towards the prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect and exploitation from nations around the world.

The University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work Dean Jackie Sieppert, Alberta Human Services Assistant Deputy of Child and Family Services Mark Hattori, and representatives from ISPCAN will jointly chair the Congress.

Community groups including the Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families, Child Welfare League of Canada, Calgary Counselling Centre, Prairie Child Welfare Consortium, Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre, and Woods Homes are all involved in developing content and participating in the international child welfare gathering.

The initiative to bring the 2016 congress to Calgary began in 2011 with the CTCC’s sales team liaising with Dean Sieppert to develop a submission. They wished to bring this important international event to Calgary in the University of Calgary’s 50th year, and their efforts reflect a joint effort. Support for the bid came from University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, and members of the provincial government. Winning the bid to host the 2016 ISPCAN Congress is an excellent example of organizations working together to bring high profile, international events to Calgary.

The CTCC’s downtown location, its close proximity to hotels and restaurants, and the availability of a variety of amenities continues to attract domestic and international convention organizers and event planners to Calgary. Conferences such as the ISPCAN Congress align perfectly with the existing facilities at the CTCC and their partner organizations.

Past locations for this conference include Istanbul, Turkey (2012) and Honolulu, USA (2010). The 2014 conference will take place in Nagoya, Japan. Calgary won the opportunity to host in 2016 over the bid presented by Dubai.

Holding this important and prestigious event in Calgary highlights the progressive work of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work and presents the University and the city to an international audience. calgary-convention.com expandthecentre.ca businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 113

Our Travellers are Your Consumers

By Stewart McDonough

F

or every product, service and brand there exists a path to purchase. In tourism marketing, understanding that path is critical to the development of marketing strategies and tactical follow-through. The path to purchase also changes depending on how far the marketing moves away from Calgary – a traveller in Saskatoon is farther along the path to Calgary than one in Tokyo.

Content strategies are de rigueur these days. Successful content strategies are based on research and also take into consideration the distribution of that strategy. Tourism Calgary is interested in the types of content target audiences are looking for as well as when they are most receptive to messages and where they are going to look for that content. If content is king, the platform or distribution is queen.

What has been learned from regional research could hold insights that would be relevant to a business’ product, service or brand. In February 2014, focus groups were conducted in several regional markets with regional travellers.

Through this research Tourism Calgary is learning how content (video, posts, stories) and distribution (social media, visitcalgary.com, external travel websites) can influence the regional path to purchase. Below are some of the insights gathered through this research.

The Getaway or Regional Trip The main reasons to go on a getaway trip can be categorized into two themes: • “going to” – events, activities, culture, nature, see friends/ family, shopping deals, celebrations, etc.; “To experience the finer things not available at home.”

• “getting away from” – their routine, work, stress, responsibilities, kids, boredom, etc.; “Being anywhere but here.”

Among these regional travellers, “going to” is the primary driver for visiting Calgary, although Calgary does also allow them to “get away from” their everyday routine.

For younger travellers (24-34 years), Calgary delivers fun/ social aspects, provides an escape, cultural experiences, outdoor activities and is familiar/comfortable. These younger travellers are highly receptive to Calgary and see it as an exciting city to visit.

For older travellers (35-54 years), the key benefits Calgary delivers include connecting with family/friends, cultural experiences (events and shows not available at home) and 114 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

a change of pace or break from monotony. Older travellers need to be reminded of the memorable moments they’ve had during past visits to Calgary and shown that Calgary has more to offer than they realize – it’s not the same old Calgary.

The Path to Purchasing Calgary Regional travellers are generally not giving their “next trip destination” much thought; rather, where they go for their getaway trips is usually triggered by events (concerts, performances), visits with family/friends, or a sudden availability of time. For some travellers, the destination decision is based on whichever of their three or four usual destinations they haven’t visited in a while. Constant messaging keeps Calgary top of mind and helps to remind travellers why they should consider Calgary for their next getaway.

Creating a sense of urgency and fighting the perception that Calgary has nothing new to offer continue to be key factors. Unless there is a specific date for a show or event, it is easy for regional travellers to bump a trip to Calgary off into the future, rationalizing that “it will always be there” and “I can go any time.” Getting regional audiences to plan ahead and commit to their trip helps to lock in the visit, and provides an opportunity to encourage them to try new activities they may not have known about before.

These travellers can be influenced early in their trip planning. Great offers do stick with them and keep the destination top of mind. The critical moments of influence are when they are purchasing the event tickets and/or when they are booking their hotel. It is at these points in the path to purchase that travellers are most open to what else may be happening in the city, which will influence how long they will stay and what else they will do during their visit.

Messages and offers during the booking phase will help enlighten visitors to new opportunities beyond the usual things they typically do when they are in Calgary.

The most engaging sources of information continue to be those that speak to the individual interests of the traveller; that feel as though they are tailored to the individual’s preferences. Communicating a story – the experience – is important, and can be achieved, in part, through the creative use of a variety of channels or platforms that suit various target audiences.

Shaping and Sharing Calgary’s Story

a

nyone spending enough time in economic development circles is eventually bound to hear the term place making. In Calgary Economic Development’s inaugural Soul of the City event in 2012, Dr. Katherine Loflin discussed the concept of place making and reasoned that today’s generations are choosing their city first and their job second, which is a switch from previous generations.

Many of this generation’s parents and grandparents went wherever there was a job and then sometimes begrudgingly did their best to make that place home. More than 59,000 people chose the Calgary region as their home in 2013.

There is no doubt Calgary is in an enviable position with a strong economy and created 10.8 per cent of Canada’s new jobs in 2013.

A strong economy plays a significant role in attracting some people, but others are choosing Calgary for the lifestyle. It is not uncommon to hear “I came for the opportunity/job/promotion, but then I fell in love with the city and this is now my home.”

As the city’s lead economic development agency for attracting businesses, investment and talent, Calgary Economic Development works hard to showcase what makes Calgary great and tell these stories around the world. Yes, jobs and a strong economy are part of the story, but so is the vibrancy of the city, the friendliness of its people, the proximity to the mountains, the emerging arts scene, a growing foodie culture, and the endless pathways that connect neighbourhoods and parks.

For the past few years, Calgary Economic Development has been telling Calgary’s story through the Calgary. Be Part of the Energy. campaign that is promoted across the country and around the world. The campaign seeks to change perceptions about Calgary and share the broader story of what makes the city a great place to make a living AND make a life.

And the work is paying off. The past couple of years have seen a record number of people moving to Calgary to be part of the energy. But it’s not just new Calgarians taking notice, in 2013 alone, Calgary Economic Development received 29 national and international industry and marketing awards celebrating the campaigns and tools created for the Calgary.

Be Part of the Energy. campaigns.

Last spring, in partnership with Tourism Calgary and the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Calgary Economic Development released the Calgary. Right Here. video that showcases what makes Calgary great – the people, the vibe, the energy. The video was made entirely by a Calgary-based team and it also showcases the quality of work in the city’s creative industries sector. In just over a week, over 100,000 people had watched it online.

This month, Calgary Economic Development launched a lifestyle magazine called Life in Calgary. With distribution primarily planned for outside of Calgary, this collaborative project with RedPoint Media showcases what makes the city great and helps people decide to move to Calgary and better integrate into the community once they arrive. Check out the digital version at calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com. This work is only possible with the support of Action Calgary partners who believe and invest in projects that enable Calgary Economic Development to fulfil the role as Calgary’s opportunity makers. As conduits, connectors and catalysts, Calgary Economic Development helps shape and share Calgary’s story. And are proud to be part of the energy. businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY May 2014 • 115

Digital Innovation Enabling the Energy Economy: Canada 3.0 explores opportunities for collaboration By anDrea MenDiZaBaL

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s the energy sector continues to evolve, industry faces the challenge of adapting to change in areas such as regulatory and environmental standards, workplace safety and performance challenges. Research and innovation in the energy sector, and the implementation of new technologies, could be vital in successfully meeting these challenges.

Technology innovations that address market needs are becoming more and more attractive as industry looks to establish competitive advantages, create more effective ways to extract, improve efficiencies of operating and minimize environmental impact.

The digital technology sector offers essential and potentially breakthrough technology solutions as a variety of new tools in the information and communication technology (ICT) space are becoming available.

“In Alberta, energy accounts for a quarter of the gross domestic product of the province and we have one of the most challenging business environments in which to produce hydrocarbons,” says James Freeman, chief technology officer at Zedi Inc., a leading Calgary-based technology and services company working to address all areas of oil and gas production operations. From managing production data to automating well site operations, Zedi’s solutions aim to help oil and gas producers become more productive, profitable and sustainable.

“Implementing technology can improve worker safety and lessen the impact on the environment, while dealing with our weather extremes and operating in remote locations,” he says. “To quickly make a positive impact, the in-depth knowledge from the energy industry and the technology expertise of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the digital technology sector must come together to identify the most urgent and important industry challenges that need to be solved and the most innovative ways to solve them.”

The Canada 3.0 conference, traditionally held in Ontario and coming to Calgary for the first time on May 26 to 28, will explore opportunities for collaboration between the digital technology sector and the energy industry, two of Western Canada’s leading industries.

“It can be difficult for technology SMEs to get face-time with key decision-makers in larger energy companies,” says Freeman. “Often the path to engagement with a large energy 116 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

producer begins with a trial, and these decisions often start in the field, not at a head office. Relationship building needs to target multiple levels of an organization. SMEs play an important role in innovation as they are often more nimble than larger players in this area.”

From conventional energy to hydro and cleantech, Canada 3.0 will look at how digital innovation can address the energy sector’s most pressing challenges and will help create new opportunities for digital innovators to reach new global markets. It will bring together leading energy industry innovators and decision-makers, digital innovation companies, researchers, government policy-makers and international delegates to identify needs in the energy sector and facilitate opportunities for developing, adopting and deploying digital innovation solutions.

Keynote speaker Jay Ingram, a renowned Canadian science communicator and broadcaster, will discuss why ongoing innovation is critical to the creation of a sustainable energy-based economy, while a host of targeted panels and workshops will provide facilitated discussions on specific challenges and solution opportunities.

“There needs to be value for both sides to collaborate,” says Freeman. “A technology solution needs to solve a market problem. Innovations need to be grounded in the operating realities of the energy companies. I want to hear from energy producers about their ongoing challenges and have some valuable conversations on how to tackle these challenges.”

The conference will also include an Innovation Showcase featuring company exhibits from both the energy and digital technology sectors.

As the global energy industry becomes more dependent on new technology, partnerships and strong collaboration represent a valuable opportunity for contributing to a sustainable energy industry.

To learn more about Zedi Inc. and how their innovative technology solutions are improving the energy industry, visit www.zedi.ca. To learn more about the Canada 3.0 conference, including registration and participation in the Innovation Showcase, visit www.canada30.ca.

To learn more about Innovate Calgary and how it supports new and emerging technology, visit www.innovatecalgary.com.

IN 2000,THE CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE COMPETED FOR 30% OF THE MARKET. IN 2012, WE COULD ONLY TARGET 19%

HOW CAN WE GET AHEAD? WHAT’S NEXT AT THE CENTRE OF ENERGY? –

calgary-convention.com

MarketingMatters • David Parker

MarketingMatters

By DaViD Parker

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had Kroeker is a motorbike enthusiast, well known for his passion and knowledge of the sport.

As marketing director for Blackfoot Motosports he travelled to all of the big races and got to mix with key members of that community.

When Honda had a problem getting an advertisement produced in a hurry by its agency, Kroeker, who with Tyler Chisholm had launched ClearMotive Marketing, was asked if his agency could do the job.

A quick, creative turnaround and it was awarded agency of record status for Honda’s motorcycles, ATVs and power equipment including snowblowers, lawnmowers and generators supporting over 700 dealers across Canada.

ClearMotive currently has a staff of 25 located in the character Demco Building at the corner of Macleod Trail and 10th Avenue SE plus a representative in Honda’s headquarters to be able to understand and quickly react to its needs.

Chisholm says it also has a substantial number of local accounts; among its latest are Formans Mens Wear, Blink Restaurant, Lafarge and Wolseley Canada.

New business has meant the need for more staff; latest recruits are manager of digital marketing Laura Callow, formerly with Intuit, and Sheryl Anderson, manager of creative services, who moved from Cult.

•••••••••••••• Many web pages today use videos to help tell a story.

Rupa Sandhu and Patrick Lor, who

had enjoyed considerable success in stock photography with companies such as iStockphoto, Adobe, Fotolia and Veer, launched Dissolve when non-compete terms had expired but this time they limited their new business to supplying stock video.

To date it has amassed over 200,000 clips in its high-resolution files that can be easily accessed and downloaded by production companies that can purchase establishment shots and great graphics for a fraction of the cost of shooting themselves.

And photographers can earn royalties by simply posting their videos on Dissolve to have them marketed around the world.

•••••••••••••• Tag Advertising has welcomed a couple of new staffers.

Principal Todd Sloane says seasoned creative director Ken Wentz, who has a career that trips lightly over a quarter century and a slew of achievements along the way, is a prestigious addition to his growing team with experience on accounts such as Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Labatt, HBC, Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Ford.

And Nick Newton, with a creative pedigree from his father, John, who worked at Baker Lovick and Goodis Goldberg Soren for many years, is Tag’s new senior account manager. He left the agency world temporarily to go client-side with Devon Canada but the graduate of Alberta College of Art and Design and the Canberra School of Art in Australia has returned to agency work.

Tag needed to add bodies as it has landed some interesting new clients.

They include MaxWell Realty for Calgary and area and DTF (Downtownfood), the aptly named farm-to-table restaurant on 8th Avenue SW. Tag also went to the fields to collect

a new crop of clients, Alberta Barley Commission, Barley Council of Canada and GrainsWest, the joint publication of both commissions.

•••••••••••••• Jeff Bradshaw, president and CEO of V Strategies, has partnered with two former employees in their new ventures.

Geoff Hughes was his senior account manager who has launched Park Digital (www.parkdigital.ca) and Trevor Alberts is his partner in Arcade Video (www.arcadevideo.ca).

•••••••••••••• Ken Wilson played a big part in rebranding Care Factor to Pivot Data Centres but when the company was purchased by Rogers Communications he looked for a new challenge and has joined DIRTT Environmental Solutions.

In his new position, Wilson will head up the marketing and communications team of the Calgary company that has made a big impact on the world of movable walls right from its launch in 2005. Owner Mogens Smed called his new company DIRTT (Doing it Right This Time) as computer power now exists to switch from previous conventional construction to go from design to real-time 3D through to the production floor to provide materials for individual spaces.

It has worked as Wilson will soon have to get to know the manufacturing plants in Calgary, Phoenix and Savannah; as well as its Green Learning Centres based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. BiC

Parker’s Pick: Karo Group’s new marketing campaign for Wild Rose Brewery.

118 • May 2014 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | businessincalgary.com

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