September 2012 - Business in Calgary

September 2012 $3.50

www.businessincalgary.com

The Concorde Group Calgary entrepreneurs continually reinvent their hospitality brands to thrive in a highly competitive industry

+

• Small Business Week

news

• Coporate Health & Fitness

Fall 2012 • Page 77

• Commercial Real Estate

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

Finally, there’s a financial institution that is friendly to the world of private investments...

We offer self-directed retirement plans and Tax Free Savings Accounts for: • Private Company Shares • Private Mutual Fund Trust Units • Mortgage Investment Corporation Shares • Arms Length/Syndicated Mortgages • Certain Qualified Bonds

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

With US it’s PERSONAL

WWW.OLYMPIATRUST.COM

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

Introducing the new Rocky Mountain Equipment DEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO.

THE

ROCKY

REBRAND. I

n the waning days of summer 2011, the senior management team at one of Canada’s largest equipment dealership groups sat around a boardroom table in preparation for what would be the most important meeting in the history of their company.

Folders opened and papers slid out as they prepared to tackle the most challenging question in the history of Rocky Mountain Dealerships: how do you re-brand and re-position a billion dollar company for the next phase of its growth - while staying true to the smalltown, personal roots that brought it to here?

Rocky had grown from a mid-sized company with 12 dealerships in Alberta to the current publicly-traded (RME.TO) powerhouse of 38 dealerships across 3 provinces. Agriculture equipment & construction equipment dealers have a special relationship with their customers beyond just supplying equipment.

The dealerships provide a sense of stability and dependability to their customers through product support and knowledge earned over the course of generations. While it was clear that there was value in rolling the various merged and acquired store names into a single entity, there was also a need to maintain a sense of the local, personal relationships that had been built in each store.

The new rebranding initiative sought to capitalize on the new scale, while maintaining the deep local relationships with individual farmers and construction companies.

Rocky Mountain Equipment began with a simple idea: that Dependability was the key factor in those relationships, and Dependability needed to be the rallying call for the future. In a world where so many things are beyond the control of the end user, Dependabilit is a valuable currency. the differentiator in a marketplace filled with capable equipment and comparable pricing.

We will continue to honour the proud history of our stores as we move forward as a company, and our people will continue to carry the Rocky Mountain legacy with them. Our company Mission, Vision and Values have been laid out and form the basis of our company culture, and a guiding light for doing the right thing, the right way, for each other, our customers and our shareholders.

Introducing the new Rocky Mountain Equipment.

DEpENDABlE Is WHAT WE DO.

HOW DO yOu RE-bRAnD AnD RE-pOsITIOn A bIllIOn DOllAR COMpAny WHIlE sTAyIng TRuE TO THE sMAllTOWn, pERsOnAl ROOTs THAT bROugHT IT TO HERE?

Contents PUBLISHERS

Tim Ottmann & Pat Ottmann

EDITOR

Derek Sankey

Volume 22 • Number 9

On our cover…

The Concorde Group

COPY EDITORS

Lisa Johnston & Nikki Mullett

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Kenji Doshida

ADMINISTRATION

www.businessincalgary.com

Jessi Evetts jessi@businessincalgary.com

September 2012 $3.50

Art Director

Nancy Bielecki nancy@businessincalgary.com Jamie Chell jamie@businessincalgary.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Richard Bronstein Frank Atkins David Parker Lonnie Tate Mary Savage

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Heather Ramsay Gord Hawker Mary Moran Stewart McDonough Shannon Clive John Hardy

PHOTOGRAPHY

Cover photo courtesy of Ewan Nicholson Photography Inc.

ADVERTISING SALES

Hayley Sands hayley@businessincalgary.com Carla Wright carla@businessincalgary.com Bobbi Joan O’Neil bobbi@businessincalgary.com Brent Trimming brent@businessincalgary.com Evelyn Nykyforuk evelyn@businessincalgary.com Rachel Katerynych rachel@businessincalgary.com

DIRECTORS OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING

Bernie Cooke bernie@businessincalgary.com Kim Hogan kim@businessincalgary.com

EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

1025, 101 6th Ave. SW Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 Tel: (403) 264-3270/Fax: (403) 264-3276 Email: info@businessincalgary.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Online at www.businessincalgary.com Annual rates: $31.50; $45 USA; $85 International Single Copy $3.50 Business in Calgary is delivered to over 33,500 business people every month including all registered business owners in Calgary, Banff, and Canmore, and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce members.

The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and all representations of warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Canadian publications mail sales product agreement No. 41126516

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation dept.

1025 101 6th Ave. SW Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 info@businessincalgary.com

www.businessincalgary.com

The Concorde Group

39

Calgary entrepreneurs continually reinvent their hospitality brands to thrive in a highly competitive industry

+

• Small Business Week

news

• Coporate Health & Fitness

Fall 2012 • Page 77

• Commercial Real Estate

77

117

89

Cover 39 • The Concorde Group

Calgary entrepreneurs continually reinvent their hospitality brands to thrive in a highly competitive industry

By Derek Sankey

This Month’s Features

Business in Calgary Magazine

26 • Netiquette: It’s a Job Skill 35 • Small Business Week

Small business is the driving force in Calgary’s economy

By Heather Ramsay

46 • The Future of Oil

Oilfield service companies are breaking new ground every day to e xplore the future of the oil and gas industry in multi-stage, horizontal fracturing

By Shannon Clive

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

6 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

In a world where it seems everyone is shouting at

you need to stand out!

or there is nothing but grey noise, your presentations

We work with you to find the edge.

Open programs provide a group experience where participants share in the learning and training.

One on one coaching provides busy executives with a concentrated coaching experience, specifically targeting individual needs.

In-house programs are customized to meet your specific needs such as engineering, sales, management or leadership.

We believe that all presentations must deliver a compelling story and a call for action.

Nervous about your presentation?

Wondering if you are wowing your audience?

Need help with your slides?

Register on line at www.standandcommand.com or call 403 283 2225 to find out more.

Open Session Dates – Calgary Sept 25 and 26 | Oct 23 &24 | Nov 20 & 21 | Dec 18 & 19

www.standandcommand.com

Contents

Volume 22 • Number 9

(This Month’s Features cont’d)

89

89 • Office Market Revs Up

Commercial real estate nearly back to boom times

By Derek Sankey

96 • Corporate Health Goes Mainstream

Every corporate culture can tailor a program to meet the needs of employees, say experts

By Derek Sankey

102 • Real Estate in Review

Calgary’s real estate market started the year on a high and is showing potential for long-term stability

By Heather Ramsay

BOMA Calgary News

96

77 • Fall 2012

Company Profiles 57 • Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversary

73 • F & D Scene Changes Ltd. 30th Anniversary

102 Regular Columns 10 • Sticky Wicket in the Oil Pitch

By Richard Bronstein

12 • Where is the Green Revolution?

By Frank Atkins

14 • Addressing Health Care From a Marketing Perspective

By Lonnie Tate

117 • Leading Business 121 • The Calgary Report

Current developments for Calgary Telus Convention Centre, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and Innovate Calgary

126 • Marketing Matters

By David Parker

8 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

46

AN INVESTMENT IN SMART

global economy. This public and private sector collaboration will act as a catalyst to help Canada address its innovation and productivity deficit thereby accelerating the commercialization of Canadianled research and development so

Over the last twenty years or

within all that noise are patterns

to determine the number of

Canadian businesses can excel in global and domestic markets.

so a slowing of investment

and potential opportunities that

chickens needed to meet the

in research and innovation,

only analytics can reveal. A 2011

demands of the province.

machinery and equipment, and

MIT Sloan Management Review

This effort has reduced farm

specifically, information and communications technology has held back Canada’s usual

The IBM Canada Research and Development Centre is a result of a collaboration with Federal and Ontario governments and seven universities.

progress in the world. The Conference Board of Canada recently awarded our performance for productivity a C rating and a D rating

Analytics can help drive efficiency

for innovation. And while

and productivity, and foster

Canadian businesses held back, the rest of the world surged.

business innovation to create new

Rapidly emerging economies

marketplaces, smarter business

like Brazil, Russia, India, and

services and profitable new revenue

of course China embraced

streams. Providing these services

the great potential that

to innovators can profoundly

technological investment can

change the way a company is

bring. As a result there is a

experienced by customers,

pronounced shift in global

partners and by society.

economic power away from so-called developed, mature economies like ours. But when

and IBM study concluded that

you strip away all the ratings, all

organizations that choose to

the numbers and all the rhetoric,

embrace analytics are 2.2 times

a tantalizing opportunity to

more likely to substantially

think smartly about Canada’s

outperform their peers. We

future emerges. We are looking

also discovered in the 2012

to our leaders in business and

IBM Global CEO Study that

IS A SMART INVESTMENT.

in government to join us in

Canadian companies are falling

motivating the progress and

inspection workload by 66 per

behind their global peers in data

innovation of this country.

cent and created an annual cost

in progress is the best way

access, insight and translation

savings of roughly $200,000.

to make Canadian businesses

THE DATA OF DATA.

into action. Not surprisingly,

It has also helped ensure the

more competitive, our economy

we believe that big data is a big

safety and availability of more

more robust and Canadians an

opportunity for Canada.

than 816 million eggs produced

important part of a Smarter Planet.

The world is increasingly being

by the province each year.

defined by big data. Data is an organization’s most valuable

Join the conversation and learn

asset after, of course, its people.

WHAT COMES FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE DATA?

Over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data

The British Columbia Egg

are created every day. Hidden

Marketing Board recently

Similarly, in our commitment

started to apply IBM analytics

to driving progress in Canada,

to the production of eggs in the

IBM recently announced an

Over 90% of data was created in the last two years.

At IBM, we believe that investing

more at: linkedin.com/company/

IF YOU BUILD IT, THE DATA WILL COME.

province. The Board is now

investment of over $210 million

able to integrate and analyze

into the IBM Canada Research and

production and inspection data

Development Centre. IBM has

from hundreds of BC farms and

declared its goal to help advance

perform complex calculations

Canada’s competitiveness in the

conversations

LET’S BUILD A SMARTER PLANET.

IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com Smarter Planet, and the planet icon are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at ibm.com/legal/copytradeshtml. © International Business Machines Corporation 2012.

[title] • Bronstein [section] Sticky Wicket in the Oil Pitch • Richard

By Richard Bronstein

Sticky Wicket in the Oil Pitch

E

nbridge’s proposed Gateway pipeline is certainly facing a sticky wicket.

The company has already shot off two of its toes with much publicized pipeline spills in the United States. It doesn’t help that there have been other spills in Alberta this year by different pipeline companies as well.

But spills are maybe the least of the problems.

Poor Enbridge appears to be victim of a hostage taking with multiple captors.

B.C. natives are hijacking the pipeline to advance their struggle for “nationhood,” including sovereignty over ancestral territories.

The B.C. government of Christy Clark is holding a gun to the head of the company in a last-ditch attempt to avert being thrown out of office. Environmental groups are mugging Enbridge’s pipeline to avert global climate catastrophe. And the federal government wants the pipeline to connect to Asian markets.

Never has one pipeline been asked to carry so much freight other than petroleum products.

Somewhere in this clash of competing interests is a regulatory hearing that is supposed to make a decision based on the best available evidence. Good luck!

Then there is China’s state-owned oil company, CNOOC, making a shareholder-friendly $15-billion offer for Calgary-based Nexen Inc. This too has to go through a review process by the federal government. What ought to be a rational, evidence-based procedure is already muddied by lurid media stories about the evils of Chinese communism that are so bad, Nexen headquarters could become a locus of assassination and torture. (See the Globe and Mail, August 6 by Charles Burton, former counsellor in the Canadian Embassy in Beijing and currently associate professor at Brock University in Ontario. Talk about a drive-by smear!)

Whether you think the Gateway pipeline and the Nexen takeover ought to go ahead or not – and there are pro and con arguments on both sides – isn’t it possible to have a civil discourse over these issues?

In Canada we take great pride in pointing out the failures of the U.S. political system, particularly that debate has become so extreme and polarizing that compromise is practically impossible and the great American nation seems paralyzed to deal with significant issues.

10 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Yet on some of the key energy developments in Canada, isn’t our level of discussion also descending into the hellhole of rigid ideology?

I guess it shows that there is no such thing anymore as business as usual. And we probably shouldn’t be surprised.

Isn’t that what economists and academics have been warning us for years – that the rise of globalization is changing the rules of business . . . has changed the rules?

It seems to me that historically the Calgary oilpatch always felt rather secure so long as it controlled the levers of power in Alberta and the United States was a friendly and receptive market for our energy exports. If political difficulties erupted in Canada, the Alberta government of the day could always be counted on to battle Ottawa. And if any Alberta government got uppity, why the oilpatch could shut down every pizza parlour and car dealership in the province, as the head of Encana once threatened when Premier Stelmach tried to increase royalties.

For 50 years we could think small and local. The oilpatch prospered, Alberta did well, and Canada benefited.

Then the matrix started becoming vastly more complicated.

The world recognized that greenhouse gases – primarily hydrocarbons – were contributing to planetary climate change. The U.S. found itself awash with new oil and gas production. New economic powers – China, India and Brazil – started challenging the old-world order. And new enterprises such as Google and Facebook became larger than General Motors and Ford.

Canada seems to be hiding under a rock while all this upheaval is taking place. Alberta in particular seems to suffer from stunted political and corporate leadership. We just want to keep doing the same thing over and over again without taking into account the new realities of global business.

I hate to admit it, but Premier Christy Clark may have actually done us a favour by asking about Gateway: “What’s in it for us?”

Maybe we should take that hint and broaden the question: How can some of the returns – corporate and government – from oilsands extraction, processing and shipping be used to solve pressing global needs? We should remember that business can only succeed in the long term if it does good for all. BiC

Are you positioned

to hire and retain

quality employees in a tightening job market?

Get a competitive edge by putting the Alberta Blue Cross advantage to work for you.

Alberta Blue Cross delivers the group benefits that employees prefer, and the value your business needs.

Need a benefit plan for your business,

but don’t have much time on your hands?

We make it easy for you to get a group benefit plan—providing you with a confidential no-obligation quote, easy sign-up and hassle-free plan administration.

Call us today!

Calgary 403-294-4004

Toll-free

1-866-513-2555

www.ab.bluecross.ca/group

Prescription Drugs • Dental • Extended Health • Vision • Travel Coverage • Critical Illness Health Spending Accounts • Life and Disability • Employee and Family Assistance Program

Where is the Green Revolution? • Frank Atkins

By Frank Atkins

G

eorge Orwell once said “Myths that are believed in tend to become true.” The radical environmentalists must believe this statement. They appear to be operating under the belief that if they repeat something enough people will believe it and somehow it will become truth, even if it has no basis in reality. Lately we have been told repeatedly by these organizations that if we do not change the way we behave, we will miss out on the “green revolution.” Presumably the green revolution is comprised of societies that do not use fossil fuel.

The problem is that this is just not happening in any revolutionary sense.

You cannot miss out on something that is not really happening.

Perhaps these groups are thinking about a green revolution similar to say, the Industrial Revolution. The difference is that in the Industrial Revolution, there was something to change to. As with any big economic change, there was a technological advance that allowed society to progress on a different path, accompanied by a willingness to adopt the technology. In the case of the Industrial Revolution, machines were invented that could produce goods more efficiently. This is the same sort of revolution that caused the automobile to replace the horse and buggy. The technology was there and people embraced the change.

So, someone has to ask these radical environmentalists, where is the technology that is replacing fossil fuel consumption, and where are the

Where is the Green Revolution?

The green revolution is an attempt to alter the outcomes in an economy to suit the beliefs of a small group of people. individuals who are embracing this change? At the moment the technology does not really exist in any viable sense. There are certainly incremental steps in the form of hybrid cars. However, sales of these cars appear to have reached a plateau, so further adoption by consumers may be problematic. Of course, there are electric cars which, from the perspective of any green revolution, are a joke. Environmentalists embrace electric cars as if electricity is some sort of clean energy that just appears in nature. This is odd thinking as electricity is produced by either fossil fuels or nuclear energy.

At the moment wind does not play a big enough role. In Alberta, electricity is somewhere between 60 and 70 per cent coal fired. This hardly makes electric cars green.

All of this does not deter the radical environmentalists. They believe that an economic revolution is needed because capitalism is not producing the kind of economy that they think is correct. In this sense they are not so much environmentalists as they are anti-capitalists. There are, of course, reasonable (as opposed to radical) environmentalists out there, who genuinely care about the environment, and are not interested in overthrow-

12 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

ing the capitalist system. However, because they are reasonable, they tend to not be listened to. The green revolution is an attempt to alter the outcomes in an economy to suit the beliefs of a small group of people. As far as I can tell, the radical environmentalists are the leftover Marxists from the 1960s.

Somewhere along the line they discovered that, as an economic theory, Marxism did not make any sense, so they became radical environmentalists as opposed to radical Marxists. They were clearly never really economists.

At some point in the future there will likely be some technology that will at least partially, if not fully, replace fossil fuel, and society will likely embrace this change. However, this will happen endogenously within the economy. This is in contrast to the exogenous change that the radical environmentalists wish to impose on society now. For the time being, we will likely continue to use fossil fuel, and the radical environmentalists can drive their electric cars to the green revolution. BiC Frank Atkins is an associate professor of economics at the University of Calgary and a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Public Sector Accountability.

Do taxes have you seeing double?

If your work, personal life or investments fall on both sides of the border, you need to understand your Canadian and US tax obligations. Moodys Tax Advisors can help you protect your interests and avoid penalties.

Tax well solved. moodystax.com

[title] • [section] Addressing Health Care From a Marketing Perspective • Lonnie Tate

By Lonnie Tate

Addressing Health Care From a Marketing Perspective

S

uccessful businesses understand their markets and build their businesses to meet market conditions. I wonder why that secret has eluded those in government health circles? Our politicians all believe we need to think outside of the box. And they all know that in order to think outside the box, you need a non-partisan study or commission. A bunch of navel-gazers will be given a few years to ponder the problem, hold hearings and produce thousands of pages of information that no one will understand.

As General Anthony McAuliffe once said to the Germans: “Nuts!”

What we really need is to have a few real marketing people step outside the box and look in. They would get to the core issues in the health-care market in a few, short days. Let me tell you what they would find.

Albertans only want good, basic health care. If you really need medical help, it should be available in a safe and responsible manner. That means: more hospital beds and surgical facilities; more front-line health-care professionals; more long-term facilities; and more drop-in clinics.

Those who have been in our health-care institutions understand that they are overcrowded in the extreme. They are human zoos – people packed together to the point where even the best health-care professionals can barely cope.

Conditions really are deplorable and are clearly suboptimal.

I read of hundreds of suboptimal examples … I am sure they are true. Let me give you three first-hand examples.

Three years ago, I got to stay in Foothills Hospital for eight days in intensive care and the heart ward. Thanks to some great care I survived and I am doing just fine. The heart ward stopped short of bunk beds, but there were patients crammed into hallways and sunrooms. I didn’t look in the broom closet. The place was filthy … staff unable to keep floors clean among a host of other obvious problems.

Patients and staff coped with a loss of dignity and respect that served as testimony to the human will.

A few years earlier, my wife had an infection that was critical and needed an intravenous drip to solve the problem.

She got that one night while lying on a gurney in a psych

14 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

ward hallway along with several other equally ill patients.

Her situation was appalling.

And I like my brother’s doctor who commented on his being released the second day after a hip replacement: “You have just had major surgery – you are not sick. If you want to get sick – stay here.” Yikes!

Everyone knows that there are waiting lines and lists to get treatment for anything that is not life-threatening. Obviously our political leaders must believe the pain, distress and discomfort involved in non-life-threatening situations are part of every citizen’s basic rights. If you would believe our politicians, that must be part of our Alberta heritage to be enjoyed and nurtured.

Our mythical marketing team would have the problems identified, surrounded and fenced in within weeks. They would also come up with the base plan for fixing the mess: • Commit health organizations and government to fill the needs that are so obvious in the marketplace; • Get ahead of the curve. Virtually every facet of health care is behind the eight ball. We are under-resourced now and without jump-starting, we will be under-resourced in five or 10 years from now; • Spend money on primary care providers. We do not have enough of them now; we need to attract more. Stop fighting with doctors and nurses … engage them as part of the solution; • Engage the community. This is a rich and philanthropic community with wealthy people willing to give to worthwhile causes. Get them involved in providing capital for primary care. If they will not volunteer major gifts, give them incentives to do so; and finally, • Be prepared to find revenues to fund the additional expenditures. We are talking about our heritage (read our citizens). They are worth much more than some ethereal investment program for our children and their children. And if that isn’t enough … find some additional tax revenues.

There! I have solved health care. It is time for some politician to screw up the courage to reduce the problem to basic, fill-the-need market analysis. BiC

The Zoe Room Group and Keagan Chair

THE RECLINERS WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING. Imagine the comfort and quality of La-Z-Boy in sofas, loveseats and chairs customized exactly to your taste.

Envision being able to select from 900 fabrics and leathers.

Picture yourself adding your own special details, like contrasting welts, nail-head trim, accent pillows and more. And now visualize it all ready for you even faster than expected. No, you’re not dreaming. You’re home.

2 convenient Calgary locations to serve you! www.lazboy.com/calgary ©2012 La-Z-Boy Incorporated

It started with a vision...

It started with Prairies

DAVID JOHNSON Progress Energy Resources Corp.

DAVID JOHNSON

Then and now

I

n 2001, David Johnson was at the top of his game. Between 1994 and 2001, he had built up Encal Energy from a small private company into an aggressive energy producer listed on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

He had achieved six years of more than 20 per cent growth per year and took the company public before encouraging the board to sell the firm to Calpine, which it did in 2001 for more than $1.8 billion.

It was time to look forward to his next venture.

Along with his longtime partners Mike Culbert, Steve Allaire and Art McNichol – all of whom he credits for his success at Encal – together they led a recapitalization of a struggling junior exploration company, known as Progress Energy Ltd. at the time. By 2004, Progress Energy Ltd. merged with Cequel Energy Inc. to form Progress Energy Trust and ProEx Energy Ltd. By 2007, the two entities acquired some additional assets and in 2009, Progress and ProEx combined to form Progress Energy Resources Corp., building its production from an initial 2000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in 2001 to more than 45,000 boe/d by 2010. It happened to be the same year he was a finalist in the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards (Energy – external equity funded category).

One of his guiding business philosophies is that everybody involved in the company needs to have “skin in the game.”

His approach is described as hands-on, consistent and collaborative, always having a clear line of sight to results – and he expects the same from his people, who he works closely with and mentors to ensure

a vision... technology, significant capital and a multi-year development agenda.

The natural gas market, he says, will have to create new markets and operating models and Progress Energy is ideally suited to capture the opportunities that lie ahead.

Johnson is all about the team, whether that’s in business or in the community. He is a significant personal supporter to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), helping to turn the organization’s annual fundraising luncheon into the largest of its kind in Canada. He has also been a significant supporter of SAIT’s Promising Futures campaign, aside from the many communitybased organizations that Progress Energy has supported, and continues to support, over the years.

Johnson’s industry involvement also stands out. After earning his bachelor of science in petroleum engineering, he has sat on the board of directors of several public and private Calgary-based energy companies as well as the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and has served twice as a governor of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). It is clear that no matter where Johnson ends up, he brings with him considerable industry clout.

Let there be no illusions that young business professionals and entrepreneurs would be wise to keep an eye on what this highly successful and shrewd businessman does – and does not do – in the future.

Who will soar?

See who’s taking business in the Prairies to new heights at the 19th annual regional awards gala, 11 October 2012, where we’ll reveal the winners of the world’s most coveted business awards. Learn more at ey.com/ca/EOY.

See More | Growth

National sponsors

© 2012 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.

values align. Johnson is a “tell me what you can do, not what you can’t do” kind of leader. When it comes to the business model, he is all about “local dominance,” having established the company as a clear industry leader under his tenure. He served as president and CEO of Progress Energy in its various forms from 2001 until 2009, at which time he became the chairman of the board of the company where he remains today. He has demonstrated entrepreneurial and business excellence in every aspect of the game, including a heavy emphasis on leveraging technology and the company’s human expertise.

He is a pioneer in the industry and has gained the respect of his peers as a result. One of the best examples is leading Progress Energy into the Montney shale gas play, always planning various scenarios to ensure the company achieves “first-mover” advantage in a competitive industry susceptible to the vast swings in the price of natural gas.

“We’ve always been able to respond creatively in a changing environment,” says Johnson. “What others see as roadblocks to the future, we see as an opportunity to create even more value.”

He recently helped orchestrate the acquisition of Progress Energy by Malaysian oil and gas giant Petronas for $5.5 billion in June of 2012.

Johnson believes shale will be critical to the future of the Canadian oil and gas business. Dominant plays will be unconventional resources, which will require state-of-the-art

Platinum sponsors

Gold sponsor

Ernst & Young is a proud supporter of

Off the Top • News

Demolition Begins at THE RIVER Site The ground began rumbling in the middle of August as demolition began at the site of what is to become Calgary’s newest luxury residential development. Named THE RIVER and located at 26th Avenue SW, the project has high hopes of becoming the inner-city’s next architectural icon.

“We’ve been waiting for this day as it has been five years in the making,” says Anne Clarke, director of sales, THE RIVER. “I think the bigger part of it was I think a lot of people were really surprised to see a development of this magnitude happening in a city like Calgary.”

The home on the site, which marked the first phase of the demolition, took only 30 minutes to come down and was the former residence of several affluent Calgarians including the Switzer family. According to Clarke the home was quite an address in its day, and will continue to be so once THE RIVER welcomes its first new residents, scheduled to take place the spring of 2015.

At over 60 per cent sold, THE RIVER has also broken records for the city with the sale of an $8.99-million penthouse, setting a whole new benchmark for real estate values in Calgary. Many of the buyers have lived in this area for years and are now making a lifestyle transition, moving out of big, high-maintenance family homes into spacious new estate condominiums without having to sacrifice their quality of life. “(Current neighbours) are coming around and they are excited to see we are building something beautiful on the site,” says Clarke. “We are also working to beautify the area too so there’s a park directly to the west of our site and we’ve committed to making that park beautiful. There is going to be an enjoyment from those who live in the neighbourhood.”

With construction officially started on the high-end project, interest has actually increased for the few remaining homes still available in THE RIVER. With only 38 residences available, the chance to live in this luxury development on the banks of the Elbow River within easy walking distance to Calgary’s most popular shops, cafés and restaurants along 4th Street is quickly running out.

“People realize now we are going forward,” says Clarke.

“Calgary in the past has had developers come in and say they are going to do a lot of things but they didn’t happen.

I think with the uncertainty people have seen in the marketplace, there is an element of is this really happening because I don’t want to waste my time…. That has been the biggest benefit of starting demolition. It has really showcased we are real, we are building this amazing building and we’ve already sold out of the tower close to 70 per cent.”

With floor plans ranging from 1600 up to 5600 square feet, buyers still have plenty of room to call home in their bright new open living spaces. THE RIVER also offers the convenience and peace of mind of a lock-and-leave style residence with numerous amenities, including 24-7 security.

While there are numerous condo developments taking place across the city, there is no other developer building anything 18 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Steel-toed boots - now the shoe of choice at THE RIVER

Many consider THE RIVER to be a major indicator of the city of Calgary’s coming of age, with high hopes that after construction completes in 2015, THE RIVER is destined to take its place among the city’s most iconic historic landmarks. with this large and luxury of a footprint. Owners will enjoy plenty of space and privacy in their exclusive new riverside community among other like-minded individuals who value quality and the finer things in life.

Many consider THE RIVER to be a major indicator of the city of Calgary’s coming of age, with high hopes that after construction completes in 2015, THE RIVER is destined to take its place among the city’s most iconic historic landmarks.

For more information, visit http://therivercalgary.com. BiC

PROFILE

Q&A What are the mortgage regulatory changes that took effect July 9, 2012?

• Shortened maximum amortization period for insured residential mortgages – from 30 to 25 years.

• Reduced maximum amount of equity that can be withdrawn from a property – from 85 to 80 per cent.

• Mortgage insurance now limited to properties with a value of less than $1 million.

• Tightened mortgage qualifying criteria on all mortgage applications.

How will the new mortgage regulatory changes affect me?

• The reduction in amortization will increase the minimum down payment you will make on a property. For example, the minimum biweekly mortgage payment on a $500,000 home, with a five per cent down payment, would change from $1028 to $1154 – a difference of $126 (based on current market rates). Note: If you have a 20 per cent down payment (or greater) on your new home, you currently still have access to the 30-year amortization.

• The reduction in the amount of equity that you can withdraw may affect your ability to “tap in” to your current equity for renovations, consolidation or a down payment on your next home.

Based on a home value of $500,000, old rules allowed for equity withdrawal of up to $425,000. The new guidelines will now allow a maximum of $400,000. While this is not currently a significant difference, there is buzz that the maximum limit could be reduced

Chairman’s Club

to as low as 65 per cent by the end of 2012.

• The limitation of mortgage insurance will be a significant change. Any new homes purchased in excess of $1,000,000 will require a down payment of 20 per cent or greater, as the current insurers will no longer insure these properties. **Compliments of Trevor Yerema (403-466-6654) from TD Bank.

When selling a home, can I use my old Real Property Report?

You can use your old RPR if the current state of the property, or any improvements made, maintain the property in the same form as it was when you had purchased it. If you have added a deck, fence, air-conditioning unit or even a play set/shed that is attached to the ground, you will need to have the survey company come out and provide you with an updated RPR. If you contact the same survey company, you will just need to pay for an update instead of an entirely new RPR; this can save you up to half the cost of having a new RPR created. Call your real estate lawyer or realtor if you are unsure that your old RPR will suffice.

To ensure a smooth closing, what are the important steps I need to take once my home sale or purchase is complete?

- Set up an appointment with your lawyer for approximately one week prior to closing.

- Set up insurance or transfer insurance to your new property.

- If you are on TIPP for taxes, cancel your instalments at least two weeks prior to closing and/or set up your taxes for your new home.

- Cancel and or set up utilities at least three weeks prior to closing.

- If you have sold a home, leave instructions as a courtesy to the new buyer (i.e. mailbox keys, manuals, garage door openers) and any helpful tips that may help them to enjoy their new home.

Is my city assessment tax statement an accurate portrayal of value?

A realtor’s approach to determining value is detailed and specific to your home within the context of the greater market. We determine value by comparing similar properties that have sold in the recent months, using a plus or minus strategy for features and benefits, land size, location and in some cases, reviewing the price per square foot. In contrast, your assessment from the city is not created in a case-by-case approach, but in more of an approach using a mass and historical appraisal of a building or house that determines value for all properties regardless of individual features and benefits. The purpose of your tax assessment is to assess your tax amount, rather than the ultimate market value of your home. Some homeowners will also dispute their assessed value in order to lower their taxes, which can result in values that are lower than the actual “market value.”

To determine a more accurate value for your home, please contact your realtor to arrange a home evaluation.

Š 2012 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.

Who will soar?

Join us to celebrate the Prairies’ high-achieving entrepreneurs at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala on October 11 in Calgary. To learn more, contact PrairiesEOY@ca.ey.com. ey.com/ca/EOY

See More | Growth

National sponsors

Platinum sponsors

Gold sponsor

Ernst & Young is a proud supporter of

mentor |mĕn’tôr’| n.

1. A teacher, counselor, and trusted advisor 2. One with deep and specialized knowledge to share 3. A supporter who provides the tools needed for an individual to realize potential 4. A guide who helps people adapt and grow 5. The Calgary Public Library

Off the Top • News

School of Information and Communications Technologies Dean’s Reception Rand Ayres, dean of the School of Information and Communications Technologies, extends an invitation to attend a welcome reception as a part of the Wave of the Future celebrations.

Reconnect with fellow classmates and catch up with your favourite SAIT instructors.

BE INSPIRED, RECONNECT AND HAVE FUN It’s been years in the making, but SAIT Polytechnic is finally swinging open the doors to the Trades and Technology Complex. In addition to the dean’s reception, come for a tour of the new buildings, try hands-on activities and be entertained at the Wave of the Future celebrations from noon until 8:30 p.m. For more information about the exciting grand opening activities on September 15 visit www.sait.ca/waveofthefuture.

Limited parking available. Use of public transit is recommended.

The C-train stops right on campus and SAIT will pay for your ride home. BiC

When Saturday, September 15, 2012 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Where SAIT Polytechnic Main Campus 1301 - 16 Ave NW Calgary, AB T2M 0L4 Attire Casual Register by Tuesday, September 4, 2012 Space is strictly limited so please RSVP (and enter to win an iPad).

Visit us online to plan your next inspirational meeting.

Bring out the Best in your people.

Bring them to Banff national parK. 22 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

www.banfflakelouise/meetings

THE WAY WE WORK: no.

8

IT’S ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE HANDSHAKE.

BUSINESS BANKING IS ABOUT A SHARED PERSPECTIVE. Being headquartered in the West has its advantages. We understand your industry and make timely decisions, locally. As a bank focused on entrepreneurs, we partner with you to find the solutions perfectly suited to your business financial needs.

Learn more at theworkingbank.ca.

Off the Top • News

An Evening with Steve Forbes and Jeff Rubin

The program has continually evolved

In Support of the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary Steve Forbes (Global Economics) and Jeff Rubin (Canadian Economist) are the featured speakers for a captivating evening on October 4 at the Jubilee Auditorium. Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, will be speaking on the global economy and U.S./Canada relations as the USA heads into a new election. Rubin, acclaimed Canadian economist and author of current No. 1 book “The End of Growth,” will be speaking about where Canada is headed in the new global economy.

The event will support the important work of the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary, a non-profit organization working co-operatively with individuals, families and communities to facilitate and/or enable

over the years to meet the changing needs of the city, in response to the deepening awareness and understanding of the complex issues of poverty and hunger.

Steve Forbes (Global Economics)

initiatives that reduce hunger. The program has continually evolved over the years to meet the changing needs of the city, in response to the deepening awareness and understanding

Our

Experience Equals your

Satisfaction

Bay D, 7056 Farrell Rd SE Calgary Alberta Phone: 403-258-1661 Email: sales@lairdsrailing.com www.lairdsrailing.com 24 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Jeff Rubin (Canadian Economist)

of the complex issues of poverty and hunger. They teach participants how to prepare nutritious meals and budget their finances – making their income stretch by preparing cost-effective, healthy meals, as well as providing a means to access nutritious food.

The programs of the Community Kitchen have helped adults, children and families to eat healthier, at a lower cost, learning how to cut the grocery bills and most importantly how to keep these healthy habits throughout their lifetime. They are not just giving a ‘hand-out’ but a ‘hand-up!’

Tickets for An Evening with Steve Forbes and Jeff Rubin in support of the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.ca. BiC

NEW STORE LOCATION

WILLOW PARK VILLAGE 10819 MACLEOD TRAIL SE, SUITE # 488 CALGARY AB, T2J 5N8 403.225.4045

OTHER LOCATION CROSSIRON MILLS

261055 CROSSIRON BLVD ROCKY VIEW AB, T4A 0G3 403.274.6367

Netiquette: It’s a job skill • Networking

Netiquette: It’s a job skill

By John Hardy

Granite for Only $ 42.00/sq.ft* !

*Offer good until October 31, 2012. Guaranteed to beat competitor pricing by 5%

342 40th Ave NE Calgary • Phone: (403) 273.8668 • Email: info@hgbstone.ca

GRANITE • QUARTZ • MARBLE • GLASS 26 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

I

t’s subtle. It’s stealth. And it’s often innocent and harmless. But it’s everywhere in Calgary workplaces.

Some people are just e-rude and don’t even know it.

By now, even the stodgiest of techno-resistant offices begrudgingly accept that this is a hyper-connected, Wi-Fi society. There’s a rumour that email may already be a bit old fashioned when it comes to the high-tech playing field of trendier messaging like texting and tweeting. Regardless, business email undisputedly remains the most important aspect of internal and external business relationships, at every level. Email is a basic but essential fact of business life.

While some companies kid themselves and take emailing for granted as something anybody can do, obliviously e-rude people are proving that workplace assumption dangerously wrong.

Most e-rude staffers manage to get through their workday, flying under the radar, not paying much attention to proper emailing until a supervisor or a higher-up catches on the hard

‘Suite’ Comfort Stay the night or the whole month!

Coast Edmonton House ALL SUITE HOTEL Relax in our one & two bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens, spectacular views, and private balconies.

Coast Edmonton House 10205 - 100 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 4B5

Coast Edmonton House is an all-suite property centrally located in downtown Edmonton’s arts, business, and shopping district. This easily accessible hotel boasts spacious suites with the finest in travel amenities, fully equipped kitchens in every room makes this hotel the perfect choice for both business & leisure guests.

1-800-663-1144 CoastHotels.com

Netiquette: It’s a job skill • Networking

way that netiquette not only matters but is an important and acquired job skill. The Radicati Group, an American-based research agency that provides complex techno numbers crunching to thousands of global corporations, recently published its 2012 Email Statistics Report. The report showed that there are now more than 3.3 billion active email accounts around the world and that the average North American business user sends and receives more than 193 emails each day.

The overall e-evidence is conclusive. Companies and staff who take emailing seriously and professionally do have a proven competitive edge.

“Especially in this ferociously plugged-in work world, email is likely the first (and maybe only) form of communication with a person,” says Debi Andrus, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business. “Your email is as much a part of your professional image as the clothes you wear, your voice mail greeting or your handshake. Your work email says a lot about you.” The tired-but-true cliché is truer than ever when it comes to workplace netiquette.

“You still only get one chance to make a first impression.

So make sure your emails are to the point, positive and present you as a credible professional. We’re hooked on email because it is quick and easy. But for all its terrific benefits, email can also be risky if misused. It’s important

Think of your email as forever.

The heaps of surprised, stunned, shocked and otherwise nasty employee-HR precedents should be credible reminders that work emails (deleted or not) are company property and can be searched and read by anyone at any time. to treat email with the same cautions as other types of business communication.”

Andrus continues, “Proofread and proofread again. Triple check for accuracy. Work email is not casual like personal email, tweeting or texting. Mistakes are noticed and they do matter. Business email is a reflection of your skills and who you are.”

Think of your email as forever. The heaps of surprised, stunned, shocked and otherwise nasty employee-HR prece-

It’s the little extras that make the difference.

Group Auto* and Home Insurance

Enhance the rewards you provide your employees with group Auto and Home insurance from The Co-operators.

Along with the coverage your employees expect, they’ll enjoy value-added services and features such as our 24-hour OneStepTM claims service, any-day payment deduction, online support and much more.

Best of all, there’s no financial commitment on your part.

Discover why over 400 organizations across Canada have chosen The Co-operators group Auto and Home insurance program by calling 1-800-880-6588 or visiting www.cooperatorsgroupinsurance.ca.

Don’t your employees deserve a little extra?

*Auto insurance not available in British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

28 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Netiquette: It’s a job skill • Networking

dents should be credible reminders that work emails (deleted or not) are company property and can be searched and read by anyone at any time.

“And be careful with tone,” Andrus warns. “It is a crucial part of business (and personal) emails. Moods and feelings do come across when we say something. It’s easy to change tone when speaking. Not so easy when we’re writing or emailing. Maybe rearrange your paragraphs. It can help you come across more respectful, friendlier and approachable instead of unintentionally curt or demanding. Even though the person beside you may look at you funny, but try smiling while composing your email. It can make a difference.”

Encouragingly, more and more companies take emailing seriously and require staff to send timely responses with business-appropriate formats and careful language.

Some Neanderthal companies manage to float in denial about the true value and importance of proper business emails and they foolishly deny a need for email rules, policies and guidelines. Smart Policies for Workplace Technologies, by lawyer and workplace law expert Lisa Guerin, has become a popular reference for North American companies that realize the urgency of drafting policy and ensuring their staff is e-smart.

Guerin’s research dug up some scary e-facts: • More than half of employees have sent or received emails that included jokes, stories or pictures of a “questionable” nature.

• Six per cent of employees have emailed confidential company information to people they shouldn’t have.

• Although 92 per cent of employees said they had never sent an email that could put the company at risk, 68 per cent had.

• More than a quarter of companies in a recent survey have fired an employee for email misuse; most of the terminations were for inappropriate or offensive language and violation of company rules.

• Some 15 per cent of companies have faced a lawsuit triggered by employee email.

A rt r e m i n d s U s t H At Y O U H AV e A s O U L

Our newest work of art, the Rembrandt showhome is unveiled in Riverstone, Sept 8, 2012. showhome ph | 403.257.1366 Address | 13 Cranbrook Heights se. Calgary. (Cranston)

www.baywesthomes.com

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 29

Netiquette: It’s a job skill • Networking

Business in Calgary’s Top 15 List of Netiquette Savvy: 1. Get to the point. Don’t make any email longer than it needs to be. Remember: reading an email is harder than reading a printed page.

2. No novels, please. Keep e-sen-

tences to a maximum of 15-20 words.

3. Say hello.

Start each email with a greeting no matter how pressed for time.

4. Spelling, grammar

Financial peace of mind that lasts long after the business day ends No matter why you need financial advice, there’s an Advocis advisor or planner in your area ready to help you.

Advocis’ financial advisors and planners adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards and are committed to the best interests of their clients.

Having a relationship of trust with an Advocis Calgary advisor or planner means you benefit from exceptional professional knowledge and integrity.

For more information visit www.advocis.ca or call 1-800-563-5821.

and punctuation matters, a lot. Typos and spelling mistakes, poor grammar and sloppy punctuation reflects badly on the email sender’s skills and the company.

5. Read over before sending.

Not only will you catch mistakes but you will read through the eyes of your recipient.

6. Email is forever.

Work emails (deleted or not) are company property and can be searched and read by anyone at any time.

7. Don’t shout. IF YOU E-WRITE IN CAPITALS, YOU ARE SHOUTING.

8. Reply ASAP.

Business emails are sent, expecting a quick response. Reply within at least 24 hours and preferably the same working day.

9. Easy on the eye.

Advocis® and APA® are trademarks of The Financial Advisors Association of Canada.

ACH-0753-P-0712

30 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Be a considerate emailer. Remember, reading from a screen is much tougher than reading from paper. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph.

Netiquette: It’s a job skill • Networking

10. Don’t cry wolf. Overusing Priority/

14. Don’t e-insult. Electronically asking

11. CYA.

15. E-magic. Try the ultimate netiquette

High Importance defeats the purpose and makes the email no priority and unimportant.

Yes, it’s necessary. The disclaimers (which nobody ever reads) should be at the bottom of all workplace emails as the business cyber world is infected with all kinds of liabilities.

for “Delivery” and “Read” receipts is pushy and will usually annoy your recipient.

clincher. The magic touch for all business emails. Just 14 simple letters: P-l-e-a-s-e and T-h-a-n-k Y-o-u. BiC

12. Beware: reply all.

Use it as a last resort. If you send an email to a dozen people, scheduling a meeting, you expect a dozen replies, right? Maybe not.

If each person hit “Reply to All,” not only do you get your dozen replies but so does everyone else … for a dizzying 144 emails.

13. Don’t be e-cutesy. Not everyone

texts. Some may not have a clue what LOL, :-) BTW, TTYL and cutesy texting abbreviations and emoticons mean and they have no place in business emails. The e-onus is on you to speak their language, not for them to understand yours.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 31

PROFILE

Launch of Economic Futures Council Enables Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta to Position Record Number of Young People for Future Success

T

HE 2011/12 YEAR HAS BEEN

we are proud to have their names

ground breaking for Junior

associated with our organization. The

Achievement of Southern

full roll-out of the Council will begin

Alberta in terms of program delivery

in the fall of 2012 – please watch for

and community support. We extend

updates and details.

sincere thanks to our many corporate,

great year of delivering exceptional

donors in helping us raise $1.8 Million

programs that equip young people

to support Junior Achievement

with the knowledge, skills and

programming in 107 communities

attitudes they require to make

across the southern half of our province.

responsible choices about their

A study by the Boston Consulting

personal and economic futures and

Group found that the benefits of

thus reach their full potential. In

participating in JA equal a $45 ROI

2012/13 we look forward to expanding

to the economy for every dollar

our program reach to vulnerable and

invested. Thus, by providing funding

aboriginal youth.

for invaluable financial literacy, work

Your contribution to JASA makes

readiness and entrepreneurship

these programs possible. Not only

programming, JASA supporters made

does your support enrich the local

an $81 Million return to the Canadian

community, it has far reaching

economy this year!

consequences in helping Southern

Each and every one of our donors

This year, your contributions have helped JASA reach more students, in more communities with high quality, technologically relevant programming.

2012/13 is poised to be another

foundation, individual and government

Alberta continue to be one of the

and volunteers is important and

world’s most dynamic and vibrant

valued. You donate your time, your

nationally respected and globally

talent and your resources. No matter

recognized regions. Thank you to

how big or small, your donation is

all of our donors and volunteers

meaningful to you, meaningful to us,

- alumni, parents, students, past

and meaningful to the youth we serve.

laureates, board of governor members,

This year, your contributions have

individuals from the community,

helped JASA reach more students, in

corporations, foundations and

more communities with high quality,

associations – you have helped Junior

technologically relevant programming

Achievement of Southern Alberta

than ever before.

reach more young people, with more

Of particular note in 2012 was the launch of our Economic Futures

programs than ever before in our 51 year history!

Council, an individual major gift initiative designed to increase JASA program capacity and enhance program delivery technology. The Council Founders are pillars of the Southern Alberta community, and

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta 403.781.2582 www.jasouthalberta.org

The Economic Futures Council is a giving initiative designed to increase JASA program capacity and expand program delivery technology to enhance the future of our youth and our economy.

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta is proud to announce the Founding Members of the Economic Futures Council.

Members of the Economic Futures Council, through their participation

Founding members

and generous financial support, have recognized the need to invest

to August 15, 2012

in tomorrow’s workforce and know that student participation in Junior

David A. Bissett

Achievement programming creates an annual ROI to the Canadian economy of $45 for every $1 donated.*

James W. Davidson Jack C. Donald N. Murray Edwards

To join the Council at any level, please contact Junior Achievement

Richard F. Haskayne

of Southern Alberta at 403 781 2582.

Wayne Henuset Alvin Libin Todd Poland

Economic Futures Council * Boston Consulting Group, 2011

Clayton Riddell Guy Turcotte Mac Van Wielingen

Small Business of the Year | A Look Back • Small Business Week

Small Business of the Year | A Look Back Small business is the driving force in Calgary’s economy by heather Ramsay

S

mall business in Calgary is big business. With a diverse economy and over a third of Alberta’s population residing in our city, small businesses are a driving force within the local business community. Found in a multitude of industries and varying in the depth of expertise, niche markets and product and service offerings, entrepreneurs are at the heart of our city and will have the opportunity to participate in and be celebrated during the upcoming Small Business Week in October 2012.

According to Calgary Economic Development, over 95 per cent of all businesses in Calgary are small businesses. Nationally, Calgary ranks second for small business growth over a 10-year period, at a rate of 18.8 per cent. Compared to other major Canadian cities, Calgary has the highest number of small businesses per capita, at 38.8 per 1,000 population and provincewide small businesses contribute nearly 30 per cent to Alberta’s total economy. Of the youngest entrepreneurs in the country, Calgary’s small businesses will continue to play an increasingly important role in the prosperity of Alberta.

“Small businesses are thriving and critical to Calgary, and their successes certainly warrants acknowledgment and celebration. Entrepreneurs play an increasingly significant role in assisting larger businesses and filling niche markets,” says Dan Overall, vice president of research, workforce and safety with Calgary Economic Development.

“We anticipate ongoing and robust growth in small businesses and strive to provide the supports, programs and campaigns that will continue to assist them, so that there are even more suc-

cess stories that inform and inspire.”

ATB Financial is another organization that believes in and backs small businesses. Wellington Holbrook, executive vice president of business and agriculture with ATB Financial, is passionate about entrepreneurship and

admires the risks business owners take and the responsibilities they carry.

“We commend small businesses in Alberta for the substantial economic and social contributions they make daily. We see first-hand the stresses and successes of small business, and

Calgary’s small businesses will continue to play an increasingly important role in prosperity for Albertans.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

FALL 2012

Reveal a new you 500+ industry-recognized courses in management, oil and gas, health and community development, computers, and arts.

mtroyal.ca/conted

SCAN TO WIN AN iPAD!

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 35

Small Business of the Year | A Look Back • Small Business Week

95 Over 95

per cent of all

%

businesses in Calgary are small

businesses.

are working towards reinventing business banking so that we can provide even more unique and flexible solutions to business owners. They are the backbone of our economy and we strive to be their partner and resource as they chart new successes,” says Holbrook.

Here is a snapshot of the winners of Small Business Week from five and 10 years ago, and where they are now.

2007 SBOY* ~ Executive Mat Service and Janitorial Supply Kim Coran, President “Success is about hard work and timing. Since receiving the award we have grown from 25 to 60 employees and have locations from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, plus additional 36 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

satellite branches. We’ve earned the business of 4,000-plus clients, recently won the 2012 Emerald Award for Small Business Environmental Innovation and are a finalist in the Prairie Region of the Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year Award. We are most grateful and appreciative of the Chamber of Commerce. They are truly champions of small business in Calgary.”

2007 EEOY* ~ TAG Recruitment Group Sheila Musgrove, Founder and Talent Seeker “Being recognized by the Chamber of Commerce and Calgary business community was one of my proudest moments.

We have since expanded into Edmonton and are about to open in Vancouver. The work of our talented team has enabled us to maintain consistent annual growth and earn

“

Small Business of the Year | A Look Back • Small Business Week

“

We commend small businesses in Alberta for the substantial economic and social contributions they make daily.

We see first-hand the stresses and successes of small business, and are working towards reinventing business banking so that we

can provide even more unique and flexible solutions to business owners. ~ Wellington Holbrook

awards such as Profit Magazine’s Hot 50 in 2008, Alberta Venture’s Fast 50 annually since 2009, and Profit Magazine’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in Canada annually since 2009. Calgary is the most amazing city to be an entrepreneur.

The business community is open to entrepreneurs and there is vitality and insurmountable opportunity.”

Ever Been on a

Medical

Wait List?

www.waitlistinsurance.com Now through this unique insurance, you are able to expedite services. Premiums are tax deductible through a Health Trust or your Corporation.

Some services available in our most comprehensive program are:

• MRI • CT Scans • Orthopaedic Specialists • GI Appointments • Knee or hip surgery • Hernias & Gall Bladder • Heart Bypass surgery Call directly or ask your insurance advisor:

1-866-416-2259

2002 SBOY* ~ Fitter International Louis Stack, Founder and President “We’ve built our business on the premise of health and wellness. Balance and stability are at the core of every human being and not just extreme athletes. We intentionally surrounded ourselves with other like-minded people and mentors, to help us focus and succeed. Being Small Business of the Year was a lifetime highlight. We were in a fast growth phase and the acknowledgment was incredible.

Since 2002 we have continued to grow at an average rate of 30 per cent per year, and in 2008 made the decision to restructure and refocus. It was the best thing we could have done. We are even stronger now and proud to be an industry leader who manufactures and ships product worldwide.”

A step towards maintaining your health and active lifestyle.

2002 EEOY* ~ Entrix Sports Ltd. Chris Jones, President “Winning this award was incredibly meaningful. It came at a critical time, as we were on the brink of securing the funding that would take our company to the next level. The recognition and profile we received through the award and relationships created helped push us further, and enabled us to out-beat the likes of Nike, Reebok and others. We are most thankful for the Chamber of Commerce. We have since tripled our business and are the national leader in sports-related brand building and distribution. Our passion is sports and enhancing performance. It’s humbling and inspiring to see so many people, including dozens of Olympians, using our products!” BiC *Small Business of the Year (SBOY). Emerging Enterprise of the Year (EEOY)

Note: For knee and hip replacement surgery and for pre-existing conditions, coverage is effective two years from enrollment.

Wait List Insurance is underwritten by Lloyd’s of London and administered by Lloyd’s Approved Coverholder, MSH International, Calgary, AB.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 37

The Concorde Group Calgary entrepreneurs continually reinvent their hospitality brands to thrive in a highly competitive industry

Meet the players: Victor Choy (back center), co-president/partner Jim Choy (right back), co-president/partner Brad Morrison (left back), chief operating officer/partner Brian Lee (front & center), chief financial officer/partner Andrea Thompson (right), executive vice president – administration/partner Christy Hall (left), vice president – business development and marketing/partner

The Concorde Group • Cover

By Derek Sankey Photos By Ewan Nicholson Photography Inc.

I

f you have lived in Calgary for any length of time – and assuming you have a pulse – you have probably stepped into at least one of the restaurants, bistros, nightspots, entertainment venues or pubs owned by Calgary’s highly successful Concorde Group, comprised of a group of innovative entrepreneurs who have thrived for years in what is a highly competitive hospitality industry in this city. But it hasn’t been without a lot of sweat and hard work.

The company has deep roots in Calgary and a storied history. It all started when Victor Choy was working at a small club called the Beach in 1987 and a former co-worker approached him with the idea of starting up their own club.

Despite being short on initial startup capital, the pair opened the first Republik nightclub in June of that year, designed as a college bar that played alternative music.

The first night it opened – featuring Calgary’s first rooftop club patio – they had gone through what they thought would be a two-week supply of liquor. It soon became clear they needed to move into a larger location. Andrea Thompson, currently the Concorde Group’s executive vice president of administration/partner, was one of the club’s first and most important employees, helping out during the opening of the venue.

After two months of being open, Victor was faced with a major decision: continue on with owning and operating the Republik or go east where he was accepted into an architectural program in Toronto. He chose to stay in Calgary.

“It was a really tough choice,” says Victor, now 47. “There was definitely a fear factor as to whether I was making the right choice.”

It appears he did, in fact, make the right choice. By 1989, the Republik found its new home at 17th Avenue and 2nd Street SW. Thompson became the Concorde Group’s administration assistant at the time, a role she has long since outgrown with 25 years of experience with the firm. She provided the expertise and knowledge with the internal workings to help grow the company.

The company expanded into Edmonton the same year with two projects, then another in Calgary and by 1994 opened a lounge called the Mercury along 17th Avenue to cater to its loyal (but now aging) patrons who used to the Republik. With the success of the MerBy frequent Derek Sankey cury, the Concorde Group, which now included Victor’s older brother, Jim Choy (integral to building the Republik venue and Mercury Lounge), decided to focus exclusively on the Calgary market – a city where the pair was raised since childhood.

They restructured in 1997 as the initial partner took over the Edmonton businesses and moved on, while Victor’s brother, Jim, became an official partner in the Concorde Group. “The enjoyable part is that we’re family oriented,” www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 39

40 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The Concorde Group • Cover

says Jim, who is now co-president of the company along with Victor and who brings his own extensive background in construction and the hospitality industry to bear on the group’s operations. “We’ve just never stopped.”

When the Mercury opened in 1994, the group hired Brad Morrison as the executive chef. “He proved to have greater talents and he quickly moved up the ladder and became the general manager,” says Victor. Over the years, Morrison became a partner in the Bungalow Lounge and later became a partner in the Concorde Group.

By 2001, the group of entrepreneurs had proven themselves in the market and was looking to go mainstream.

They opened the Whiskey nightclub on 10th Avenue and Jim got another chance to put his skills to use, making it his “pet project.” His goal was simple: create one of the city’s best entertainment venues. Easier said than done. It had a beerhouse, nightclub, live entertainment element and a rooftop patio – all the makings of a smash success. Jim managed the club for 10 years while simultaneously providing his day-today input into the company.

With Morrison now the chief operating officer and a partner in the Concorde Group, he continues to offer some of the best creative genius the firm has in keeping concepts innovative, fun and – equally important – profitable. He has been an integral part to the recent success of Concorde’s latest concepts.

There have been many brands, rebrands, reinventions and new concepts over the lifetime of the Concorde Group.

Between 1999 and 2005 alone, they opened or were involved as partners in Concorde Restaurant and Lounge, Bungalow Lounge, Orbit Lounge, Bass Bros. Beerhouse, The Mynt nightclub, Lucky Liquor Lounge and Pongo Noodle House – all familiar names to anybody who lived here during those years, especially if they lived in and around downtown.

Names have changed, locations have changed, but one of the keys to success at whatever venture the group takes on has always been innovation and paying attention to what “works” – that elusive quality that someone taps into what people want in an entertainment venue. They’ve worked with people like Kelly Ryan, from RAD Design (the primary designer over the last few years).

“One of the challenges is that we’re always trying to make the next project even better than the previous – just building and always trying to one-up ourselves or outdo ourselves,” says Victor.

In the hospitality industry, there’s always a shelf life.

Depending on which brand it is, you always have to be ready to tweak, renovate, rebrand or reinvent a location. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to what the Concorde Group does.

“Calgary is a sophisticated market, and as a result the industry is diverse so as to serve an equally diverse hospitality patron base,” explains Christy Hall, vice president of business development and marketing/partner. “We don’t necessarily try to define the industry, but instead try to continually understand and anticipate an evolving marketplace.”

Current Concorde Group locations and managing partners: • Sky 360 (Kevin Taylor) • Local 510 Public Tavern & Kitchen (Dan Northfield) • Local 522 Public Tavern & Kitchen (Matt Morrison) • Local 002 Public Tavern & Kitchen • Double Zero Pizza & Wine (Dan and Jon Molyneux, Justin Leboe) • Flames Central • West Restaurant & Bar (Jeremiah Jurcic) • Wildhorse Saloon (Matt Morrison) • Republik Nightclub (Dan Northfield) • Palomino Smokehouse (Arlen Smith and Dan Northfield) • National Eatery & Beer Hall (Jon Molyneux and Justin Leboe) • Model Milk Bistro (Justin Leboe) • Clive Burger (Justin Leboe)

Concorde Group locations opening soon: • Ivy Hall & Amusements (casual eatery, bowling and beer opening by November) • Double Zero Pizza (southwest Calgary expansion set to open by July 2013) • National Eatery & Beer Hall (Calgary west expansion to open in June 2013) Since the Concorde team constructs, renovates and otherwise handles every aspect of the business, it’s easy to be nimble and to adapt to changing trends. “Everybody knows a startup bar or restaurant only takes months to potentially go down, but it’s been good for us,” says Jim, referring to the notoriously high failure rate in the restaurant and hospitality industry. “What we’re good at is keeping up with those trends and not trying to ride off a trend from the past.”

Keeping current is essential in this business. Crowds don’t flock to downtrodden, dated bars from the past. But having multiple brands brings its own challenges. “Any time you open a new place, you always have uncertainty,” says Brian Lee, chief financial officer/partner. “Hopefully it works in the end.” It has so far.

“Unlike a company that has one brand, having multiple brands means to multiply the required creative aspects by the number of brands you have,” says Lee. “Basically, you have to create a new design, new menus, training specific to each menu, and customize the systems and procedures for each new brand that you develop. Essentially, you multiply your workload,” adds Lee. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 41

The Concorde Group • Cover

With such a local, community presence throughout the city, it’s no surprise the Concorde Group has established strong ties in every corner of Calgary.

They also acknowledge the unique talent that manages each venue. Although it’s a stressful and highly competitive industry, it’s clear that passion runs the business. “From taking an idea and working through a concept to seeing the finished product and seeing people enjoy the end result is very rewarding and fulfilling,” says Morrison.

These managing partners have been very important in Concorde’s growth and evolution, he says. “Without them on the front line, Concorde Group would not be where they are today,” he adds. “Our team is strong. We have gathered together a team of like-minded people to guide us into the future.”

After 25 years, they haven’t lost their passion. “We differentiate our brands by offering something that is innovative, non-traditional and new to the city,” explains Hall. From the design, details, food offerings, drink lists, furniture, fixtures, lighting and signage – a distinct vibe and experience is created.

With such a local, community presence throughout the city, it’s no surprise the Concorde Group has established strong ties in every corner of Calgary. Over the years, they have supported a long list of charitable causes, events and organizations. They include: Calgary Flames/Flames Wives & Flames Foundation; Calgary Stampeder Alumni Foundation; CUPS - Calgary Urban Project Society; PREP - Kelly 42 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Hrudey/Craig Conroy Talk Hockey; Missing Children Society; Timeraiser; UEnd Poverty; Special Olympics through Motionball Gala; and the City of Calgary Firefighters.

Aspiring entrepreneurs may want to take note of the recipe to the success of the Concorde Group. “Treat it as a business; not your social playground,” says Lee. “By this, we mean a business is successful by starting with a researched, well-thought out concept in a good location. Through maximizing revenues and minimizing expenses, any business should be able to generate a profit.”

Sounds easy, but it’s obviously not. And, of course, treating staff and patrons with respect and professionalism always pays off. No secret there. Every entrepreneur – especially in the cut-throat hospitality industry – has to be conscious of the culture they’re creating in whatever business it might be, he says. Establish a code of conduct and stick to it with consistency.

The story of the Concorde Group is one that’s a work in progress – always. “The longevity and success of the Concorde Group for two and half decades has been a result of all the talented and hard-working people who have worked here in the past and present,” says Victor. “It truly has been a team effort.” BiC

Are You Paying More ThanYou Your Fair Share Are Paying More of Property Than YourTaxes?

Fair Share of Property Taxes?

If you’re a non-residential property owner in Calgary, you are aware that your 2013 assessment notice will arrive the first week of January 2013. The values reflected on your 2013 assessment notice will be based on the market value If you’re a non-residential property owner in Calgary, you are aware that your of the property as of July 1, 2012.

2013 assessment notice will arrive the first week of January 2013. The values refl ected on your 2013 notice willitbe based on the value “Alberta’s dynamic real assessment estate market makes diffi cult for citymarket assessors to of the property as of July 1, 2012. accurately estimate the market value of your property for the purpose of distributing fair and equitable taxation on an annual basis, so that’s where we “Alberta’s dynamic real estate market makes it difficult for city assessors to come in,” says Liz McLeod, Clients and Market Manager with MNP’s Property accurately estimate the market value of your property for the purpose of Tax Recovery Team. MNP’s Property Tax Recovery Team has the expertise distributing fair and equitable taxation on an annual basis, so that’s where we and management experience to address complaint and administration issues come in,” says Liz McLeod, Clients and Market Manager with MNP’s Property spanning the entire valuation process to help non-residential property owners Tax Recovery Team. MNP’s Property Tax Recovery Team has the expertise mitigate their tax risks. and management experience to address complaint and administration issues spanning entire valuation process to help non-residential property owners Advancedthe Consultation Meetings mitigate their tax risks.

The City of Calgary is offering non-residential property owners and their Advanced Consultation Meetings representatives the opportunity to participate in a two-way exchange of information known as Advanced Consultation Meetings, to remedy issues The City of Calgary is offering non-residential property owners and their prior to the finalization of your 2013 assessment. representatives the opportunity to participate in a two-way exchange of information known as Advanced Meetings, to remedy issues Advanced consultation meetingsConsultation will be held over a three-week period prior to the finalization ofthrough your 2013 assessment. starting October 4, 2012 to October 31, 2012.

Advanced meetings willConsultation be held over aMeeting three-week period Benefits ofconsultation Attending an Advanced starting October 4, 2012 through to October 31, 2012.

“The advanced consultation period creates a collaborative venue for Benefi ts ofnegative Attending Advanced Consultation Meeting correcting inflan uences and omissions impacting the value of your property. It’s also free. Lodging an official complaint can cost you up to $650 “The advanced consultation period creates a collaborative venue for dollars. By addressing the issue now and resolving any discrepancies early on, correcting negative influences and omissions impacting the value of your you will be able to determine what your assessed value will be for next year, property. It’s also free. Lodging an official complaint can cost you up to $650 so you can move forward with budgeting and business planning for the next dollars. By addressing the issue now and resolving any discrepancies early on, fiscal without further delay,” advises Giovanni Worsley, Senior Manager with you will be able to determine what your assessed value will be for next year, MNP’s Property Tax Recovery Team. so you can move forward with budgeting and business planning for the next fiscal without further delay,” advises Giovanni Worsley, Senior Manager with MNP’s Property Tax Recovery Team.

How a Representative Can Help As your realty tax representative, MNP will review and scrutinize your How a Representative Can Helpour knowledge and expertise to the analysis assessment.

Then, we will apply and determine if the value placed on your property, for tax purposes, is fair As your realty tax representative, MNP will review and scrutinize your and equitable. This is critical in determining if you, as a rate payer, are paying assessment. Then, we will apply our knowledge and expertise to the analysis your fair share of taxes in relation to competing properties. and determine if the value placed on your property, for tax purposes, is fair and equitable. is critical determining if you, as provide a rate payer, are paying “Being able to This anticipate thein needs of city assessors, the right your fair share ofand taxes in relation tofor competing documentation meet timelines each stepproperties. in the process enables us to offer clients the peace of mind they need to stay focused on what they do “Being able to anticipate the needs of city assessors, provide the right best and carry on with business as usual,” says MacLeod. documentation and meet timelines for each step in the process enables us to offer the if peace of mind theyTurns need to stay focused on what they do Whatclients Happens My Assessment into a Complaint? best and carry on with business as usual,” says MacLeod.

Complex assessments that cannot be resolved during the advanced What Happens if Mymay Assessment Turnsapproaches. into a Complaint? consultation period require other MNP’s Property Tax Recovery Team works with clients that have single properties, and Complex assessments that cannot be resolved during the advanced large multi-national portfolios to minimize and manage real estate tax consultation period may require other approaches. MNP’s Property discrepancies by: Tax Recovery Team works with clients that have single properties, and large portfolios to minimize and manage real estate tax • multi-national Determining if your assessment is equitable with competing properties discrepancies • Verifyingby: that your assessed value is correct in relation to the market as of July 1, 2012 • Determining if your assessment is equitable with competing properties • Representing your interests at Assessment Review Boards in Alberta • Verifying that your assessed value is correct in relation to the market as • Mitigating assessment increases reported to municipalities of July 1, 2012 • Verifying appropriate tax class • Representing your interests at Assessment Review Boards in Alberta Mitigating reported toadvanced municipalities It’s• important to assessment understand increases that engaging in the consultation • Verifying tax class period isn’t justappropriate about reducing your taxes. It’s about being transparent and working with city assessors to ensure they are being fair and equitable in It’s important to understand that engaging in the advanced consultation assessing your property now and in the years ahead. period isn’t just about reducing your taxes. It’s about being transparent and working with cityeither assessors to ensureatthey are being fair equitable in Please Contact Liz McLeod 403.536.5537 orand Giovanni Worsley assessing your property now Property and in theTax years ahead. group to discuss your at 403.537.8438 of MNP’s Recovery 2013 realty tax concerns.

Please Contact either Liz McLeod at 403.536.5537 or Giovanni Worsley at 403.537.8438 of MNP’s Property Tax Recovery group to discuss your 2013 realty tax concerns.

f you’re a small to mid-sized business and you’re looking to upgrade your telecommunications system, consider calling CORE Telecom & Wiring Ltd. CORE offers the best IP PBX available today and it starts with the Allworx™ phone system. CORE is one of only two Allworx™ authorized partners in Calgary. “We intend to stay ahead of the technology curve – not follow it,” asserts Lee Mellersh, president, CORE Telecom & Wiring.

More than any other voice and data system available today, the award-winning Allworx™ system combines analog, digital and VoIP network options, and typically it costs 20 per cent less when compared to traditional systems.

Allworx™ was introduced in the mid-2000s and has slowly gained momentum among users. Today, they have roughly 10 per cent market share in the 1-100 user IP end points market in North America, and they have won numerous awards since launching the product.

Whether you’re installing a single site or linking multiple offices and remote users, there is no other system that compares to the simplicity and speed of an Allworx™ installation.

When the owners of CORE discovered the Allworx™ system, it became their product of choice because it offers all the enterprise calling features, but at SMB prices.

Two years ago, Lee Mellersh, Mason Marlatt and Jeremy Weber

pooled their collective telecom, cabling, IT and business expertise to start CORE. They specialize in SMB, telephone and voice mail systems, voice and data network cabling, paging, fibre optics and wireless networks.

“When we started CORE, Nortel had just been purchased and they had discontinued many of their products. Avaya took over a large segment of the market share, but almost every business had a Nortel box, phone and phone system,” explains Mellersh. “Since Nortel products were slowly being discontinued, we looked at alternative products and wanted to find something that differentiated us from everyone else.”

“The Allworx™ system does everything and more when compared to the Nortel system,” remarks Mellersh. “Most customers don’t understand how the network system operates and we want to ensure they are getting what they need and they are not spending money that they don’t have to,” he adds.

“We point out where they are undervaluing or overvaluing space and we spend a lot of time consulting and co-ordinating with our customers before the installation work begins,” he says.

Nortel, Avaya and others use a “per user” price model for the phone system features. As a business owner, if you had 20 employees who required voice mail then you’d have to pay for one licence, per user, up to your 20 user licences. When you expanded to 25 users you had to upgrade the system licences for another five users.

“With the Allworx™ system, it’s one licence – for all the users on the system. From a price point, it’s about 20 per cent less, on average, than using a Nortel or Avaya system,” adds Mellersh. “If they don’t want voice mail and they want live answer instead, the customer doesn’t have to get voice mail. It’s a very flexible system – it’s not a ‘one-stamp-fits-all’ approach and over time, it can yield a significant savings.”

Likewise, Allworx™ doesn’t charge for additional licences to access their system remotely, whereas some of the manufacturers do. CORE services many of their clients’ requests remotely with trained and certified installers, and within about two hours.

Wiring and infrastructure is a big part of CORE’s business – to support the phones, computers and existing older systems. “We do a lot of service work for big-box retail stores and much of that work comes via our relationships with general and subcontractors,” says Mellersh.

Since launching CORE, they have landed a couple of national retail contracts and they have worked with countless small to midsized companies – in all sectors.

“A big part of our business is education and listening to the customer before offering any product or solution. As one customer explained, he’s never been able to record the phone call when a technician visits a remote well site for the first time, thereby capturing the directions,” says Mellersh.

“As it turned out, that customer already had that particular feature on his existing system, so we didn’t sell him anything – we just needed to educate him. He saved the directions and when the next guy went to the well site, he forwarded the phone call as an email (directions on a voice clip). And the next time that customer needs to upgrade his phone system, we’re confident he’s going to call us,” he observes.

“Allworx™ is the system to use today and we have taken the lead: it’s our flagship product because it’s a great product. We believe strongly in it and our customers rave about the system: it’s simple, flexible and cost effective,” Mellersh adds.

Prior to starting CORE, the partners had spent several years in the industry and worked largely with Nortel and Avaya systems as certified installers. When they discovered Allworx™, there was simply no comparison.

They were introduced to the Allworx™ system at a trade show and given its capabilities, simplicity and price point, it became their flagship product. They headed to Toronto for certification and when they returned to Calgary, they printed a stack of flyers and started to educate people – and then the business started to take off.

CORE Telecom & Wiring www.coretelecom.ca 403.921.9889

46 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The Future of Oil • Oil & Gas

The Future of

Oil

Oilfield service companies are breaking new ground every day to explore the future of the oil and gas industry in multi-stage, horizontal fracturing

By Shannon Clive

I

t’s been called a game-changer for the oil and gas industry, has come under international scrutiny among regulators and environmental groups, and sparked plenty of controversy. But make no mistake – multistage horizontal fracturing has transformed the oilfield services segment of the industry.

Working alongside producers, the oilfield services companies see tremendous opportunity in this technology. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 47

WWW.MOSTARDIRECTIONAL.COM

MOSTAR – hOW IT ShOULD bE DONE

4 minutes.

That’s how long it takes to switch between EM and MUD PULSE technologies without tripping, using the world’s one and only dual telemetry MWD system.

Allowing you to drill faster and save time and money.

You won’t find a quicker, more efficient system out there.

Experience the Mostar difference. Ask about it.

Canuck Completions Ltd. employee installing an IsoFRAC IITM Packer

$$$$ $$$ $$ $

The Future of Oil • Oil & Gas

Oilfield services companies take risks just like the Big Oil (and small oil) producers. “That ability to fracture – deep underground and longer, lateral horizontal legs – has just opened the door,” says Mark Salkeld, president and chief executive of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC). “It’s changing the face of the industry in Canada, North America and around the world. They take risks and PSAC members take risks.”

Horizontal drilling allows companies to get longer exposure into the formations beneath the ground that oil companies seek out. Then they use hydraulic fracturing in a separate process to provide directional, downhole accuracy and expertise that’s never been seen with the likes of what’s happening today.

Firms can now drill up to about 5000 metres horizontally.

“Once you’ve got that hole drilled, you’re in with the tools to (multistage) fracture,” he adds. “It’s the precision – that’s what it is all about.”

52 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

The same technology has been adapted to oil wells after first getting its start (most recently) in the natural gas sector.

Ten years ago, Salkeld showed a slide using data pulled from PSAC’s well cost study at the time showing a well drilled in northeastern B.C. from 2000 – at an initial cost of $325,000 in a vertical well – that was contrasted with a horizontally-drilled well using multistage fracturing technology (which comprised about 54 per cent of the cost of the well), that’s now a $3-million well. “It’s not just one well,” explains Salkeld. “You’ve drilled 3000 metres horizontally with formation exposure, so essentially you’re three to five wells in one. That’s what’s changed.”

PSAC’S position within the industry – and its member companies – is changing entirely. “We’re becoming far more important and far more significant in the overall completion in the well,” he says. “Everyone just pictures a drilling rig when you talk about oil and gas but the drilling is now just one part of it. The completions process is now an evergrowing piece of it.”

In the 1970s, oilfield service companies would clear 20 acres of bush with one vertical well with less than one square mile of subsurface exposure, drilling straight through a formation. Nowadays, they can go in and clear two acres of land, and drill a multi-well pad that can drill up to 36 wells from that single pad.

It provides producers with more than 80 square miles of subsurface exposure, says Salkeld.

“On surface, we’ve considerably decreased the environmental footprint,” he says.

It also extends the firms’ drilling season. “Our seasons are longer,” he says. “We’re not quite as affected by break-up as we used to be in certain areas.”

The Future of Oil • Oil & Gas

Horizontal drilling allows companies to get longer exposure into the formations beneath the ground that oil companies seek out. Then they use hydraulic fracturing in a separate process to provide directional, downhole accuracy and expertise that’s never been seen with the likes of what’s happening today.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 53

The Future of Oil • Oil & Gas

CALGARY CUSTOMS BROKERS LTD. 2008 - 2011

ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE WE SPECIALIZE IN IMPORTS OF: MACHINERY • OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT • GEOPHYSICAL EQUIPMENT • AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS • ROAD BUILDING EQUIPMENT • MEDICAL SUPPLIES • AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT • COMPUTER EQUIPMENT • ELECTRONICS • SPORTING GOODS • FURNITURE

IMPORTS – EXPORTS – REFUNDS – CONSULTANTS

403-269-4393 FAX: 403-269-5440 • 10B, 1323 – 44 Ave. NE

www.ccb.ab.ca 54 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

PSAC member companies are working together much more closely than ever before. It’s almost like lean manufacturing in that you can have a whole series of integrated, collaborative services working together. It includes drilling, logging, well drilling, completions firms, cement companies – everything and everyone that takes part in the process.

“If you can get all your logistics in place – your tanks, your water, your equipment – then you can work longer,” he says. “This the way of the future, without a doubt.”

One of the organization’s first member companies began in Manitoba with fracturing technology in 1951. “We’ve been doing this for a long time,” he says. “We’re just getting better. We’ve got a really robust, regulatory system and relationships with producers and regulatory bodies.”

Today, engineers walk through three- and four-dimensional, theatre-sized display rooms to design wells. With over half a million wells drilled in Canada, PSAC companies and the producers they work with so closely know what they’re talking about. “That’s what sets Canada apart,” he says. “We’ve got an environment where we can work well with our customers, regulators and we’re world leaders.

That’s apparent.”

It’s a solid, stable economic environment with a future bent on technological innovation. Canadian-based oilfield

The Future of Oil • Oil & Gas

Sage BusinessVision Real time, Canadian accounting and management software for small to medium size business since 1989.

PJ BUSINESS SERVICES LTD. Ph: 403-296-2675 • Fax: 403-296-2677 7131A - 6th Street SE, Calgary, AB T2H 2M8 www.pjbusinessservices.com

Certified training & support for Sage BusinessVision since 1989.

services companies generated just under $13 billion in export revenue. It has 265 member companies, which represents between 60,000 to 70,000 employees.

From industry titans such as Trican, Calfrac, Canyon’s, Schlumberger and Halliburton to smaller or medium-sized operators such as BW Rig and many others, the organization represents 17 sub-sectors of the oil and gas sector, says Salkeld. “We’re spread out across the whole industry,” he says.

As for the oil and gas royalties review, it’s but a distant (if painful) memory in Alberta. “What they (the provincial government) didn’t realize is that PSAC members are the local businessmen,” says Salkeld. “We’re the guys in Drayton Valley and Slave Lake. We drill the wells for the (producers) and they can pick up their business and go to other provinces or other parts of the world, but their wells are here in Alberta and they are still producing revenue. The service companies provide those services to producers.”

As for the other impacts, they’re immeasurable. They donate money to local charities across Western Canada and they create lasting impacts. As regulators and the industry players contemplate how to best exploit and refine the technology that’s blazing new trails, it’s important to keep an open dialogue and to continue to invest in this game-changing era of development. BiC

DRAKE

COMMUNICATIONS COMPUTER NETWORKING TELEPHONE SYSTEMS

INC.

• Voice and Data Cabling • Paging Systems • Telephone Systems • Small Computer Systems • On-Site Network TroubleShooting • Fibre-Optic Cabling

Drake Communications Inc. (403) 862-8121 • support@drakecom.ca www.drakecom.ca

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 55

EXPERIENCIA MEXICO

I

n the heart of the Mission area, Añejo (pronounced an-yeahho) has brought new life to the old blue-and-white building originally known as 4th Street Rose – a famous eatery and bar during the 1980s. The masterminds behind the vision for Añejo are also the owners of the highly successful restaurant, The Living Room, located a few blocks north on 17 Avenue SW. Anyone who frequents 4th Street SW has seen Añejo take shape: the glass nanowall doors draw people inside as the atrium ceiling floods the restaurant with sunshine and warmth. Immediately to your right, the “always-open” and lengthy tequila bar features nearly 100 selections – guaranteed to satisfy any aficionado’s palate.

Añejo blends the perfect combination of lounge and restaurant.

From antojitos (snacks) to platos Mexicanos (Mexican dishes), they offer authentic fare from five regions in Mexico: north, south, east, west and central.

As part of Añejo’s preliminary research, a group trip to Mexico found the owners Jeff Hines, Michael Miller, Cliff Harvey and Patrick Hill, along with interior designer, Amanda Hamilton, and executive chef, Kevin Hill, enjoying the culture and cuisine unique to Mexico. Before long, they realized there’s a lot more to Mexican food than burritos, enchiladas and tacos.

“We are doing a couple different kinds of Ceviche, a few tacos, some very regional dishes like molotes (beggar’s purse) along with some fresh-shucked oysters and a side of tequila,” says Kevin.

Añejo will also offer “para la mesa” (at the table) where they prepare guacamole and queso fondito (fondue) for two, along with an array of dishes that are usually only found south of the border.

While travelling and working throughout Mexico’s countryside and kitchens, Kevin learned that “food” truly has its own language.

“No one spoke English and you realize that food is an international language,” says Kevin. “You don’t have to speak Spanish to understand what’s going on – we all spoke the language of food.”

As Kevin notes, everything in Mexico is fresh and made to order: it’s simple food, but it has a lot of flavour. “We plan to make everything fresh – every day – as much as possible. The extent of our fridge space is limited (three side-by-side fridges and one freezer), so we will be forced to keep things fresh and it means being more creative,” he explains.

“Our perception of a mole sauce has completely changed,” says Patrick. “In the past, it would take about 24-36 hours – prepared with lots of love – to create a great mole sauce. The Mexican chefs have a much simpler format, yet still get the same results, so they taught Kevin a few shortcuts without compromising any of the flavours.”

Most of the ingredients found in the “kitchens of Mexico” are already found in The Living Room’s kitchen, so Kevin was already familiar with many of the spices, herbs and foods.

“I try to use local products and follow the 100-mile rule as much as possible, but some of the foods like dried specialty peppers and fresh cactus leaves will be imported – there are some foods you can only get in Mexico,” he comments.

Set to open in August, Añejo’s menu was planned months ago, while construction nears completion. Interior designer Amanda Hamilton (Amanda Hamilton Interior Design, AHID) has been working with the partners to create a space that reflects their vision: an open two-storey earthy concept that caters to both the public as well as private functions. The rosary wall echoes back to Mexico’s

deep-rooted tradition coupled with imported specialty tequilas.

“Amanda came to Mexico with us to help select authentic pieces that would blend with our modern Mexican decor,” adds Patrick.

Añejo features two kitchens: one on the main floor and another in the basement. They also have a vertical roaster to offer streetfare options. “We will operate – live – from two kitchens in order to produce the menu,” explains Kevin.

Kevin Hill, executive chef “Two kitchens will give us more space and typically, the basement kitchen is used for prep and storage, but it will also be used for service. Cold food and desserts will come from the basement and be paired up with the hot food from the main kitchen,” he adds.

According to Patrick, their original plans called for a front-ofhouse renovation, but it wouldn’t be a restaurant opening without some issues as the basement also required additional work. “In order to make the space successful, we wanted to move the bar to the south wall which involved concrete coring and other mechanical changes that have never been done in this space before.”

As they prepare to open the doors, Kevin is most excited about the menu’s logistics and organization – posing a challenge, but loaded with fun. “For the customers, we want to start with an easy menu and gradually educate our patrons, then move into a more detailed Spanish-Mexican menu in the future.”

Añejo 2116 4th Street SW • 587.353.2656 www.anejo.ca twitter @anejoyyc • facebook - anejo on fourth

Rogers Insurance Ltd. BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

BY MARY SAVAGE

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

•A

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay

From left to right: Lee Rogers, President / Bruce Rabik, Chief Operating Officer / Peter Rogers, Chairman. On the cover from left to right: Bruce Rabik, Chief Operating Officer / Lindsay Mather, HR Manager / Karyn Fair, VP Commercial Lines / Mary Murray, VP Personal Lines / and Lee Rogers, President.

W

hen a colleague calls Lee Rogers, president of Rogers Insurance, to talk about business, more often than not he is asked about the Rogers Employee Ownership Program and the Rogers Dream Program – both of which are specifically designed to engage and elevate employee relations.

From the outside looking in, they seem to operate much like any other business – until you step inside. In a word or two, the internal environment at Rogers exudes evolution, empowerment, respect, trust and enthusiasm. It is an extraordinary environment – making the employees their most valued asset.

In turn, the employees exude loyalty, dedication and an unwavering commitment to the clients – period. Rogers’ approach to providing exemplary customer service begins with, quite simply, their employees.

Rogers has developed a global network – working with over 90 insurers and underwriting facilities worldwide on their clients’ behalf. It matters not where their clients do business, where they live, where they vacation or what they own – it’s all part and parcel of the workday.

For 35 years, Rogers Insurance has been helping people get the coverage they need, but they have also been instrumental in helping to change the industry – from the

2 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

From the Management & Staff of Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada We wish to extend our sincere congratulations to Rogers Insurance Ltd. On this their 35th Anniversary in the Insurance Industry Continued success and best wishes to All The Staff & Management Team at Rogers Insurance

Congratulations Rogers Insurance Ltd. on 35 years!

We wish you all the best!

TF 1.800.562.1180 The Economical Insurance Group® 2700, 801 6th Ave SW www.economicalinsurance.com

With the right team by your side, no goal is unattainable.

CNA is one of North America’s leading insurers with over 100 years of experience. Our reputation for quality, stability and financial strength has built a foundation of trust that is second to none.

In partnering with Rogers Insurance for over 16 years, we are delighted to congratulate them on their 35th anniversary. We are especially proud of our successful track record in writing international/cross border accounts as well as penetrating the oil & gas and manufacturing segments.

Thank you, Rogers, for a solid partnership. We look forward to continued success in the future.

www.cnacanada.ca CNA is a registered trademark of CNA Financial Corporation. Use of the term “partnership” and/or “partner” should not be construed to represent a legally binding partnership.

Copyright © 2012 CNA. All rights reserved.

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

•3

RCC 1/3 Page Ad:Layout 1

8/8/12

• Restoration • Construction • Cleaning Emergency Response 24/7 ROCKY CROSS CONSTRUCTION (NORTH) LTD.

When important restoration decisions need to be made quickly, your first choice should be Rocky Cross Construction.

Dispatchers are on-call 24 hours a day to respond to your call. Our emergency response vehicles contain the most up-todate restoration equipment and our experienced teams will be rapidly deployed upon your call, minimizing damage.

• Fire & Flood Clean-Up • Electronic Cleaning • Hail Damage • Water Extraction • Fire & Flood Restoration • Dry Cleaning • Commercial Contracting • Deodorizing • Soda Blasting • Emergency Board-Ups • Sewer Back-Ups • Vehicle Impacts • Lightning Strikes • Content Cleaning • Inventory Services • Infrared Thermography

Emergency Response 24/7 Toll Free 1-888-272-9543 Rocky Cross Construction North Bay S 1338 36 Ave NE, Calgary, Alberta T2E 6T6 Tel: (403) 252-2550 Fax: (403) 387-2662 Email: info@rccn.ca

10:46 AM

Page 1

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay inside out. They have received several awards as an “Employer of Choice” and they have raised the bar on leadership, relationships and communication.

For society at large, insurance is inextricably woven throughout our lives and for anyone who has done business with Rogers, unequivocally, everything else pales in comparison.

Evolution…

CHANGE + TRUST = GROWTH Change is inevitable in any organization – from technology to manpower and all points in-between, but simply because a company embraces change does not guarantee a higher degree of success. The success comes largely by way of trial and error along with a determination to continually adapt.

“As an organization, we have always adapted to change and we’ve always been willing to engage change, and I think this has attributed to our success,” says Lee Rogers. “Most people resist change and although we have not been shy to change as we become a larger company, it is certainly easier to be more resistant to change.”

During the early 2000s, Rogers underwent big changes: Peter Rogers, the company’s founder, stepped down from the day-to-day operations but retained his position as chairman. Peter’s son, Lee, was appointed president and Bruce Rabik was hired as chief operating officer.

“Hiring Bruce was a big shift in our business in terms of the industry. We shifted our focus on infrastructure and support, with a greater emphasis on the professional management of an insurance brokerage. We have always embraced change and we’ve tried many new things – some of which worked, while others didn’t,” adds Lee. “We’ve accomplished ‘evolution’ by challenging our people to embrace it.

We are always challenging our staff to do a better job: provide better service and different service. We want them to round out the client’s account by thinking more like a business person and being more than just an insurance specialist, and it all comes back to change,” says Lee.

“Within the Personal Lines, we’ve added numerous divisions to better service a growing number of areas. This growth was not achieved without a certain amount of pain, but we have done it. Our success revolves around these types of changes. We treat our staff well, but I think we also treat our clients very well,” remarks Mary Murray, vice president, Personal Lines.

“In my department, we return calls within two hours and that amazes our clients – we treat our clients like our staff. We also have a great relationship with our underwriters and that brings us success on all three fronts.”

4 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

WE’RE BIG ON PARTNERSHIP

The expertise and support of our key broker partners, like Rogers Insurance Limited, have helped RSA become one of Canada’s leading insurance providers.

Together, we offer a complete suite of insurance solutions for personal and commercial customers the world over.

RSA congratulates Rogers on 35 successful years, serving their customers across Alberta.

With over 300 years of experience, RSA is an established ‘A+’ rated insurer offering a complete suite of insurance solutions fthrough a network of independent brokers, like Rogers Insurance Limited.

If yOu’RE BIG ON PARTNERSHIP, PARTNER WITH RSA INSuRANcE.

PERSONAl & cOmmERcIAl INSuRANcE

| rsabroker.ca

©2012. RSA is a registered trade name of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance company of canada. “RSA” and the RSA logo are trademarks used under license from RSA Insurance Group plc.

‘A+’ rated by Standard & Poor’s. ‘A’ rated by moody’s and Am Best.

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay “Most brokerages would sit back and say, ‘We’ve always sold personal lines, so let’s continue to do what we’ve done for 20 years,’ but we’ve gone out and done things differently. It’s easy to say we treat our people well and most brokerages would say they treat their people well, so how does that differentiate

From Kazakhstan to Cuba, their customers are found all over the world. “Our clients’ insurance needs involve locations and activities with risk of all types: it’s where they are going and what they are doing,” explains Lee. “In extreme situations, we’ve provided politicalrisk coverage or insured for kidnap and ransom. In one instance, our client was shipping assets on an ocean cargo ship across the world and they had to do a joint venture deal with people who may not be fully trustworthy, so how do you insure that type of scenario?” he adds. us from the others; I think you have to be more specific,” he continues.

As Bruce has observed, change only happens successfully when there’s trust among the people. Ten years ago, Rogers had 54 employees and one office in Calgary.

Today they employ 208 people with more positions waiting to be filled. They have offices throughout the province

Austen Lillies, Lee Rogers and Nathan Klein

– from Fort McMurray and Red Deer to Calgary and Lethbridge. They have grown from two departments to several teams within each division and they have increased their product offerings.

Ten years ago, Rogers was licensed only in Alberta and today they are licensed in every jurisdiction across Canada where they handle major accounts across the country. “We have affiliated relationships with brokers throughout the United States and Mexico, and we continue to increase our capabilities and relationships with Lloyd’s of London,” explains Bruce. “During that 10-year period, we went from being a local broker to an insurance broker with global capabilities to protect our clients doing business all over the world.”

Sovereign General Insurance congratulates Rogers Insurance Ltd. on 35 successful years in the insurance industry!

6 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

Canada’s Leading Specialty Insurer Is proud to be associated with:

Congratulations Rogers Insurance on 35 years!

CONTRACT SURETY

COMMERCIAL SURETY

CRIME – 3D / FINANCIAL INSTITUTION BONDS

DIRECTORS’ & OFFICERS’ CREDIT INSURANCE LIABILITY INSURANCE

Guarantee SUPERIOR (Ontario only)

DEVELOPER SURETY

Guarantee GOLD®

(High value home and automobile protection)

Insurance is your business. Legal advice is ours.

Together we protect business in Calgary and beyond.

We look forward to our continued partnership and future opportunities.

VANCOUVER CALGARY TORONTO OTTAWA MONTRÉAL QUÉBEC CITY LONDON PARIS JOHANNESBURG

Proud Supporter of Brokers Displaying this Symbol

THE GUARANTEE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA

gcna.com

24930_Rogers_Insurance_35thAnniversary_July_23_2012_Final.indd 1

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

7/23/2012 3:21:35 PM

•7

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay Empowerment…

DISMISSING THE LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY Inside every successful company, you will find policies, procedures and systems – it brings structure and continuity to the daily operations. Like most businesses, Rogers has their policies and procedures, but they have taken a slightly different tact when it comes to the decision-making process with management.

“One of the areas that enable us to do a great job with our people is that we are empowered by Bruce and Lee to make the decisions necessary to keep our Through Rogers’ involvement in broker organizations such as the Canadian Broker Network and Intersure, their managers attend the “Best Practice” conferences. Four Times a year, the conference brings together 30-40 of the industry’s brokers to share their “Best Practices.”

“These are concepts that make the brokers more successful,” explains Lee. “They are highquality brokers and in order to attend, you have to meet certain criteria. It’s part of our commitment to helping our people increase their knowledge and ultimately, provide better service and capabilities.”

Bruce is has been a lifelong student of leadership practices and a fan of both Peter Drucker and Robert Kaplan. One of Kaplan’s quotes summarizes Bruce’s approach to leadership: “Great leadership is not about having all the answers – it is, more often, about having the courage to ask the critical questions.”

“We hired Karyn with no job description because we recognized her leadership potential. Her background is home and auto insurance, but she has outstanding people skills and her career path is unique.

You can teach someone the technical skills, but you can’t teach extraordinary people skills,” says Bruce.

“Leadership is largely about asking questions and that’s where Karyn really shines.”

According to Karyn, solving a problem is done collectively. “When I solve a commercial problem, I don’t have ‘my’ way of solving it. The team looks at the problem together and we figure out the solution that makes the most sense. I don’t approach a problem in a typical way: you have to listen to what other people say in order to determine the best solution.” people happy. We are empowered to make the day-today changes that help people now and being able to make those changes immediately is what helps people: it allows us to respond to things more quickly,” asserts Karyn Fair, vice president, Commercial Lines.

Congratulations to Rogers Insurance on 35 years of success, from your friends at Great American: Chris Briggs, Roselyn Burnett, Wanda Gutjahr, Michelle Morin, and Tim Sunderman.

Property and Inland Marine Division

Great American Insurance Group I Scotia Plaza, Suite 2100, 40 King Street West, Toronto, Canada M5H 3C2

GreatAmericanInsuranceGroup.com

8 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

Why travel?

of quality, “Be a yardstick When you can some people aren’t use to

an environment where TravelWell® is expected

excellence

”

Whether your customers are travelling outside- the province Steve Jobs or out of the country, Intact offers personalized travel insurance to ensure they are properly protected.

Help them get covered against the cost of unexpected emergencies

Intact that may happen prior to or during their trip, such as trip interruption, medical insurance, and travel assistance.

Most benefits packages or credit cards offer only limited protection.

TravelWell® provides complete coverage for your customer, whether they travel once per year or once per week.

There are two options to choose Intact Insurance would like tofrom: congratulate Rogers Insurance for 35 • TravelWell® Emergency Plan of quality and excellence is years in business and where Medical the yardstick • TravelWell® All-Inclusive Plan evident in everything they do.

We are proud to be a business partner to such a quality organization.

Talk to your Intact Insurance representative about TravelWell® today.

Happy 35th Anniversary from Intact Insurance!

HOM E • C R •• BUSINESS BUSINESS HOME • ACAR TheBIP BIPlogo logoisisa aregistered registered trademark of Insurance the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC). other tradeThe trademark of the Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC). All other All trade-marks marks are property Intact Financial Corporation under license.

2012, Intact Insurance Company. are property of Intact of Financial Corporation used underused license. © 2009, Intact©Insurance Company.

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay Several years ago, Rogers started a newsletter that was specifically geared for their underwriters – another industry first. They host numerous summer retreats for their underwriters – a rarity within the industry. And each year, they award one broker with “Underwriter of the Year” as part of a unique program that works in conjunction with brokers across the country.

“All of these initiatives are part of treating our underwriters with respect and to my knowledge, there are no other brokerages that engage this type of activity,” says Bruce.

“If people are struggling with something, waiting for six weeks to change it doesn’t work. We give our employees balanced workloads and we support them.

When you manage over 40 people – all working in individual teams and under different circumstances – it could be a stressful job, but our people are genuinely happy in their work environment. We spend the time to understand how they are doing and we help them manage their workloads,” comments Karyn. “The management team is really empowered to do what makes the most sense in each department and it’s an environment I’ve never worked in before.”

Calgary LLP • bryanco.com Congratulations Rogers Insurance Ltd. on 35 years!

We wish you many years of continued success!

Suite 320 8West 903 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, AB T2P 0P7 Phone: 403-269-7220 • Fax: 403-269-9304 Toll Free: 1-800-480-3534 • info@bryanco-cgy.com

Austen Lillies, vice president of sales, has been with Rogers since 2001 and has observed – time and again – the entrepreneurial spirit found within the organization. “Unlike many of our competitors, we are not ‘institutional’ and we work very hard to keep our entrepreneurial minds engaged,” he adds.

Respect…

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY For Rogers, respect means “walking the talk” and it transcends every layer of their internal communications – from employees to underwriters (suppliers). “We treat our people with respect: we post exactly what we intend to do. We put it in writing, hang it on the wall and we hold ourselves accountable,” says Bruce.

“It clearly states that everyone will have reasonable workloads. Typically and in this industry, we work people hard and they burnout. If our employees feel their workload is unreasonable, they are allowed to raise their hand and tell us. People talk about work-life balance, but we try very hard and we are very committed to achieving this balance, and that’s a sign of respect,” he remarks. “I’m not aware of any other company, in our industry, that has taken this approach.”

Trust…

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL RELATIONSHIPS During the mid ’90s, Peter’s vision to build a long-term, privately-owned brokerage was never more prevalent than when he introduced the Employee-Ownership Program. He started with a handful of key employees, gave them an incredible opportunity and rewarded them for their loyalty. He also did it to protect the company from outside investors.

“Peter was the visionary behind our Employee-Ownership Share Program (ESOP) and back then this type of opportunity simply didn’t happen,” asserts Lee. “Around 2003, we decided to expand the offering to additional key employ-

10 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay ees and we looked at ways to differentiate the company – which included incentives to attract more quality people. We coined the acronym ESOP and decided every employee should have the opportunity to become a shareholder rather than just key positions.”

Over time, Rogers’ ESOP program evolved to identify each position and the number of eligible shares based on certain criteria. After two years of employment, every person has the opportunity to buy in.

“When someone sells their shares, we have a mechanism to determine who should be able to buy them which further enhances the ESOP program. Today we have 60 shareholders – none of which are external investors. This is very unique in our industry: we are one of very few independently-owned and managed brokerages in North America to offer shares to every employee,” remarks Lee. “ESOP was Peter’s way of giving back to his employees because he’s a tremendously loyal individual,” adds Lee. “Much of what we do is driven by loyalty and we want to reward our people for their hard work and commitment.”

At the age of 20, Lee was attending Mount Royal College and playing soccer when he discovered a cooperative insurance program that allowed him to study and work concurrently. Up until that time, there had never been any discussion of Lee working for Rogers and when he approached Peter about the cooperative program, his father’s response was rather direct.

“He said to me, ‘If you’re serious about the insurance business, you can work for me and if you like it, then we’ll send you back to school and for training,’ and shortly thereafter, I started as receptionist,” says Lee with a smile.

“Peter put me through every layer of the business – from claims and processing to associate work and sales. And he made me report to a different manager – seldom did I ever report to him directly,” adds Lee.

Congratulations Rogers Insurance Ltd. on 35 years in business At Aviva, we work with brokers like Rogers Insurance who see people, not policies.

We’re proud of our history together and look forward to many more years of serving the community.

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

• 11

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay

Commercial Lines Team - working together to ensure success! Bob Shaw, Carolin Adie and Annette Langton

Enthusiasm…

MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN THE MEASLES From the newly-purchased slushy machine to toonielunch on Fridays, all ideas are brought forward for consideration – to keep the environment fresh, exciting and fun. Some ideas come from management while others germinate among the staff, but everyone has a voice.

When Rogers hires someone new, part of the process includes a trivia contest to help everyone get to know them. “The trivia contest is a new annual event and we highlight the people who have been hired over the past year. As we continue to grow, we still want everyone to know each other,” explains Karyn.

“The trivia contest is very competitive, but it’s also great fun! We all run around, searching for the answers and learning about our new staff. We have big prizes and everyone wants Bruce and Lee on their trivia team because they are very competitive!” adds Karyn.

“While we were renovating the sixth floor and prior to installing the cubicles and furniture, we had a big empty area. I suggested it would be a great venue for a rock concert and was given the go-ahead,” says Mary.

“We have several employees who play in a rock band, so we organized a concert. On that particular day, we closed the office at 3:00 pm and everyone was able to join us, yet still departed in time to pick up the kids from school. We all had a great time and it shook the whole building!”

When applying for a job at Rogers, the potential candidate’s first stop is usually with Lindsay Mather, human resources manager. “When I interview people, it’s common to hear them talk about our reputation in the marketplace.

They’ve heard about our internal culture and how we treat our people, and they want to know if it’s really true,” re-

12 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay On any given day, you will find about 10 dogs roaming around the Rogers office and they are featured in the daily newsletter – complete with a short doggie bio. “One of our employees was scared of dogs because she had never been exposed to them, but our office provided a safe environment for exposure,” observes Karyn. “Now this employee seeks out the dogs she feels comfortable with and really enjoys being around them.” marks Lindsay.

Rogers has an incredible roster of talented account executives – from young people starting their career to seasoned professionals. “There are no boundaries with respect to anyone’s career at Rogers,” adds Austen. “We have the resources and networks to support any employee’s path. Our team approach to everything we do is limited only by our imaginations! Every employee is part of the Rogers team.”

And their philosophy is simple: if the staff are happy, they develop better relationships with the clients. It also allows them to attract the best talent in the industry.

“I think we sincerely treat our people to the best of our ability – we are not perfect, but we are genuinely trying to build the best workplace possible and that’s what sets us apart. Other organizations say they treat their people well, but we are constantly coming up with new ideas to keep our employees happy and engaged,” Lindsay comments. “And we reward them for their efforts – it’s a never-ending cycle.”

Dream a little…

IT JUST MIGHT COME TRUE Shy of winning the lottery through a massive pool, chances are you’ve never heard someone say, “My dream came true at work.” After all, it is a place of employ-

Northbridge Insurance would like to congratulate Rogers Insurance Ltd.

Trusted Relationships

on their 35th anniversary!

At Northbridge Insurancetm, we know that insurance

Congratulations Rogers Insurance on 35 years in buisness.

is about much more than peace of mind; it’s about partnering for your success. For more information on the new Northbridge Insurance*, please take a moment to visit our website at www.nbfc.com.

® D O I N G

W H A T

1.800.387.5677 (LOSS)

KA_Rogers35YearsAd.indd 1

I S

R I G H T®

tm

www.kernaghan.com

Northbridge Insurance is a trademark used under licence from Northbridge Financial Corporation.

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER 12-07-20 11:37 AM

TM

* Policies underwritten by Northbridge Indemnity Insurance Corporation, Northbridge Commercial Insurance Corporation, and Northbridge General Insurance Corporation, depending on the type of coverage.

• 13

Rogers Insurance Ltd. 35th Anniversay The first dream was awarded to a woman who had a simple vision: she wanted to make more time for herself. Her life had become so busy – between working and raising a family – that she had lost herself in the fray. She never had time to read or exercise or enjoy her favourite activities. She felt herself deteriorating both physically and mentally, and desperately wanted to find herself again. By the time she had graciously finished her speech, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. ment, not a venue for daydreaming. But Rogers has taken this notion and cleverly inspired their people to build a dream list. Why? Because every year, they help four employees realize their dreams. It’s not only a first for the industry, but also a very unique value proposition for employees.

In 2008, Rogers started the Dream Program and it’s just another example of their extraordinary world. Four employees receive $10,000 (after tax dollars) to make their dreams come true. Two names are randomly drawn from a hat while peers and management unanimously vote the other two names.

When the dreams are awarded, each employee gives a speech that explains their dream and what it means to them.

“Our Dream Program is an effort to recognize that our employees have a life outside of work and their life is important,” says Bruce. “Every new employee receives a dream card and they write down their dreams. It can be anything they want – from taking a vacation to renovating their house.”

As part of the Dream Program, every employee has a

Winner of Dream Contest - Colette Lortie accompanied by Lindsay Mather (far left) and Karyn Fair (far right).

dream account and each year, every employee receives $100 to help build that account. Rogers also randomly gives $1,000 to one employee annually. In the spirit of giving, one of their employees had won a trip that they donated to the company. In turn, management asked the employees to write an essay as to why they deserve the trip or nominate a co-worker.

“In our Fort McMurray office, one of our personal lines brokers won her dream and it was life-changing. She had always been very quiet and never smiled, even though she has a lovely disposition,” explains Mary. “Her dream was to get her teeth fixed and she won. And now, she never stops smiling – she has the biggest smile and wears it proudly.”

Congratulations

Rogers Insurance On your 35th Anniversary

14 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

The Community…

HELPING THOSE IN NEED

It comes as no surprise that Rogers’ internal culture overflows into the Calgary community and one of the organizations they support is L’Arche Canada. L’Arche provides group homes for developmentally-delayed adults and the organization is found in 38 countries.

The “Rogers run for L’Arche” is a half marathon fundraiser and it’s a staff-driven initiative. “Last year, seven of our staff members went to France to run a marathon and for most of them, it was their first marathon,” says Bruce.

“As it turned out, one of the staff members was not able to go, but they were inspired to start a marathon in Calgary, so that employee became the race director and we just held our second-annual race.” This year, they raised in excess of $40,000 for the foundation.

“Once a month, L’Arche comes to our office with homemade cookies and it’s a big day for L’Arche,” adds Bruce.

“We also give our employees time off to lend a hand at their group homes and help out with everything from painting to gardening.”

Another event Rogers supports is the Sinclair Tournament – the largest single charity event in the insurance industry, in southern Alberta. “There are a number of stakeholders that support this event, but we are the backbone and we have raised over $50,000 for cancer and insurance education,” remarks Lee.

It’s better under the umbrella TM

Thank You…

A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE As Rogers celebrates their 35th anniversary, they would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of their customers, suppliers, partners and employees who have contributed to their success. “To be recognized after 35 years is directly attributed to the relationships and support we have received from everyone – we couldn’t have achieved this milestone without you!” adds Lee with a twinkle in his eye.

Travelers Canada congratulates Rogers Insurance on 35 years of serving businesses and individuals across Canada with its renowned human approach.

travelerscanada.ca

Suite 600 1000 Centre Street North Calgary, AB T2E 7W6 Phone: (403) 296–2400 Toll-free: 1–800–565–8132

St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company and Travelers Insurance Company of Canada are the Canadian licensed insurers known as Travelers Canada. © 2012 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries. M-16908

BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

• 15

BDO IS PROUD TO CONGRATULATE ROGERS INSURANCE LTD. ON ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY Assurance | Accounting | Taxation | Advisory Services

Celebrating

403 266 5608 www.bdo.ca

years

BDO Canada LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership, is a member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms.

CHB 15794 Rogers Congrats v1_Layout 1 12-07-16 1:12 PM Page 1

thedominion.ca

We applaud you.

Zurich applauds

Congratulations

Rogers Insurance on 35 years of success!

on 35 successful years!

www.zurichcanada.com

We are proud of our partnership.

©2012 Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

12-1062 Rogers congrats ad.indd 1

No small feat.

Congratulations to Rogers Insurance on your 35th Anniversary

5/15/12 2:02:24 PM

Congratulations to the entire team at Rogers Insurance on 35 terrific years in business.

Wishing you continued success from all your friends at TD Commercial Banking

www.encon.ca 0008_TRI_Rogers_Insurance_35th_Anniversary_Final.pdf

1

12-06-11

1:49 PM

Congratulations Rogers Insurance Ltd. On your 35th Anniversary!

™Liberty International Underwriters is a division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

www.libertyiu.com

16 • BEYOND THE BRICKS AND MORTAR, IT’S A WORLD LIKE NO OTHER

100072 CA 08/2012

30TH ANNIVERSARY

Working in the Background…

Enhancing the Foreground

By Mary Savage

T

ucked inside the community of Ramsay, F&D Scene Changes Ltd. quietly goes about their business and does so largely unnoticed by the general public – unless you’re a patron of the performing arts and entertainment industry.

And when you step inside their office, the walls are lined – floor to ceiling – with photographs of sets and scenery from all corners of the world: all designed and built in the F&D shop.

For three decades, their sets have graced the stages worldwide – from Broadway to Hong Kong. They have built sets for Hollywood, Disney, Cirque du soleil and dozens of museum exhibits throughout North America. Closer to home, if you’ve recently caught the Broadway shows Wicked, Mary Poppins or Les Mis, then you’ve seen their scenery.

“With our history in the entertainment industry, there isn’t very much that we haven’t been asked to build,” explains Leyton Morris, project manager.

www.fdscenechanges.com

1

A few years ago, responding to the changing economic climate, F&D altered their course and started to reinvent themselves on a more local level. Although they continue to design and build sets, today the majority of their work focuses on specialty fixtures for the architectural world and themes for the retail sector, mainly projects that are too fussy and complicated for most construction businesses to take on.

“The construction standards in the theatre industry are far more precise and exact than anything you’d find in the real world,” explains Morris. “In addition to the precision aspect, the structures have to come apart and go back together again – for years – all with moving parts. ” This meeting of two distinct worlds has left its mark in and around Calgary.

Inside the Calgary Zoo, they have built and painted Destination Africa, Creatures of the Night, the entrance to the South American Pavilion, Eurasian Marsh and the popular new exhibit, Penguin Plunge.

Other notable projects include the new Calgary Stampede Entry Gate (17th Avenue access), the larger-than-life Mardi Gras masks inside the Elbow River Casino, large icons inside and outside

The new West Entry Gate to the Stampede Grounds.

CONGRATULATIONS F&D SCENE CHANGES LTD. ON YOUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS TO COME! 4024 - 15A Street S.E. | Tel: 403.261.6822 | Fax: 403.261.6826 2

www.fdscenechanges.com

“

“We have started doing a lot of custom retail themes and public art, so we’ve started to chase a whole new world,” says Leyton. “We complement the architectural features and the work we create today is astonishing and challenging: some of these structures are 65 feet tall and are permanent installations that need to withstand the extremes of the Alberta climate.

CrossIron Mills and a host of other public venues. And if you watched the Calgary Stampede’s 100th Anniversary parade, F&D was there; they designed and built seven of the floats.

“We have started doing a lot of custom retail themes and public art, so we’ve started to chase a whole new world,” says Leyton. “We complement the architectural features and the work we create today is astonishing and challenging: some of these structures are 65 ft tall and are permanent installations that need to withstand the extremes of the Alberta climate. Often, the client will give us an elevation, a colour palette, and a general idea, but we figure out the details: the separation of layers, structural components and the finishing materials.”

On the 54th and 55th floor of the Encana building downtown (The Bow), F&D is fabricating a sculpted shell that surrounds the seating in their lecture hall. The complexity of the design did not lend itself to a prefabricated com-

Congratulations on your 30th Anniversary F&D Scene Changes Ltd. Calgary.

It has been our pleasure providing you with storage solutions.

The Compass Icon located at the CrossIron Mills Mall in Balzac, AB

mercial system, so F&D’s custom-building expertise in unique situations was a tremendous asset.

F&D pre-builds most of the projects in their shop and this has proven to be a welcome asset in the commercial world. “Presently, we are prefabricating retail units for installation in the Edmonton Airport,” remarks Morris. “Since

Congrats F&D Scene Changes Ltd. on 30 Years!

Leaseway specializes in a wide variety of trailers such as storage vans, refrigerated vans, flat decks and low beds.

Leaseway Corporation Limited Trailer Rentals & Sales 4210 Ogden Road S.E. Calgary, AB | 403.290.0234 www.leasewaycorp.com

Flatbed Hauling - Canada and USA 1-866-426-1911

www.fdscenechanges.com

3

security is restricted in many areas of the airport, the retail units are pre-built in our shop, shipped to Edmonton and set up over the course of a couple evenings when public traffic is at a minimum. Once we start the installation, the store is usually up and running within three to four days.”

“One of the things that sets us apart is our crew – it’s one of our greatest assets. Many of our trades people are SAIT graduates and most of our painters and sculptors are ACAD graduates; we have some of the finest talent in the world working at F&D,” adds Morris. “It’s not often you hear a client say to you, ‘this is better than I ever dreamed possible!’ but we work very hard to build our clients’ vision – and then some.”

Congratulations on your 30th!

Leading supplier to the composites industry with a full line of structural adhesives 877-285-2032 • www.ccpcomposites.ca

Congrats F&D Scene Changes Ltd. We wish you many years of continued success!

SABIC Polymershapes 103, 1440 Aviation Park N.E. T: 403.250.1670 • F: 403.291.4643 www.sabicpolymershapes.com

F&D Scene Changes 803 24 Avenue SE • Calgary, AB www.fdscenechanges.com 403.233.7633

“Providing a safe and reliable delivery service”

We feature Calgary’s largest selection of truck mounted cranes all of them with Journeyman Crane Operators at the controls.

403.252.4047 Toll Free 1-800-465-9787 24 Hour Service www.chariotexpress.com Calgary’s friendliest delivery service!

RY S A G L CA

Building Centre 3005 Ogden Road SE • 403.265.5651 Way to go F&D Scene Changes Ltd. on your 30th Anniversary!

4

OUTH DECORAT

ING

Congrats F&D Scene Changes Ltd. your 30 year anniversary!

403-271-5665 • www.calgarybenjaminmoore.com

www.fdscenechanges.com

CALGARY NEWS

FALL 2012

Page 1 - Calgary’s Office Market Dynamics | Page 3 - President’s Report | Page 4 - Wishful Thinking | Page 5 - Who’s Who in the Zoo | Page 8 - Inside the Industry

Calgary’s Office Market Dynamics – Has the Cycle and Calgary Changed?

Sandy McNair

T

he business cycle continues to be anchored by global, national and local changes in both supply and demand for everything, including office space. Globalization of supply chains, real-time information and news flows, and many other political, demographic and economic factors drive change. Depending upon the specifics, some markets are becoming less stable while others are becoming more stable.

Calgary’s office market has traditionally been viewed as a more volatile market than most other major markets in North America – swinging from tighter to softer than most and from static to growing rapidly.

The argument can now be made that the dynamics of Calgary’s office market have structurally evolved with the result that the market is becoming more stable. The business cycle will continue to exist but, the argument goes, its impact will be less dramatic than before. Here is why: Mining and Technology – While Calgary’s business community continues to be focused on the energy sector, the market dynamics have shifted away from boom/bust exploration cycles to the use of dramatic, new, proven and evolving technology to “mine” the energy. The risks are real but no longer binary. The issue today for most new projects is the extent of the success, not the starker options of total failure or giant victory often associated with the energy market of the past.

Sponsorship – Each of the 25 largest office space occupants in Calgary are very large firms with strong balance sheets. Often global in scale, many have sovereign wealth fund and/or institutional support. These sponsors live in the current market, but do take the longer view, usually the very long view.

Longer Wave Length – Most often, these new energy “mines” are massive capital projects with multiple-decade

lives. Phased over many years, these multibillion-dollar projects are supported by demand and pricing forecasts that reach out decades. What happens when the spot price falls below the long-term price needed to generate the targeted return threshold? Certainly more risk review meetings and perhaps a delay in a subsequent phase, but not likely the behaviours associated with a bust. The cycle has become much longer and smoother.

Global Expertise – Calgary has become a global centre for the people, technologies and capital needed to drive the energy sector forward. This expertise is recognized and applied to projects across Alberta and across the planet. The internationalization of Calgary has added additional stability to the sector and to Calgary.

Market Size – The existing office inventory now exceeds 62 million square feet of office space. Each additional building has a smaller impact on the overall marketplace. While plunging demand and the resulting run-up in sublet space is a real concern, it is excessive, poorly-timed new supply that more often disrupts office markets. Given Calgary’s larger size, it will take more than a single development error to materially impact the market.

Transparency – Access to better information and perspective means more informed and better decisions by developers, occupants, investors, lenders and everyone else in the community.

Newer – In a globally competitive marketplace for the very best skills, people and teams, Calgary’s inventory of office space is attractive. In fact, 22 per cent of Calgary’s inventory is less than 10 years old. And with 70 per cent of the inventory clustered in a tight downtown market, Calgary’s office inventory is younger and more concentrated than anywhere else in Canada and beyond. Lastly, more than half of BOMA Calgary News

1

BOMA Calgary News

The Calgary office market has many capable developers and the risk of both under-supply and over-supply is real.

BOMA Calgary News is a co-publication of BOMA Calgary and Business in Calgary.

Business in Calgary 1025, 101 - 6 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 3P4 Tel: 403.264.3270 • Fax: 403.264.3276 Email: info@businessincalgary.com Web: www.businessincalgary.com

BOMA Calgary 120, 4954 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB T3E 6L1 Email: info@boma.ca • Web: www.boma.ca Tel: 403.237.0559 • Fax: 403.266.5876 CHAIR Victoria Gibbs, Design Group Staffing MEMBERS Kristen Wilkinson, N//Ergy Solutions Inc. Jamie Zachary, Calgary Herald Carol Lewis, Calgary Herald Dana Burns, Calgary Herald Jay de Nance, Fairfield Commercial Real Estate Roger Hanks, Skyline Roofing Rita Reid, Cominar Giovanni Worsley, MNP LLP Bobbi Joan O’Neil, Business in Calgary Lia Robinson, BOMA Calgary

Executive CHAIR Don Fairgrieve-Park, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP SECRETARY TREASURER Chris Howard, Avison Young Real Estate PAST-CHAIR Peter MacHardy, GWL Realty Advisors PRESIDENT & CSO William G. R. Partridge, CAE, BOMA Calgary

Directors Fred Edwards, Servpro Cleaning Bill Bird, WAM Development Group Steve Weston, Brookfield Properties Ken Dixon, Oxford Properties Group Marjorie Cone, H & R Property Management Ltd. Robert Brazzell, Altus Group Chris Nasim, GWL Realty Advisors Corrine Jackman, Hopewell Real Estate Services Cam Gresko, Cadillac Fairview The Building Owners and Managers Association of Calgary publishes BOMA Calgary News quarterly. For advertising rates and information contact Business in Calgary.

Publication of advertising should not be deemed as endorsement

by BOMA Calgary. The publisher reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to reject any advertising at any time submitted by any party. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of BOMA Calgary, its members or its staff. © 2012 by BOMA Calgary.

Printed in Canada.

2

BOMA Calgary News

Calgary’s office inventory is Class A, with a higher proportion of excellent tenant covenants than ever before.

Rapid Growth without a Hangover – Over the past five years Calgary’s office market has grown by 13.2 million square feet. These new buildings are full, and – significantly – the existing stock is also very tight, resulting in additional new supply being added to the market. Pre-leasing in the new developments and close monitoring of the resulting backfill space will be key to continuing to avoid a hangover.

Calgary, according to the evolved view, has grown up, with a new mindset and risk profile which have moved away from the boom/bust cycles of the past toward a more stable business environment.

However, the pushback from those with a more traditional view of the supply/ demand cycle would state that so long as there is more than one capable developer in a market, they will unintentionally oversupply the market on a recurring basis.

The Calgary office market has many capable developers and the risk of both under-supply and over-supply is real. The issue today is not direction but rather pace, and has the marketplace - including all the leading participants (developers, lenders and occupants), evolved to reduce the magnitude of a major over-supply?

SANDY MCNAIR IS THE PRESIDENT OF ALTUS INSITE. THE ALTUS INSITE TEAM LEVERAGE EXTENSIVE TEAM-WIDE EXPERIENCE AND MARKET INFORMATION TO PROVIDE PERSPECTIVE TO CLIENTS IN CANADA’S COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND LEASING COMMUNITIES.

President & CSO’s Report

Making the World a Cleaner Place

By William G.R. Partridge, CAE, President & Chief Staff Officer

I

t’s really time to clean up our act.

On those rare occasions when I am out of town on an extended trip, like many dog owners, I have to kennel the family dog. Upon returning from a recent business trip to Seattle and driving out to Indus to retrieve “Ms. Muttsky,” I couldn’t help but notice the “brown grunge” in the air. So thick was it in fact that it was nearly impossible to see the magnificent downtown Calgary skyline from Highway 22. On normal occasions, the skyline is clear as a bell.

The second observation on the same drive occurred due to a local radio talk show where it was disclosed that much of the groundwater in southern Alberta is contaminated by a serious strain of E. coli bacterium. Its source, apparently, is intense agricultural practices in a district often referred to as “Feedlot Alley.”

Our good earth is not as clean as it might be. What is causing the “brown grunge” in the air and the contaminated groundwater? Could Alberta experience a situation as in Walkerton, Ontario some years ago? The short answer is yes.

I find it odd that our watershed areas, that provide our drinking water supply, are not protected as they are in other areas. Near Halifax, Nova Scotia, for example, there are areas signed off as watershed areas and certain things are just not permitted in those areas.

Obviously there is recognition of the value and the importance of clean and secure water supply.

So what is the commercial real estate industry doing about managing our environment? The answer is a great deal of positive things. Our national organization, BOMA Canada, has recently published a report “BOMA BESt Energy and Environmental Report 2011” or BBEER for short. The report is compendiums of operating data col-

Our good earth is not as clean as it might be. What is causing the “brown grunge” in the air and the contaminated groundwater? Could Alberta experience a situation as in Walkerton, Ontario some years ago?

The short answer is yes.

lected from BOMA member buildings across Canada that have been successful in achieving BOMA BESt (Building Environmental Standard) Certification.

BOMA BESt is a voluntary program that evaluates a building against industry best practices in areas such as energy and water use, waste reduction and recycling, and hazardous materials management and tenant communications. The program is applicable to buildings in all asset classes.

The BBEER revealed that BOMA BESt Certified BOMA-member buildings averaged 16 per cent better energy performance when compared against Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE). And 66 per cent of all certified buildings consume less energy per square foot than the BOMA BESt average consumption.

While some environmental advocacy groups cite buildings as a contributor of 30 per cent of greenhouse gases (GHG), the BBEER clearly indicates that BOMA BESt buildings have and are reducing their GHG emissions.

And incidentally, the higher a building is rated on the four-level BOMA BESt

scale, the better the GHG emission picture looks.

One of the leaders in embracing the principles of BOMA BESt is Alberta Infrastructure which leads in terms of the number of buildings having successfully received certification. Regrettably, however, the City of Calgary has yet to embrace the program leaving us to wonder if one of the chief proponents of building sustainability is actually practicing what they preach.

The evidence clearly signifies that the commercial real estate sector is indeed showing the way for GHG emission reductions, water conservation, energy conservation, waste reduction and recycling. But like everyone else, we have room for improvement.

To this end, BOMA in Canada – from coast to coast to coast – is working to enhance the BOMA BESt performance standards and measures of achievement. If only more would think this way, perhaps our world would be a cleaner place. Sustainability is good business, and it is everybody’s business.

BOMA Calgary News

3

Wishful Thinking*

By Robert Henderson, CORE Database *(VALUES REPORTED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE FOR THE LAND VALUE EXCLUSIVE OF STRUCTURES ON THEM.) [LEGAL NAMES].

T

he Mitchell Map of 1756, a propaganda instrument of British territorial ambitions, was adopted by the government as the basis for its North American policy; the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) brought that policy to fruition. When Britain acquired New France through the Treaty of Utrecht in 1763, the boundaries of Mitchell’s map ceased to be of importance as Great Britain now controlled most of the North American land mass and Mitchell died content in 1768.

Mitchell was not a cartographer and had never been to the areas he was mapping, but relied on information received from Lord Halifax who had plans for a greater British presence in North America. The map’s western boundary of North America relied on wishful thinking more than reality.

The area of future Western Canada, northwest of Lake Superior, was first explored by Radisson and Groseilliers in 1659 and when they returned to New France, their bounty of beaver pelts was confiscated and they were fined for engaging in the fur trade without a licence. Disgruntled, they travelled to New England and attracted some merchants into a venture where the wealth

4

BOMA Calgary News

of the West could be accessed from the north through Hudson Bay. That expedition turned back at Hudson Strait for fear of ice and cold. Radisson and Groseilliers then went to London where they secured royal patronage for the venture which became the Company of Adventurers trading into Hudson’s Bay (HBC).

The area above Lake Superior was later charted by the French in 1729, employed as a trade and portage route from Montreal to Lake Winnipeg and beyond. This area came under British use and control as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht 1763. Twenty years later, when the eastern colonies rebelled and won, the Mitchell Map was used to define the boundaries of the new United States of America in the Treaty of Paris 1783 and has been a cause of negotiation ever since. The wishful thinking of the Mitchell Map included the former French northwest commercial trading area with boundaries that would prove impossible to verify.

Spring was slow in coming to Calgary and land sales were also slow in developing. April saw the house behind the beltline Safeway on van Horne [12th South] Avenue selling for $170/sqft – $100,000 more than it had sold six months earlier – and an apartment block just east of the Memorial Park Library on Kennedy [13th South] Avenue for $1,180,000. The Bow Parkade sold for $90,000,000 – just up from the 2007 purchase price of $86,000,000 – and one of the units in the red brick building on the east side of McTavish [Centre] Street in Chinatown sold for $144/sqft. Lastly, a house just west of the CTS bus barns on Smith [11th South] Avenue was reported to transfer for $123/sqft.

In May, Trimac House on Northcote [Fifth South] Avenue at Seventh Street West led the group, selling at $5,259/sqft while Calgary Place, again on Northcote at Barclay [Third West] Street, sold for $312,000,000. Embassy Bosa bought two lots in the East Village on Angus [Sixth South] Avenue at Irvine [Fifth East] Street at $159/sqft.

The quarter finished with considerable activity starting with 8 West on the corner of Stephen [Eighth South] Avenue and Eighth Street selling for $2,462/sqft, as the Canadian Centre on Reinach [Fourth South] Avenue just east of Eighth Street West sold for $63,725,000. Eau Claire Place II on Egan [Third South] Avenue between Ross [Fourth West] and Fifth Streets sold for $4,238/ sqft while the Ford and Alpine Buildings on Angus [Sixth South] Avenue, just east of Sixth Street West, sold for $69,125,000.

The parking lots on the south side of Atlantic [Ninth South] Avenue between Ross and Fifth Streets reportedly transferred between family members for $190/sqft, while the parking lot on Pacific [10th South] at the corner of Osler [First East] Street went through the courts for $3,100,000. The Calgary Public Education Building reportedly transferred for $36,500,000. The King Edward Hotel on Atlantic and the empty lot across Dewdney [Fourth East] Street sold for $4,000,000, while the vacant lot just to the east sold for $125/sqft to the National Music Centre.

Who’s Who in the Zoo! BOMA BESt - the Building Environmental Standard Congratulations to the latest certified buildings!

• McCall Business Centre, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP, Level 1 • McCall 40 Avenue Business Park, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP, Level 1 • 32 Avenue Business Centre, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP, Level 1 • Franklin Building, Dundee Realty Management, Level 2 • Yellow Pages, Dundee Realty Management, Level 3 • 520 5 Ave SW, Dundee Realty Management, Level 2 • Ernst & Young Tower, Oxford Properties Group, Level 4

Is your buIldIng performIng

satIsfactory?

This incredible photo collection available at Amazon.ca

Building on the Bow Landmarks in Calgary Commercial Real Estate

Roland Gissing (1895-1967)

You don’t need major equipment replacement to reduce energy waste.

CFMS Alberta Ltd. has successfully used a retro-commission process on several buildings, which includes diagnostic testing and a systematic investigation process to detect existing problems. We also identify low-cost operating and maintenance improvements so you can enjoy improved occupancy comfort, energy savings and be in sync with today’s energy consumption expectations.

403.984.9448 info@cfms-alberta.com www.cfms-alberta.com

“Autumn Study” | Oil | 12 x 16”

Art Sales and Rentals Featuring Historical and Contemporary Canadian Art With over 1,500 original works available #3, 215 - 39th Avenue N.E., Calgary, Alberta T2E 7E3 For hours, please call 403.277.7252 ToTal Building & lEEd Commissioning RETRo & RE-Commissioning – FaCiliTiEs managEmEnT suppoRT

www.fortunefineart.com BOMA Calgary News

5

Who’s Who in the Zoo! Welcome New BOMA Member Companies Alec McColm, Allied Properties REIT Jean Lekopoy, Avenue Commercial Scott Young, Garda Wayne Yan, GENIVAR Inc.

BOMA Volunteer Appreciation Event. Above: Jamie Zachary and Dana Burns, Calgary Herald and Jessica Skeith, BOMA Calgary. Top Right: Lia Robinson, BOMA Calgary and Laura Newcombe, GWL Realty Advisors.

Right: Boaz Shilmover, Arte Roofing, Steve Pollard, GDI Omni Integrated Facility Services, and Kerrie Nault, ICM Realty Group.

Victoria Shearer Gryffyn, iLevel Communications Inc. Glen Kitteringham, Kitteringham Security Group Inc.

Left: Don Fairgrieve-Park, BOMA Chair (middle) presents the BOMA BESt Level 4 Certificate for Centennial Place to Noreen Music and Chuck Roller, Oxford Properties Group.

Middle: Bill Boris, Jack Kennedy, and Stan Cherneske, Edon Management, and Kay Thomsen, Alberta Infrastructure accept the BOMA BESt Certificates for Didsbury Provincial Building, Olds Provincial Building New, Lacombe Agricultural Building and Red Deer Provincial Building. Right: Jo-Anne Baxter, Dundee Realty Management accepts the latest Dundee BOMA BESt Recertifications!

peregrine-horizontal-no-bleeds.indd 1

6

BOMA Calgary News

10/01/12 11:09 AM

Fully integrated tenant solutions

Above: Don Fairgrieve-Park, BOMA Chair welcomes BOMA new member company Marble Renewal Alberta Inc.

Above: BOMA Building Tours - BOMA members tour Jamieson Place, managed by Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP

Left: Welcome to new member company Evolution Glass. Right: Welcome to new member company Kitteringham Security Group Inc.

WE HAVE A STRONG NATIONAL PRESENCE TO HELP SERVE THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR TENANTS

To view our portfolio of properties, visit:

www.dundeerealty.com Or contact us at: 403.212.7114 Northwest Territories Peter MacHardy and Dave Middleton, GWL Realty Advisors and Lila Keith, Dome Britannia at the BOMA Volunteer Appreciation Event

QuĂŠbec

British Columbia

New Brunswick

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Prince Edward Island

Ontario

Nova Scotia

BOMA Calgary News

7

Inside the Industry Patti Buskas, Vice President & Regional General Manager, Brookfield Properties

By Reta Labiuk, Assistant Property Manager, Oxford Properties; BOMA Next Gen Committee

I

met Patti’s glance as I walked into Starbucks, and knew instantly that she was the one I was to meet. She looked intelligent, modern, sophisticated and alert for a very rainy morning. Her enthusiasm for mentoring as a tool for success in the career of property management was very apparent throughout the interview and led me to believe that the connections BOMA Calgary provides are an important step on the path toward my own success.

BOMA Calgary News: How did you enter the commercial real estate industry?

Patti Buskas: Like many other individuals in this industry, I fell into it. Prior to 1985 I worked on contract for the Province of Alberta representing their interests in the many buildings that they occupied throughout the Province. This opportunity gave me a lot of exposure to the business practises of numerous building owners and managers. I then

took a position with Royal Lepage which provided “third party” management services to various commercial, industrial, residential and retail owners. My involvement with the large downtown office buildings began in 1996 when Brookfield purchased their first large office building.

BCN: Was there a defining moment or key person in your life that influenced you most on your career path?

PB: There was no specific defining moment or key person. After being employed in the industry for a few years, I found that I really enjoyed the challenges and variety of issues that each day brings, so proceeded to get the education and further experience which has kept me in the industry until now.

BCN: Do you feel mentoring is important? If yes, who was your mentor and how did they affect changes in your life?

insight into EvEry Major MarkEt in north aMErica

Our exclusive focus on direct real estate investment, experience in cross-border structuring, and “on-the-ground” expertise means Bentall Kennedy’s North American investment platform offers more — more depth, more knowledge and therefore more compelling investment opportunities for our clients.

see for yourself at www.bentallkennedy.com or contact more@bentallkennedy.com MontrEal · Washington Dc · ottaWa · Boston · toronto · chicago · EDMonton · san Francisco · WinnipEg · Dallas · calgary · los angElEs · vancouvEr · sEattlE

8

BOMA Calgary News

|

BUILDINGS

|

CIVIL

INFRASTRUCTURE

Delivering

|

SPECIAL

construction excellence in southern Alberta.

PROJECTS

|

PB: Mentoring is absolutely the key to any successful business. I strongly believe in it. I did not have the privilege of having a specific mentor; however, I did have exposure to a number of very talented business individuals over the years. I observed their skills and adopted their best practices to the best of my ability. I also do a lot of my own self-study on leadership and coaching. The concept of mentoring is a lot more popular now than earlier in my career. I personally value it and find it very satisfying to see people grow within this industry.

BCN: It’s nice for students/new entrants into the commercial real estate world to line up traits that they see in themselves and those traits that Executives deem important.

Are there any special character traits that are helpful for thriving in commercial real estate?

PB: There are definitely particular traits that a young person needs to possess to be successful in this industry.

One of the most important is being naturally service oriented. Others that are notable are being detailed, flexible, a “multitasker” and possess or be willing to learn the skills to handle stress in a positive way.

BCN: What do you advise or suggest for up and coming leaders in the industry?

PB: I would tell them to take their time and learn all

10

BOMA Calgary News

aspects of the industry. A leader must understand everything from financials to cleaning. They need to get involved with operations, tenant services, security etc. so they can be supportive and empathetic to the many challenges that managers and employees face on an ongoing basis.

BCN: In reviewing your successful career, is there anything you would do differently? What would you keep the same?

PB: What I would do differently is to have developed better delegation skills earlier in my career so I could spend more time on the” bigger” picture as I have learned the value it brings to an organization. What I would keep the same is the time spent in the support and mentoring of employees.

BCN: If you could give advice to those currently in school that are looking for a career that is rewarding, dynamic, and challenging, what would it be?

PB: My advice for them would be to complete some research on this particular industry so they understand the type of work involved to ensure it fits with their profile of an “ideal” job. They need to understand the education and experience that is required. I would also advise them to interview individuals in the industry to further their understanding. B

Businesses of all sizes can recycle their old computer equipment and TVs through Alberta’s electronics recycling program. ready to go to work for you. In fact, they’ll come right to your office to pick up your old electronics.

For those looking after the interests of a building or commercial development of tenants, “electronics roundups” can be scheduled, offering the opportunity for electronics to be picked up over the course of a few days or a week.

And if data security is a concern, no need to worry. Any sensitive data that may still be on your computer equipment will be destroyed as part of the recycling

W hether you’re a business

office and storage space, or a

process and registered recyclers

owner with old computers,

building manager looking after

can provide you with a “Certificate

monitors, printers, servers and

the needs of your tenants, Alberta’s

of Destruction” for your records.

televisions taking up valuable

registered electronics recyclers are

To find a registered recycler, or for more on Alberta’s electronics recycling program, please visit www.albertarecycling.ca.

A New Urban Centre for South Calgary

By David Parker

C

ity of Calgary planners have been talking about Live – Work – Play communities for as long as I can remember; and it’s good to see a couple finally happening.

The Calgary Downtown Association has long used those words to describe life in the core, and it is good to see so many new condos under construction again, but the area is becoming a bit too much work and play without the living.

Certainly not family living.

I talked to one developer who was happy to chat about sized-down seniors and young professionals – neither of who want to cut grass. But retirees tend to lock up and disappear during cold weather and the young couples will one day be faced with the fact that kids happen. And there are no schools handy and groceries have to be a bit of an organized haul.

Currie Barracks should work, especially since GWL Realty Advisors built its successful WestMount Corporate Campus office park, yet it has taken far too long to develop.

The ideal to date is Quarry Park with a great mixture of office, retail and housing, where people who work in the park Cleaning Industry Management Standard Certification Green Building with Honours

SerVantage is proud to receive the COR designation for Health and Safety

Western Canada’s premier facility services provider Alberta: SerVantage Services Suite 308

British Columbia: SerVantage Services Suite 101

301-14th Street NW SW Calgary, Alberta

245 Fell Avenue North Vancouver, BC

T2N 2A1

V7P 2K1

Tel: 403.263.8170

Tel: 604.985.7141

www.servantage.ca

12

BOMA Calgary News

info@servantage.ca

are moving so they can take a leisurely walk to the office or get some more athletic exercise along the Bow River pathway.

And now we welcome another exciting Live – Work – Play designed community called Seton by Brookfield Residential Properties that is a multifaceted urban development on over 365 acres of land south of the Marquis of Lorne Trail surrounding the almost-ready-to-open South Health Campus.

The huge hospital will require a lot of workers of many skills and so will a planned office park providing a staggering 1.5 million square feet of office space. More employees will find work in the retail area that will cover another one million square feet with 600,000 square feet of larger format stores including a Real Canadian Superstore and Calgary’s only Save-On Foods outlet.

Approximately 100,000 square feet will be dedicated to a regional design district plus restaurants and Seton will also feature a Market Street area of boutique shops with residential above.

All of the living in Seton is to be built of various kinds of multi-family residences – 1,200 in total – with no singlefamily homes.

In effect Seton can be described to be like a new downtown for Calgary, attracting a variety of people in the community from young professionals to families and seniors. They will benefit from quality housing, shopping and nearby employment, as well as a healthy lifestyle offered by a 16-acre regional park, public library, schools, two seniors’ facilities for different levels of care and an announced commitment by the city for a recreation centre housing an aquatic facility, two indoor ice rinks, soccer field house, three outdoor soccer pitches and four baseball diamonds.

When fully operational, the South Health Campus is expected to have around 2,400 full-time staff positions including 180 physicians.

A community as big as Seton - Brookfield says its amenities and services will service the equivalent of Alberta’s third largest city with a population expected to exceed 120,000 by 2030 – that alone should prove very attractive to retailers and employers.

The prospect of good business has already attracted two Marriott hotels, conveniently located in between the hospital and commercial areas. Calgary-based MasterBUILT Hotels will begin construction this fall of a Marriott Residence Inn and a Courtyard by Marriott that will provide a total of 224 rooms.

Seton is an exciting happening that will provide construction jobs for a long time and employment within an easy commute. Perfect.

Office Market Revs Up • Commercial Real Estate

Office Market Revs Up

Commercial real estate nearly back to boom times

By Derek Sankey

T

he downtown commercial office market is officially back in business. Vacancy rates for prime space are below two per cent – BMO Capital Markets posts the overall rate at six per cent – and leasing agents don’t see any change in the near future, keeping rental rates high for the foreseeable future.

“Downtown has gone very well,” says Randy Magnussen, executive vice president of Bentall Kennedy LP. “Vacancy rates are back down to the lows they were at during the boom. That’s quite low.”

Office space in downtown Calgary’s core is essentially maxed out, back to a position of leaving tenants with fewer options, scrambling to scoop up the best spots left. Strong employment gains, combined with continued strong retail sales and higher levels of investment in the oilpatch, have

revived the sector that struggled after the recession in 2009-10.

“If there’s space available, absorption will be there,” Magnussen says. “The problem is there’s not a lot of space available.”

The only projects on the books right now when it comes to new office space are the Eighth Avenue Place’s second tower – which is well underway – and City Centre, Cadillac Fairview’s project on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 2nd Street SW. Just outside of downtown, the new Centre 10 project will soon begin construction at the corner of 10th Avenue and 5th Street SW. “That drives (rental) rates up in all of the markets in the downtown when no space is available,” he adds. “It’s going to remain strong certainly for the next year or two.” www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 89

Stand Out from the Crowd...

OPUS has built more than 20 million square feet of unique one-of-a-kind office, retail and industrial space for the past 30 years. We offer a full range of development and construction services from site selection, planning, regulatory approvals, site and building construction and tenant improvements.

OPUS’ integrated team approach results in buildings and spaces that exceed expectations.

Create a unique impression on your clients with buildings and space built by OPUS.

OPUS Projects NOW PRE-Leasing

Britannia Crossing

5119 Elbow Drive SW Calgary

Hanson Court

8900 MacLeod Trail SE Calgary

First impressions are everything

®

For more info on all current projects and services: ®

visit opuscorp.ca 403.209.5555 I leasing@opuscorp.ca

Construction Management Projects

Chestermere Health Centre – Chestermere (Client - Prime Funds Group)

Royal Vista Professional Centre – NW Calgary (Client - Prime Funds Group)

Magna IV - Edmonton

(Client – Parsons Road Development Partnership)

Office Market Revs Up • Commercial Real Estate

Residential real estate sector in Calgary to remain strong Predictions of a “housing bubble” may be persistent in other cities in Canada, but local experts are more bullish on a stable market. The indications of no interest rate hikes appears to be helping the local housing market, with economists predicting the key overnight lending rate will remain at one per cent – a mark it has maintained since September of 2010.

Don’t expect any rate decreases similar to those made by other western countries’ central banks. “There was some debate on whether the (Bank of Canada) would maintain its mild bias toward raising rates – even as the rest of the world eases, or tries to find some way to ease,” said Doug Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Capital Markets, in a July release.

“In the end, the (Bank of Canada) stuck with its stance that the next move is more likely to be a rate hike than a rate cut,” says Porter, noting any increase is highly unlikely in the very near future.

“We suspect the (Bank of Canada) is going precisely nowhere with interest rates over the next year, as has been the case for almost the past two years. In the current global economic climate, restraint is the better part of valour,” he added.

Eighth Avenue Place is almost fully leased, a 40-storey building that completes the project on the former Penny Lane location at 5th Street and 8th Avenue SW, with a total of 850,000 square feet of office space – slightly smaller than the first tower of the same project.

Meanwhile, office rents in Calgary’s market have continued to rebound averaging about $65 per square foot for some of the best space, second only to Toronto at $71 in a study released by CBRE Ltd. and higher than Vancouver’s $63.

“After a severe and protracted market downturn in the 1990s, the commercial real estate industry in Canada has been characterized by cautious development and prudent lending practices,” says Earl Sweet, senior economist and managing director of BMO Capital Markets.

Supply is tight and vacancy rates are much lower than historical averages across several cities in Canada. Low interest rates have strengthened development in many cities, especially Calgary. “The industry in Calgary has rebounded 92 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

His analysis seems to make sense, particularly for the Calgary market – a market that has been widely forecast to buck the national trend of falling prices in regions such as Toronto and Vancouver (also widely seen to be artificially inflated).

However, buyers need to remain aware that interest rates will inevitably increase in the next year or two. “While interest rates have been at historic lows, the inevitable climb will happen,” says Laura Parsons, a mortgage expert with BMO Bank of Montreal. “Choosing a fixed mortgage can provide protection against rising rates and make the cost of owning a home more manageable in the long run.”

Landlord REALTY CALL US DIRECTLY! WE WORK FOR THE LANDLORD!

PRIME SPACE

FOR LEASE

1-800-BAD-DEAL

over 1,000 locations nationwide, our corporate “ With storefronts and mall locations are in the hands of

BLJC Orange, the best Real Estate Tenant Advisory firm in Canada. - Altaf Hirji, AVP Retail Operations, H&R Block Canada

“

At BLJC Orange, we don’t work for landlords - only tenants.

We don’t believe the same lawyer should represent both the plaintiff and the defendant and the same holds for negotiating real estate. We are real estate experts that do believe in tenant representation ensuring our clients are well advised, see all the opportunities, evaluate market comparables and negotiate profitable and fair real estate contracts. Find out why some of the world’s pre-eminent tenants use BLJC Orange.

www.bljcorange.com

Prairies – Orange National Retail Group (Prairies) Inc., B.C.– Orange National Retail Group (BC) Inc., Eastern – BLJC Real Estate Services Inc., Brokerage

Office Market Revs Up • Commercial Real Estate

rapidly since the recession, bolstered by strong growth in employment, retail sales and investment in resource-based and supporting industries,” notes Sweet.

He predicts a “more tempered” pace for the remainder of the year and into 2013 with a national economic growth rate of two per cent. “Furthermore, the still-unresolved eurozone crisis and slowing momentum in the United States and several major emerging markets will continue to weigh on investors’ risk appetite and adversely affect the industry in the short run,” Sweet says.

Steve Murphy, senior vice president of commercial and treasury management for BMO Bank of Montreal, says it’s a good time to invest in commercial real estate. “The strong commercial real estate fundamentals also extend to the owner-occupied market, where businesses own commercial properties for their own use,” he says. “There is strong demand for these properties by users, who are often able to lease out part of the property for additional rental income,” adds Murphy.

“Now may be a particularly good time for business to invest in commercial property for their own use,” he says.

Calgary’s commercial and retail real estate industry took a hit in July, however, with city council’s decision to vote down a proposal for the city to purchase the East Lands at WinSport Canada’s Olympic Park. It could have helped 94 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

spark development of the land with considerable commercial and retail benefits, noted WinSport’s president and CEO Dan O’Neill.

“We are extremely disappointed with (the June decision) by city council,” said O’Neill after the vote in a media release. “We have spent three years working closely with the city through this process and have spent close to $3 million completing all of the required reports and studies. We have gone down every road the city has asked of us, and still we are no further ahead. This decision seems to bring into question the reality of the city’s claim that it values WinSport’s contribution to the city.”

Meanwhile, the value of the building permits in Calgary jumped seven per cent to $2.33 billion so far by June over last year, reaching a six-month total of $2.49 billion, including 1723 projects for non-residential undertakings.

However, it dropped 15 per cent compared to last June’s totals.

Then again, 2011 was one of the top three years in total building permit values, according to city figures. It’s also up 20 per cent over the five-year average of $2.07 billion, which included coming off the period during the economic downturn in 2008-09. That includes $21 million of permits issued during June this year, for office, warehouse and LRT investments at Chinook station. BiC

10 years

Living Leadership

Leaders never quit.

They may take it on the chin, they may get knocked down, but leaders get back up. We’ve done just that and continue to be in our clients’ corners, custom building solutions to help our clients do what they do best...lead.

Because Alberta means the world to us. atb.com/corporate

TM

Trademarks of Alberta Treasury Branches.

Corporate Health Goes Mainstream • Corporate Fitness & Health

Corporate Health Goes

Mainstream Every corporate culture can tailor a program to meet the needs of employees, say experts

By Derek Sankey

C

anadians spend most of their waking hours at the office, but yet many spend those hours sitting in front of a computer. Not so at some progressive companies that are increasingly exploring the wide variety

96 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

of health, wellness and fitness options readily available to them to get their employees more healthy and active – if their employers choose to encourage these corporatelytailored options.

Corporate Health Goes Mainstream • Corporate Fitness & Health

Facts about corporate health and wellness programs: • Research has shown that the factor that correlates most strongly with employee commitment is managers’ recognition of their employees’ needs for work-life balance, which in turn has been shown to be a key to employee well-being (Health Promotion Programs at Work: A Frivolous Cost or a Sound Investment? Conference Board of Canada: 2002).

• Research demonstrates that employees with multiple health risk factors have 50 per cent more days absent and incur three to four times more healthcare costs than employees with no risk factors.

• Employers pay an extra $488 per year for every sedentary employee. (Industrial Accident Prevention Association).

Top tips to introduce workplace wellness:

Linda Lewis Daly of Good Life

When the average worker goes home, they have to tend to their kids, make dinner, do housework, socialize, commute – leaving precious little time for healthy habits.

Organizations that invest in health programs are creating a supportive and healthy workplace culture, according to Linda Lewis Daly, of GoodLife Fitness in Calgary.

“If we take a look at the demographics of our society, we’ve got an aging population and we’re not aging well in terms of the number of chronic diseases,” says Lewis Daly. “The costs are borne by the organizations in terms of absenteeism, presenteeism … but at the same time, we’re asking our employees to work more hours.”

Companies that invest in these programs are also protecting themselves from liability due to stress, industry and accidents. These organizations generally have lower drug costs and greater productivity because employees have higher levels of engagement.

“The less obvious costs are those in morale and job satisfaction, which results in a lack of creativity (and) innovation,” says Lewis Daly. “Sometimes you get an enlightened CEO or CFO or HR director that knows it’s the right thing to do. “They know the (return on investment) will follow and it does.”

Lafarge Canada, for example, recently launched its Get Active! Challenge to support, through web-based fitness tracking software and pedometers, a corporate health 98 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Establish a planning committee. Members can include representatives from employee groups as well as from human resources, health and safety, and communications.

Collect information. To prove that your program is beneficial, establish a benchmark before the program begins.

You may wish to look at employee satisfaction, absenteeism rates, stress levels, drug costs or WCB expenses.

Know what your organization already offers. For example, you may be surprised to find a number of existing policies that relate to wellness, health and/or safety. Some of these may complement your wellness program.

Assess what workplace facilities are available or needed to support employees towards active living and healthy eating, such as fitness facilities and kitchen areas.

Develop the plan to reflect the information gathered.

Include program objectives, activities and how you are going to measure whether your objectives were met. Keep the plan flexible. You may have to change direction in response to employee feedback or changes in the company’s structure.

Put activities in place. Offer a variety of activities that create awareness, increase knowledge, develop skills and provide social interaction. For example, activities could include walking clubs, participation in national campaigns or events that have a tie to active living or wellness, corporate challenge events, golf tourneys or other kinds of sports or fitness activities.

Make healthy eating part of the plan. You could develop a policy on food catering for meetings, to ensure that healthy foods are offered. Or you could offer a wider range of healthy food choices at company cafeterias and in vending machines.

Workplaces can also make it easier for employees to get physically active by offering flexible working hours. This can really help employees to schedule the necessary time to take part in a fitness activity, such as noon-hour fitness classes, an early morning bike ride or an afternoon run after work.

Regular communication to employees (e.g., via posters, Internet, email, etc.) should inform them about internal events or physical activity and/or healthy eating options. This is where social media and mobile technology content can play a role in maintaining and supplementing healthy habits.

WE LOOK AFTER YOUR EMPLOYEES, SO YOU CAN LOOK AFTER BUSINESS Specializing in employee benefits consulting for companies of all sizes, Silverberg Group is Alberta owned & operated. From employee benefits programs to executive packages, we translate industry information into innovative options and solutions that best suit your organizational goals.

Since 1996, over 800 companies have put their confidence in our industry expertise and our exceptional service. Let us become part of your company’s human resources team.

RESULTS | RELATIONSHIPS | COMMITMENT

www.silverberggroup.com Calgary 403.234.7878 | Edmonton 780.448.0676 | Red Deer 403.342.4822

Corporate Health Goes Mainstream • Corporate Fitness & Health

“When workers are not fully engaged, it leads to increased risk for employers. It makes companies more vulnerable to lower productivity and higher inefficiency, greater rates of absenteeism and turnover and increased costs for chronic illnesses.” ~ France Dufresne, leader of Towers Watson’s Talent and Rewards practice in Montreal. program that resulted in a 12-week program where they walked more than one-and-a-half-billion steps and workers lost 5350 pounds.

Agrium launched group exercise classes; PepsiCo Beverages launched its Healthy Living Challenge to support workers with healthy weight assessments, healthy heart clinics and nutritional workshops; while Acklands-Grainger in Edmonton started pre-shift stretches and a wellness day nutritionist exhibit.

A Towers Watson study found only about one third (38 per cent) of Canadians believe that their employers and senior leaders encourage and support a healthy workplace, while just 39 per cent think that senior leaders have a sincere interest in their well-being.

The majority of Canadian workers are not fully engaged in their work and frustrated by insufficient support in get100 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

ting healthy and engaged.

“When workers are not fully engaged, it leads to increased risk for employers,” says France Dufresne, leader of Towers Watson’s talent and rewards practice in Montreal. “It makes companies more vulnerable to lower productivity and higher inefficiency, greater rates of absenteeism and turnover, and increased costs for chronic illnesses.”

Towers Watson’s Global Workforce study also found that employees are seeking energy – defined as a work environment that actively supports physical, emotional and interpersonal well-being. “Enablement and energy are the really critical factors in this equation,” says Ofesila Isabel, Towers Watson’s Canadian leader for talent and rewards.

“It’s only in the last few years, when we’ve seen more pressure in the system, that the importance of enablement and energy has risen to the forefront.” BiC

Alberta’s leader in private family care Copeman Healthcare has introduced a highly personalized and service-focused approach to personal, family and corporate health care that delivers excellence in prevention and health management.

The Copeman Healthcare Centre set a new standard for primary care in Alberta when it opened the doors of its Calgary Centre in October 2008. The centre was developed to offer each client a personalized and expert team of professionals focused on all aspects of their health.

The state-of-the-art, centrally located 17,000-square-foot facility was expanded in 2011, and a second Alberta location opened in central Edmonton in May 2012. Both facilities house the same advanced medical services clients come to expect from Copeman Healthcare. Copeman Healthcare has created a western Canadian network of doctors, specialized professionals and researchers to develop and implement some of the most advanced programs of screening, diagnosis, prevention and health management available in the world today.

According to founder and CEO Don Copeman, the company began with a simple premise — to deliver unparalleled access to medical expertise while providing each patient with a highly personalized and “unhurried” experience.

In addition to expert doctors, the centres are staffed with a complementary team that includes psychologists, psychiatrists, neuro-psychologists, physiotherapists, registered dietitians, kinesiologists, exercise medicine specialists, nurses, health coaches and other specialized professionals who work together for the early detection and treatment of disease.

The centres offer the only program of its kind, recognizing that complete wellness must address all three areas of physical, psychological and brain health. Copeman’s brain health program is the first of its kind and is focused on early intervention for age- and diseaserelated cognitive decline.

Copeman Healthcare has become Canada’s leader in collaborative, teambased health care, but the services

Dr. Beth Donaldson, Family Physician

and technologies it has developed are now being shaped for implementation throughout the world.

One of the centre’s greatest contributions to the field of prevention and health management is its computerized Health Management System, which is a secure, online personal health record combined with sophisticated risk assessments, health surveillance and selfmanagement tools.

Changes in laboratory results and measures trigger personalized reminders about important risk factors and transmit both positive and negative trends to the patient’s health team. This advanced technology is made available to every client of the centre.

The centre offers a warm and comforting environment as well as an atmosphere of genuine caring that belies the size and sophistication of its operations.

“We are committed to a large, expert staff and the most current science and technology, but creating a very personalized and highly available service is just as important to us,” says Copeman.

“We have a simple motto, which is to treat every client like we would have our own loved ones treated. Our clients’ health teams are dedicated to them and committed to looking after every aspect of their health.”

Although the centre has numerous subscription programs and services, the most popular offering is LifePlus, an all inclusive prevention and health management program.

This service costs $3,900 per adult in the first year of service and $3,045 per year thereafter. It includes a comprehensive, four-hour annual health

assessment and a complete package of professional services to support a client’s individual health plan. Family programs are also available and the centre offers one of the most advanced programs for the prevention of child illnesses available in the world today.

Copeman Healthcare Centre Locations: Calgary 4th floor, 628 12th Ave. S.W. Calgary, T2R 0H6 T: 403-270-CARE (2273) Edmonton 10216 124 St., Suite 700 Edmonton, T5N 4A3 T: 780-455-CARE (2273) E-mail: info@copemanhealthcare.com Web: www.copemanhealthcare.com Services: Advanced personal and family health care; 24/7 physician on call; integrated physical, psychological and brain health; exercise medicine and physiotherapy; comprehensive health assessments; corporate wellness; registered dietitians; concussion management services; dementia and Alzheimer’s screening; stroke and brain injury rehabilitation; integrated personal training; cardiac health and rehabilitation; health coaching and therapeutic lifestyle change.

Real Estate in Review • Real Estate

Real Estate in

Review

Calgary’s real estate market started the year on a high and is showing potential for long-term stability

By Heather Ramsay

Images provided by Kim Vink, relator.

102 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

C

algary’s residential real estate market is on the climb and all indications are showing potential for long-term stability. Ranked as the fifth most livable city in the world, one of North America’s fastest growing cities, and listed as one of the world capitals of the future, Calgary continues to be an increasingly sought-after place to reside.

After much skepticism in late 2011, the residential real estate market in Calgary started out strong in the new year. With an increase in the price of oil and shift in the economy, came a sense of optimism. The wave of activity continued to grow into the spring as mortgage rate sale deadlines approached and federal government changes to mortgage rules were pending in June. It’s important to note that changes included a reduction in the amortization period of CMHC-insured mortgages from 30 to 25 years, not insuring mortgages of more than $1,000,000 and reducing the amount of equity one could take out of their home from 85 to 80 per cent. For buyers who have more than 20 per cent down, the rule changes will not matter as much, because they will not require an insured mortgage. That is in the fine print and something that not everyone knows about.

“The market warmed up considerably in the spring, and continued to roll through the end of June. We started out strong with the general upswing in the economy, and with healthy net migration we have seen a lot of product move this year,” says Ken Rigel, realtor with Ken Rigel Group.

“Calgary is a major international city, and when compared to other large markets, we are a bargain when it comes to real estate. In May of this year we saw a 30 per cent increase in Ken Rigel, realtor with Ken Rigel Group the number of homes sold compared to last year, and residential sales totalled 13,610 by July 2012. That is a 16 per cent increase year to date. We are in a strong market and if quality homes continue to be put on the market and priced well, all indications are that it will continue for the balance of the year.”

Real Estate in Review • Real Estate

Those who bought in 2006 and 2007 are going to start to see real profit in their investment. Calgary is an outstanding city and as commodities begin to stabilize and there is greater confidence in oil, the real estate market will only continue to improve.

~Ken Rigel

104 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Real Estate in Review • Real Estate

We’ll likely see a bit of a shift in the market for first-time homebuyers. ~ Kim Vink In July of this year, the average price for a single-family house in Calgary was $479,801 (2.04 per cent increase), a condo apartment was $279,226 (1.88 per cent increase) and a condo town house was $316,481 (2.64 per cent increase).

With a total 5,554 active listings on the market in July and an average of 43 days on market, experts say it will be interesting to see where pricing sits by year end, especially if there is an increase in interest rates or an influx of inventory.

“We are seeing a trend in the number of people who are transferring to Calgary and area and an increase in the overall number of first-time homebuyers. Younger people are investing in the market and more and more people are making larger down payments on properties. It’s all very encouraging,” explains Kim Vink, realtor with Royal LePage Solutions. “We’ll likely see a bit of a shift in the market for first-time homebuyers. The tightened mortgage rule changes will make it more challenging for them as well as some other buyers, who may now have an eligibility issue. It’s a lesson in affordability for all and that is a positive thing for the market much longer term.”

When it comes to lending, Jessy Bilodeau, mobile mortgage specialist with TD Canada Trust, says she has been seeing a significant shift in product choices. “With interest rates as low as they are right now, it’s no surprise that more and more of our clients are choosing fixed mortgages. No one anticipated that prime would stay as

WAR MPOLEVED

Jessy Bilodeau, mobile mortgage specialist

low as it has for this long. The lending promotions have certainly spawned activity and we will be watching the outcomes of the mortgage rule changes quite closely,” says Bilodeau.

“Calgary has been lucky to experience healthy real estate over the past five years. July 2007 saw pricing peak

at $505,000. The stock crash in 2008 hit the real estate market and the average price dropped considerably to $417,000, yet we have been growing steadily now for some time. Those who bought in 2006 and 2007 are going to start to see real profit in their investment,” advises Rigel. “Calgary is an outstanding city and as commodities begin to stabilize and there is greater confidence in oil, the real estate market will only continue to improve. This year’s sale of 64 homes within the $1.2 and $1.5 million-dollar range is testament to that.”

Now nearing the 1,100,000 mark, the city is vibrant, energetic and poised for opportunity and new activity. With over 5,100 real estate agents in the Calgary area, citizens and those moving to Calgary have access to some of the best talent and most experienced realtors in the country. Few other cities can boast all that Calgary has to offer, plus a $4,000,000 home sale this year. BiC

RAWLY uncompromised craftsmanship for over 20 years...

DEVELOPMENT

RAWLYK

DEVELOPMENTS INC. www.rawlyk.com www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 105

WHERE WORK COMES TO PLAY

SEPTEMBER 7 - 22, 2012

6 6DYDQQD

WWW.CALGARYCORPORATECHALLENGE.COM /Corp_Challenge

/CalgaryCorporateChallenge

Hats Off...

Game On! W

hen the Calgary Corporate Challenge (CCC) rolls around every September, longtime participant Agrium Inc. is ready for action. Involving approximately 250 employees from both the Calgary head office and the Carseland Plant, the competition is an opportunity to work together as a united group.

“Our corporate sponsorship brings more awareness to the name Agrium. Located in south Calgary, we may not be as visible in our presence, compared to some of the head offices downtown,” says Rose Lecky, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility. “In the end though, our enthusiastic employees are our best ambassadors.”

According to Scott Duesing, this year’s head of Agrium’s CCC Committee, the competition is an opportunity to build their corporate culture. “It brings our employees together outside the work environment to interact and get to know each other on a more personal level. Our employees enjoy getting out with their co-workers for some good competitive fun.”

A major supplier of agricultural products and services as well as specialty fertilizers, Agrium has a long history of being involved in the community. “Throughout all the areas in which Agrium employees work and live, we are known for our strong community outreach program that focuses on company investments and participation,” explains Lecky.

“We believe in giving back to the community… making it a better place to live.”

Agrium competes in all different events including the torch relay and opening ceremonies, as well as sports like basketball, volleyball and baseball, and games such as football, cribbage and darts – to name a few. They encourage as many employees as possible to participate and also have a strong commitment from the senior leaders for the CEO challenge. This complements their important role as a corporate sponsor for the past 13 years.

This support and team spirit will carry Agrium through this year’s Corporate Challenge.

“It is all about participation and camaraderie,” concludes Duesing. “We encourage all employees to get involved.

Whether they participate on a team, volunteer or cheer, everyone contributes to the success of Team Agrium.”

Where the Future is Growing™ agrium.com

“Team Savanna”

is Primed for Calgary’s Corporate Challenge

S

avanna Energy Services is ready for Calgary’s Corporate Challenge; in fact, they’ve been ready since July! Savanna Energy Services decided to kick-start the competition this year and held a mini in-house “corporate fear-factor” event over a July lunch hour to rally team spirit.

“I wanted to ramp up the social aspect of having a kick-off, so we collected ideas from staff, organized mixed teams and held a two-hour event,” says Terry Khu, assistant controller. “Our employees were elbow deep in mud, worms and raw food. We wanted to create awareness and engage team building prior to the Corporate Challenge, and it was also an opportunity for new and old employees to get to know each other – it was a fun event.”

As the month-long Corporate Challenge draws near, there are a few events that Savanna Energy is really looking forward too: the volleyball and foosball teams are ready to go. Last year, the foosball and trivia teams brought home some medals and are hoping to do it again this year.

“We have a strong volleyball contingent and our foosball and trivia teams are where our IT employees and engineers really shine,” adds Khu. “About half of our employees participate in the events and the other half cheer for their colleagues,” says Khu. “We have a good mix of younger and older employees, so the younger people tend to participate in the events and the older staff loves to support them during and/or after the events.”

Since 2007, Savanna Energy has supported the Corporate Challenge and it reflects their vision: defining leadership in global energy services through people, innovation and technology – the path for others to follow.

S

S

“About half of our employees participate in the events and the other half cheer for their colleagues,” says Khu. “We have a good mix of younger and older employees, so the younger people tend to participate in the events and the older staff loves to support them during and/or after the events.”

S

Savanna Energy Services Corp. drilling • well servicing • oilfield rentals

Savanna Energy Services Corp.

Suite 800, 311-6th Avenue SW Calgary AB, T2P 3H2 403 503 9990 www.savannaenergy.com

CANADA

S

S

USA

AUSTRALIA

GREAT PEOPLE MAKE GREAT TEAMS. With ATCO, you will join our unique and diverse world which includes a healthy and safe work environment, a commitment to the communities where we live and work, and an opportunity to grow your career across our various companies.

ATCO employs more than 8,800 people worldwide in nine companies engaged in Structures & Logistics, Utilities, Energy, and Technology. Great opportunities for great people.

pleased to support Calgary Corporate Challenge

Calgary Corporate Challenge (CCC) is an annual, Olympic-style event for Calgary’s business community. For 16 days each September, employees from over 180 companies participate in a variety of athletic and non-athletic events. There are 21 sporting events and 11 special and charitable events. Over the past 17 years CCC and its participant companies have helped several local charities, since 2000 we have helped raised over $5.3 million dollars through the CCC Charitable Events.

Calgary Corporate Challenge and Business in Calgary Magazine are proud to share the following company stories and profiles. See what the CCC Games can do for you!

Impact on Calgary Companies • The Games build morale and instil corporate pride • The Games promote teamwork and networking • The events provide physical and mental conditioning for employees

Individual Benefits • Opportunity to try out a new sport or activity • Cultivate your leadership skills by becoming a Company Coordinator or Team Captain • Build relationships within your company and network with other organizations • Calgary Corporate Challenge is fun for everyone!

Canada’s Best Sporting Event The 2011 September Games were named the Best Sporting Event in Canada at the CEIA awards. Calgary Corporate Challenge was also nominated in the Best Corporate Team Building Event for the 2011 September Games and had a second nomination in the Sporting Event category for our Human Bonspiel Event!

The CEIA is a national award program that recognizes outstanding achievements in Canadian special events, meeting management, conference planning and exhibition management.

Calgary Corporate Challenge won the award for Canada’s Best Corporate Team Building Event in 2010, 2009 and 2007 and was nominated for the award in 2008. In addition, CCC has been nominated at the Star Awards for Best Sporting Event for the past four years.

Get involved in the 2013 Games Become a sponsor - increase your exposure in the community and improve the company pride felt amongst your employees.

Become a volunteer - a core group of approximately 100 primary volunteers work with staff throughout the year to plan and deliver the events.

Become a participant - company registration runs March 1 -31st, 2013 Get involved today by calling the Games office at 403251-6641 or visiting www.calgarycorporatechallenge.com

YEEHAW! TOTAL E&P CANADA INTRODUCES…

WATCH US WRANGLE THE 2012 CALGARY CORPORATE CHALLENGE! Total E&P Canada is a proud participant and sponsor of the Calgary Corporate Challenge. Over half our employees, including managers and senior leadership get involved in this Olympic-style event to raise funds for charities across Calgary.

Total & the CCC • Health and Safety Sponsor 2010, 2011, 2012 • As of August 1, 2012, Total is ranked 13 at the Blood Donor Challenge – White Division!

• Registered in 20 CCC sports and events in 2012 • Winner of the 2009 Spirit Award Total E&P Canada’s employees at the 2011 Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike Challenge

About Total E&P Canada Total E&P Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Total SA, one of the world’s largest publicly traded integrated energy companies with 96,000 employees in more than 130 countries. Total strives to build a strong, sustainable position in the Athabasca oil sands through the development of our key assets. Total E&P Canada will invest up to $20 billion in Alberta’s economy and create 1,300 new jobs by 2020.

For more information please visit www.total-ep-canada.com

Golfing: The Off Season is On • Golf

Golfing: W

hile the days may be getting shorter and there are hints of changing colours outdoors, golf is certainly accessible to Calgarians. Courses and golfers alike are having a great season, and hopes are still high that the weather will continue to co-operate so that players can get a few more rounds in before things start closing up towards Thanksgiving weekend.

For avid players, intermittent players and those new to the game, the season doesn’t and shouldn’t have to end when the courses bid the 2012 summer adieu. In fact, according to golf professionals, medical clinicians, fitness trainers and physiotherapists, the “off season” is actually the best time to work on golf skills and overall wellness.

“The off season is really for practise and the on season is for play. Golf is a very complex motor skill that requires many different functions to take place simultaneously. Of critical importance are balance, flexibility, strength and posture. The off season is the best time to hone all of these skills and work with a pro to correct swing flaws,” explains Dr. Michael Breen, chiropractor and partner with Swing Doctor Golf in Calgary.

In addition to the 50-plus golf courses in the Calgary area, golfers also have access to a multitude of golf training professionals, technologies, aids and related resources, year round. Considering that golf is a physical, psychological and emotional sport, maintenance and an ongoing training and instruction regime can be most beneficial.

“Off-season training has a number of benefits. Not only can you work towards creating the swing you want, you can also get your body to a level of enhanced performance, be able to hit the ball straighter and further, all while reducing your risk of injury. From our experience, on-again/ off-again golfers endure far greater frustration with the game and experience more injuries than those who make it a year-round activity. Our team of golf professionals and health and wellness trainers create custom programs to support each golfer in improving their game and getting more

The Off Season is On

Golf training aids and professional instruction year round are getting Calgary golfers on top of their game

by Heather Ramsay

enjoyment out of golf,” says Jay Myren, director of instruction at Golf Canada Calgary Centre. “While the golf season in Calgary is seasonal, training, skill development and the opportunity to golf in other locations and while travelling are ongoing. We encourage golfers to keep their clubs handy and maintain – if not improve – their game over the winter.”

Golf Canada Calgary Centre is a full-service and yearround golf training facility, offering a full-sized driving range, covered and heated stalls, natural grass in season, an 18-hole mini putt course and a nine-hole par 3, plus professional instruction, video analysis, club fitters and equipment sales, the Future Links program for children age four and up, and more.

“Swing and motor changes are best made in the off season where players can be better focused, practise in a familiar venue and benefit from various training aids and pros as they progress. Not all training aids are for everyone or are required for a long time. Each player has different habits and skills and it’s important to not rely on or use any one aid for too long,” says Myren. “The key is to be in the moment and really feel the changes in your swing and posture. Each swing has a different purpose and every shot has unique variables. We endeavour to assist golfers in improving their technique and overall game. We want players to enjoy golf, the environment they’re in when they are on the course, and encourage them to continue to challenge themselves to improve.”

Swing Doctor Golf is another leading supplier of personalized golf and athletic training. Breen and his business www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 113

Golfing: The Off Season is On • Golf

Photo courtesy of Golf Canada Calgary Centre

Typically people do not have the full physical capacity to move their body properly and as required when golfing.

partner Garett Jenkinson, a CPGA professional, researched and developed their program based on an exercise methodology that improves the fundamental physical components that all golfers need to play better golf. “Typically people do not have the full physical capacity to move their body properly and as required when golfing. This can be improved significantly through personalized analysis and physical instruction and development,” he says.

Breen explains that there are common misconceptions that general fitness will help people play better golf and that the solution to poor performance is often better equipment.

That’s not the case. Advances in club technology have made hitting the ball easier, but fixing the body and making it better adapted to golf is where the real improvement is to be found.

“Garett was becoming increasingly frustrated while instructing his students. He would give them all of the best advice and instruction possible, but quickly realized that many of his students weren’t improving because of the limitations within their bodies. General personal training only resulted in varied levels of improvement in strength and flexibility. It didn’t help his students play better golf. That’s why we created Swing Doctor Golf. It’s golf specific and makes a difference.”

When working on golf fitness, Breen suggests three key areas of focus: • Posture ~ Too much time at a desk and seated tends to create a “bent forward” or rounded posture. This is not a good position for playing golf. The spine and spine angle are critical for good movement. Improvement to your regular posture and therefore golf posture will help you play better.

114 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

• Thoracic (mid-back) Rotation ~ Most people do not have a full range of motion through the thoracic area. An enormous amount of power in the swing is lost due to the absence of flexibility. Without full range of motion, it is impossible to accelerate the body and swing fully and properly.

• Balance ~ Balance in golf is more difficult than most players realize. Stability and balance are virtually interchangeable and poor balance means poor stability. The result is that you cannot generate the power necessary for a proper swing.

Golfing aids offer two important benefits. First, they can assist you in playing better golf and therefore allow you to enjoy the game even more. Secondly, ongoing training can reduce the risk of injury. As a clinician, Breen typically sees more golf-related acute trauma in his practice than other golf-related injuries. The most common of which are injuries to the wrist or elbow, where a player’s club has suddenly made impact with the ground, or due to poor mechanics combined with repetition. Low back pain is also a complaint, but interestingly this condition more frequently relates to the amount of time spent standing while playing a round of golf and not from swinging the club. All things that with ongoing practice, instruction and appropriate golf fitness can be drastically reduced, says Breen.

As with any sport, golf too requires a degree of commitment to training, practise, play, learning and recuperation.

This fall and winter, you may want to reconsider taking the season off and explore local options for ongoing training, instruction and development. Think of the potential improvement in your game. Business tournaments can only get better and your 2013 scorecards will thank you! BiC

Win 9

at a at h ig e er vel le vel GOLF a hher iglh GOLF www.silvertipresort.com

hig h er le vwww.silvertipresort.com el

ipresort.com

GOLF TRAIL

rounds of golf

O ffering breathtaking scenery, grand facilities, exceptional cuisine,

O

and world-class golf, Silvertip can tailor your next tournament or group ffering breathtaking scenery, grand to facilities, cuisine, event to suit your every need. Call 1-877-877-5444 see howexceptional Silvertip and world-class golf, can tailor your next tournament or group can create a golf experience farSilvertip above ordinary.

event to suit your every need. Call 1-877-877-5444 to see how Silvertip can create a golf experience far above ordinary.

s, exceptional cuisine, ext tournament or group 5444 to see how Silvertip y.

Go to ColumbiaValleyGolfTrail.com click the “ENTER TO WIN” button Sign up using promo code: BIC f e a t u r i n g : the springs at radium, the resort course at radium, greywolf, eagle ranch, copper point, the ridge at copper point, windermere valley, riverside & mountainside at fairmont hot springs

Plan and book your golf vacation at

ColumbiaValleyGolfTrail.com

Equity Memberships

GOLF ST. EUGENE

Now only

$

29,900

Save $5,100 Limited Number Available

Play, Dine, Experience!

STAY & PLAY fr om

139

$

per person per night

Only15 minutes from downtown Calgary, situated in a secluded, undisturbed valley, along the banks of the Bow River.

A championship course with the perfect combination of outstanding beauty, superior design, and holes that will dare you to test every part of your game.

Annual golf memberships also available.

1.866.292.2020 · WWW.STEUGENE.CA GOLFPACKAGES@STEUGENE.CA

Contact Curtis Robertson for more details 403.221.9682 x 240 crobertson@valleyridgegolf.com

*Prices do not include tax. Based on double occupancy of a standard room. Upgrades available.

www.valleyridgegolf.com www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 115

Book your Staff Christmas Party with us!

Greenside Bunker Shots E

verything is going good, but then you get into the bunker and something invades your person and some crappy swing comes out. Yuck!! The Situation: No Crazy lie… just on top of the sand, relatively flat lie, but the bunker is deep. You are a golfer who hits his 7 iron about 150 yards. I will describe the two most common mistakes I have seen over the years when golfers are having trouble with this shot.

The Swing you use in the bunker is your Pitch Swing. The Pitch swing is a small version of your full swing or a ¾ swing. Golfers have trouble with this swing (off grass or in the bunker) because they stop turning and begin to use more of an arm and hand swing which leads to an abundance of problems. Practice your turn by maintaining your spine angle from the start to the finish of your swing. Learn to pivot or turn around this fixed spine throughout this ¾ swing. While practicing check that your chest is turned away from the target in the backswing and finishing with your chest toward the target.

Secondly, Golfers often use their equipment poorly. They buy that 60 degree wedge to help them out of the bunker. Then they read the golf tip that informs him/her to open up the clubface; often overdoing this procedure. When you open the clubface you increase the loft from 60 degrees to 70 or 80 degrees. This does not allow for enough force to reach the objective of impacting the sand, throwing the sand with the ball toward the target.

Practice in the bunker with a Pitching Wedge. Use a square clubface and make some pitch swings impacting the sand and throwing the sand out from the bunker toward the target. Then graduate to your 50 degree wedge (Gap Wedge), then 55 degree (Sand Wedge), then your 60 degree (Lob Wedge). You will be surprised that the ball will easily clear the lip even with the loft of your Pitching Wedge. It is key to learn this firstly with a SQUARE CLUBFACE, then graduate your understanding of how and when to open up the face.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Scott Orban, CPGA Golf Professional Watch video golf tips regularly at www.mckenziemeadows.com.

Figure 1

Always a Great Round

116 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

SEPTEMBER 2012

Small Business Week

This year’s program for Small Business Week gives Calgary companies more opportunities to learn, network and socialize with their peers

Adam Legge, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber

Small businesses serve as the grease that helps to keep Alberta’s economy running smoothly.

W

hen people think of the business scene in Alberta, the image that often comes to mind is big oil and gas companies that employ thousands of people.

But that picture doesn’t tell the whole story.

The majority of businesses in Alberta are small businesses.

In fact, small businesses – defined as having fewer than 50 employees – account for 95 per cent of all businesses in the province and are a driving force of the economy accounting for almost 30 per cent of our GDP. “Small businesses are a critical part of Alberta’s econo-

my,” says Adam Legge, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber. “Not only are they resilient and highly adaptive but due to their nimbleness they are able to fill important niches in the economy that larger businesses can’t touch because of their size.”

Small businesses serve as the grease that helps to keep Alberta’s economy running smoothly. Many larger companies depend on these businesses to support their daily operations – turning to them for specialized technical services, such as building equipment and machinery, to help them grow.

Small Business by Industry 2012 Board of

Directors Executive Dave Sprague – Chair

Glenn McNamara – Immediate Past Chair Leah Lawrence – 2nd Vice Chair Joe Lougheed – Vice Chair (Chair Elect) Rob Hawley – Vice Chair, Finance Adam Legge – President & CEO Directors Kelly Blackshaw Don Chynoweth Melodie Creegan William Flaig Doug Firby Arlene Flock Eva Friesen Guy Huntingford Rob Lennard Denis Painchaud Dilan Perera Linda Shea Chuck Szmurlo Paul Waddell Management Adam Legge, President & CEO Ben Brunnen, Chief Economist Craig Watt, Director of Programing & Connectivity & Chief Strategy Officer Michael Andriescu, Director of Finance & Administration Jackie McAtee, Director of Marketing & Communications.

Kim Koss, Vice President, Business Development Leading Business magazine is a co-publication of the Calgary Chamber and Business in Calgary The Calgary Chamber 100 6th Avenue S.W, Calgary, Alberta T2P 0P5 Phone: (403) 750-0400 Fax: (403) 266-3413 calgarychamber.com

This year’s Small Business Week program includes a variety of workshops, lectures and open houses to help businesses learn and network, as well as a trade show expo that lets them showcase what they’re doing to the Calgary business community.

These unsung heroes of Alberta’s economy come from a variety of industries. From construction contractors and family-run restaurants to serial entrepreneurs and marketing firms – our province’s small businesses can be found in virtually every sector. And they’re making a big impact on our economy.

There are about 39 small businesses in the province for every 1,000 people, far exceeding the Canadian average of 31.

Small Business Week, which runs from October 15-19, pays tribute to the contributions that small and medium-sized businesses make to the Canadian economy.

First established in 1979 by the Business Development Bank of Canada, Small Business Week is now a nationwide celebration across cities and towns dedicated to this vital part of the economy.

Aside from celebrating small businesses, the Calgary Chamber recognizes that Small

Business Week is an important opportunity for small businesses to learn, network and socialize with their peers. With this in mind, we’ve revamped what we’re doing this year for this week-long series of events. The 2012 program for Small Business Week will include a variety of workshops, lectures and open houses, as well as a trade show expo that lets small businesses showcase what they’re doing to others throughout the community. Of course, the highlight of Small Business Week is still the Small Business Week Awards which will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday, October 18.

For more information on how to enter the Small Business Week Awards, host a learning workshop for a business audience in Calgary, participate in the trade show expo or purchase tickets to the awards gala, visit: smallbusinessweekcalgary.com.

Some things...

Some things...

...you just shouldn’t buy used

...you should

Save thousands when you buy or lease a certified used vehicle from DRIVING FORCE. Certified used vehicles are backed by our 3 mth, 5,000 km limited warranty.

2332–23 Street NE, Calgary

403•296•0770 Toll Free 1•800•936•9353 www.drivingforce.ca

15 locations in Canada

Street Smarts for Business

A new year-long event series helps Calgary companies overcome some of their biggest business problems

I

t’s OK to admit it, but sometimes you don’t always have all the answers particularly when it comes to running and growing your business.

Fortunately, that’s where Street Smarts for Business can help. Street Smarts for Business is a new year-long lecture and workshop series started by the Calgary Chamber that brings in a number of experts to provide businesses with the know-how they need to grow their business and overcome some of their toughest business challenges.

“We believe the sole purpose for the existence of the Chamber is to help make our members’ businesses more successful,” says Adam Legge, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber. “New programs such as Street Smarts for Business is one of the things we’re introducing this year to help our members reach their business goals.”

Every Street Smarts for Business event has two parts: a lecture and an in-depth workshop a week later where a small group of people can drill down into the topic with

the speaker in more depth. The series kicks off on Wednesday, September 19 with a talk from Hamish Knox, owner of a Sandler Training Centre in Calgary, on how to set and achieve your business goals by overcoming the mental blocks and negative head trash that prevents you from hitting your objectives. Many of the tips that Knox will be sharing throughout his lecture will be the same training and consulting strategies that the renowned Sandler Training system has shared with Fortune 500 companies throughout the world.

Throughout the Street Smarts for Business series, a number of helpful topics will be covered. This includes everything from how to double your business in its first year and human resource essentials for small business owners to simple stress busters that any company can use and social responsibility strategies that won’t break the bank.

For more information on Street Smarts for Business, visit: CalgaryChamber.com.

Upcoming Events From celebrating the city’s movers and shakers to providing businesses with the knowledge to grow their business, the Chamber has an event for every need

September 14, 2012 Gala - Alchemy Award-winning Harvard lecturer and bestselling author Shawn Achor will show people how to reap the benefits of a happier and more positive mindset to achieve extraordinary results at work and in their daily lives.

September 12, 2012 Connect for Lunch Join us for a talk by Ranil Herath, president of the DeVry Institute of Technology, on how to use LinkedIn for business networking.

September 19, 2012 Set and Achieve Your Business Goals Learn how negative head trash prevents you from achieving your goals and how to overcome these mental blocks.

September 20, 2012 Business After Hours

September 28, 2012 Ric McIver – Minister of Transportation The government of Alberta’s newly appointed minister of transportation will detail what priorities he plans to tackle during the next four years.

October 15-19, 2012 Small Business Week Attend a learning workshop or trade show, meet and network with other businesses or celebrate the success of some of the city’s brightest entrepreneurs by attending the Small Business Awards Gala during this weeklong celebration dedicated to small business.

October 24, 2012 Smart Cities of the Future Learn how cities throughout Canada can become innovative and prosperous centres that fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life.

Meet new clients and make new business connections at this business trade show and high-level networking event.

For more information, or to register, call our events department at 403.750.0400 or visit CalgaryChamber.com.

By Gord Hawker

Bench Strength

C

High service levels and dedicated staff help keep CTCC in the game.

algary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC) has been recognized for its outstanding guest service.

In fact, service is what drives more than 75 percent of customers to return to the CTCC time and time again.

Testimonials and thank you notes about individual staff members arrive almost daily, and a wide range of them are published on the CTCC’s website.

Director of Human Resources Delores Neufeldt believes the Centre’s reputation for going the extra mile has evolved as part of an overall culture of respect and teamwork.

“People here enjoy coming to work, and that shows in the way they do their jobs,” she explains. “There’s a sense of teamwork, of fun and camaraderie here that you don’t get in every workplace. The open door policy really exists here – people are encouraged to provide input and they feel comfortable doing it, because they know their experience and their opinions are respected. Respect leads to respect – and that includes the way we work with our in-house suppliers for catering, audio-visual and display services.”

When asked if there’s a CTCC personality type, Neufeldt acknowledges there likely is. “You can train for skill but you can’t train for attitude. A typical CTCC staff member – whether they are management or frontline staff – is someone who enjoys people, has a passion to help others, and is able step in and take the initiative to do whatever needs to be done, even if it’s not in their job description.”

As most business operators will attest, recruiting the right employees is vital, but it’s equally as important to retain the right people. That’s where Neufeldt sees the CTCC’s workplace culture as having a significant impact. Employees who feel appreciated tend to want to stay, she says. Access to things like Health and Safety training, English as a Second Language training, flex and bonus hours, a staff gym and regular events for staff and families also help reinforce the message that the CTCC values its people. Among the CTCC’s 119 current staff

(88 full-time and 31 part-time), the average length of service is 7.5 years. That average has come down over the past few years as several employees have retired after 20+ years of service.

Compared to hospitality industry standards, CTCC turnover rates are low. The 2011 turnover rate was 7 percent for fulltime staff and 8 percent among casual workers.

Despite strong retention of long-term employees, staffing at the CTCC is not without its challenges. Like many organizations in Calgary, the CTCC is feeling the effects of a growing labour shortage. While low turnover rates mean she doesn’t have to hire for large numbers of positions each year, Neufeldt has seen a significant decrease in the number of applicants across all positions over the past couple of years.

Always aware that Calgary competes regionally and locally with other sectors, Neufeldt is continually evaluating the CTCC’s total compensation package. Attracting the right team members is vital to maintain the CTCC’s customer service edge.

CTCC staff come from all walks of life and all levels of experience, but share a common commitment to service. www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 121

Calgary. Be Part of the Energy Goes on the Road

BY MARY MORAN

O

ver the last 18 months, Calgary and Alberta have reverted back into a labour crunch. According to the City of Calgary Corporate Economics office, the unemployment rate in the Calgary Economic Region was 4.8 per cent in June 2012 and the Conference Board of Canada forecasts unemployment to be at 4.7 per cent by 2013, 4.4 per cent in 2014, 4.2 per cent by 2015 and 4.1 per cent by 2016. Calgary’s 2012 GDP growth is forecasted to be 3.5 per cent, resulting in a continued rise in employment growth and a corresponding contraction in unemployment.

According to the Calgary Labour Demand Model there are 411 occupations that are expected to experience growth in demand over the 2010 to 2020 period, and according to Alberta’s Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook 20112021, Alberta’s labour demand is expected to increase by 607,000 workers from 2010 to 2021 and the province is expected to experience a labour shortage of up to 114,000 workers by 2021.

Much of this growth will occur in the Calgary Economic Region, where labour demand is expected to increase from 755,100 workers in 2010 to over 943,000 workers in 2020, an increase of 187,900. Calgary employers are accessing markets outside of Alberta to meet a portion of their hiring needs and international labour markets will play a role in meeting Alberta’s labour demand.

In order to support even modest economic growth, Alberta needs to continue to focus on not only attracting more talent but attracting the right talent. Calgary Economic Development’s fully-integrated marketing campaign, Calgary. Be Part of the Energy is specifically intended to

address this widely-held business need by helping increase awareness of what Calgary has to offer not only as a place to making a living, but rather, a place to make a life.

To promote Calgary as a great city to make a living and make a life, to raise international awareness about Calgary as a leading career destination and to build on the success of the Calgary. Be Part of the Energy campaign (launched in 2011), Calgary Economic Development is planning a number of labour attraction events and missions with its partners for the fall of 2012. Markets have been chosen based on research conducted through the Calgary Economic Development demand and global labour supply study (February 2012) and the success of the national focus in 2011.

These labour attraction missions are a mix of exhibition, media and public relations, and speaking opportunities across a number of sectors. Together with many corporate partners, Calgary Economic Development is promoting not only the career opportunities available, but the quality of life advantages that make Calgary the place to live, work and play.

Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary’s growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets, and feel at home in our community. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. We’re exhilarated about our role in shaping and sharing Calgary’s story, and we’re proud to be part of the energy. For more information visit www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com or follow us: @calgaryeconomic.

Details

Event

Location

Date

World Heavy Oil Congress

Aberdeen, Scotland

September 10-13, Sponsor and exhibit at the World Heavy Oil Congress. Organize in-market media and public relations opportunities for Calgary 2012

Labour attractions mission in conjunction with Working Abroad career expos

Dublin, Ireland October 4-15, 2012 and Glasgow, Scotland

Global Energy Career Expo

Toronto, Ontario

Economic Development and for partners in attendance at the congress. Target market: Energy sector.

November 5-8, 2012

122 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Lead a Calgary delegation, sponsor and exhibit at the Working Abroad Expos in both locations (creation of a Calgary pavilion on the trade show floor). Organize in-market, media and public relations activities including a guerrilla marketing event and advertising campaign. Target market: all sectors.

Lead a Calgary delegation and sponsor and exhibit at the trade show. Organize an in-market event for Calgary, execute media and public relations activities and advertising campaign.

Target market: Energy sector.

Calgary’s Tourism Efforts Leading the Nation

BY STEWART MCDONOUGH

Calgarians love their city By a large margin, Calgarians are more satisfied with how their city promotes tourism than residents in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.

An Angus Reid Public Opinion poll released this summer surveyed residents of Canada’s four largest cities to discover who is happier with their quality of life and municipal government. 78 per cent of Calgary residents believe their city is doing a “very good job” or “good job” with the closest city 18 percentage points behind.

The Angus Reid Public Opinion poll shows that Calgarians are much more satisfied with the job their current municipal government is doing.

Further, when describing their city the poll indicates that residents regard Calgary as a city on the rise, a livable city, a place where you can find a good job, a good city to start a business, a city that embraces innovation, and a city that is connected and has accessible digital infrastructure.

Calgary set to lead the nation in tourism production The Conference Board of Canada is predicting that Calgary will lead the nation’s major metropolitan centres in visitor and tourism spending growth for the second year in a row in 2012. The Conference Board of Canada has also forecast that Alberta will lead the nation’s provinces in both visitor and tourism spending growth in 2012.

Increased marketing investment through the Stampede Centennial, Cultural Capital of Canada activities and Tourism Calgary and partner campaigns; major

By a large margin, Calgarians are more satisfied with how their city promotes tourism than residents in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. events including the IIHF World Junior Championship, Stampede Centennial and UFC created urgent demand to visit; publicity from the royal visit in 2011 drove awareness in the United Kingdom – Canada’s most important overseas market; and a growing Chinese tourism market in the second year of Approved Destination Status are all contributing factors to Calgary’s continued tourism growth.

In Canada overall, overnight visits are forecast to rise by 1.8 per cent in 2012.

Overall, tourism spending by visitors to Canada is forecast to rise by 3.8 per cent in 2012, following an estimated gain of 5.4 per cent in 2011.

The forecast for Calgary is more optimistic though still heavily influenced by domestic travel. Fuelled in large part by domestic visitation, overnight visits to Calgary are forecast to increase by 4.0 per cent in 2012, the highest rate of growth of any of the metro markets measured by the Conference Board of Canada.

Tourism spending in Calgary is forecast to rise by 5.9 per cent in 2012, building upon the estimated 7.3 per cent increase in spending realized in 2011.

2012 IIHF World Junior Championship an economic winner In the days directly following the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship the tournament was hailed as an unparalleled success. Now we have the numbers to back that up. An economic impact assessment released by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance detailed the results for the host cities and province.

The combined spending of visitors who attended the pre-competition and tournament games, plus the revenues and expenditures of the host organizing committee, media and the capital upgrades to facilities as a result of hosting the event, totalled $51.0 million.

This spending generated an estimated $86.2 million in economic activity for the province of Alberta, of which $30.9 million occurred in Edmonton and $36.8 million occurred in Calgary.

“The 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship is one of the premier sport tourism events in the country,” said Marco De Iaco, Vice-President, Sales, Sport and Major Events, Tourism Calgary. “It drives immediate visitation and economic activity, elevates the host city’s brand and provides tremendous and lasting community legacies.”

Considerable tax revenues were also produced by the event, totalling $11.5 million. Of that total, $2.8 million in taxes was supported in Alberta municipalities, of which $1.3 million accrued in Edmonton and $1.2 million accrued in Calgary.

The event also benefited from the efforts of more than 1200 volunteers, who made a significant contribution to the success of the championship.

www.businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2012 • 123

Innovate Calgary Presents the Alastair Ross Technology Centre’s Tech Showcase and Open House 2012 Date: Thurs, October 25, 2012 • Time: 3-6 PM • Location: Alastair Ross Technology Centre, 3553 – 31 St. NW Website: innovatecalgary.com/techshowcase2012

BY ANDREA MENDIZABAL

A

n afternoon of electrifying energy, excitement and building connections, the Alastair Ross Technology Centre’s (ARTC) annual Tech Showcase and Open House brings together some of the newest technology companies driving innovation in Calgary for one of the city’s largest tech sector networking events.

Presented by Innovate Calgary, the 13th annual Tech Showcase is an event dedicated to providing local earlystage, high-tech companies with the opportunity to showcase their innovative business to a cross section of Calgary’s advanced tech community including industry, media, potential investors and From biotechnology to digital media, the Alastair Ross Technology Centre’s Tech Showcase 2011 featured more fellow entrepreneurs. than 35 exhibitors from a cross section of Calgary’s advanced technology sector. More than 400 guests came “With 400-plus guests who attend to connect with entrepreneurs, investors and industry associations, and learn about some of Calgary’s most innovative early-stage technologies. Tech Showcase 2012 takes place on Thursday, October 25, 2012. Photo each year, we are providing a venue for courtesy: camerAdventures people to interact and learn about what’s happening in Calgary’s vibrant advanced tech sector,” says to attend a “Perfecting Your Pitch” seminar, providing Dave MacKillop, Manager of the Alastair Ross Technology budding technology companies with invaluable techniques Centre. “It’s all about facilitating connections and helping on how to maximize their company’s pitch. others build key relationships that will lead to opportunities.”

Building on the success of last year, this year will also Since its inception in 2000, Tech Showcase has grown to feature a “Trade Show 101,” a pre-event seminar designed become an event where who’s who of Calgary’s advanced to provide these early-stage technology companies with technology community come together for the support of practical tips for gaining the most out of their exhibition local innovation. The event has also expanded to include space. pre-event development sessions for participating exhibitors.

“Our goal is to support Calgary’s high-tech community Currently, applications to exhibit at the 2012 Tech while having a great afternoon of business networking, Showcase are being accepted and local early-stage seeing some great companies and celebrating what these technology companies are invited to apply. In addition companies have to offer,” says MacKillop. to gaining exposure, exhibiting companies will once To learn more about the Alastair Ross Technology Centre’s again have the opportunity to participate in the “Perfect Tech Showcase and Open House, how you can apply to exhibit Pitch” contest. or how you can support this event as a sponsor, contact Sponsored and hosted by Alberta Deal Generator, the Dave MacKillop at dmackillop@innovatecalgary.com, “Perfect Pitch” contest provides all exhibitors with the (403) 284-6422 or visit innovatecalgary.com/techshowcase2012. chance to deliver their perfect pitch to a team of seasoned For more information on Innovate Calgary visit entrepreneurs for a chance to win a $1,000 cash prize. innovatecalgary.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Prior to the event, exhibitors will also have the opportunity twitter @innovatecalgary.

124 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

Feeding the

A Meeting Place

A Landmark

A Community Hub

We are committed to bringing a world of energy and ideas together.

Meet with energy! calgary-convention.com T 403.261.8500 | sales@calgary-convention.com

David Parker • MarketingMatters

MarketingMatters ••••••••••••••

By David Parker

I

t was a surprise for me to see Art Graddon sitting alongside Catherine Proulx, president of Twist Marketing, at the Business in Calgary gala awards dinner where she was recognized as one of the Leaders of Tomorrow recipients.

A whisper in the ear that evening told me that Graddon was leaving his position as partner and executive creative director at Mosaic Studios to join Twist as director of strategy and planning.

Graddon came to Calgary in 1989 from Montreal and joined Ogilvy & Mather and also worked at Venture Communications, Critical Mass and TWBA involved with clients such as Telus, Canadian Airlines, WestJet, Enmax, ATB Financial and United Way. •••••••••••••• Brookline Public Relations has earned a good deal of applause for its commitment to helping not-forprofits but it also does a sterling job for a growing number of corporate accounts that has just been added to with its agency of record status for Swimco.

Under the leadership of president Lori Bacon, Swimco has grown to be a premier swimwear retailer with 25 locations across Western Canada.

Shauna MacDonald and her team at Brookline will manage Swimco’s ongoing public relations efforts including media relations, social media initiatives and event management to strengthen and promote the retailer’s brand.

This city has some very experienced communicators with talents that are recognized well past our borders.

Garth Rowan of Allaire Rowan was a huge help to Canadian athletes competing in the London Olympics.

For 18 months he shuttled between teams helping athletes with their general communications and public relations skills as well as checking up on their social media setup, blogs and Twitter accounts while stressing the need to keep in touch during the long periods on the road.

The Canadian Olympic Committee, which he has helped since the Salt Lake City Games in 2002, sent him to London to assist with preparations as the city hosted a series of events to test equipment and help athletes get accustomed to the venues.

•••••••••••••• After eight years as director of communications at the Calgary Stampede, Lindsey Galloway has taken on new and heavy responsibilities as director of communications, marketing and sales at the Calgary Zoo. The zoo staff is working hard to develop a new 10-year master plan to ensure it carries on its responsibilities as a sanctuary for species nearing extinction, and of conservation and breeding programs while educating the public and offering them an enjoyable visitor experience.

Galloway can rely on Trigger Communications that as handled the zoo account so well for many years but he is looking for help in designing a new website – he is big on digital communications and says that a third of the people who contact the zoo do so with a mobile service.

His role includes sales of memberships – currently 70,000 – and renting out its venues for events. The Enmax Conservatory and Safari make great

126 • September 2012 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

photo ops for weddings and corporate functions and the zoo also has a barbecue tent that will hold 300 people.

•••••••••••••• Viad Grigore, formerly leader of emergency response, development and production at Statoil, has joined the Calgary office of Hill + Knowlton as vice president corporate emergency response, a new role to complement its existing emergency crisis communications service.

•••••••••••••• Earlier this year Calgary-based Quintaro Graphic Reproduction – designers and producers of site-specific artwork and wall decor for the hospitality, health care and corporate markets – opened an office in Vancouver.

Heather Lawton, director of operations, has hired Brent O’Connor as the company’s director of business development – North America.

Working primarily out of the new West Coast office, he joins the Quintaro sales team to provide strategic direction for sales distribution and partnership within the company.

He has 23 years of hospitality experience, two years of which were spent with Farmboy Fine Arts as its director of business development. Most recently he was director of sales for a Best Western hotel and chair of the Best Western Co-op of British Columbia.

Parker’s Pick: Wow! Take a look at the Zoom website to watch terrific footage taken from the online video agency’s new low-altitude aerial helicopter. A wonderful tool for shooting overheads – and I’d bet it’s a tad cheaper than flying the real thing.

RGO has been supplying Alberta’s best businesses with office furnishings for over 45 years. Our team is dedicated to creating office environments that work - for you! We carry a full line of traditional and contemporary office

furnishings,

flooring,

residential

and

commercial

window

coverings

and

the

latest

in office technology - from the world’s leading manufacturers. For more information or a free consultation please call 403-569-4400 or visit www.rgo.ca

solutions that work...

OFFICE FURNISHINGS

OFFICE TECHNOLOGY

INSTALLATIONS

SERVICE

#100. 229 - 33 Street NE Calgary AB

WINDOW COVERINGS

FLOORING

OFFICE MOVE COORDINATION

T2A 4Y6

403-569-4400

www.rgo.ca

Now Accepting Applicants for Fall 2013 TURN YOUR PASSION INTO A CAREER

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT bowvalleycollege.ca/sustainable