June 2013 - Business in Edmonton

June 2013 $3.50 businessinedmonton.com

The Helmsmen of 104

th

Chad Helm and Brad Kahler Suit Up for a New Edmonton

Edmonton’s Bright Construction Forecast

corporate aviation Fixed Based Operations – Business Flying Perfected

aviation directory

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

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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, Dependability 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?

SECTION CONTENTS TITLE

JUNE 2013 | Vol. 02 #06

View our elect ronic issue of this mon th’s mag azin e onlin e at www .busi nessi nedm onto n.com

Features

Regulars

From tailor-made suits to understanding the fine art of protesting to technology in agriculture – Edmonton leads the way in all things progressive. Read these stories and more in this issue of Business in Edmonton.

Each and every month

10

economic factors

By Jason Brisbois

Edmonton Losing Immigration Battle to Calgary

12

Cover

The Helmsmen of 104th

By mark kandborg

Brad Kahler and Chad Helm Suit Up for a New Edmonton

OFF THE TOP

19

Fresh News across all sectors.

69 Ed monton economic PHOTO: epic photography

development corporation

Company Profiles 51 D elnor

Features

construction ltd.

By Nerissa mcnaughton

Celebrating their 30th Anniversary

25

OIL & Gas | By PARKER GRANT The Theatre of Protests

51 Correction Notice:

The Human Resources Institute (HRIA) would like to apologize for the incorrect of spelling the 2013 Rising Star winner - Celia Koehler in the Celebrating Excellence announcement in the May issue of Business in Edmonton.

6

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Entrepreneurs.

They turn us on.

To new ideas, new ways of thinking and new possibilities.

That’s why we proudly celebrate their achievements — and you can too. Join us for our electrifying 20th anniversary celebration on October 17 in Calgary and meet the Prairies finalists and winners! To learn more, contact Louise Hyland at 403 206 5372 or louise.hyland@ca.ey.com.

Learn more at ey.com/ca/EOY. And follow us on Twitter: @EYCanada #EOY20.

20 years of inspiration

20 years of inspiration

© 2013 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved.

National sponsors

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Ernst & Young is a proud supporter of entrepreneurship

OFF THE TOP

NEWS from the month

Features

PUBLISHER Business in Edmonton Inc.

Associate PUBLISHER Brent Trimming

brent@businessinedmonton.com

editor

continued

From tailor-made suits to understanding the fine art of protesting to technology in agriculture – Edmonton leads the way in all things progressive. Read these stories and more in this issue of Business in Edmonton.

Mark Kandborg

EDITORial coordinator Nerissa McNaughton

COPY EDITORS Nerissa McNaughton Nikki Mullett

corporate aviation

Art Director Jessi Evetts

jessi@businessinedmonton.com

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS

By debra ward

Fixed Based Operations – Business Flying Perfected

Cher Compton

29

ADMINISTRATION Nancy Bielecki Sarah Schenx info@businessinedmonton.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Jason Brisbois

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Mark Kandborg Debra Ward Nerissa McNaughton

John Hardy Benjamin Freeland

PHOTOGRAPHY Cover photo by Epic Photography Inc.

ADVERTISING SALES Evelyn Dehner Bobbi Joan O’Neil Carla Wright Renee Neil Larissa Ausmus

evelyn@businessinedmonton.com bobbi@ businessinedmonton.com carla@businessinedmonton.com renee@businessinedmonton.com larissa@businessinedmonton.com

DIRECTORs OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING Kim Hogan Bob Kenyon Mark McDonald

kim@businessinedmonton.com bob@businessinedmonton.com mark.mcdonald@businessinedmonton.com

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8

34 aviation directory 37 Agriculture

| BY Nerissa McNaughton

What’s This GPS Doing in My Tractor? Farming Goes High Tech

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

48 Exporting

| By Ben Freeland

Economic Diversification: Alberta’s Quiet Transformation

63 Golf

| By Nerissa McNaughton

Jägare Ridge Golf Club: An Oasis in the City

67 Edmonton chamber of commerce

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

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ECONOMIC FACTORS Jason Brisbois

Edmonton Losing Immigration Battle to Calgary

by Jason Brisbois

I

expect that when most Edmontonians think of immigration, their attention immediately turns to temporary foreign workers. Much has been written about employers hiring people from other countries to work for temporary periods in oil and gas, construction, accommodation and many other sectors. These workers can stay for as long as four years and many citizens feel that they are taking jobs that Albertans or other Canadians could fill.

The job-taking allegations may or may not be true, but the fact is there are far fewer temporary foreign workers in Alberta than there are immigrants who have come to Alberta as permanent residents. Today, 20 per cent of Alberta’s working-age population consists of immigrants (permanent residents who were born outside of Canada) and the newcomers keep coming with between 25,000 and 30,000 new immigrants arriving in Alberta each year.

Historically, Edmonton and Calgary attracted roughly equal numbers of immigrants. By the millennium, however, Calgary had become by far the preferred

Historically, Edmonton and Calgary attracted roughly equal numbers of immigrants. By the millennium, however, Calgary had become by far the preferred destination with about half of the immigrants settling there and only a third coming to Edmonton. destination with about half of the immigrants settling there and only a third coming to Edmonton. In 2005, Mayor Mandel and City Council asked two highly qualified University of Alberta Professors, Tracey Dewing, and Harvey Krahn, to find out what Edmonton could do to attract more immigrants. The Mayor and Council believed that higher immigration was essential for Edmonton’s future growth and for building a long term labour force.

The researchers conducted interviews with over 100 recent immigrants in each city. They found that economic factors (i.e. finding a job) was the top rationale for moving to Edmonton, followed closely by the presence of family

Today, the City of Edmonton website contains substantial information for immigrants and numerous connections to immigrant settlement services, but despite these and other efforts the trend has not changed. In 2011 over 30,000 immigrants came to Alberta with 48 per cent settling in Calgary and 33 per cent settling in Edmonton.

and friends, which was the top reason for moving to Calgary. The researchers made 27 recommendations designed to attract more immigrants to Edmonton, most of which involved promoting the city and improving immigrant settlement services.

Today, the City of Edmonton website contains substantial information for immigrants and numerous connections to immigrant settlement services, but despite these and other efforts the trend has not changed. In 2011 over 30,000 immigrants came to Alberta with 48 per cent settling in Calgary and 33 per cent settling in Edmonton.

In February, 2012, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities met with city council and immigrant service providers to discuss its insights on how city services contribute to the successful transition of immigrants to Edmonton. Perhaps the result will be more successful efforts by the city to attract immigrants away from Calgary. Or perhaps, as Dewing and Krahn suggest, there are just not enough immigrants to go around and the only solution is to increase the number that Canada admits each year. You be the judge. BIE Jason Brisbois is the director of the Western Centre for Economic Research at the University of Alberta School of Business.

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Your company’s data is important.

Keep it safe and secure.

Find out more at bell.ca/enterprisesecurity

OFF THE TOP

NEWS from the month

retail

Tiffany & Co. Opens in West Edmonton Mall This Fall

Edmonton’s famous shopping destination, West Edmonton Mall, will get a sparkling new addition in the fall of 2013. Jewellery giant, Tiffany & Co., will open a 3,000 square foot retail store. This store marks the 12th Canadian location for the jeweller and the first in Edmonton.

“West Edmonton Mall is proud to welcome Tiffany & Co. to the northern Alberta marketplace,” says David Ghermezian, West Edmonton Mall President. “Tiffany is an internationally recognized, first-in-class luxury jeweller found at only the world’s premier addresses. Our diverse and sophisticated customer base recognizes excellence and will truly appreciate the unique shopping experience Tiffany & Co. will offer.”

The story of Tiffany & Co. began on September 14, 1837, at 257 Broadway in New York. It was during this timeframe the iconic Tiffany Blue Box® was introduced. Charles Lewis Tiffany made the rule that the box could only be acquired with a Tiffany purchase, prompting the New York Sun to report, “Tiffany has one thing in stock that you cannot buy of him for as much money as you may offer; he will only give it to you. And that is one of his boxes.”

In 1845, Tiffany published America’s first mail-order catalogue,

12

Photo courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

“The Catalogue of Useful and Fancy Articles.” The original catalogues advertised everything from whips to sugar plums. Today, the catalogue is known as the Blue Book and shows the world’s finest – and often rarest – gems.

Charles Lewis Tiffany purchased the famous Tiffany Diamond, a 287 carat yellow diamond in 1878. He had it cut to 128.5 carats. It is one of the largest yellow diamonds in the world.

In 1886, he introduced the world to the Tiffany Setting diamond engagement ring. This simple setting of a large diamond on a plain band has been a hit with couples ever since.

The legacy of Tiffany continued in 1902 when Louis Comfort Tiffany, the founder’s son, became the first official design director.

Although it needed no further help from the legion of celebrities that eagerly embraced the brand, Tiffany &

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Co.’s reputation soared to new heights in the ’60s with the movie release “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Audrey Hepburn wore the famous yellow Tiffany Diamond mounted in a necklace made of diamond ribbons to promote the film.

In 1980, Paloma Picasso, the daughter of Pablo Picasso, debuted a collection of her jewellery designs that were created exclusively for Tiffany.

Many more milestones followed, including the introduction of the Lucinda® diamond in the ’90s, the formation of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation in 2000, and the launch of Tiffany Keys (pendants and charms) in 2009.

Fresh from their 175th anniversary, Tiffany & Co. celebrates another milestone by opening its first store in Edmonton, continuing their long history of bringing beautiful jewellery and people together. BIE

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OFF THE TOP

NEWS from the month

business

Lindsay Stupar Turns Over a New Leaf

Residents of Stony Plain and those that gladly made the drive from Edmonton to indulge in Sugar Leaf’s delicious cupcakes are saddened by the news that company founder and president, Lindsay Stupar, is moving on. Stupar opened Sugar Leaf Cupcakes on October 2010. In 2013, she put the bakery on the market as a turnkey sale. “The decision to sell the business was very hard, but it needed to be done. I am having some minor health issues and I was raised to value my health and do what I can to preserve it,” says Stupar. The sale includes everything from equipment, fixtures, trade name, recipes, branding and contact information.

Stupar’s inspiration for Sugar Leaf came from watching her mother and grandmothers bake from scratch. “I grew up watching my mom and both my grandmas be strong, independent women and I just knew this was something I could do and do it well.

My mom always made my brother and I birthday cakes to take to school and have at our parties,” comments Stupar. “I know a lot of parents do not have time for that and I wanted to offer them the option of a homemade cake for their children. Our carrot cake recipe was originally my grandmother’s and has been in the family for over 30 years.”

Sugar Leaf cupcakes are baked fresh every morning from scratch.

Flavours offered include The Duchess (a red velvet cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream and a white chocolate crown) and Cookies & Cream (a chocolate cupcake topped with cookies & cream buttercream and a mini Oreo). The Freckled Lemonade cupcake was inspired by Red Robin’s famous lemonade drink. Sugar Leaf’s interpretation of Freckled Lemonade is lemon cupcake topped with strawberry buttercream, a lemon jelly bean and a strawberry straw.

Like most new businesses, Sug-

14

Sugar Leaf Storefront

Sugar Leaf cupcakes

Sugar Leaf cake

ar Leaf started off at a moderate pace. “Most people were pleased to have a custom bakery in town, others were unsure of our future success,” Stupar reflects. However, “the subsequent years have been great. Our clients are very loyal and supportive. About 50 per cent of our business

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

consists of cakes for all occasions as well as weddings. We have many repeat customers.” Stupar takes with her memories such as the little girl that loved her Sugar Leaf birthday cake from her second birthday party so much, she requested the exact same cake for her third! “For me that was a great moment, to know that something I made had made an impression on someone so small and meant something to her, I’m not going to forget that.”

Stupar is sad to be selling her dream, but she knows it is the right decision and she is ready to move forward to the next phase of her life. “It was very much worth it,” she says as she fondly recalls her three years at the helm of the bakery. “If I had to do it all over again I would. I would like to thank my husband and family for all of their support; this never would have been possible without them. Also, I’d like to thank all of the friends I have made in the business community for all of their support and advice.”

You can indulge your taste buds with the perfect cupcake at #106, 3805 - 49 Ave, in Stony Plain. If you are interested in purchasing the business, contact Travis Hawryluk of RE/ MAX Real Estate at 780-962-8580 or www.travishawryluk.com. You can learn more about Sugar Leaf Cupcakes at sugarleafcupcakes.com. BIE

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Thursday, June 27 | 6pm | The Sutton Place Hotel Contact us for tickets

780-638-1777 Join us in celebrating Business in Edmonton’s Leaders of Tomorrow.

We will be honouring 20 individuals for their business acumen, contribution to community and to their industry. These are the people that are making Edmonton a great city to live and work in.

Business in Edmonton will feature your Leaders of Tomorrow in our July 2013 issue.

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OFF THE TOP

NEWS from the month

city

Great Weather, Great Programs, and a Great Big Bloom

Winters can be long in the City of Champions. Spring is wet and muddy and summers are too short. But there is a place where you are guaranteed to find the perfect climate amidst colourful flowers, trickling streams, and peaceful koi ponds. That place is Edmonton’s Muttart Conservatory.

The Muttart Conservatory opened in 1976 and the four pyramids that house plants from all over the world have been enchanting visitors ever since. “Stepping into one of the pyramids, especially during the winter season, is one of the most refreshing experiences you can have in this city,” says Sarah Gericke, a leisure co-ordinator with the City of Edmonton.

“You can visit the conservatory every month and have a new experience as plants flower and transform. There is no better place to escape winter blues and experience summer in the midst of a snow storm.”

Each pyramid has a distinctive theme.

The tropical pyramid features a jungle atmosphere, the arid pyramid showcases desert plants, the temperate pyramid has plants familiar to North America, and the feature pyramid provides completely new experiences with five to seven new plant/floral displays each year. “Two of our four pyramids (feature and temperate) see a tremendous amount of change throughout the year, so there is always something new to see,” says Erika Droessler, education & public interpretation coordinator. “Although the tropical and arid pyramids don’t change as drastically, there are always new blooms to see.”

Earlier this year, a very special event took place at the Muttart when the agave plant in the arid pyramid burst into bloom. Droessler explains, “Agaves only flower once in their life, then die. It’s the epitome of ‘big bang reproduction’ – it uses all of its resources in one spectacular fell swoop. This particular agave was in its 30s and, over

Children enjoying time at the Muttart

the last several years, has been one of the centre pieces in the arid pyramid.

The agave grew its flower stock at a rapid rate. It first appeared at the beginning of August and almost reached the top of the arid pyramid by the end of September.”

There are many wonderful ways to experience the Muttart. From dropping in for a self-guided tour, joining a 45-minute guided tour (complimentary with price of admission) to signing up for a day camp or pre-registered program. Day camps are available for

four to 14 year olds and run for a week.

Day camp themes include gardening, botanical art and ancient plants.

Pre-registered programs include terrariums for kids, where each child will make and take home a terrarium in large jar; a “wee tea party,” where pre-schoolers and their parents will enjoy a tea party with tea made from conservatory plants; and a three-week long series called summer sprouts, in which pre-schoolers will get to explore the pyramids in a hands-on fashion.

The fun keeps going with summer programs for all ages including water container gardening and living frames.

For a full list of programs, see muttartconservatory.ca.

The Muttart has something for everyone, from those that want to wander around and look at the plants at leisure to those that want to dig in and garden. Plan to experience this jewel in Edmonton’s valley, and enjoy, among other things, the perfect temperatures year-round. BIE

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Choose from either: Freshly Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Starbucks Coffee and a Selection of Tazo Teas with Freshly Baked Cookies Or Marriott’s Signature Root Beer Float Station

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Contract must include full breakfast or lunch.

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www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

17

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COVEr

the helmsmen of 104th

The Helmsmen of photo courtesy of helm

104

th

Brad Kahler and Chad Helm Suit Up for a New Edmonton by mark kandborg

H

istorically, Alberta has been described as a conservative province, both politically and psychologically. Some might say notoriously so. Is conservative really the most accurate way to describe the current climate in Edmonton? It certainly doesn’t feel like it. Our city is changing rapidly. You can see it in the proliferation of hi-rise condos as they move to dominate the city skyline. You can see it in business as hard industries such as oil, gas and manufacturing give up ever larger portions of the economic pie to information technologies, where innovation is everything. You can see it in the palpable demographic shift from outlying neighbourhoods to the central core. Whether as a result or a cause of these trends, perhaps the most significant change of all is in what it means to be an Edmontonian.

Brad Kahler and Chad Helm, owners of The Helm Clothing on the 104th Street Promenade just north of Jasper Avenue, have been watching this evolution with interest. “We’re a city growing into itself,” Kahler says. “The population is growing. People are traveling. The world is much smaller now. Information is ridiculously accessible and there’s a hunger for all things that are unavailable in a city like this. People seek it out and if they can’t find it here they’re looking for it elsewhere.”

Brad Kahler, Chad Helm & Pat Henning. Photo by Epic photography inc.

Kahler and Helm knew that if Edmontonians were starting to look elsewhere for the best the world of fashion has to offer, there was a real opportunity for the right store to bring that world to our doorstep, focusing on one demographic in particular: the young (and young at heart), well-heeled, professional male. www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

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Cover

the helmsmen of 104th

Kahler and Helm knew that if Edmontonians were starting to look elsewhere for the best the world of fashion has to offer, there was a real opportunity for the right store to bring that world to our doorstep, focusing on one demographic in particular: the young (and young at heart), well-heeled, professional male.

“It wasn’t about Edmonton is lacking this, we need to fill this gap now,” Chad Helm, whose understated confidence dovetails perfectly with Kahler’s barely restrained exuberance, explains. “It was a passion to do it and it just so happened that a smaller, more specialized shop like ours didn’t exist.” So the two young entrepreneurs with a passion for fashion set out to bring it home. “We spent a couple of months traveling. We were in Florence and Milan twice, New York and Toronto several times and in every large city we’ve been to, they have options.” There are always large retail chains, he says, there’s always another alternative. The Helm is our city’s smaller, more responsive, option.

Kahler and Helm are confident that their approach is unique in Edmonton. “It would have been silly to open a new store and sell all the same product that can be found everywhere else. The big guns,” Kahler says, “who shall remain nameless, all carry the same products, just different mixes of it. When a client comes in here, they can be confident that their neighbours walking down the street aren’t going to be wearing the same thing. And respectfully, in terms of how we bought, they’re going to look better.”

How important is looking good for the professional male in today’s Edmonton? More than ever, according to Kahler.

“Your wardrobe needs to reflect authority in terms of expertise.” It’s become part of your brand identity, he says, and it should be treated as such. The way you dress doesn’t just present your professional identity to the world, however. Kahler believes it just as importantly reinforces that identity within. “It’s about creating an attitude in your mind, as well. When you look in the mirror, the way you feel about how you look is reflected in your demeanour.”

Helm couldn’t agree more. “The most important benefit is confidence when you leave your house,” he says. “It affects your walk, your smile, even how you speak. Your wardrobe is there to facilitate what you do.”

Although Edmonton’s male fashion landscape has seen significant improvement in recent years, a short walk down Jasper Avenue can sometimes make you feel like you’ve wandered onto the set of What Not To Wear. “The biggest thing for guys is they don’t know what’s appropriate,” Helm says, kindly. “They buy because they need to.

Most guys say they don’t care about clothes, but I’ve found that to be untrue. It’s a shield they have up because they don’t understand it.” But that shield, he says, melts away

20

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

photo courtesy of helm

when their understanding grows. In fact, he says, “they take a real liking to it.”

Those looking to replace their shield with an Italian suit will find not only many options in The Helm, but a very dynamic duo in Kahler and Helm; and if you’re really serious about upgrading to Professional 2.0, they’ll come to you. Helm gives the example of a wealth management expert who’d been getting his suits in Calgary. “We visited his house to see what he was working with. His suits were large and dated, so we encouraged made-to-measure, something more current. We helped a little bit with his look and wardrobe, but now he knows what to wear for certain meetings, for meeting new clients.” Wealth Management Man was always successful, Helm says, “but now he’s at the top. He actually goes once a year to New York to celebrate.”

The potential of increased confidence and greater success isn’t the only benefit one could expect from a Helmsman visit to a guy’s inner clothing sanctum. “When we do a closet clearing, wives and girlfriends are usually pretty happy,” Helm says. “They don’t like certain things.

They might be in good shape but they just don’t fit right.”

He’s still referring to the clothes, by the way.

If there’s one element of dressing well that trumps all others for the Helmsmen, there’s no question. The most important thing you can possibly do, they say, is nail the fit. That’s why Daniel Craig looks so good in a simple black tux. That, and the fact that he’s Daniel Craig.

Cover

the helmsmen of 104th

“You see these young guys who are very proud of the fact that they’re wearing a made-to-measure suit by the old guard,” Kahler says, “and everything looks the same as it did in the ’80s. It’s this classic box fit. These kids have been duped into thinking that’s made-to-measure, that’s how it should look. No. It shouldn’t.” It should, he says, follow the lines of your body.

“That’s why we carry so many brands,” says Helm. “Every brand fits differently and every single guy is different. Out of all that I’ve measured in my career, maybe two guys have had the same measurements.

That’s also why we staff a tailor.” He estimates that 80 per cent of the garments they sell need some adjusting to achieve that perfect silhouette.

As it happens, the idea of the perfect fit is about to become even more attainable at The Helm, through custom bespoke tailoring. If you’re not familiar with the term, it refers to the quasi-mysterious process made famous by artisans in London’s Saville Row, the mecca for the well-dressed man. Put simply, bespoke is the creation of handmade garments from scratch. Bespoke is the pinnacle, the Holy Grail, of tailoring, and its secrets are being bestowed upon the Helmsmen by local legend Pat Henning, a true master of the craft.

Bestowed is not an unreasonably florid verb, in this case. Its use is deliberate. Henning is the undisputed king of bespoke in western Canada, perhaps beyond, and it’s a title he’s come by honestly. Henning has been working in the men’s retail fashion industry for decades. When he opened Hennings of Edmonton, he made the fortuitous decision to hire custom tailor Steve Rac, who taught him the skills of bespoke. “He showed me how to make patterns, how to look at the figure,” Henning says. “I learned about the types of garments, about weights and fabrics.” Rac also taught him to read what he calls “the tell-tale signs.” When asked to explain what those might be, he demurs with a smile that reminds us a magician never reveals his secrets. When

22

photo courtesy of helm

As it happens, the idea of the perfect fit is about to become even more attainable at The Helm, through custom bespoke tailoring.

Rac retired at the age of 85, he passed the mantle to Henning, who went on to build a loyal list of clients, not just in Edmonton, but in Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatchewan and the U.S. While it’s no doubt good to be king, no reign is forever and Henning, now an octogenarian himself, knew it was time for him to find a worthy successor; or, as it turns out, successors. It was not a quick decision. “I talked to a lot of people, and looked at a lot of places,” he says. “You have to have a feel. It’s an art. You have to have an interest in that type of service and function at that level, where people are fussy. You have to be open minded and willing to learn. When I walked in here [The Helm], I knew I’d found what I was looking for.”

“It’s such an honour to be hand chosen and mentored by someone like Pat,” Kahler says. “He’s the elder statesman in western Canada, which is why he travels. Bespoke tailoring is not offered anywhere in Vancouver, Calgary and Seattle. People say they do it, but they don’t.”

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Despite being the chosen ones, Kahler and Helm know that it will be some time before they can say they provide the service. Obviously, the art of bespoke is not something that can be learned overnight, no matter how apt the pupil, which is why Henning will be spending the next several months at The Helm with his successors. Just as you can’t learn how to play classical piano by instruction alone, custom tailoring at this level requires countless hours of handson experience under the watchful eye of a master. “It’s an organic process,” says Kahler.

What can a client expect when he embarks on the bespoke path to the perfect fitting suit? First, the tailor will literally size you up, which means time in front of the mirrors, photographs and, of course, measurements, of which there are upwards of 60, Helm explains. “No two suits are ever the same.”

Then there’s the expertly guided cloth selection. During the interview for this article, Henning pulls out a

COVEr

the helmsmen of 104th

Brad Kahler & Chad Helm. Photo by Epic photography inc.

selection of fabrics and glides his fingers across it. “This wouldn’t work for you, this wouldn’t either. I’d suggest one of these,” he says, indicating half a dozen choices. Without his guidance, I wouldn’t have known where to start. They all looked fine to me. “Most people don’t understand yarn counts, the spinning process.

I don’t even know how I learned it,” Henning says.

From this, a hand-cut custom pattern is built, which is sent back to the store for the client to try on. More measurements are taken. Sometimes

a second fitting is necessary. These “try-ons” are one of the key elements that set bespoke apart from made-tomeasure. Needless to say, this process takes time, maybe six to eight weeks, but it’s worth every second. “Once you nail it, you have it, and you’ve got a very loyal customer,” Kahler says.

With bespoke, you can nail anything.

“A guy might be six-foot-nine and 310 pounds of muscle. He requires this level of service,” Helm says, adding that men of unusual size are constantly told that their clothes will never fit properly which, he says, is simply not true.

“That’s the most satisfying, when he puts on a jacket that fits.”

“They’re just in awe,” Kahler adds, “and forever a client.”

True custom tailoring can service even the most difficult body shapes, including those of clients with physical challenges. “If a gentleman has suffered from polio, he is a unique individual. No one else is qualified to fit him,” Henning says.

For the Helmsman, at the end of the day, it all comes down to serving the customer. It’s about relationships.

“What we’ll be able to offer in the way of custom clothing is incredible, but that’s only part of what we do. Our goal is to be full spectrum,” Helm says.

Kahler believes that being able to provide that full spectrum in a boutique shop is what sets them apart.

“The people working in the large stores, they haven’t traveled to the factories, they haven’t met the families that manufacture the product, walked on the factory floor and experienced the excitement and education that comes from that,” he says. “To be able to share that enthusiasm with your customer, that’s one of the big things we have to offer.”

As for the question of whether Edmonton is ready for this level of men’s fashion retailing, neither Kahler nor Helm have the least doubt.

“We had people come in for three or four buys in our first few weeks of being open. That makes you think you’re not crazy,” Helm says. “The men’s wear world has blown up in the last 10 years. ‘Mad Men’ set the precedent. The characters on that show are aware of their presence. Someone once said that ‘your outfit should be well thought out and forgotten about.’

I believe that’s true. That’s style. The whole notion that this city isn’t ready for it is out the window. I watched it fly out the window.”

“Edmonton is now entering its stride. We’re growing up,” Kahler says. “I don’t know how many times since we opened we’ve had somebody say that it’s nice to finally have a place like this they can go to.”

“That feels good,” Helm concludes, with a smile. BIE

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

23

oil & gas

The Theatre of Protests

The Theatre

24

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

oil & gas

The Theatre of Protests

of Protests

by PARKER GRANT

I

f there was an industrial version of Jeopardy, Oil & Gas for $200 would be: “Oil sands oil will be produced and find its way to refiners by rail, by barge, by truck or by pipe.” The answer (always in the form a question) would be: “What’s the point of the protests, Alex?”

Whether it’s well co-ordinated large groups or bussedin or random clusters of well-intentioned and concerned protesters with banners and placards outside the Legislature Building, at Fort McMurray job sites or across the street from the new EPCOR Tower on 101st Street, or in front of The White House in Washington, the leaks and rumors about Barrack Obama’s imminent signature on the Keystone Pipeline “permit” approval is triggering more bouts of carefully planned and impromptu protests.

To varying degrees, most openly biased industry insiders, balanced and slanted media and provoked protest opponents respect the right and opportunity for people to protest but, either realistically or begrudgingly acknowledge that a basic aspect of protest is theatre, for effect.

The basic strategy and tools of protests are also a given: cheering and jeering, catch-phrases (“raping and pillaging the lands”), provocative words (dirty oil), out-of-context facts, details and numbers, hyperbole, animated and excitable spokespeople, noise and the fact of media-coverage life that the responses rarely get as much attention as the protest.

It happens about abortion, immigrants, mad cows, taxes, sugary pop, racism, baby seals, whales and polar bears, climate change and generally savaging the planet.

Unfortunately, while most protests are unconditionally well-intentioned, the passion and the emotions of the protestors often misses the legitimate points, confuses the actual situation and must settle for cheap-attention www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

25

oil & gas

The Theatre of Protests

Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada Corporation

Philip Cross, Research Coordinator with Ottawa’s respected Macdonald-Laurier Institute

26

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

and fickle gut-reactions from a small segment of the public they had hoped to sway or incite.

“Negativity always gets more attention than positivity,” shrugs Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada Corporation’s admittedly biased president of energy and oil pipelines. “But whether it’s supposedly about the pipeline or any other hot issue, people ultimately know when they are being manipulated, and when it comes to the frequent oil sand and Keystone protests, the average Albertan definitely sees through it.”

According to Philip Cross, a former Statistics Canada official and now research coordinator with Ottawa’s respected Macdonald-Laurier Institute think-tank, “Protestors on contentious social issues tend to be very simplistic and short-sighted. Although the average person may politely respect the opinions, they invariably do see through the shrill claims.”

While the recent and ongoing protests on both sides of the longest, unguarded and friendly border in the world chant concerns and outrage about oil polluting the environment and the mammoth pipeline which would be the allegedly hazardous transportation to move the culprit oil to its refining destinations, the industry’s self-confessed, biased insiders and objective experts seem to agree that most of the rallying-cry protest issues are unrealistic, faulty, inaccurate, misleading and sometimes naive, intended to excite more than convince.

“The facts undisputedly show that Albertan disposable incomes are way ahead of the rest of the country,” Cross points out, “and it’s overwhelmingly due to the energy sector.”

According to the gung-ho and outspoken Dr. Michal Moore, professor at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE) and a visiting professor at the iconic Cornell University in New York, most protests are a distortion of the truth. “They are usually silly and non-sensical and don’t recognize the realities of life.

Protest rhetoric usually substitutes shorthand for the real issues. The battle cry is ‘I’m against taxes’ not against all the things that taxes provide for me.

“The recent pipeline protests are prime examples.

Much of what we have, see and enjoy in Alberta is due, in one form or another, to the chemical industry,” he snaps.

“Look, let’s face it, the industry supports us all.

“There are environmental and economic risks to extracting any natural resources. Risks of getting it out, transporting it and processing it. The undisputable bottom line is that pipelines are tested, documented and provenly the safest way to move product. Of course they must be (and are) very strictly regulated, regularly inspected and must comply with uncompromised safety and regulatory standards, but pipelines are definitely a minimized risk.

They are routinely used, without incident, to move water, waste, natural gas, other chemicals and, yes, oil!” Dr. Moore says as an adamant analogy.

The facts, figures and documented industry research and opinions make an un-protestable case for reality when it comes to North America’s insatiable oil habit.

Leaders don’t flinch.

When the going gets tough, the tough stay put. Through the credit crunch, depressed commodity prices and global economic turmoil, we’ve done just that.

We never left the side of the people who’ve made Alberta an economic powerhouse, and we continue to custom build solutions to help them do what they do best…lead.

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

TM

Trademarks of Alberta Treasury Branches.

oil & gas

The Theatre of Protests

Dr. Michal Moore, professor at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE)

By all calculations, stats and projections about even well-intentioned and noble wishes and goals – like Barrack Obama’s urge “to transition toward more sustainable sources of energy and greater energy independence” – most industry experts (and even some rational protestors) acknowledge that a true transition to renewable energy will take, at the very least, three or four decades.

“Electric cars, for example, need batteries and they don’t go nearly far enough for the average North American consumer and they require conveniently accessible re-charging stations,” Dr. Moore itemizes. “And now we know that electric cars are quite a bit more expensive and the consumer will likely not pay the premium. If electric cars catch-on at all, it will be a very gradual penetration over a long period of time. We simply haven’t invented very many good substitutes for the way we prefer and are used to living. We need and must have a car!”

Pourbaix uses basic facts and statistics to make his point about a somewhat simple answer to the familiar and contentious arguments of protestors. “Every morning in North America, we turn the ignition key in 300 million vehicles.

One day that may change, but for now and for the foreseeable future, that’s the way it is. The marketplace has resoundingly said it needs oil.

“In Alberta we have over one million barrels-a-day of contract for an average term of 17 years,” he explains. “It may be frustrating for some protestors to deal with, but the oil sands are definitely going to get developed irrespective of Keystone being built or not, and that oil will find its way to market. The question is which market? Because the marketplace dictates what is produced and what is refined.

The pipelines just transport it.”

Pourbaix chooses not to get baited into protest rebuttals but continues to plead his rational case where it counts: in Ottawa and Washington, as he did this April when he addressed the U.S. Congress, making the point that despite protests for alternate energies and accusations about

28

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

By all calculations, stats and projections about even wellintentioned and noble wishes and goals – like Barrack Obama’s urge “to transition toward more sustainable sources of energy and greater energy independence” – most industry experts (and even some rational protestors) acknowledge that a true transition to renewable energy will take, at the very least, three or four decades.

oil destroying the planet, “the U.S. consumes 15 million barrels of oil each day and imports eight to nine million barrels. For the foreseeable future, oil is a necessity.

“The vital question is: does the U.S. want its oil from a friendly neighbour like Canada and domestic sources like the Bakken play or does it want to continue importing higher-priced foreign oil from nations that do not support U.S. values. It’s that simple.”

While some protestors were getting some curiosity for their cause, Pourbaix and his diverse delegation were underscoring their Washington pitch with a potent American closer.

Besides supporting long-term U.S. energy security, TransCanada’s multi-billion dollar oil pipeline system ( just waiting for the American President’s signature) is a muchneeded and major positive for the U.S. economy because it means jobs; lots of jobs. He is quick and passionate about explaining that TransCanada currently employs more than 4,000 American workers building the Gulf Coast project in Texas and Oklahoma and that translates into thousands welders, mechanics, electricians, laborers, safety coordinators, heavy equipment operators and others.

“Most people aren’t so gullible that they buy into the rhetoric of protests, but you can never be sure what some people are thinking,” grins Cross. “Remember: 20-25 per cent of Americans don’t believe man actually landed on the moon.” BIE

aviation business

Fixed Based Operations – Business Flying Perfected

Fixed Based Operations – Business Flying Perfected

by Debra Ward, Canadian Business Aviation Association

I

f you fly often, on your way to the terminal you may have noticed a clutch of nondescript hangars out of the corner of your eye. Maybe you filed the image in your brain as some kind of low-tech combination of gas station/garage for small planes.

Boy, are you wrong.

Even if you are a triple-elite-four-star-and-heavenlychoir frequent flyer card holder, chances are you’ve never experienced anything like what you’d find at these hangars.

These are fixed based operations or FBOs. These corporate and private air terminals provide tailor-made services that run the gamut from the most basic aircraft servicing and fuelling work to high-end concierge amenities that cater to the most demanding needs of any client.

It’s a far cry from their origins almost 100 years ago, when FBOs were created to differentiate these legitimate businesses from fly-by-night operators. (Yep, that’s where the term came from.)

Shift to today, when private or corporate flights conjure up images of luxury. It’s true, but not in the way you may think. FBOs don’t cater to champagne and indulgence and if they do, it is very rare. What they do is provide the luxury of preserving one of businesses’ most precious commodities – time.

Hart Mailandt, director, business development, for North Cariboo Air, which runs its own fleet and has FBOs at the Calgary and Edmonton airports, understands this very well. “You cannot be late for your own flight,” he says.

“The plane is at your command – it’s waiting for you, not the other way around.”

Not all the planes are snug 12-seaters. North Cariboo owns and services a wide range of aircraft, including some 100-seaters, and its FBOs are set up to deal with planes of every size. “Some of our clients have to move huge groups of people quickly – sometimes there just aren’t enough commercial seats out there to do the job for them.”

FBOs support commercial airport operations as well.

With new FBOs coming on line and existing ones expanding at Edmonton International Airport, Myron Keehn, VP of commercial development of the Edmonton Airport Authority, is especially pleased with how their services complement those of the air terminal and how they are helping solidify Edmonton’s position as the gateway to the North.

“We’ve seen that the growth of the FBOs has actually stimulated traffic,” he says. “It’s not only the oil and gas fields. The FBOs at the Edmonton International Airport serve the diamond and precious metal mines in Canada’s far north by flying workers and materials by private flights.”

One of the FBOs’ greatest attractions is the elimination of the great passenger trek, the one that eats up hours of time and layers of shoe leather. You know the drill: search for a parking spot, haul yourself and your luggage onto the shuttle, get to the terminal, find the right check-in, line up at security, walk to the gate, line up to board. Get to your destination, wait to disembark, wait for your luggage. Repeat as necessary.

All of that disappears at an FBO. “In some FBOs, you can drive your car right into the hangar, get out, and get right on your plane.” Keehn explains.

Today’s FBOs aren’t oil-stained Quonset huts with yesterday’s coffee stewing on a hot plate. They are state of the art facilities that offer luxury services for passengers and aircraft alike, with hotel-like amenities for pilots and travellers and full service maintenance for aircraft. FBOs may offer meeting rooms, Wi-Fi, showers, gourmet catering, and concierge service. “Some of them look like high-end hotel lobbies,” says Keehn.

Because the passengers are all known on a private flight, there is no Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)-style passenger security line at FBOs. Howevwww.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

29

aviation business

Fixed Based Operations – Business Flying Perfected

One of the FBOs’ greatest attractions is the elimination of the great passenger trek, the one that eats up hours of time and layers of shoe leather. You know the drill: search for a parking spot, haul yourself and your luggage onto the shuttle, get to the terminal, find the right check-in, line up at security, walk to the gate, line up to board. Get to your destination, wait to disembark, wait for your luggage. Repeat as necessary.

the largest hangar in Alberta, formerly Max Ward’s 747 hangar

er, security is a critical element for many businesses, and some FBOs have installed the same equipment that CATSA uses – but it’s the client who determines what is being checked and why.

“There are different layers of security” explains Keehn.

“For example, sometimes companies don’t allow alcohol at work camps. Others have different security needs. The FBOs make sure that all of these requirements are handled right there.”

While FBOs have no equivalent to government-regulated commercial passenger security, Merlin Preuss, VP for government and regulatory affairs for the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), works closely with its FBO members to help ensure it will stay that way. “With corporate flights, you know who you’re putting on the aircraft, so there’s no need for commercial-type passenger security,” he explains. “As the association that represents the needs of business aviation, one of our greatest tasks is to ensure that if any new regulations come down the pike, they don’t get in the way of why people use FBOs in the first place.”

With the number and range of international corporate flights increasing every year, access to customs clearance at FBOs is an important part of the process.

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

“We’ve worked closely with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help ensure that you can clear customs at FBOs,” says Preuss. “In many cases, the CBSA agent is waiting for you when the plane arrives.” However, with government budget cuts, it’s an ongoing battle. “The CBAA works with CBSA on a case-by-case bases, FBO by FBO, to make the argument for customs services.”

The CBAA has also succeeded in expanding the numbers of passengers allowed on international corporate flights. “In the past, the maximum number of passengers entering Canada on a private flight was 15. We succeeded in working with CATSA to increase that number to 39. It’s made an enormous difference to our members’ ability to use corporate aircraft and FBOs,” Preuss says.

While FBOs and private flights may be a necessary part of business – albeit an efficient and often enjoyable one – the service isn’t the right match for every passenger. “If you’re flying to Vancouver from Edmonton or Calgary, which has great service and frequencies, your best bet may still a commercial flight,” Mailandt cautions. But as Preuss explained, FBOs offer something that regular air service can’t. “You arrive and there’s no gate. You go onto the ramp, into the plane and leave. Try that with an Air Canada flight.” BIE

Can-West Soars to New Heights at Edmonton International Airport

C

an-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd. is celebrating 25 years of air charter and medevac service in Alberta. We have moved to our new location at the Edmonton International Airport, which enables us to offer our clients a new passenger lounge and jet service with our Citation Ultra directly to Toronto, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and more.

Our private hangar has the convenience of free parking right outside the door.

Here at Can-West we don’t believe in second best and neither should you. This philosophy is what we have built our reputation on since 1988. It is our responsibility and pleasure to provide our clients with the highest level of safety and service in every aspect of our business.

Corporate aircraft have long been viewed as a luxury, but now the most successful organizations realize this service is a valuable tool for business. It saves time and money, especially when compared to commercial travel options. Discover a new level of efficiency when you combine your business with our services.

Your time is valuable. Here at Can-West we under-

stand this and want to work with you to maximize your time. Can-West allows you to set your flight schedule. We provide catered meals, bar service and transportation to and from your business (on request). This, along with our utmost confidentiality and discretion, will ensure you get the service and respect you deserve.

We are proud to offer vital medevac flights for Alberta Health Services from our bases in Slave Lake and Edmonton. Can-West also offers private medevac services for medical or patient transfers. Our professional medical staff are on call 24/7 with as little as one hour response time.

From booking charters, medevacs and adventure packages, to aircraft acquisitions and fractional ownership: The possibilities of what we can do for you are endless. Whether you charter an aircraft or decide that a managed aircraft or a fractional ownership program is right for you, partner with CanWest Corporate Air Charters Ltd. With more than a decade of experience, we’ve got the knowledge and expertise to make your dreams take flight.

119 1519 - 35 Avenue East Edmonton International Airport Phone: 780.890.7565 • www.canwestair.com

aviation DIRECTORY

ALBERTA AVIATION OPERATORS ABITIBI HELICOPTERS LTD.

Bertrand Perron, President/Director of Operations Toll Free: 1-800-247-9591 Aircraft Operated: (10) AS-350FX2, (1) AS-350BA +

ADVENTURE AVIATION INC. Michael Mohr, Ops Manager Tel: (780) 539-6968 Aircraft Operated: Cessna Skyhawk C172 One Piper Twin Comanche PA30 One Cessna Centurion P210N

AGRIUM INC. Robert Garback, Aviation Manager Tel: (403) 216-5090 Aircraft Operated: (1) Citation Sovereign, (1) CE 680

AHLSTROM AIR LTD Kyle Wadden, Chief Pilot / Base Manager Tel: 403-721-2203 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350 SD2

AIR PARTNERS CORP. Tim Morgan, President / Founder Toll Free: 1-877-233-9350 Alternate Number: 403-291-3644 Aircraft Operated: Citation V, King Air 200, C-GAXX, C-GTGO, C-FTIL, C-FKBC, Learjet 45

CALGARY POLICE SERVICE

GEMINI HELICOPTERS INC

Cameron Dutnall, CP Tel: 403-567-4150 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC120

Roch Dallaire Tel: 780-402-2444 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC 120, (14) R44, (4) AS350, (2) Bell 205

CAN-WEST CORPORATE AIR CHARTERS

GUARDIAN HELICOPTERS INC

Natalie Hanczak, Flight Coordinator Tel: 780-849-5353 Aircraft Operated: Citation 560, King Air 200, Piper Navajo, Cessna 210, 206, 185

Graydon Kowal Tel: 403-730-6333 Aircraft Operated: (2) Bell205, (3) AS350BA, (3) Bell 206B, (1) MD 530F

CANADIAN HELICOPTERS LIMITED

INFINITY FLIGHT SERVICES

Don Wall, President/CEO Tel: 780-429-6900 Aircraft Operated: B40P, (27) AS350BA, (1) AS355F2, (10) BH212, (1) BH407, (1) BH412, (3) EC120B, (4) R22B, (2) R22B2, (4) R44 II, (6) S61N, (10) S76A, (1) S76A++

INTEGRA AIR INC

CATHTON INVESTMENTS LTD/CRA INVESTMENTS LTD Ernie Poole, Aviation Manager Tel: 780-890-7443 Aircraft Operated: (1) Falcon 900C

CCI/DIA Aviation Ernie Poole, Aviation Manager Tel: 780-890-7443 Aircraft Operated: (1) Hawker - Siddley 800

DELTA HELICOPTERS LTD

Air Spray Ltd.

Paul Stubbs, Ops Manager Toll Free: 1-800-665-3564 Aircraft Operated: (9) Bell 206B, (4) A-Star 350BA, (4) Bell 204b, (4) AF350-B2

Lynn Hamilton, President/CEO Tel: 1-780-453-1737 Aircraft operated: L188 Electra, Turbo Commander 690

EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL SHELL AEROCENTRE

AIRBORNE ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTD Roch Dallaire, President/CEO Toll Free: 1-888-496-3222 Aircraft Operated: (6) Robinson RH44, (16) Robinson RH44 Raven II (RH44 II), (6) Bell 206 B (B206),(1) Bell 206 L3, (4)(2) AS350 BA, (2) AS350 B2 (3) Piper Navajo A-31, (1) Cessna 208 Caravan, (4) Cessna 172, (2) Cessna 206

ALBERTA GOVERNMENT AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICE Rob Madden, Director of Flt Ops Tel: 780-427-7341 Aircraft Operated: DHC8, B350, BE20

ALTA FLIGHTS (CHARTERS) INC David Robertson, President Tel: 780-890-1330 Aircraft Operated: CE208B, PA31-350, SW 227

AVMAX GROUP INC Don Parkin, Executive VP Toll Free: 1-888-524-9444 Aircraft Operated: King Air 350, Dash 8

Sarah Gratton, Aerocentre Manager Toll Free: 1-800-668-4766, Tel: 780-890-1337 Aircraft Operated: No Aircraft listed

E-Z AIR INC Ezra Bavly, Pres/Ops Mgr/CFI Tel: 780-453-2085 Aircraft Operated: (1) Bell 206, (1) Robinson R44

EDMONTON FLYING CLUB Ralph Henderson, President Tel: 780-454-4531 Aircraft Operated: (3) C-152, (2) C-172, (1) DA40, DA20 Diamond Twinstar

Brent Gateman, CEO Toll Free: 1-877-213-8359 Aircraft Operated: (1) PA31T Cheyenne, (1) Cessna 172 Floatplane, (2) BAE Jetstream – 3

KENN BOREK AIR LTD Brian Crocker , VP Operations Tel: 403-291-3300 Aircraft Operated: (4) Beech 200, (41) Twin Otter, (2) DC3-T, (2) EMB-110

MOUNTAIN VIEW HELICOPTERS Paul Bergeron, President/CP Tel: 403-286-7186 Aircraft Operated: (3) R22, (2) R44, (1) Bell 206

North Cariboo Air Hart Mailandt Toll Free: 1-866-359-6222 Web: www.flynca.com Aircraft Operated: BAe146, Dash 8, Beech 1900, King Air 200, Challenger, Citation

PEREGRINE HELICOPTERS Glen Hansen, President Tel: 780-865-3353 (Dave’s Cell) Aircraft Operated: (1) B206B3, (1) Bell 206 L3

PHOENIX HELI-FLIGHT INC Paul Spring, President Tel: 780-799-0141 Aircraft Operated: (2) Euro 120, (1) AS350B2, (1) EC 130B4, (1) AS355N, (1) 355NP, (1) 350B3

REGIONAL 1 AIRLINES LTD

Tel: 780-408-4218 Aircraft Operated: (1) EC-120

Luc Picard, Director of Operations Toll Free: 1-888-802-1010 Aircraft Operated: (1) Dash 8-100, (2) Dash 8-200, (1) Dash 8-300, (1) King Air 300, (2) CRJ200

ENERJET

RIDGE ROTORS INC.

EDMONTON POLICE SERVICE

David Lanelot, President/CEO Tel: 403-648-2848 Aircraft Operated: (2) Boeing 737-700NG

BAR XH AIR INC

EXECUTIVE FLIGHT CENTRE FUEL SERVICES LTD

Brent Gateman, President Tel: 403-381-8359 Aircraft Operated: (2) BAE Jetstream

Trevor Caswell , FBO Manager Tel: 780-890-8640 Aircraft Operated: All aircraft up to Boeing 737-700 Series

34

William Vasquez, Ops Manager Toll Free: 1-877-VIP-7900 Aircraft Operated: (1) King Air B100, (1) Citation V

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Hans Nogel, Ops Mgr Toll Free: 1-877-242-4211 Aircraft Operated: (2) B206B2, (1) A Star 350 B2, (2) R44

ROTORWORKS INC.

Jim Hofland, Office Manager/Ryan Cluff, Comm Pilot David Buckland, Comm Pilot & Adam Sloan Tel: 780-778-6600 Aircraft Operated: (2) R22 Robinson, (2) R44 Robinson, (1)Robinson r66

aviation DIRECTORY

WESTJET AIRLINES LTD Toll Free: 1-888-937-8538 Aircraft Operated: (13) Boeing 737-600, (65) Boeing 737-700, (13) Boeing 737-800

ALBERTA CHARTER OPERATORS CHARTER FIXED WING ADVENTURE AVIATION INC. Michael Mohr, Ops Manager Tel: (780) 539-6968 Aircraft Operated: (3) C172, (1) Twin Comanche PA30 (1) Cessna Centurion p210N (1) Precision Flight Controls “Cirrus II” Simulator.

CENTRAL AVIATION INC

SUNWEST AVIATION LTD

Colin MacLeod, Ops Manager Tel: 403-242-9130 Aircraft Operated: Cessna Citation 500 Executive Jet, (2) Piper Navajo Chieftain, (2) Waco

AIR PARTNERS CORP.

ENERJET

Tim Morgan, President / Founder Toll Free: 1-877-233-9350 Aircraft Operated: Citation V, Citation Ultra, Citation Encore, Challenger 604, Citation X, Citation XL, King Air 200

Richard Hotchkiss, President/CEO Toll Free: 1-888-291-4566 Aircraft Operated: (1) Falcon 900EX, Dash 8-300 (1) Challenger 604, (2) Cessna Citation Sovereign, (2) Gulfstream G150, (2) Hawker 800, (2) Lear 55, (4) Lear 45, (2) Lear 35A, (1) Citation V, (5) Beech 1900D, (4) Metro liner 23, (1) King Air 350, (4) King Air B200, Challenger 300

INFINITY FLIGHT SERVICES

AIRBORNE ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTD Roch Dallaire, President/CEO Toll Free: 1-888-496-3222 Aircraft Operated: (6) Robinson RH44, (16) Robinson RH44 Raven II (RH44 II), (6) Bell 206 B (B206),(1) Bell 206 L1, (4)(2) AS350 BA, (2) AS350 B2 (3) Piper Navajo A-31, (1) Cessna 208 Caravan, (4) Cessna 172.

Tim Morgan, President/ David Lanelot, CEO Tel: 403-648-2848 Aircraft Operated: (2) Boeing 737-700NG

SWANBERG AIR INC

William Vasquez, Ops Manager Toll Free: 1-877-VIP-7900 Aircraft Operated: (1) King Air B100, (1) Citation V

WETASKIWIN AIR SERVICES LTD.

INTEGRA AIR INC

Ron VandenDungen, Director of Flight Ops Tel: 780-352-5643 Aircraft Operated: (1) Cessna 150, (2) Cessna 172, (1) Piper Twin Comanche

Brent Gateman, CEO Toll Free: 1-877-213-8359 Aircraft Operated: (1) PA31T Cheyenne

ALTA FLIGHTS (CHARTERS) INC

KENN BOREK AIR LTD

David Robertson, President Tel: 780-890-1330 Aircraft Operated: (4) Metro 23, (3) King Air 100, (2) Grand Caravan, (2) Dornier 228, (2) Piper PA31, (4) Cessna 172, (2) Cessna Citation 501, (1) Cessna Citation 550

Brian Crocker, VP Operations Tel: 403-291-3300 Aircraft Operated: DHC6, (4) Beech 200, (41) Twin Otter, (2) DC3-T, (2) EMB-110

ARIES AVIATION SERVICE CORP

Hart Mailandt Toll Free: 1-866-359-6222 Web: www.flynca.com Aircraft Operated: BAe146, Dash 8, Beech 1900, King Air 200, Challenger, Citation

Marvin Keyser, President Toll Free: 1-877-730-6499 Aircraft Operated: (2) LR36 Lear Jet, (4) PA-31 Navajo, (1) Cessna Caravan

AVMAX GROUP INC

North Cariboo Air

Don Parkin, Executive VP Toll Free: 1-888-524-9444, 403-291-2464 Aircraft Operated: CRJ -8, King Air 350, Dash 8

CANADIAN NORTH

SKY WINGS AVIATION ACADEMY LTD.

CAN-WEST CORPORATE AIR CHARTERS Natalie Hanczak, Flight Coordinator Tel: 780-849-5353 Aircraft Operated: Citation 560, King Air 200, Piper Navajo, Cessna 210, 206, 185

ALBERTA CHARTER OPERATORS CHARTER ROTARY WING ABITIBI HELICOPTERS LTD. Bertrand Perron, President/Director of Operations Toll Free: 1-800-247-9591 Aircraft Operated: (10) AS-350FX2, (1) AS-350BA +

AHLSTROM AIR LTD.

NORTHERN AIR CHARTER (P.R.) INC Rob King, President Tel: 780-624-1911 Aircraft Operated: Piper Navajo, (1) Aztec, (1) Navajo, (1) King Air 100, (4) King Air 200, (1) Beech 1900

Steve Hankirk, President Tel: 403-705-3118 Aircraft Operated: (4) Dash 8, (9) 737-200 Combi, (2) 737-300

Toll Free: 1-877-637-8977 Aircraft Operated: (4) Jetstream 31, (1) Challenger 601, (1) PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Kyle Wadden, Chief Pilot & Base Manager Tel: 403-721-2203 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350B1

AIRBORNE ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTD Roch Dallair, Director Toll Free: 1-888-496-3222 Aircraft Operated: (6) Robinson RH44, (16) Robinson RH44 Raven II (RH44 II), (6) Bell 206 B (B206),(1) Bell 206 L1, (4)(2) AS350 BA, (2) AS350 B2 (3) Piper Navajo A-31, (1) Cessna 208 Caravan, (4) Cessna 172, (2) Cessna 206

Dennis Cooper, CEO Toll Free: 1-800-315-8097 Locations in Red Deer and Okotoks Aircraft Operated: Cessna 172, Piper Senaca I, Piper Navajo

REGIONAL 1 AIRLINES LTD Luc Picard, Director of Operations Toll Free: 1-888-802-1010 Aircraft Operated: 8-300, (1) King Air 300, (2) CRJ200

Bailey Helicopters Ltd Brent Knight Tel: 403-219-2770 www.baileyhelicoptors.com

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

35

AVIATION DIRECTORY

BLACK SWAN HELICOPTERS LTD

MOUNTAIN VIEW HELICOPTERS

Linda Johnson, President Toll Free: 877-475-4774 Aircraft Operated: (1) FX 2, (1) B206, (2) R44, (1) B204C, A5350BA, A53505D2

Paul Bergeron, President/CP Tel: 403-286-7186 Aircraft Operated: (3) R22, (2) R44, (1) Bell 206

MUSTANG HELICOPTERS INC CANADIAN HELICOPTERS LIMITED Don Wall, President/CEO Tel: 780-429-6900 Aircraft Operated: B 407, (27) AS350BA, (1) AS355F2, (2) AS355N, (10) BH212, (1) BH407, (1) BH412, (1) BH412SP, (3) EC120B, (4) R22B, (2) R22B2, (4) R44 II, (6) S61N, (10) S76A, (1) S76A++

DELTA HELICOPTERS LTD Paul Stubbs, Ops Manager Toll Free: 1-800-665-3564 Aircraft Operated: (9) Bell 206, (4) A-Star 350BA, (4) Bell 204, (4) AF350-B2

E-Z AIR INC Ezra Bavly, Pres/Ops Mgr/CFI Tel: 780-453-2085 Aircraft Operated: (1) Bell 206, (1) Robinson R44

EDMONTON POLICE SERVICE Tel: 780-408-4218 Aircraft Operated: (1) EC120B

GEMINI HELICOPTERS INC Roch Dallaire, President Tel: 780-402-2444 Aircraft Operated: (2) EC 120, (14) R44, (4) AS350, (2) Bell 205

Tim Boyle, Ops Manager Tel: 403-885-5220 Aircraft Operated: (11) AS350B2, Bell 212, MD500D, Bell 205 A-1++

PEREGRINE HELICOPTERS Glen Hansen, President Steve Wotton, Chief Pilot, Ops Manager Tel: 780-865-3353 Aircraft Operated: (1) B206B3

PHOENIX HELI-FLIGHT INC Paul Spring, President Tel: 780-799-0141 Aircraft Operated: (2) Euro 120, (1) AS350B2, (1) EC 130B4, (1) AS355N, (1) 355NP, (1) 350B3

PRECISION HELICOPTERS INC

Jeff Denomme, President Tel: 867.873.2081 Todd Johnson, VP of Sales and Marketing Tel: 780.232.2589 Springbank Base Facility Tel: 403.286.2040 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206B Jet Ranger, Bell 206 Long Ranger, Bell 206L1, Bell 206L3, Bell 206L4, Bell 205A1+, Bell 212, Bell212S, BELL 407, BELL 205, ASTAR 350 BA, 350 B2, 350 B3, EC 1300B4, BK117B2, Bell 412 EP

Graydon Kowal, President Tel: 403-730-6333 Aircraft Operated: (2) Bell205, (3) AS350BA, (3) Bell 206B, (1) MD 530F

HIGH COUNTRY HELICOPTERS HjalmarTiesenhausen Toll Free: 1-877-777-4354 Aircraft Operated: Bell 206, 206 Long Ranger

HIGHLAND HELICOPTERS LTD. Terry Jones, Ops Manager Tel: 780-459-5661 Aircraft Operated: (24) Bell 206B, (2) Bell 206 L-3, (2) AS350 BA, (15) AS350 B2

36

Tim Morgan, President / Founder Toll Free: 403-291-3644 Aircraft Operated: Citation V, Citation Ultra, Citation Encore, Challenger 604, Citation X, Citation XL, King Air 200,Citation 501 550

AURORA JET PARTNERS

Head Office / Edmonton Base 3759 60 Avenue East Edmonton International Airport, AB T9E 0V4 Tel: 888-797-5387 / Fax: 780-453-6057 Toll Free: 888-797-5387

CANADIAN NORTH

Steve Hankirk Tel: 403-705-3118 Aircraft Operated: (4) Dash 8, (9) 737-200 Combi, (2) 737-300

ENERJET

Tim Morgan, President/ Dave Lanelot, CEO Tel: 403-648-2848 Aircraft Operated: (2) Boeing 737-700NG

SWANBERG AIR INC

REMOTE HELICOPTERS LTD.

NORTH CARIBOO

Jeff Lukan, President Tel: 780-849-2222 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350B2, (2) AS350BA, (1) Bell 204 – c model, (2) Bell 206, (2) Bell 212

Hans Nogel, Ops Mgr Toll Free: 1-877-242-4211 Aircraft Operated: (2) B206B2, (1) A Star 350 B2, (2) R44

SLAVE LAKE HELICOPTERS LTD George Kelham, President Debbie Kelham, Owner Tel: 780-849-6666 Aircraft Operated: (4) AS350 B3, (1) Bell 206B-3, (1) EC 120

SLOAN HELICOPTERS LTD GUARDIAN HELICOPTERS INC

AIR PARTNERS CORP.

John Carlton, GM Toll Free: 1-877-545-5455 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350BA, (1) AS350D2

RIDGE ROTORS INC. GREAT SLAVE HELICOPTERS INC

JET CHARTERS

Troy Sloan, President Tel: 780-849-4456 Aircraft Operated: (1) RH44, (1) EC120B

THEBACHA HELICOPTERS LTD

Kim Hornsby, President/DOM Tel: 780-723-4180 Aircraft Operated: (1) AS350B2 (1) Bell 206B

WOOD BUFFALO HELICOPTERS

Michael Morin, President & Operations Manager Tel: 780-743-5588 Toll Free: 1-866-743-5588 operations@woodBuffaloHelicopters.ca Aircraft Operated: (4) AS350 B2, (1) EC120B, (3) B206B

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Toll Free: 1-877-637-8977 Aircraft Operated: (4) Jetstream 31, (1) Challenger 601, (1) PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain Lanny Benoit, Chief Pilot Toll Free: 1-866-359-6222 Aircraft Operated: Citation 2, Dash 8, Beech 1900, King Air 200, BAE 146, CL 600, Challenger 601

AIRSPRINT INC.

Chris Richer, President Toll Free: 1-877-588-2344 Selling interests in Citation XL/S and CJ27

AIRCRAFT SALES PRAIRIE AIRCRAFT SALES LTD. Kathy Wrobel, President Andrew Fletcher, Sales Associate Tel: 403-286-4277 Email: sales@prairieaircraft.com Website: www. Prairieaircraft.com Aircraft Operated: (1) Caravan, Cessna

JOHN HOPKINSON & ASSOCIATES

Andrew Hopkinson Tel: 403 291-9027 Fax: 403 250-2459 Email: sales@hopkinsonassociates.com Web: www.hopkinsonassociates.com Aircraft: Specializing in commercial and corporate aircraft

AGRICULTURE

What’s This GPS Doing in My Tractor? Farming Goes High Tech

What’s This

GPS

Doing in My Tractor?

Farming Goes High Tech What’s in the cab of combines and under the hoods of tractors is a lot more complicated than it used to be. Technology in agriculture is turning farming from a weather-dependent industry into acres of mass efficiency.

by NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

H

enry George has farming in his blood. His father started Parkland Farm Equipment in 1949 and the business, which sits just outside of Edmonton in Stony Plain, is still going strong today. Henry took over operations in 1972. Dur-

ing his 40 plus years of buying and selling farm equipment, he has seen many changes. “The machines are bigger and the farms are bigger. They have gone from a few acres to thousands of acres. Everything has changed.” www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

37

AGRICULTURE

What’s This GPS Doing in My Tractor? Farming Goes High Tech

The question is, why?

The answer is technology.

The way we farm has changed dramatically in the past few decades. The most startling example of this change was seen in Henry’s shop. A massive tractor unit was in for repairs and it easily commanded nearly a third of Parkland Farm Equipment’s generously sized shop. Built-in steps on the cab allowed for entry into the behemoth while tank-style treads showed terrain was no challenge for this monster. A mechanic, a small spec of a man amidst the sheer size of the machinery, ran diagnostic tests by accessing the tractor’s inner computer systems.

Sitting humbly in the shadow of the great machine was a little yellow tractor. So dwarfed by its contemporary peer was this small tractor that one nearly tripped over it before discovering it was there. Instead of using computerized diagnostics to fix this veteran of the field, a mechanic had taken her apart the old fashion way—with a wrench and a few other handheld tools.

“I like working on these older machines,” the mechanic points out with a smile. “They are easy. You don’t need to run diagnostics or use a laptop to fix them.” He says the tractor was from the ’60s, and although it was in for a bit of

A small yellow tractor from the 60 is in for repair

38

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

maintenance, it was still being used. The massive tractor towering over it was already aging at 10 years old.

Size is not the only thing that has increased for farm equipment. The price has too. The biggest combine you could purchase in 1977 would put you back $41,000. The biggest one you can purchase today comes with a $500,000 price tag. “The cost is worth it, because it’s more productive,” George insists.

One of the things driving the prices and the productivity of these machines is also one the biggest changes George has seen to date: the addition of global positioning systems, or GPS as they are better known.

Sanford Gleddie, the vice president of operations for The Little Potato Company, is no stranger to the benefits of GPS in farm equipment. “I don’t think you’ll find a farmer anywhere in Canada without a GPS taking all the fun out of it!” Gleddie laughs, “You don’t have to work hard to drive a straight line anymore!”

But why GPS? Are the farms so big that you can get lost going from one end of the field to the other? Not exactly.

Gleddie explains, “GPS is used for driving a straight line.

The reason that is so important is that you get maximum yield out of your field. You don’t get gaps or overlaps.” As

AGRICULTURE

What’s This GPS Doing in My Tractor? Farming Goes High Tech

Size is not the only thing that has increased for farm equipment. The price has too.

The biggest combine you could purchase in 1977 would put you back $41,000. The biggest one you can purchase today comes with a $500,000 price tag.

the machines grew in size, farmers lost the ability to pilot them efficiently. Imagine looking over a 60 foot boom while driving eight kilometres an hour. The cab is in the middle of the boom. Without the guidance of the GPS, it is easy to see how you can overplant one area while completely missing another.

In addition to guidance, the GPS helps map the field.

When you know which areas produce the highest yield, you can determine what is going right in that area and how to apply those conditions to the underperforming sections.

That brings us to another technology. Yield monitors.

“Yield monitors, like the ones for canola, have a weigh scale that measures on the go as you harvest. It ties into your GPS,” Gleddie says.

Yield monitors may not be relevant to potato producers, but precision planting equipment is, and that is a technology The Little Potato Company embraces with enthusiasm.

“Precision planting equipment has improved,” Sanford admits. “Placement means accuracy of depth and spacing, and this affects the yield. Today’s planting equipment allows you to achieve [optimal] depth and spacing.”

The advancement of farming equipment also means increased flexibility. “There were no harvesters specifically suited for little potatoes ten years ago,” Gleddie recalls.

This was a problem for farms like The Little Potato Company, whose tiny gems are 1/10 the size of a baking potato.

After years of making do with harvesters whose chains were too large and whose operations were not gentle enough for small spuds, he is pleased that the last decade has produced harvesters that can be adapted for non-standard produce.

Gleddie is also pleased about how technology has leaped from the field to processing and packing plants. Starting about six years ago, The Little Potato Company was able to take advantage of optical graders. An optical grader is a camera programmed to pick out produce under certain criteria. For the Little Potato Company, this criterion is substandard potatoes. “The potatoes fall in a stream in front of a bank of cameras, and the cameras photograph each one.

It’s programmed to pick out and kick out defect potatoes.

Then a manual grade is done, but now it is so much faster.”

While GPS, yield monitors and cameras have brought farming equipment into the digital age, the mechanics of the equipment have benefited from advanced technology as well. Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) is the largest independent dealer of Case IH equipment in Canada, and

the second largest in the world. RME operates 40 dealerships across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. There are several locations in Calgary and the surrounding area, including Balzac and High River.

A tractor waits for a buyer a Parkland Farm Equipment.

A mechanic repairs the small yellow tractor.

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

39

AGRICULTURE

What’s This GPS Doing in My Tractor? Farming Goes High Tech

Darryl Priel is Rocky Mountain • A self-levelling grain cleanEquipment’s Western Canada Case ing system (SLS) that features a full IH specialist for high-horsepowwidth grain pan and vast sieve area er tractors. Some of the mechanical for superior capacity and efficiency. changes Priel has seen over the last • CVT rotor and feeder house decade include: drives on the flagship Axial-Flow • The Selective Catalytic Reduccombines, which provide the fewest tion (SCR) tier 4A emission control drive components that allow for harsystem: SCR benefits include coolvesting control, intuitive operation er exhaust temperatures, increased and maximum uptime. power, improved fuel efficiency, • Diesel Saver Automatic Producgreater durability, increased reliabiltivity Control (APM) systems, as ity and lengthened service intervals. seen in Puma, Magnum and Steiger • The Steiger Rowtrac fourtractors. The APM system automattrack system for Steiger tractors, ically adjusts the engine speed and which provides more power to the transmission ratio for maximum fuel ground, greater flexibility for differefficiency. ent cropping systems and increased Priel notes that revised emission efficiency. control systems are particularly pop• Continuously Variable Transmisular. “This has allowed Case IH to sion (CVT) in Puma and Magnum remove all of the pollution control tractors provides smoother power systems from the engines manuto the ground through infinite gear factured by FPT that are featured ratios that allow the operating conin Axial-Flow combines, 4430 Patroller to find the perfect balance of triot Sprayer, Maxxum, Puma, power and efficiency.

Magnum Business In Calgary We Are A Creative.pdf 1 2013-05-03 4:14:42 PM and Steiger tractors,” says

40

June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Priel. “The emissions are now being controlled using SCR, or post-combustion exhaust treatment. This allows the engine to utilize clean air for combustion, providing efficient power to the vehicle. An added bonus to this technology is extended engine oil service intervals out to 600 hours.”

Laird Munro, director of marketing and communications for Rocky Mountain Equipment, knows that farming still requires a great deal of physical, mental and financial fortitude. He also knows today’s farmers must also have vision. “The modern, progressive farmer in search of higher yields, lower output costs and greater overall efficiency is likely to employ GPS technology to control and steer equipment that is linked to data-rich information sets on soil types, moisture levels and historical yields, while checking on global commodity prices and trends from a smartphone or tablet device,” says Munro. “It’s still hard work – but today, it’s much more about being smart and innovative as it is about having stamina and strength.”

GPS, yield monitors, cameras that pick out defective produce, power-train technology and Selective Catalytic Reduction. We’ve come a long way from two oxen yoked together to plow a field. These are big changes over a relatively short period of time. Is it worth it? According to the experts, it certainly is.

“Farmers can farm more efficiently with less labour,” George concludes.

“SCR provides cleaner air for future generations and helps to preserve and improve the global environment,” states Priel. “The new technology improves efficiency through covering more land with less equipment, less manpower and less application overlap. This allows for improved return on investment for the food producers.”

Perhaps it is Gleddie who wraps it up best with his summary of the situation. “If you screw up planting, you can’t get it back.” BIE

BOMA CANADA REPS SEE THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY IN CHINA NEW

BY PAUL BRENT, PROPERTY BIZ CANADA AN RENX PUBLICATION - PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENJAMIN SHINEWALD

INDUSTRIAL

VAC A N C Y 2013 - Q1

A

group of eight BOMA Canada members had “a terrific, eye-opening, frankly fascinating” eight-day, three-city tour that was organized by the fledgling BOMA China organization.

The delegation was promised a “comprehensive overview” of the Chinese real estate market and insider building tours in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, all under the auspices of the Building Owners and Managers Association of China (BOMA China) in late March.

Count the BOMA Canada president and chief executive officer, Benjamin Shinewald, as impressed. “It was the first time that we had done this type of thing and the first time that I am aware of that a commercial real estate mission has gone to China.”

Shinewald said the contingent, which included members from Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, were blown away from the beginning after being taken to Shanghai’s financial district.

“We went to have lunch with Cushman Wakefield Shanghai and they hosted us on the 101st floor of the second-tallest building in the world and we had a view of a crane outside that was putting up a tower across the street that is, like 120 metres higher than the one that we were in,” he said. “Seeing the scale in Shanghai was remarkable and they have some spectacular properties in that area.”

The BOMA bunch then flew to the “second-tier” city of Tianjin, China’s sixth-largest city with a population of about 13 million. “That is a place where the Chinese are building, more or less from scratch, a megalopolis,” said

EDMONTON

Industrial Building Vacancy Citywide: 3.4%

VIEW FROM THE 101ST FLOOR OF THE SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE – THE SECOND TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD AT 492 METRES.

Direct Vacancy:

3.2%

Sublease Vacancy:

0.2%

Southeast Northwest Northeast Central Sherwood Park Acheson Spruce Grove Stony Plain Nisku/Leduc

2.3% 4.6% 3.1% 3.4% 1.2% 6.1% 2.7% 0.0% 4.0%

2012 Building Sales Transactions: 43 Volume: $86 million 2012 Land Sales: 21 Volume: $35 million

THE SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE AND THE (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) SHANGHAI TOWER WHICH WILL STAND 632 METRES HIGH.

Shinewald. “Hundreds upon hundreds of skyscrapers, residential and commercial, are going up.”

Cranes were a common sight on the trip since approximately 37.5 per cent of www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | June 2013

1

the world’s under-construction office towers are in China, the BOMA guests were told.

With more investment capital than they can easily spend, the Chinese are building infrastructure on a scale and at a pace that has never been seen before.

Even the scale model of the future city was gigantic. “They had a huge hall built, just to accommodate the model. It was just unbelievable.”

The next day the group took a bullet train to Beijing for industry meetings, economic analysis, tourism and building tours that included the Chinese headquarters for Bayer, the millionsquare-foot Jiaming Centre, which is managed by Canadian industry veteran Gabby Franco.

The next day in the Chinese capital, the BOMA group continued its tour and learned it is not all glitter and soaring heights in the world’s second-largest economy. “We saw some more typical assets and saw very, very impressive growth but also corresponding challenges,” said the BOMA Canada CEO. “It is very clear that the Chinese properties are going to need some very serious TLC as they grow, despite the impressive veneer or facade.”

The real and significant weakness shown by China’s real estate industry, and the very real opportunity for Canada’s, is that its developers are skilled at erecting commercial towers and terrible at maintaining them once they are up and running.

BOMA CANADA GROUP ON TOUR IN CHINA ORGANIZED BY BOMA CHINA.

A MODEL OF PLANS FOR TIANJIN – ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN THE MODEL WILL BE BUILT FROM SCRATCH.

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www.SerVantage.ca 2

June 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

“One building that we saw was only six years old and I would even have a hard time comparing it with a 40-year-old building back here. The 40-year-old one (in Canada) would be in much better condition,” said Peter MacHardy, vice-president of national commercial property management with GWL Realty Advisors and BOMA Canada’s chairman.

While the Chinese are justifiably proud of the towering proof of their rapid industrialization, basic maintenance is not part of the program. “What happens is they build and after about 15 years the buildings are worn because they are not maintained. So they just knock them down and build a new one.”

MacHardy sees an opportunity for North American commercial real estate companies to come to China and maintain and operate buildings, but it will not be easy. “There is quite a rigorous and robust process that you would have to go through,” said the Calgary-based MacHardy.

The list of services Canadian firms could provide is long. “I would say it is almost everything. Building operators, training programs, environmental sustainability, health and safety, customer service, security, policies, procedures and guidelines.”

First-world buildings in China are receiving third-world maintenance partly because building maintenance and operations staff simply do not have the experience and expertise that is common in North America. As well, the developers who construct residential towers in a “build-and-sell-it” model are the same ones who put up commercial buildings, a situation that has created a “build-it-and-forget-it” mindset, even though they may retain ownership of the building.

MacHardy noted that tenants enjoy few of the amenities that are common in commercial buildings in North America. “The tenant comes in and they do their own improvements. They get a base building: they get a raised floor, ceiling tiles and air conditioning, but you do 100 per cent of your own build-out and you pay your own electricity, so you pay for what you use,” he said. “When the lease term is up and you move out, you restore it identical back to the base building.”

China is also unique in that the government retains ownership of the land, meaning office towers hold 40-year leases and the issue of what happens when those leases expire remains a real question.

Dominic Lau, BOMA China’s vice-chair of association services who directed much of the March tour, said there is widespread acknowledgment that the real estate industry has a long way to go when it comes to critical issues such as building maintenance.

“It is a well-known fact, even the government officials admit that,” said Lau, who has spent much of his life in Canada and worked until recently in Calgary’s real estate industry.

“You can’t hide it; a building that is a year or two years old [that] looks like a 10 year old building. They deteriorate very quickly.”

That’s where BOMA China, established just a few years ago, comes in. That is what BOMA China’s mission is – to advocate the development of building maintenance and operations standards that are taken for granted in North America and Europe.

“We have got to advocate the reasons that they need to maintain the buildings,” he said. “They don’t understand the concept of maintaining buildings. Their thinking is that once they build the building it will print cash, so leave it alone. What else do you need to do?”

Fully integrated tenant solutions

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: 780.423.4800 Northwest Territories British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Ontario Quebéc New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia

www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | June 2013

3

MEDEVAC BASE OPENS AT EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Coordinated, timely, high-quality patient care for northern Albertans STORY BY JOANNE ANDERSON, ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

A

lberta Health Services’ (AHS) new medevac base offers a greater level of patient care and ensures timely, safe transport for northern patients.

From March 15, all flights from northern Alberta will land at the new base, located at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA).

“We don’t just transport patients, we treat them and care for them every step of the way,” says Dr. Ian Phelps, senior medical director for AHS Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

“Our plan ensures patients continue to receive safe, timely and reliable medevac services, and we have taken this opportunity to enhance the care northern Albertans will receive.”

The new 3,600-square-metre hangar is designed with patient’s needs in mind and offers significant benefits that previously didn’t exist. The space will now allow patients to be transferred inside, instead of out on the tarmac. It provides a safe, well-lit area, away from cold and from slippery services.

The hangar also features a six-bed patient transition area for stable patients. This area will have EMS staff on hand to provide care to patients for short periods of time.

A dedicated ground ambulance fleet is based at the EIA to transport patients to and from hospitals. This means that when a non-critical patient arrives, the flight medical crew can transfer the patient to the ground ambulance crew and re-

Canada’s Top Security Company | paladindecurity.com

4

June 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

ASPHALT SERVICE:

Roadways and Parking Lots

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WREAKES

turn to their northern community to be available to respond to other calls. For more critical patients, the flight crew can continue treatment, but will have the assistance of an additional paramedic and a fourth EMS practitioner to drive the ambulance.

Health Minister Fred Horne says he can assure Albertans that patient safety and care will not be compromised when medevac services move from the Edmonton City Centre Airport to the EIA. “This new state-of-the-art medevac base will provide the timely treatment and transport that critical and non-critical patients need. The fastest possible access to Edmonton area hospitals is assured.”

About 3,000 patients are flown to Edmonton each year via fixed-wing ambulances. About 80 per cent of those patients are arriving for scheduled procedures, appointments, or for admission to a higher level of care, not for emergencies.

Dr. Mark MacKenzie, medical director of air ambulance for AHS-EMS and STARS, has provided oversight on medevac services for more than 10 years.

“While timeliness is a component of all transports, for the large majority of patients it is more important to provide efficient, high-quality care and safe transport, rather than embark on a race against the clock,” he says.

AHS anticipates about five patients a month will require urgent access to critical care. These patients can be flown directly to a hospital from EIA by STARS helicopter, located in the same hangar building as the new medevac base. STARS will continue to land directly at hospitals when transporting a patient from a community hospital or from the scene of an emergency, such as a serious car crash.

Patients receive non-stop care from

Infrared Patching Manholes and Catch Base Potholes, Crack Seals & Spray Patching Repairs health care professionals from the moment they are stabilized to leave their home community until the time they arrive at an Edmonton hospital. A transport physician oversees every critical transfer, monitoring the patient’s condition in real time and working closely with sending and receiving physicians.

“If a patient’s condition changes midflight, the transport physician can order alternative arrangements, such as helicopter transfer, to be in place well before the patient arrives,” says Dr. Phelps. “Every patient has a team of medical experts around them to ensure they are receiving the appropriate level of care, at all times.”

Since August 2010, 62 medevac flights, including seven critical patients, have landed at the EIA with no adverse affects to their treatment.

The new travel times from EIA to major Edmonton hospitals will be about the same as travel times for patients from Calgary International Airport to the Foothills Medical Centre.

“This innovative facility offers significant benefits for patients; benefits which don’t exist today. Indoor transfers, more EMS providers per patient and an increase in aircraft availability are obvious wins, but the base will also be a hub for fixed-wing, ground ambulance and STARS, providing opportunities for collaboration, which can only be good for patients,” says Dr. MacKenzie.

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www.bomaedmonton.org | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | June 2013

5

LOOKING FOR THE LATEST CHOICES IN LIGHTING EFFICIENCY? The Solution Might Be More Familiar Than You Think DEAN MARCHUK, BRANCH MANAGER, HD SUPPLY/ LITEMOR EDMONTON PAULA D. ZIEGENBEIN, APPLICATION MARKETING MANAGER, OSRAM SYLVANIA

C

ommercial businesses are always on the lookout for ways to reduce maintenance, energy costs and consumption. Lighting is one area in which energy-saving upgrades and improvements are relatively simple to make, but sometimes determining which technology is best to use is not as obvious as one might think.

LED technology is quickly becoming the darling of the lighting industry, and LEDs are widely known for their long life and energy efficiency. With the rapid evolution and growth of the solid-state lighting market, many “traditional” light sources are receiving less consideration. However, we cannot be so quick to consider these more familiar lighting technologies as relics. In the case of high-efficiency linear fluorescent systems, for example, the same – or better – longevity and efficiency that you would except from an LED source can be achieved for a lower cost.

Fluorescent systems may be a tried-and-true lighting solution, but they are far from obsolete. Fluorescent technology has gone through many advances since fluorescent systems made their commercial debut in the 1940s, and improvements are continuously being made.

The first fluorescent systems introduced were T12 lamps paired with magnetic ballasts. While these were highly efficient for their time, the introduction of the T8 lamp in the 1980s by OSRAM SYLVANIA offered an even

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6

June 2013 | BOMA Edmonton Newsletter | www.bomaedmonton.org

more efficient option. Electronic ballasts also improved system efficiency, as did the introduction of the T5 lamp in 1995. Fluorescent technology continued to improve and expand with the introduction of high efficiency T8 and T5 systems, and dimming features have recently been added to lamps and ballasts as well.

WHAT TODAY’S FLUORESCENT SYSTEMS OFFER Today’s high efficiency fluorescent systems offer a more than viable lighting solution for general illumination in all varieties of commercial facilities. With systems featuring up to 100+ lumens per watt efficacy, high performance, quality colour consistency, excellent colour rendering and up to 50,000 hour life ratings, fluorescent technology may be one of the best cost/value propositions in the market.

Considering the average fluorescent system has been installed for over fifteen years, many existing T8 installations are reaching the end of their life cycle and are likely due for a lamp and ballast retrofit. Upgrading these systems to today’s high efficiency fluorescent systems could result in over 40 per cent energy cost savings.

For medical facilities in particular, high efficiency fluorescent systems offer another notable advantage over some of the new lighting technologies available in today’s markets.

High efficiency fluorescent systems offer simple and easy retrofits for existing fixtures, and rarely require the obtrusive installations often needed for an LED system upgrade. The speed and simplicity of high efficiency linear systems offers minimal disruption to offices and other working areas, saving time and expenses while reducing interference to regular operations and routines.

A CLOSER LOOK AT ENERGY SAVINGS Today’s choices for fluorescent lamps offer incredible energy savings compared to earlier systems. By simply changing a T8 lamp in an existing in-

stallation to a high efficiency, energy saving version, seven to 20 per cent of energy can be saved instantly.

Combining these high performance lamps with high efficiency ballasts can deliver even more impressive results for healthcare facilities.

Today’s electronic ballasts are far more energy efficient than their predecessors, and are equipped with technology to help maximize energy savings and/or lamp life. Ballasts can be selected with either instant start (IS) technology, designed to maximize energy savings and for infrequent switching, or programmed rapid start, designed to maximize the life of the system and for use on controls (i.e. occupancy sensors).

THE CEILING AHEAD Most of the lighting industry recognizes that LEDs and solid-state lighting is the future of lighting. LEDs offer a new range of possibilities to illuminate almost any type of space, and have the potential for even greater energy savings and flexibility in their controllability and sensing. However, LED technology still has a way to go in the area of general illumination, especially before it can be a truly cost-effective option. While the cost of solid-state lighting is projected to decrease substantially in the future, fluorescent systems offer many of the same benefits as LED systems, but at an affordable cost today.

Fluorescent systems are one of the most viable and cost-effective solutions for general illumination currently available on the market.

Fluorescent technology will continue to evolve with more energy saving options becoming available as manufacturers push the boundaries of long life. For where we are in today’s lighting market, high efficiency fluorescent lamps and ballasts are an incredibly sound investment for any facility since they offer just the right combination of cost and energy savings, maintenance cost reduction, colour characteristics and ease of replacement.

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exporting

Economic Diversification: Alberta’s Quiet Transformation

Economic Diversification: Alberta’s Quiet Transformation by ben freeland

H

ere we go again. After five years of uninterrupted bullishness, Alberta’s boom-and-bust economic soap opera appears to have hit yet another plot snag.

Falling resource revenues are expected to result in a budget deficit of $4 billion for the 2013-14 fiscal year. An April 8 article in the Calgary Herald indicated that business leaders’ confidence in the economy was at its lowest level since the financial crisis, with the PwC Business and Consumer Confidence Indexes indicating similarly low levels of confidence among the province’s consumers.

As it always happens when Alberta’s economy goes south, the subject of economic diversification returns to the forefront in provincial media, with the underlying assumption being that diversification of Alberta’s oil and gas-dominated economy continues to be elusive.

University of Calgary economist, Ron Kneebone, recently upbraided the provincial government’s framing of the current fiscal conundrum as an oil sands problem (namely the so-called “Bitumen Bubble”), alleging the real culprit is the government’s longstanding over-reliance on petroleum revenues. “The financial problem,” he asserts, “is due to a decision to undertake a high-risk budgeting strategy of relying on a source of revenue they know they cannot rely on.”

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Alberta’s image as an economic house of cards sitting precariously on the Athabasca oil sands, while rooted in reality, only tells part of the story. The oft-repeated mantra that Alberta must diversify not only flies in the face of the province’s famous entrepreneurial spirit, but also masks an increasingly complex export picture. The oil and gas sector itself has proven a boon to a multitude of industrial and high-tech offshoots with international demand, ranging from pipeline and drilling equipment production to waste gas incineration. A crop of new tech firms producing everything from GPS instruments to classroom computing devices is on the up and up, as is the province’s pharmaceutical and bioscience sectors. Meanwhile, the agri-food sector continues to occupy a significant tranche of Alberta’s exports.

While crude oil represented a commanding 62 per cent of Alberta’s total exports in 2012 (with total energy exports representing 72 per cent), this lead is slowly narrowing. TroyMedia commentator, Warren Bergen, likens Alberta’s current economic landscape to that of Texas in the 1970s, a time when that state’s oil-dominated economy began to diversify into high-tech and other industries.

“In general, Alberta’s non-oil sectors are doing very well,” asserts Mathew Wilson, vice president of national poli-

exporting

Economic Diversification: Alberta’s Quiet Transformation

As it always happens when Alberta’s economy goes south, the subject of economic diversification returns to the forefront in provincial media, with the underlying assumption being that diversification of Alberta’s oil and gasdominated economy continues to be elusive.

cy at Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. “Petroleum will continue to be hugely important, but if you compare Alberta with where it was in the 1980s, oil represents a significantly smaller percentage of the province’s GDP today.”

While bullish overall on Alberta’s non-oil export sectors, Wilson concedes that much work remains to be done if Alberta is to reach its full economic potential. “Human resources are probably the biggest issue facing this province at the moment,” he says. “Worker shortages affect all sectors, oil and non-oil alike, but the impact to non-oil sectors is particularly acute as the oil patch invariably draws workers from other industries.” He also notes that Alberta’s geographic isolation, particularly vis-à-vis key export markets like East Asia and the European Union, makes infrastructure an ongoing priority.

Wilson remains optimistic that the Alberta government considers economic diversification a priority and is confident that these issues are being addressed; and while he concedes that boom-and-bust cycles will invariably continue to be part and parcel with Alberta’s economy for the foreseeable future, he predicts that forthcoming busts will become less and less severe. “The Alberta government has long been cognizant of the need for diversification and is actively promoting these growing sectors,” he asserts.

“This bodes well for a healthier, more diverse economy.”

Anyone looking for evidence of Alberta’s increasingly complex economic picture need look no further than the Leduc-Nisku Business Park located south of Edmonton. This sprawling industrial agglomeration, adjacent to Highway 2 and Edmonton International Airport, stands as Canada’s largest energy park and is also the second-largest in all of North America. It serves as an invaluable one-stop shop for the oil industry’s pipeline, drilling equipment and other industrial needs. It is also rapidly transforming into an export hotspot, as represented by enterprising companies such as Hyduke Energy. Hyduke Energy is a drilling equipment exporter with a presence in over 30 companies (including all global oil and gas regions). This year, Hyduke Energy was named Alberta’s top exporter at CME’s Alberta Export Awards ceremony.

Hyduke VP-sales, Tony Bulman, contends that his company’s success is due in large extent to location. “Nisku may not look like much, but there’s a huge amount of brainpower and know-how in those buildings,” he says. “You don’t see that kind of amalgamation in many places, and that’s what’s allowed us to flourish as an industry and retool our approach for exports.” He adds that while exchanges rates in recent years have played against his and other similar www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

49

exporting

Economic Diversification: Alberta’s Quiet Transformation

Tony Bulman, VP Sales, Hyduke

companies, a growing culture of innovation and a dose of Alberta can-do spirit have seen them through. “The previous generation was able to focus on the domestic market,” says Bulman. “That worked in the past, but there’s been a growing realization that it’s a big world out there and that kind of narrow focus isn’t going to cut it.”

Food production, often perceived as an industry in perpetual decline in Alberta, continues to represent the province’s second largest export sector at nearly ten per cent. Moreover, contrary to its popular image, it is also a storehouse of innovation. While the industry remains largely geared for domestic production – particularly in the era of the 100-mile diet, some more innovative Alberta food producers have set their sights on the international market. One of the first to do so was Edmonton’s Kinnikinnick Foods. Starting in 1997 with the then-unprecedented strategy of direct-mail sales of gluten-free food over the Internet, this Edmonton firm now owns the world’s largest dedicated gluten-free manufacturing facility, from which it exports to the US (including Hawaii and Puerto Rico), Central and South America and East Asia.

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Jerry Bigum, president and CEO of Kinnikinnick Foods, contends that while export opportunities are there for agri-food businesses, with a niche market and an innovative approach, better infrastructure and more favourable government policy could see Alberta become a much bigger player in food exports. “For a long time it’s been a perfect storm for agriculture processors in Alberta with high energy prices, a high dollar, labour shortages and geographic isolation,” says Bigum, “While there’s only so much you can do in terms of policy to change this, I would like to see more equity capital in our sector as well as better freight and logistics infrastructure.” He adds, however, that the current low gas prices bode well for his company, as does a growing global demand for gluten-free food. “In this industry you really have to be the best in the world,” he notes. “If you can do that, you’re set.”

Be it downstream from the oil patch or wholly separate from it, Alberta’s economy is indeed diversifying and the province’s one-trick pony image holds far less water than it once did. While oil will continue to dominate Alberta’s export picture for the foreseeable future, the Alberta brand is already becoming increasingly multifaceted. BIE

THE DELNOR CONSTRUCTION STORY: BUILDING SUCCESS How do you build a successful company? Delnor Construction has been building its success, one block at a time for over 30 years.

By Nerissa McNaughton

Y

ou have seen evidence of their work and signs at numerous job sites around town. They are Delnor Construction (Delnor) and they hold the contracts for some of the key construction projects in Alberta and interior B.C. But who is this company? Where did they come from? How did they become the success that they are today?

In this article you will get to know Delnor. You will meet the men who launched the company 30 years ago and you will be introduced to the executive team who oversees the work of over 200 employees completing a blend of small and significant multi-year projects. Most exciting of all, you will understand how this company achieved success.

Success. It is not something that people are magically blessed with. If that was the case, everyone would be living their dream life. Success comes slowly and only with hard work, and plenty of foresight. It comes with taking risks, embracing change, and fostering long-term relationships with clients. It comes with attracting and retain-

ing loyal, dedicated staff. Like any structure, success is built, block by block on a firm foundation. Like any structure, success built on a firm foundation outlasts those who build it, leaving something behind that is solid, tangible and remains long after the initial builders have moved on.

Delnor has achieved this type of success. Here is how they build it.

This story unfolds from the boardroom of Delnor’s beautiful head office in Edmonton’s south end. The building is a testament to Delnor’s creativity; tile marks the entranceway and a floating staircase leads to a second level that is filled with natural light. A calm energy is felt in this hub of activity. Every employee you meet has a smile and a welcoming nod. The boardroom is impressive and clearly the place where decisions are made and futures are decided.

Company founders, principals Ron Hinz and Ed Cyrankiewicz, enter. They are closely followed by Glenn Cyrankiewicz, chief executive officer and Joel Ramer, chief financial officer. All are seated, and the story begins.

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years

“

“We looked for the tough, dirty jobs; jobs nobody wanted to do. We did whatever it took.” ~ Ed Cyrankiewicz

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Ron Hinz and Ed Cyrankiewicz were Delnor’s Executive Team: Glenn Cyrankiewicz, Ron Hinz, Ed Cyrankiewicz, Joel Ramer high school buddies. This friendship continued into their post-high school life as they apprenticed at the same construction firm. When the recession of the ’80s saw both men unemployed, they made a decision that would affect their lives and have far reaching effects 30 years into the future. At a time when unemployment rates were peaking at 13 per cent and inflation was averaging 12 per cent, Ron and Ed launched a business. On June 23, 1983, Delnor Construction was born.

For the first two years, Delnor consisted solely of Ron and Ed. Starting a business in a failing economy was a great risk, but it was not the only risk this daring duo was willing to take.

“We looked for the tough, dirty jobs; jobs nobody wanted to do,” Ed says as he reflected on the few construction companies were willing to undercompany in its infancy. “We did whatever it took.” take these types of projects, so the Delnor team distinThis meant leaping at opportunities to work out-ofguished themselves early on as a company willing to town jobs and in occupied facilities. When working in roll up their sleeves and do what they needed to do to an occupied space, the Delnor team would work beget the job done. fore or after the occupants were in the building. This Two years after the launch of Delnor, the two princimeant early mornings and very late nights. At the time, pals were able to hire their first employee, Phil Miller. “AfC O M P L E T E

E L E C T R I C A L

S E R V I C E S

&

D E S I G N

S I N C E

1 9 7 5

Congratulations Delnor Construction Ltd. on 30 years!

200, 11803-154 Street Edmonton, AB T5V 1G6 Tel: (780) 452-6740 • Fax: (780) 452-6743 eliteelectric@interbaun.com

We are proud to be a part of your success.

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 2

ter that we just kept hiring,” said Ron. The company grew at a steady rate. Currently, Delnor has approximately 200 employees.

“Since we started in a depressed economy, we learned survival skills and how to function among economic highs and lows,” says Ron. Ed agrees, saying, “As I reflect back, the first years were really about building the foundation.”

Right from the early days, Ron and Ed determined subcontractors were instrumental to this foundation and the success of any project. Then and now, Delnor values their partnerships with the sub trade community and today has solid relationships with many of them through their 30 year history.

It was a strong foundation. Strong enough that after only ten years in businesses, Delnor shifted from looking for clients to having clients look for them. Their industry reputation and repeat business were quickly making Delnor’s team the first choice clients wanted when they needed a job done right.

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As the company grew, so did the variety of projects. One of the first projects the company took on was a small job at the Treasury Branch in Edson, Alberta, a small town 200 kilometres to the west of Edmonton. Contrast that with

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Congratulations to Delnor Construction Ltd. on their 30th Anniversary!

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 3

“

“Team work has positive results. Delnor is as good as our staff representation. On site, we pride ourselves on the quality, proven people working at Delnor.”

PHIL MILLER: DELNOR PIONEER

Phil Miller was Delnor’s first employee. When Ron and Ed hired him, little did they know they were setting the stage for a new Miller family tradition. Perhaps it started when Phil would bring his boys with him to work during their summer breaks so they could earn some spending money. Maybe it was because Phil’s love of his job was so obvious and his pride of being a Delnor employee was contagious. Whatever the reason, all of Phil’s sons and Phil’s brother became Delnor employees.

Phil started on July 7, 1985 as a superintendant.

Two of his sons, Jarrod and Dustin, have since moved on, however, his sons Brent and Curtis are still with Delnor. Brent started January 1, 1996, as a carpenter and Curtis started July 1, 2000, as a skilled labourer. Both boys have increased their roles and responsibilities over the years.

From pioneer to personally providing part of Delnor’s labour force, perhaps what Phil can look forward to next is seeing his grandchildren carry on the proud tradition of being a Delnor employee.

today, as Delnor now holds the contracts to renovate ATB Financial’s Corporate Head Offices and relocate over 1200 of their employees into new office space, a project worth over $50 Million dollars in Edmonton and Calgary.

From its humble beginnings as a two-man team with basic tools, Delnor now provides construction management, design build, new construction, commercial renovations and health care renovations for nationally recognized corporations and institutions. Delnor’s client list includes some prominent names such as, Alberta Infrastructure, the University of Alberta, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, regional school boards, major financial institutions, affordable housing organizations, seniors housing organizations, Telus Communications, Alberta Health Services and many more.

Delnor’s roots are firmly planted in Edmonton, but having a successful business has allowed the company to grow into other regions. An office in Kelowna opened in 2009 and another in Calgary in 2011. Delnor’s projects ensure they have a full-time job presence all over Alberta – including in Fort McMurray and projects are also now underway in Saskatchewan.

DELNOR’S EMPLOYEES: THEIR MOST VALUABLE TOOLS

Delnor Construction’s commitment to their employees is reflected in part of their mission statement: “Team work has positive results. Delnor is as good as our staff representation. On site, we pride ourselves on the quality, proven people working at Delnor.”

Glenn Cyrankiewicz has been with Delnor for over 11 years and he knows one of the key building blocks in Delnor’s foundation is its people. “It takes a team to do a successful build,” smiles Glenn. “This includes people in the office as well as the field.”

Ron further points out, “to be a great company, you need great employees.”

This sentiment is put into action with Delnor’s value-added functions and benefits that include both corporate and field staff. Glenn indicated that it is a challenge to bring the very diverse groups of corporate and field staff together, but that does not stop them from trying! Luncheons, barbeques, and other events keep the teams connected. A social committee plans events such as the family gatherings, Christmas party, golf tournament, curling events and Corporate Challenge. Social events, however, are just one of the tools Delnor uses to ensure their employees have the best work experience possible.

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 4

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“We make sure our project managers have total accountability,” confirms Glenn. “The manager has total ownership of the project from the cradle to the grave.” This method of project management is rarely seen in the industry, and Delnor has utilized this style of managing construction projects as a key building block in their success. With this model, the client has one point of contact for the entire project,

Congratulations

Delnor Construction Ltd. on 30 years of success!

Here’s to 30 more!

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Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 5

“

“We make sure our project managers have total accountability, the manager has total ownership of the project from the cradle to the grave.” ~ Glenn Cyrankiewicz

ATB Financial Calgary Campus

long-term relationships Delnor is famous for among their clients as well as their staff.

The executive team collectively agree that their employees are the backbone of their business and they are grateful to each and every one of them.

CHANGES IN THE PLANS

which has gone a long way in building long-lasting relationships with their clients. There are additional benefits for Delnor as well. “It attracts a certain type of manager that is very diverse and motivated,” Ed points out and while he admitted this style of delegation and project control is not ideal for everyone, it works exceptionally well for the type of managers they want at Delnor Construction.

Delnor works hard to provide value for their employees, which is why they experience very little turnover. In fact, Phil Miller – Delnor’s first employee – is still with the company. Not only is Phil still a dedicated employee, his four sons and his brother have followed in his footsteps and have worked for Delnor as well. These are the types of

Any company with three decades worth of experience is bound to see significant changes in all aspects of their operations, and Delnor is no exception.

“The biggest change for me is the technology,” Ron admits. When he co-founded the company, there were no cell phones, computers or even fax machines. Now information technology is at the heart of all their company operations.

For Ed, this change in technology brought about a change in attitude. “Everyone’s expectations are different,” he says. “The way we communicate now changes expectations. Before, we would have to mail in tenders or actually pick up a phone! Now everything is just faxed or emailed.

I find we are expected to do things in half the time we did when we started the company.”

Ed laughs at a memory this brought up about fax machines. “We were so proud of our first fax machine!” He chuckles. Ed recalls constructing a project and noticing a

Congratulations Delnor Construction Ltd. on your 30th anniversary!

10751-181 Street Edmonton, AB T5S 1N3 Ph: 1-780-444-2604 • Fax: 1-780-481-3091 info@profileelectrical.ca • www.profileelectrical.ca

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 6

15 x 15 foot room called a “facsimile room”. He questioned it and received a very enthusiastic response about this wonderful new technology that could transmit information at the touch of a button. He was blown away by the concept and even more excited when Delnor installed this radical new technology in their own corporate office. But that was years ago. Now faxes are considered outdated as wireless technology pushes ever forward. “Faxes, then computers,” muses Ed. “Things progress so

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Congratulations, Delnor Construction Ltd.!

Congratulations to the entire team at Delnor Construction Ltd. on your 30th Anniversary!

We value our relationship, and wish you continued success.

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Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 7

For Joel Ramer, the executive financial officer with 19 years at Delnor, the biggest change is going from smaller jobs to attracting the attention of the biggest corporate and financial names in Canada.

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quickly.” For Ed, the biggest change he has seen is the speed and ability to move information. “We were always eager to embrace technology,” he says.

Glenn made a salient point about this information exchange and the way Delnor embraced it as he pointed out that Ron and Ed were among the first in the industry to push that technology to the site office level. By making sure the field staff were equipped with the technologies that would enable them to do their best work, Delnor put yet another block in the foundation that holds up their outstanding success.

Glenn has seen another change that has been vital to the well-being of the company: safety regulations. “[They] have impacted productivity in terms of what needs to be in place for each project,” the operations executive notes, but he is on board with whatever works best to protect the workers, the company, and their clients. “It’s good, but it’s a huge change. As prime contractor, we are responsible for the safety of the workers on the site.” We take this responsibility very seriously and ensure all our projects

have safety protocols in place and trained staff to manage these protocols.

For Joel Ramer, the executive financial officer with 19 years at Delnor, the biggest change is going from smaller jobs to attracting the attention of the biggest corporate and financial names in Canada. Now Delnor is named as one of Canada’s top contractors, but Joel remembers the first time the company dealt with a million dollar project.

“Back then it was a very big deal,” he laughs. “We were so

30 Years is a true statement that Delnor Construction Ltd. is an exemplary leader in the construction industry.

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Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 8

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Congratulations to the team at Delnor Construction Ltd. on 30 years!

Proud to be a part of your success.

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“

“All companies have opportunities. We have been able to prepare to capitalize on opportunities. When opportunities come, we are ready to seize them.” ~ Ron Hinz excited and there was a lot of talk about how we could manage it. Now it’s common. Now we can undertake large, significant projects.”

The ability to not only embrace change but to make it work for them is a cornerstone in the company’s foundation.

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THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS

Congratulations Delnor Construction Ltd.!

1993

There is no doubt that Delnor Construction is one of the most successful companies in Alberta. They launched in the midst of a recession, embraced new technologies, rode the ups and downs of the boom and bust construction industry and attracted clients and employees loyal to the point that they are still clients and employees generations later.

Delnor’s executive team feels the secrets of their success lay in several key areas.

Joel divulges the first secret to success. “Ron and Ed have developed a company where it is still possible to do a handshake deal,” he points out with a smile. “If we say we will do a job, we will do it. If we say we are going to be somewhere, we are there. Integrity. That is the core of Delnor’s success.”

For Glenn, integrity goes hand in hand with having an impeccable reputation. “[Success is] the value of our reputation; to have a company that you take great pride in and a company you are proud to work for.”

Glenn feels that this pride felt throughout all aspects of

Congratulations

Delnor Construction

on 30 years

14340 120 AVENUE NW EDMONTON, ALBERTA 780.448.9084 1.877.725.6455 INFO@RBKMILLWORK.COM

RBKMILLWORK.COM

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 10

the company, along with their exceptional reputation, make Delnor successful.

Ed finds the secret of success in boundless enthusiasm.

“As an owner, I’m not actively involved in the projects as I once was, but I just love the building process,” he says as his eyes light up. “I love the confidence the industry has in us, and I always want to see the company grow. I want to be around to see what happens [to it] in the next 20, even 30 years!”

Ron reflects for a moment before a serene smile washes over his face. “Success?” he says, “All companies have opportunities. We have been able to prepare to capitalize on opportunities. When opportunities come, we are ready to seize them.”

BUILT TO FACE THE FUTURE

What does the future hold for the company that went from two enthusiastic young men swinging hammers to

200 plus dedicated employees constructing significant projects throughout their service region? Whether being trusted with the contract for expanding a seniors housing facility, upgrading a university laboratory, building or renovating healthcare facilities or building inner city housing, one thing is for certain. For Delnor, the future holds many rewards for jobs well done.

Delnor’s future will be handled the way the company has been handled thus far— one successful block at a time.

3609 – 74 Avenue Edmonton, AB T6B 2T7 Telephone (780) 469-1304 • Fax (780) 466-0798 Email: delnor@delnor.ca • www.delnor.ca

Congratulations

Delnor Construction Ltd. on your 30th Anniversary!

ICON Industrial Contractors Ltd. is proud to have been part of your success.

We wish you many more years of continued growth!

ICON

12849 – 141 Street Edmonton, AB T5L 4N1 Tel: (780) 455-2299 • Fax: (780) 455-2448

Industrial Contractors Ltd.

Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years | Page 11

14215 - 130 Avenue NW Phone: 780-452-7715 Fax: 780-452-9638 Email: interspace@telus.net

Congratulations Delnor Construction Ltd. on 30 years of success!

12230 - 163 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5V 1S2 Tel: (780) 447-4525 • Fax: (780) 447-3438 info@chownelectric.com

Congratulations!

We have been proud to work with Delnor Construction Ltd. for almost 30 years.

Congratulations Delnor Construction Ltd.!

We wish you many years of continued success!

Wishing Delnor Construction Ltd. another 30 years of success!

7931 Coronet Road Edmonton, AB T6E 4N7 ph: (780) 465-0792 • fax: (780) 469-5407 www.actionelectrical.net

12817A 58 Street Phone 457-8578 • Fax 457-8574

HISTORICAL Painting Ltd.

8430-24 Street, Edmonton, AB T6P 1X8 Ph: (780) 464-4929 • Fax: (780) 417-4929 www.4-way.com • 4-way@4-way.com

Congratulations to the entire team at Delnor Construction Ltd. from your friends at 4-Way!

780.473.7770

Congrats Delnor Construction Ltd.!

Congrats Delnor Construction Ltd.!

Congratulations to Delnor Desco is proud to support Delnor Construction and we congratulate them on their 30 years of success.

10925, 120th Street Ph: 780.468.1938 • Fax: 780.452.5327 1.866.468.1938 • norlab.ca

www.descoalberta.com Delnor Construction Ltd. | 30 Years

GOLF

Jägare Ridge Golf Club: An Oasis in the City

Jägare Ridge Golf Club: An Oasis in the City

by Nerissa Mcnaughton photos courtesy of Jagare Ridge Golf Course

W

ant to golf in a serene outdoor setting but don’t want to stray from the city limits? If so, Jägare Ridge Golf Club is the place for you. A flowing creek, 70 foot cliffs, elevations ranging up to 80 feet, mature trees – this beautiful, natural, park-like setting is the perfect backdrop for a day of golf. Located along the banks of the Whitemud Creek Valley along Ellerslie Road, you don’t need to leave the city to get a day of golf in the “country”.

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

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What’s New at Stone Creek Resorts S

tone Creek Resorts announces the opening of two new golfing experiences – The Short Course at Silvertip and The Short Course at Eagle Ranch on July 15th. The Short Course offers golfers the opportunity to play a faster round of golf while still enjoying a full 18 holes, as well as the chance to improve their short game.

The Short Course has a three hour playing time and features par 3’s from 95-150 yards and par 4’s from 200-275 yards. This innovative experience is well suited for beginner and avid golfers alike.

Rounds are priced at: Silvertip $75 and Eagle Ranch $65. Junior golfers (under 12) golf for free with a paying adult. The Short Course is available the hour prior to twilight each day.

Photo by Scott Gage Photography

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18 Hole championship course Great weekday and weekend rates Now accepting tournament bookings for groups of all sizes Open year round for meetings, weddings, and parties Ranked #2 best public course in Edmonton – Score Golf Magazine 2011 PGA of Alberta Merchandiser of the Year – 2012 PGA of Canada Retailer of the Year – 2012

Book your tournament or tee time today!

Call (780) 470-4700 or visit www.theranchgolf.com

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

• Public Golf • Memberships • Group Outings and Events • Weddings • Gift Certificates • Golf Merchandise or Golf Gifts Prime time rates at $95.00 (twilight $72) including 18-holes of golf, shared use of power golf cart, use of driving range before your round.

Contact us for more information

at 780-929-4653

Follow us on @Coloniale_GC

ENVY REALLY IS GREEN.

Two glorious courses gently carved from the best of Mother Nature.

Holes that will challenge your nerve and ones that leap your game to another level.

Fine dining that is an unexpected welcome. And service unmatched within the realm of an 18 hole day.

Is it any wonder that others envy our resorts?

But you can find it all waiting for you.

Join us for world-class golf and fine dining at Silvertip and Eagle Ranch Resorts.

Book your tee time or make reservations at SilvertipandEagleRanch.com or by calling 1.877.877.3889.

silvertipresort.com

eagleranchresort.com

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

65

GOLF

Jägare Ridge Golf Club: An Oasis in the City

Jägare Ridge Golf Club opened on all 18 holes 2001. The course is a mix between target and links holes, making accuracy the most important thing when playing this course.

“The most challenging hole would be #3,” explains Tyler Rumpel, the course’s CPGA head professional. “Hole #3 is a long par 4 with water on the left and trees on the right.

The second shot is to a slightly elevated green guarded by a bunker in the front and trouble on the left. We say we don’t really have a signature hole here, but I think that all our Par 3 golf holes are spectacular. We are just completing a project on our Par 3, 15th hole that involves making that green into an island green complete with a waterfall feature.”

Jägare Ridge Golf Club makes it easy for those looking for a great course for charity drives and tournaments.

A full tournament package is available that includes tailored food options, prize selections from the pro shop, special tournament rates, and more. Jägare Ridge also has outstanding banquet facilities and a full menu offering decadent choices such as French toast dusted with cinnamon and sugar, pecan pesto bruschetta drizzled with olive oil, and grilled wild sockeye salmon. A great wine selection and a beautiful outdoor deck make the amenities of Jägare Ridge complete.

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

“Golf is a very important social and physical game,” says Tyler. “It’s a chance to be outdoors enjoying the wildlife and scenery with great people. It is also a sport you can play at any age level with your family (young children to the senior golfer). Being able to walk and be with friends is what makes this game special; and golfing well also makes it even more enjoyable!” Programs are being created at Jägare Ridge to ensure families can enjoy the game of golf together. “We are seeing a little bit of a decline in the amount of people playing the game. That is why we are creating [dining and golf ] programs for couples and trying to promote the game to kids with school programs.”

Tyler knows Jägare Ridge is unique. “No golf course in the city has the view and the valley golf experience like we do. Sometimes it feels like you are not in the city of Edmonton when you are playing golf out here or enjoying refreshments on our clubhouse deck.”

“We are looking forward to a great year with great course conditions combined with our exciting new menu for 2013,” Tyler concludes. “Come on out and enjoy a piece of the mountains here at Jägare Ridge Golf Club.”

For more information, pricing and specials, visit jagaregolf.com. BIE

WWW.EDMONTONCHAMBER.COM

WORLD TRADE CENTRE EDMONTON W

BY CHAMBER STAFF

orld Trade Centre Edmonton (WTCE) is the international division of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and a member of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), a global network of 331 trade centres in 100 countries around the world.

Currently, long-time Edmontonian and former chamber president Martin Salloum sits on the WTCA board of directors, creating even further value and representation to the greater Edmonton area and the entire north. Edmonton is the largest capital city in North America’s northern region WORLD TRADE CENTRE EDMONTON and is an economic centre for many industry sectors, prompting World Trade Centre Edmonton to form partnerships with 20 chambers in two provinces and three territories to connect with members with members (9,000 businesses total).

WTCE is located on the northeast corner of Jasper Avenue and 100 Street, former site to the Imperial Bank of Canada as far back as 1893. In 1954, the old building was torn down and the current building erected. The building was designated a historic building by the City of Edmonton. The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is also historic, having received its charter in 1889. In 2004, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce took ownership of the building, and respecting the combined histories of the building and its organization, worked with local architects to create a modern facility interior for the beautiful building.

WTCE’s building features an entire floor dedicated specifically to the needs of business travelers and international traders. Hi-tech meeting and boardrooms, dinner reception and hosting facilities, seminar and administrative services, notary public, document processing, and high-speed Internet access are all readily available.

“Carry the Card” provides northern partner chamber members with a membership card entitling them to the

same services and benefits as Edmonton Chamber members, including use of the facilities.

Other WTCE benefits available include, referrals/introductions to other WTCs for business services; providing certificates of origin, visa letters and other international business documents; access to the Edmonton-based Consular Corps of 21 different nations; networking and registration in the WTC Edmonton directory, and participation in Meet the North conferences that are held on a rotating basis in Edmonton, Yellowknife and Whitehorse. Meet the North conferences are where one can learn about business opportunities in Edmonton and the northern regions.

World Trade Centre Edmonton now sits in the ranks of the 100+ World Trade Centres certified to date. This past summer, WTCE completed the certification process and achieved blue level certification in Trade Education Services and Group Trade Missions (Inbound); as well as silver level certification (the highest award) in Trade Information Services, Business Services, Tenant Services, and Conference Facilities.

To take advantage of the World Trade Centre Edmonton venue, please contact: (780) 426-4620 or for business services, contact: (780) 409-2613, or via email at info@wtcedmonton.com. www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

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The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce invites you to the following 2013 Chamber business & networking events:

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Edmonton Eskimos & The Sawmill Group present

Edmonton Eskimos Sawmill End Zone Tailgate Party

Join the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce for the most anticipated game on the annual schedule: the Labour Day Classic Rematch! First guests will enjoy a tailgate-style barbeque catered by the Sawmill Group.

Then, take in the game at field level and be part of the battle within earshot of players and officials.

A football experience like no other awaits you!

Buy your tickets early!

Edmonton Eskimos vs Calgary Stampeders Friday, September 6, 2013 Commonwealth Stadium Gate: 5:30 p.m. Game: 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: Members $79.00 + GST Non-members $99 + GST

Bronze Sponsor:

Labour Day Classic Rematch!

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce presents

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The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce presents

Speed Networking Autumn After Business Mixer & Thursday, September 26 Tradeshow Thursday, September 19 We’ve put a new twist on the way business people in Edmonton can now connect.

Put yourself in front of numerous potential employers, clients or business partners within one 90 minute session.

At TELUS World of Science - Edmonton, inspiration is guaranteed. Come and network, visit exhibitor's tables and enjoy catering from The Underground Tap & Grill, to get a delicious taste of what this downtown restaurant has to offer.

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

A display table will be provided for your company flyers and/or promotional material.

Telus World of Science 11211 - 142 Street

Registration: 4:30 p.m.

Networking: 5:00 - 7:00 World Trade Centre Edmonton 6th Floor, 9990 Jasper Avenue

Tickets: $20.00 Members (+GST) $30.00 Non-Members (+GST) Includes a light snack & refreshments

Sponsored by:

Tickets: $10.00 Members (+GST); $20.00 Non-Members (+GST) Exhibitor Display Table: $125 Members (+GST); $250 Non-Members (+GST) Table-top Exhibitor Includes: 10 event tickets, 6' table and linen. Power: Additional $25

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce presents

Selling to the Government and the Public Sector Seminar Presenters:

Learn more about public tendering, the MERX and Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) online tender sites, trade agreements, making contacts, and other helpful hints that can help you be successful. Presenters will be from the Government of Canada, the Alberta Government, the City of Edmonton, Alberta Health Services and NAIT. If your business wants to provide goods and services to these large organizations, you need to be at this event.

Hurry! Limited space available.

To order your tickets today, please visit edmontonchamber.com

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June 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

Wednesday, October 23 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

World Trade Centre Edmonton 6th Floor, 9990 Jasper Avenue

Tickets: $99.00 Members (+GST) $135.00 Non-Members (+GST) Lunch is included

EDMONTON.COM

New COO at EEDC

D

erek Hudson was appointed chief operating officer of Edmonton Economic Development Corporation on April 1.

Most recently, Hudson provided executive management and consulting services through his firm, Unconstrained CFO Inc. He was an executive-in-residence at TEC Edmonton and managing director of Rural Alberta Development Fund.

Before founding Unconstrained CFO Inc., Hudson served as CFO and interim CEO for Micralyne, an Edmonton-based developer and manufacturer of microsystems components. He started his career in Edmonton at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where his consulting work focused on strategy and performance improvement.

A graduate of the University of Alberta School of Business, Hudson is a chartered accountant, certified management consultant, and member of the Edmonton Police Commission.

Derek Hudson

Marking Meetings Industry Day

O

ne hundred and sixty-five turned out for Edmonton’s observation of National Meetings Industry Day on April 18.

Focused on the industry’s development and raising awareness of meetings and conventions, Edmonton’s breakfast event, organized by the local chapter of Meeting Professionals International, attracted new meeting planners while offering chapter members a morning of networking and professional development.

Emceed by Global Edmonton’s Carol Anne Devaney, award-winning entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker Stuart Knight addressed what he labelled as the art of powerful conversations.

Edmonton’s meeting industry works year-round with local organizations and professional associations to target event planners in marketing Edmonton as an event destination and in attracting visitors and business from around the world - made easy by excellent non-stop air connections from the Americas and Europe. Major Edmonton employers, as well as national and international professional

Shaw Conference Centre’s Hall D is the site of prominent city events year-round

associations, contribute to the success of the city’s meetings industry.

Meetings and conventions generate spending in the economy and contribute to the growth of tourism in Edmonton. In 2012, Edmonton Tourism made 49 future convention bookings, resulting in a direct spend of almost $12 million.

National Meetings Industry Day

shines the spotlight on the industry’s contribution to the community.

Members from the Canadian Chapters of Meeting Professionals International celebrate with a variety of educational and networking activities that focus on the significance of the Canadian meetings industry and the value of meetings to the broader business community.

www.businessinedmonton.com | Business In Edmonton Magazine | June 2013

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EDMONTON.COM

Semi-annual Event Helps Homeless

S

ixty-five community organizations came together on April 7 at the Shaw Conference Centre for the 10th Homeless Connect Edmonton, the largest event of its kind in Canada. Essential services were provided at no cost to those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The event served more than 1,400 adults alone, thanks to more than 400 community volunteers, as well as generous sponsors and service providers.

Homeless Connect, held every spring and fall, is coordinated through partnerships that include Homeward Trust Edmonton, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Shaw Conference Centre, the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region as well as more than 24 community leaders representing various sector’s organizations and agencies.

“Although the homeless population is decreasing, these services are very much in demand,” said Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust Edmonton. “By providing these essential services in one place, on one day, people learn about different services available and service providers are able to work together in one location.”

Service providers offered guests haircuts, dentistry, eyecare, counseling, laundry and warm meals. Each guest received a United Way kit, a care package of essential personal items including toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant and hygiene products.

“We are honoured to support Homeless Connect and, by extension, our local community,” said Cliff Higuchi, vicepresident and general manager of the Shaw Conference Centre. “Community partnerships help focus our collective strengths to find solutions — in our case as a meeting place to help address homelessness, one guest at a time.”

Homeless Connect, which started in October 2008 and attracts new partners every year, takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre — a proud founding partner that contributes over $83,000 annually in services plus hundreds of hours of staff volunteer support on the steering committee and during each event.

Dental care was one of the services offered at April 7’s Homeless Connect (photo by Edward Allen).

To learn about Homeless Connect Edmonton, volunteer or inquire about partnership opportunities, visit www. homelessconnect.ca.

New Board Members at Annual Meeting

F

our business leaders joined EEDC’s board at its April 23 annual general meeting: John Babic of Dalmac Energy; Norman Hanson of Thermex Metal Treating; Chris Jager, formerly of AltaSteel and Mark McNeill of SteamFlo Industries. Stepping down from the board are JoAnn

Kirkland, Chris LaBossiere, and Henry Yip. The City-of-Edmonton-owned EEDC released its 2012 annual report at the meeting. Visit www.edmonton. com/2012report to learn more about how EEDC did in 2012.

Research Park Facility Turns 25 June 21 open house - Advanced Technology Centre www.edmontonresearchpark.com

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June May 2013 | Business In Edmonton Magazine | www.businessinedmonton.com

1 # S ’ A R T E R L E A E D ALB C M G & BUICK

MAKING IT EASY

18325 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton, AB 1-877-470-0333 www.westerngm.com