2018 Awards of Excellence

If you weren't able to attend the Employee Awards on May 4th, you  missed an outstanding evening! The German Cultural Center was filled with over 300 employees, employers, sponsors, and special guests.  We'd like to congratulate the winners, thank the sponsors, and express our appreciation to everyone that supported the event. This annual recognition of Merit members is an important way of spreading our message about the benefits of being an open shop.   This year was extra special, as we also formally recognized and celebrated our 30th anniversary.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR MAIN STAGE SPONSORS

2018 MERIT LEGACY AWARD

Mike Chyzowski - Quorex Construction Mike Chyzowski spent 28 years with Quorex with several of those years as a partner and the President of the firm. Under his leadership, the company flourished and is known to be one of Saskatchewan’s foremost and largest general contractors with offices in both Saskatoon and Regina.  Mike served on the Merit Board from 2005 to 2016. With a background in finance, he took an active role in ensuring the financial sustainability of Merit. He served on the executive as secretary-treasurer for several years, and always took that responsibility seriously. He was never afraid to voice his concern about an issue or stand up for hard-working tradespeople in the construction industry. Mike is a steady and wise voice of reason in the room. If he disagrees with what you’ve said, then you should likely think a little harder about what you've just said. Mike was very passionate about open shop contracting and how important it is to the growth and viability of Saskatchewan’s construction industry. He was always fully engaged in our advocacy efforts and would even take it on himself to meet with his local MLA to further advocate for issues affecting Saskatchewan contractors. Under Mike’s leadership, Quorex is known for its contributions to both industry and community. For example, as general contractors for the Ronald McDonald house, they leveraged their connections to secure significant donations that reduced the overall cost to build the new facility. That same generosity applies to Merit events, as they have been ardent supporters in many ways of the Merit awards and other various events through sponsorship and providing their staff to help Merit with various aspects of our events. Congratulations Mike, for being awarded the 2018 MERIT Legacy Award!

OFFICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Rosane Langlois - RNF Ventures As RNF Venture's Office Manager of 31 years, Rosane Langlois, is genuinely the backbone of the company. Rosane gives selflessly to the organization and always puts their needs ahead of her own. She is extremely well respected by her peers, not only at RNF Ventures but across the industry. Rosane's dedication, honestly, and integrity are unsurpassed. She is tenacious and refuses to accept inferior results. This, combined with her unmatched work ethic, makes her an excellent example for RNF Venture's entire staff.  Rosane has continued her learning throughout the years, and has become an expert in many areas. She has supplemented her diploma from Prince Albert Business College with courses in Managing and Resolving Difficult Employee Behavior and Conflict Management. Rosane is always willing to help field staff sort out personal issues and offers guidance and wisdom to anyone who needs it.  Rosane is a key member of the management team at RNF and is involved in policy discussions. She is the the "go to person" for any of the issues the organization faces because of her vast experience and her passion to do what is right for the company.  When she's not busy at work, Rosane gives back to the community by volunteering at her church and donating blood. She also helped to reduce the costs for the PA Food Bank project by soliciting assistance from the trades and suppliers. If that's not enough, she even makes sure that every office staff member receives a cake on their birthday.  Rosane is a steady and guiding hand at RNF, and her experience and knowledge are key elements in the company's success. We can think of no one more deserving of the 2018 Office Employee of the Year Award than Rosane Langlois.

FIELD EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD

ERIC GOODMAN - FWS GROUP OF COMPANIES Eric Goodman is an accomplished Red Seal Journeyperson Carpenter and has been a Lead Hand for FWS Group of Companies for the past four years. He is confident in every decision he makes and is able to make them on the fly. Strong communication is a key skill for any Lead Hand, and Eric excels in this area. He gets along with anyone and crew members are comfortable going to him with questions and concerns. He takes the time to listen and explains and demonstrates his answers clearly. Eric is an extremely hard worker who is reliable and is a truly valuable asset to the FWS team.  Eric has phenomenal leadership skills, which he shows everyday on the job site. He takes the time to pass on his knowledge and experience to other crew members while also keeping a close eye on the rest of the team to ensure they are working safely. Everyone who works with Eric looks up to him for advice. His leadership skills have earned him great respect.  Eric's safety record is outstanding and he leads by example. He ensures that he keeps up with training when his tickets are about to expire and he always communicates with FWS crew members and sub-contractors on safety issues or hazards.    Ongoing learning is another trait that sets Eric apart from others. He has taken Supervisory training to prepare him for the next level in his career and he always encourages others to further their training as well. This abundant knowledge, combined with an overriding sense of commitment to the people he works with, makes Eric Goodman a most deserving winner of the 2018 Field Employee of the Year Award.

SAFETY CHAMPTION OF THE YEAR AWARD

TROY SPRINGGAY - ALLAN CONSTRUCTION The importance of safety in the construction industry has never been more profound. Safety Officers are now well-respected and fully integrated members of a construction team and, as such, deserve recognition through the Safety Champion of the Year Award. The first recipient of this new award is Troy Springgay, employed as the Safety Officer for Allan Construction. A true safety champion is someone who has real world construction experience as a field employee and is willing to put the time and effort into sharing that knowledge and championing safety in all facets of their work and personal life. Troy does that and then some! In fact, his efforts were instrumental in Allan realizing one million hours worked without a lost time incident in 2017, a momentous achievement for any construction company. Troy's approach to developing a safety culture within Allan is a focus on mentoring. Not only does he "walk the talk" in every aspect of the job, he also actively seeks feedback from all employees and peers on how safety can be improved. It's this open and two-way continuous communication that drives the safety culture to new levels. Troy received his Construction Safety Officer designation in 2015 and has actively pursued education in the years following. Like a true leader, his safety record is impeccable and he has never personally been involved in an incident that caused harm to people, process or equipment during his 10 years with Allan. Building a safer industry is an important goal, and champions like Troy Springgay are doing their part to ensure the next generation of construction workers will have an even safer place to work.

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

EVAN KERNOHAN - ASIIL ENTERPRISES  Evan Kernohan is a Journeyperson Electrician and has been with Asiil Enterprises for the past seven years. Evan always has a huge smile on his face and is ready and willing to please Asiil's customers. He goes above and beyond the basic requirements of the job, to ensure that every customer is completely happy with the work done.  It is Evan's belief that a happy customer will be a repeat customer and that the positive experience of each customer will only help to grow the business. Evan also believes that it is important to remain in contact with the customer before, during, and after the job is complete to ensure 100% satisfaction.    A great example of Evan's exceptional customer service skills was evident when a customer had to leave her house for an extended period of the day. Evan made sure that he let her dog out to have a bathroom break and to play fetch. The customer was so happy when she returned home - her electrical work was completed perfectly, and her dog was even happier! It is hard to find a more caring guy!    Evan's perfectionist personality, his extensive knowledge in his trade, and his positive attitude allow him to excel in the area of customer service. Asiil's customers are lucky to have Evan to take care of their needs, making him an excellent recipient of the 2018 Customer Service Award.

TEAM BUILDER AWARD

CHRISTIAN BERARD - CORAM CONSTRUCTION As a Superintendent with Coram Construction for the past thirteen years, Christian Berard is renowned for the exceptional team-building skills he demonstrates on a daily basis. Christian goes above and beyond to make sure that every Coram employee, new or old, feels like they are a part of the Coram family. Christian is known for being the first one to greet you in the morning with a smile on his face. He can brighten anyone's day with his positive and cheerful demenour.    Christian helps to create a positive work environment by pushing for staff appreciation nights or even buying donuts for the sub-trades on site. He cares for the well-being of the employees and will often offer to give a crew member a ride to a doctor's appointment or help out in the office when needed. Christian always ensures that everyone is included in all events and he looks out for the young apprentices by making sure that they are comfortable on his sites. He truly believes that Coram is a team and he will do anything to help the team succeed.  Christian's positive attitude and leadership skills help him to get the most productivity out of his crews because people genuinely enjoy working for him. He takes the time to really listen and connect with his team. These are just a few of the many attributes that make him so well respected, and a perfect recipient of the 2018 Team Builder Award.

OUTSTANDING SITE SUPERVISOR AWARD

MARK KELLOWAY - BANFF CONSTRUCTORS The construction industry is full of exceptional individuals, but Mark Kelloway stands above the crowd. As a superintendent with Banff Constructors, Mark has excelled in his construction career, tripling the size of project he is capable of supervising in just two years. He consistently receives the highest accolades for his performance from management to peers to his work crew.    Most recently, Mark has been working on the Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford, a very complex project. In 2015 he started as an assistant superintendent, and is now one of the top superintendents, with 8 other supers and multiple subtrades reporting to him. He is the "go to" person on the project for PMs, managers. HR, safety officers, and laborers alike. His knowledge, uncanny ability to solve complex problems, and communication skills help him navigate through the toughest problems on that project. He's also a family man and is absolutely committed to making sure every person on his site returns home safely at the end of the work day.   A journeyperson carpenter by trade, Mark's dedication to excellence started early in his career. He garnered the respect of his peers and supervisors for his attention to detail and ability to learn quickly. Now, as one of Banff's most highly acclaimed superintendents, his future is even brighter.   As Graham Site Manager, Scott Worthing, noted in his nomination, "Mark not only demonstrates the qualities of a superior supervisor, but through courage, honesty, humility and likeability he inspires those around him - Mark is truly something special."   "Outstanding" doesn't seem to completely describe the job Mark does, but being awarded the 2018 Outstanding Site Supervisor Award acknowledges that he's definitely at the top of his profession.

OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE AWARD

JENNIFER PASKLAR - ALLIANCE ENERGY Jennifer Pasklar is breaking down barriers in the construction industry as a female apprentice with Alliance Energy. Jennifer is a 2nd year Apprentice Electrician and has spent the last two years employed with Alliance Energy. Each day, Jennifer shows up at work with determination to get the job done right. She has a toughness to her and no matter how difficult the day can get, Jennifer perseveres and remains positive. Jennifer possesses great leadership and organizational skills, which show through her quality of work as an apprentice electrician. Having a strong commitment to safe work practices is an extremely important part of being a successful apprentice. Jennifer is always willing and eager to continue her learning in this area and she leads by example on the job site.  During her time with Alliance Energy, Jennifer has proven that she has an above average level of skill in the trade. Jennifer has the potential to be successful in any aspect of the electrical trade and will do great things in her future career.  Jennifer's awesome attitude and her hard work and determination to excel in the electrical trade has made her an outstanding asset to Alliance Energy and a very worthy recipient of the Outstanding Apprentice Award.

LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING AWARD

BUD GREEN - QUOREX CONSTRUCTION Bud Green has been employed by Quorex Construction as a Senior Project Manager and Estimator for 28 years, and involved in the construction industry for 45 years. During his time with Quorex, he has played a lead role in making the company the respected general contracting firm that it is today.   Bud's success in his career is in large part due to his focus on the client. He puts the customer at the forefront of his decision-making and has passed that philosophy down to the many others he has mentored over the years. It has earned him the respect and admiration of not only the client, but his co-workers and the subtrades. The other cornerstone of Bud's success is his commitment to completing the job the right way the first time. He leads by example and has spent hours ensuring the job is done on time and to the highest of standards.   Bud has impacted the culture of Quorex during his 28 years. He has helped to instill an open door policy, with a focus on collaborative team-based training. He has actively mentored both project managers and estimators at Quorex. In fact, his influence created a program where all project managers have estimating training, allowing Quorex to provide well-rounded staff and expertise to clients.   Bud is known for his ability and willingness to share his 45 years of construction knowledge with many of the staff at Quorex in a meaningful and respectful way. We consider Bud to be a shining example of what makes the construction industry so unique, and a highly qualified winner of the 2018 Leadership and Mentoring Award.

MERIT EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Keystone Paving is celebrating its 10th year in business in Saskatoon, which is why it's a great year to recognize the outstanding employer that they are. Keystone joined the MERIT family in November of 2016, and were motivated by the idea of being able to provide their employees with a great benefit plan. Keystone Paving goes above and beyond to ensure every project is completed above industry standards and that every customer is completely satisfied with the job done. They've seen unprecedented financial and staff growth over the past ten years, while maintaining an excellent reputation for being a safe, reliable company that truly cares for their most important asset - their people, and their families.  The safety of Keystone Paving's employees is of the utmost importance to the company, which is why they have implemented a rigorous training program for their employees. The company has its own OHS team comprised of employees from different areas of the company and they are also members of the SCSA. Keystone Paving works hard to ensure all safety policies and procedures are followed at all times.  Keystone Paving takes pride in giving back to some key community organizations in Saskatoon, by providing significant financial donations as well as through service. They help serve a meal to the youth once a month and even employ some of the people from the Youth Program at The Bridge on 20th.  Even through amazing financial success and growth, Keystone Paving is able to maintain its corporate culture by taking care of their employees, by giving back to the community, all while creating beautiful landscapes. It's easy to see why Keystone Paving is this year's MERIT Employer of the Year.

THANKS TO OUR MANY SPONSORS