46 | atlantic business magazine | may/june 2012

46 | ATLANTIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE | May/June 2012

Online extras: atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | 47

When Atlantic Business Magazine founded the

Top 50 CEO awards 14 years ago, we had two goals. Our first and obvious objective was to recognize Atlantic Canada’s most accomplished and civic-minded business leaders – individuals who were growing their companies, their industries and their communities. Less apparent was our secondary purpose: by celebrating the region’s best corporate citizens, we hoped to inspire others throughout the region to follow their example.

CEOs are made, after all - not born - and everyone has to start somewhere.

Ironically, few of this year’s award winners had childhood aspirations of owning, operating or managing a business. One dreamed of being a pro golfer, several

were would-be Montreal Canadian hockey players (all wanting to be just like number four — Jean Beliveau). There were a couple of wannabe rock stars, a prospective premier, an aspiring prime minister, an astronaut, an Olympic figure skater, even a six-million-dollar man — minus the crash, of course.

They may not have become any of those things, but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to dream – and that’s a good thing. Wilma Rudolph, the first American woman runner to win three gold medals at a single Olympics, said that we should never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. “The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”

Each of our 2012 Top 50 CEOs is realizing their potential. The question is, what are you doing with yours?

About the Top 50 CEO awards: 130 business executives were nominated for Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2012 Top 50 CEO awards; nominations were submitted by our readers via our online nomination form. Following the close of nominations, nominees were asked to complete a detailed nominee information form. Submissions were then judged by a six-person panel comprised of Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame inductees (judges listed on page 112). For more information about the selection process, judging criteria, or to submit a nomination for next year’s awards, visit the Top 50 CEO section of our website (www.atlanticbusinessmagazine.com).

Celebrating yesterday’s dreamers, today’s leaders.

Cover Story

By: Alec Bruce & Dawn Chafe


President & CEO

Paul AntlePluto Investments Inc.

Overachievers ‘r’ Us You can either be motivated by Paul Antle, or seriously intimated. The one thing you can’t be is underwhelmed. This native Newfoundlander owns a private equity company (Pluto Investments), a ship repair and maintenance business (St. John’s Dockyard Ltd.) and is a majority shareholder in an environmental waste management and remediation firm (West Mountain Capital Corporation). Not impressive enough for you? How about this: he received a World Young Business Achiever Award in ’97; was a member of Canada’s official delegation to the U.N. World Summit on Sustainable Development in ’02; and named a member of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™ in ‘03. In 2007 he graduated from Harvard Business School as co-valedictorian in the OPM Executive Education Program. These days, (in addition to his entrepreneurial activities), he chairs the board for the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. So, what have you done with your life lately?

cleaning Up In 2010, the Chinese market for environmental technology was worth $450 billion – and it’s just getting started. Despite the distance, language, culture, banking and other challenges, Paul Antle was determined to win some of that business. Today, his company is one of the first foreign operations with joint venture agreements for environmental services in China.

President

Suzanne BachurPremiere Executive Suites/Atlantic Limited

rOOm tO grOw Buy low, sell high – easier said than done, particularly when you know that

buying low means waiting, perhaps months, before being able to realize a return on that investment. That’s precisely the dilemma that faced Suzanne Bachur during the first three quarters of 2011. The recession forced many companies to cut back on corporate travel, a direct hit to Premiere’s Executive Suites’ bottom line (the company’s extended stay,

furnished apartments and suites are perfect for business travellers). While squeezing profit margins, the economic downturn also opened up a number of opportunities in the form of properties in prime locations. Bachur seized the day, investing for the future while simultaneously assesssing ways to enhance the profitability of existing properties. The result of her proactive approach? A favourable Q4 to end the year.

mOdel mentOrs “I have had, and continue to be supported and mentored by, people whose experience and integrity

are first class. Staring very early in my career, my husband Ron introduced me to the

importance of relationships and high standards in the workplace. Having had both his influence, and people such as Tim Moore as partners in a number of ventures, set the stage for where I find myself today.”


CEO

Cathy BennettBennett Group of Companies

sUpersizing OppOrtUnity Cathy Bennett, the dynamic owner of an eponymously named group of companies based in St. John’s, says 2011 was a year of significant change. Determined to grow her diverse operations – which include restaurants, residential and commercial real estate and recruitment services – she embarked on a comprehensive planning process that should position the Group for future success. Not that she’s complaining about her past. Having come up through the ranks, first as a 16-year-old McDonald’s employee and penultimately as joint venture partner with the fast-food chain, she is one of the province’s most enterprising entrepreneurs. Now, the busy businesswoman, who still manages to find time to serve on half-a-dozen corporate and community boards, insists that “with the prosperity and depth of business savvy in Newfoundland and Labrador, we can seize global opportunities and win. By working hard and smart together, the possibilities are boundless.”

innOvate Or Fade away One thing Ms. Bennett’s several hundred employees know is that she loves being told she can’t do something. She, herself, laughs, “It’s like throwing a red flag in front of a bull.” In fact, she says, “Sometimes, we think too small and create our own glass ceilings.”

President

Ken BennettThe Johnson Corporation

east meets west At various intervals throughout his 20-year career with this national home-auto insurance provider, Ken Bennett has consistently found his attention drawn to western Canada. With lucrative results. Within five years of leading his company’s western expansion, the value of that business grew to $150 million (it’s worth $180 million today and represents 25 per cent of Johnson’s overall business). In 2011, however, the area presented Johnson with one of the most significant

challenges it has ever had to deal with: severe wildfires that swept through

Slave Lake, Alberta. Bennett says his team responded with speed, determination and compassion, ensuring clients were provided with the information and support they needed during the crisis. Says Bennett proudly: “Our customers were taken care of ... our employees went above and beyond. It’s the Johnson way.”

hail tO the chieF Ken Bennett is a big fan of former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier. Why? Because of Hillier’s dedication to putting people first and being a team player, his ability to shape positive change, his belief in lifelong learning and, most importantly, his credibility – all qualities which Bennett aims to emulate (many of his 1,500 staff say he succeeds).

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Atlantic Canadian roots run deep...That's what made it so easy for us to branch out.

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President & CEO

Rob BennettNova Scotia Power Inc.

a higher pOwer Personally, professionally, civically, it’s evident that Rob Bennett’s unofficial motto is to do the “right thing”. He gives generously of his personal time and corporate resources to a number of charitable and voluntary organizations, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, N.S. Community College, FEED Nova Scotia and Discovery Centre. And he leads his company according to a simple but powerful credo: to operate in a way that creates economic strength and competitive advantages for Nova Scotia. Since 2007 (when he was named Nova Scotia Power’s executive vice-president, revenue and sustainability), Bennett has defined that mandate through investments in renewable power generation. To date, the company has tripled wind generation (with more to come), invested in a biomass co-generation facility (set to come online in 2013) and is working on an undersea cable to import hydroelectric power from Newfoundland and Labrador. “Our plan over the next 10 years will see the most significant shift toward renewable energy production anywhere in North America.”

plUgged in Bennett says he’d like to talk to Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi. “They wanted very little despite achieving so much, and I think there’s a great deal we can all learn from them about how being humble about what you do in life can lead to a bold legacy.”

President & Vice-Chancellor

Dr. Robert CampbellMount Allison University

head OF the class Dr. Robert Campbell’s tenure at the helm of one of Canada’s finest universities is a litany of firsts. As the institution’s 14th president and vice-chancellor, he has helped make it into a bastion of both scholarship and financial probity. It has consistently maintained balanced budgets and offers some of the best scholarship and bursary programs, per capita, in the country. Currently debt-free, it recently received the Number One designation, for a record 15th time, from Maclean’s magazine for best undergraduate institution in Canada. Moreover, under his leadership, the university recently decided to update its outmoded Fine and Performing Arts facilities. What’s so special about that? The $30-million project will be

realized with no financial support from government. “Two goals are central to our mission,” he

says. “We strive to maintain and extend the quality of the Mount Allison experience, and increase and strengthen the financial and physical sustainability of the organization.”

passing the test What keeps him going? “It is results that matter. There are many things to do in life, so I choose to do things where I can get results and make a difference. I can see the palpable impact of good management.”

Long before I began my

career with Nova Scotia

Power, I wanted to be a

doctor. People in small

towns like the one I grew

up in always trusted the

local doctors.

Rob Bennett

Congratulations to the 15 members of

Newfoundland and Labrador’s business

community named as Atlantic Canada’s

Top 50 CEOs.

You are the leaders, the ground-breakers,

the innovators, the motivators, the risk

takers, the movers and shakers. Your

drive, entrepreneurial spirit and vision

makes all of Newfoundland and Labrador

strong and proud.

Thank you for your contribution.

Stronggrowing

Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development | www.gov.nl.ca/ibrd54 | ATLANTIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE | May/June 2012

President & CEO

Frank ColemanColeman Group of Companies/

Humber Valley Paving Ltd.

the UnFOrgiving minUte To some, Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’ is an enjoyable, though perhaps forgetful, doggerel. Not so for Frank Coleman. His appreciation extends to its deeper poetic caution against human frailty, and one line in particular: “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds’ worth of distance run.” Though his time is far from over, Coleman has already run a marathon: he heads the Coleman Group of Companies (a diversified retail and real estate company) and Humber Valley Paving; he serves on the board for North West Company and chairs the board for Rocky Mountain Liquor; he was named Atlantic Canada’s CEO of the Year in 2010; his company was named one of Canada’s best managed for five years running; he’s Honourary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment second battalion; and was the first Newfoundlander and Labradorian to receive the highest honour awarded by the Canadian Food Industry Association. And he shows no signs of slowing. In 2011, Humber Valley Paving won two large road construction contracts in Labrador, each of which was worth more than the company’s total sales volume at the time.

mOral OF the stOry Coleman says his proudest moments have nothing to do with either fame or fortune, but with the love, respect and unity of his family.

President & CEO

Keith CollinsSt. John’s International Airport Authority

clearing the air As the foggiest city in Canada, the ebb and flow of reduced visibility in St. John’s has given Keith Collins any number of migraines over the years. It has caused flight delays and cancellations and diverted meetings and conventions to other jurisdictions. Installing the solution – the Cat 3 Instrument Landing System – required NavCanada support, an upgrade commitment from airlines servicing YYT, and a $28.5-million civil works project that was beyond the airport’s fiscal capacity. But that didn’t stop Collins. He explained the business case for the investment to multiple levels of government (better regional brand, more travellers and higher tourist/business spending). Thanks to his persuasive talents, Cat 3 will be operational in 2013, making St. John’s International the third airport in

the country to have this technology and putting the airport’s accessibility

on par with other major Canadian airports. What’s next? Moving up the ranks in terms of size, from tenth to

ninth largest in the country.

Flight plan Collins believes that the most important qualities for a leader to have are strategic intelligence, the ability to engage stakeholders, emotional maturity,

integrity, and self-confidence. “You need to be able to surround yourself with people who are as smart as, or smarter than you,

without feeling threatened.”

Hall of Fame inductees are five-time Top 5o CEO award winners.

Congratulations to the 15 members of

Newfoundland and Labrador’s business

community named as Atlantic Canada’s

Top 50 CEOs.

You are the leaders, the ground-breakers,

the innovators, the motivators, the risk

takers, the movers and shakers. Your

drive, entrepreneurial spirit and vision

makes all of Newfoundland and Labrador

strong and proud.

Thank you for your contribution.

Stronggrowing

Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development | www.gov.nl.ca/ibrd


President & CEO

Peter ConlonNautel Limited

tUned in tO change Nautel changed owners in 2011; Peter Conlon knew about the proposed deal a year before that. What he didn’t know was whether or not he’d have a job after the sale took place – CEOs are typically the first position changed. Putting his own worries aside, he continued to do as he had always done: working to enhance his company’s position as a global leader in the design, manufacture, sales and support of high power radio frequency products. As a result, both vendors and purchasers were pleased with the transaction, customers didn’t notice the change, employees were comfortable with the transition, business grew ... and Conlon is still at the helm. “The fact that we are still the same Nautel (the way we treat our customers, our innovation skills, our relentless focus on quality, etc...), but with a new, invigorated view of the future indicates how successful we were in navigating these challenging waters.”

Organized chaOs “Being organized is incredibly difficult for me,” admits Conlon. Which is why he created a Management Advisory Team comprised of all the “well organized, structured senior managers of the company.” Getting them to manage the company’s everyday affairs gives Conlon the opportunity to “create the chaos that leads to new opportunities.”

President & CEO

Henry DemoneHigh Liner Foods Inc.

great expectatiOns He steered his fish harvesting company from near bankruptcy in 1989 (with $40 million

in operating losses) to today’s position of financial strength. Ensured its survival despite

disappearing fish stocks by sourcing product internationally and becoming North America’s

leading value-added seafood supplier. Transformed High Liner into one of the top 100 employers in

Canada. Created an award-winning corporate culture. And changed his industry’s international competitive

landscape with the acquisition of Icelandic USA. It’s a career of record accomplishments that would satisfy any

CEO – except Henry Demone. He has bigger and better fish to fry. Even with corporate revenues projected to top the

billion dollar mark this year, he believes “High Liner has the potential to double sales and earnings over the next five years.”

lOOking tO his legacy If offered the opportunity to speak to any leader in the world, either past or present, Henry Demone’s response should be a

comforting one for High Liner shareholders. “I’d like to talk to Caesar Augustus, to find out how he was able to build institutions that served the Roman Empire well for four centuries.”

Integrity. It’s not just something we say; it’s something we live. At Pennecon, we ensure the safety of our people above all else. 1,400 skilled workers, safe and sound, every day. We make sure of it. That’s

just who we are. As people. As Pennecon. pennecon.com

We sincerely thank our team of employees whose dedication earned us this distinction.

One culture.

1400 strong.


President & CEO

Nora DukeFortis Properties Corporation

tUg OF war There’s a nationwide hospitality business on one side, and a sizable portfolio of commercial real estate on the other. In the middle sits the multi-tasking genius of Nora Duke. Whether she’s overseeing property acquisitions (i.e. Fortis’s 2011 purchase of the Hilton Suites Winnipeg airport hotel) or breaking ground on Fortis Place (a 150,000 sq. ft. class A office building in downtown St. John’s), Duke manages both with equal dexterity. How? By focusing on financial initiatives, ensuring costs are controlled and revenues maximized. Regular briefings with her leadership team are also invaluable, ensuring a clear understanding of corporate goals and expectations. Her team-based strategy has served Fortis well: most of the company’s franchised hotels achieved guest service ratings above their national brand averages even as non-critical capital projects originally planned for 2011 had to be deferred or reduced.

sOlid FOUndatiOn In addition to several exceptional leaders she has worked with, Nora Duke also credits her parents for her professional success. “Our family had strong ties to outport Newfoundland, and our upbringing, though modest in many ways, was ‘rich’ in terms of core values of honesty, integrity, respect and support for others. These lessons hold true in all areas of life – whether in business, at home or in the community.”

President & CEO

Wadih FaresWM Fares Group

reach FOr the tOp Ask him what his biggest challenges in life have been and Wadih Fares does not mention that he once fought, as a child-soldier, in the 1975 Lebanon civil war or that when he arrived as an immigrant in Halifax, he couldn’t speak a sentence in English. No, the man who now operates one of the most successful building design, project management and development companies in Nova Scotia talks about mortar and concrete – specifically, his $40-million, 22-storey condominium project in downtown Halifax, the first high-rise approved by city council in many years,

and now under construction. Still, Mr. Fares, a professional engineer by

education and experience, loves tackling a good

problem if it improves his sight line to success. “When I first started, providing a

comfortable lifestyle for my family motivated me,” he says. “Now, helping people around

me succeed motivates me.”

sOcial architect In fact, despite appearances, Mr. Fares is not all business. “My biggest accomplishment is becoming an

example of the importance of immigration to our city. This is a personal cause that I am very passionate about, and I continue to advocate it through the public and private sectors.”


Colemans Group of Companies26 Caribou Road, Corner Brook, NLPhone: 709.637.6706 • colemans.ca

Congratulations Corey Conrad, Produce Manager, Corner Brook Colemans for being the only Canadian to win the 2012 Retail Produce Manager Award.

Passionate about produce!


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CEO

Malcolm FraserISL web marketing and development

rise OF the phOenix Malcolm Fraser admits there was a time when it would have been easier for him to abandon his entrepreneurial dream and find a 9-to-5 position. But he refused to give up on Halifax-based ISL, which was drowning in debt in a tough market. “About 10 years ago, this business was hanging by a thread,” he explains. “I had left the company four years before to start another business, and when I returned . . . I dug in and was determined to not let the only asset I had disappear.” His determination paid off. Today, ISL is Atlantic Canada’s largest and most experienced web marketing and development firm, whose clients include such heavy hitters as Empire Company Limited and Stewart McKelvey. The lesson is clear: Never say die. Of course, he adds, “I could not have done it without a lot of support from the community, my team and family.”

knOwing what’s impOrtant Given his experiences, Mr. Fraser’s motivations are understandable. “My team motivates me. I feel my role is to provide the best opportunity possible for everyone in our company. The one thing that keeps me engaged is to make sure we have a stable, innovative and fun workplace.”

CEO

Bert FrizzellThe Shaw Group Limited

mediOcrity is nOt an OptiOn After 150 years in business, as of 2011, Halifax’s Shaw Group of Companies might be tempted to rest on its laurels. After all, the company is a

leading materials manufacturer and community developer in Atlantic Canada

with the kind of brand-name recognition that spells comfort. But CEO Bert

Frizzell, who has risen through the ranks since he arrived as a university graduate in 1974,

isn’t one to cool his heels. “One of the most difficult challenges has been finding ways to grow

the company in the climate of a very slow economic recovery,” he says. His response has been

to invest in lean manufacturing techniques and Six Sigma training for senior management. So far, the

results are impressive. On aggregate, the company has improved its competitive position and grown sales in each of the past three years. Says Mr. Frizzell with justifiable pride: “In our last fiscal year, we grew by 11 per cent.”

FOUndatiOns OF the FUtUre Still, nothing is forever, and Mr. Frizzell has plans for significant change. For one thing, “our geographic reach will expand.” For another, “I will have transitioned the company’s leadership to a new CEO in the next year.”

Early in my career at Shaw, Wayne MacLean (retired president of The Shaw Group) moved me from

finance to operations. I now realize Wayne allowed me to accelerate my learning curve by putting me in a position outside my comfort zone.

Bert Frizzell


Proud to be part of the community.We’re open for business in Atlantic Canada by providing customized

credit and business banking solutions.For a solution that works for your business, contact:

Jim MooresCommercial BankingNewfoundland and LabradorTel. [email protected]

Grant BlackCommercial BankingNova ScotiaTel. [email protected]

John DuffCommercial BankingNew Brunswick & PEITel. [email protected]

® Registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal


President

Greer HuntHunt’s Transport Ltd./Hunt’s Kuka Transport Ltd.

the rOad less travelled It’s been 30 years since Greer Hunt first sat behind the wheel, starting as the lone operator of a single truck in 1982. Since then – with the support of his wife/business partner – he’s followed opportunity along myriad highways and bi-ways, gearing up for Hibernia, Voisey’s Bay and, most recently, Long Harbour. A deft navigator, he’s cannily found alternate routes around any roadblocks that threatened to slow his transport company down. If a potential contract exceeded his carrying capacity, he increased torque through joint venture partnerships. And when Marine Atlantic fares and crossings became both too expensive and too inconvenient, he initiated his own barge shipments across the Atlantic. His fleet has come a long way in the last three decades: the former trucking company is now a global transportation and logistics organization, backed by project management, site and safety supervision, warehousing and multiple partnered companies. Greer Hunt, however, asserts that he’s still picking up speed.

liFe is a JOUrney A veteran road warrior, Hunt has never been without a compass. “Growing up, I dreamed of following in my father’s footsteps, of owning my own company and being a successful entrepreneur, and a community-minded citizen – just as he was. He was my role model, my inspiration.”

Executive Chairman

Captain Sidney HynesOceanex Inc.

captain’s lOg He’s as courageous as Kidd, as bold as Blackbeard and as daring as Roberts – with a talent for gathering wealth to boot – but respected Master Mariner Sid Hynes is no privateer. He’s actually more of a James T. Kirk than a Long John Silver. Like the fictional T.V. commander, Hynes has made a career of sailing uncharted waters. Whether he was initiating a training program for displaced Newfoundland fishermen, negotiating the only known 25-year labour agreement for the Hibernia shuttle tankers, conducting sea trials for the first Polar 10 class icebreaker, or pulling together $200 million in financing to purchase container-shipping company Oceanex, Hynes has

an enviable record for landing his goals. And the bigger the storm, the more eager he is to meet it head on. “Whether it relates to daily business decisions or complex negotiations, I very much enjoy

the challenges I face at work each day,” notes this intrepid entrepreneur. There’s only one

challenge that he’s ever walked away from: early retirement.

talk Or walk Better think twice before rebelling against Captain Hynes’s authority. Though his first

response to mutinous swabbies is to give them an opportunity to present a

rational explanation for their actions, Skipper Sid says he’s had to “make difficult decisions” before, and he’ll do it again if the situation warrants it.


President & CEO

Victoria KaminskiEastern Regional Integrated Health Authority

BOrn tO Be in healthcare When she was five, Vicki Kaminski wanted to be a nurse – or a teacher. While those were two of a limited number of careers open to women back in the 1950s, Kaminski says her profession has been anything but limiting. Since her first shift through her transition to critical care and then into administration, she has been offered numerous opportunities for professional development, participated in (and led) numerous provincial health initiatives, and has helped shape health policy across the country. She currently oversees the delivery of health services to more than two-thirds of Newfoundland’s provincial population where she also manages 13,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $1.2 billion. One thing that hasn’t changed since that first nursing rotation is her motivation: “the safe, efficient and effective delivery of health care remains my first priority.”

healthy prOgnOsis Health care demands are rising even as governments need to control spending, but Kaminski believes the two solitudes aren’t as far apart as they first appear. “In my previous job, I took an organization that was in a large fiscal deficit to a balanced position within three years with no layoffs or service cuts. That work is replicable and is underway here.”

President & CEO

Dianne KeldermanAtlantic Economics/Nova ScotiaCo-operative & Credit Union Council

type ‘a’ all the way As someone who loves the pursuit of opportunity, who thrills to take on more than anyone

thinks she can handle (“get out of my way and watch it happen”) and who actually enjoys burning the candle at both ends, Dianne Kelderman is living her dream. Her current managerial to-do list encompasses a broad range of interests:

six separate business entities with assets and projects over $55 million: a $40-million small business financing program for Nova Scotia’s

credit unions; Canada’s first and only online health care clinic; a $2-million equity investment

fund; and, responsibility for innovation with Nova Scotia’s co-operatives and credit unions. She credits her multi-tasking success to the many people who taught her to believe in herself, her “superior” teams of employees, and the power of higher education: she has two undergraduate degrees, two master degrees and studied at Harvard Business School.

pOwer OF persistence Donald Trump once said that persistence is the difference between success and failure. Dianne

Kelderman demonstrated the veracity of those words this past year when she

launched her online health care clinic (www.healthconnex.ca). From corporate acquisition and technology upgrades to lobby efforts and capital investments, she was as persistent, she says, as “a dog with a bone.”

If I had the opportunity to speak with any leader, past or present, I’d pick Winston Churchill. I would love to speak to him about what he found personally invigorating, and find out what made him laugh.

Victoria Kaminski

2373 TF_AtlBusMag_Res.pdf 1 12-04-10 4:20 PM


President & CEO

Steven KelleyCharlottetown Metal Products Ltd.

the wOrld BeckOns Some people have luck; others make their own. Steven Kelley belongs in the latter camp. The president of Charlottetown Metal Products Ltd. (CMP), which manufactures, services and installs stainless steel food processing equipment for customers both near and far, began his career as a full-time waiter with no advanced education. He earned a degree in finance through part-time studies, landed a job at a bank in Toronto, obtained a CGA designation, quit, then snagged a law degree before, finally, buying CMP in 2007. “I have never let a lack of knowledge or experience hold me back,” he says. “Basic business principles, common sense and good communications skills will take you a long way.” He must be right, for CMP has sold and installed its equipment on every continent. Last year, more than 90 per cent of its sales derived from sources outside Atlantic Canada.

nO BOrders here While many firms are struggling with tough times, Mr. Kelley’s outlook is determinedly sunny. “The last year has been all positive. Growth was over 50 per cent. Profit was strong. A whole lot of fun for the whole company.” What gets him up in the morning? “The beauty of management.”

President

John (Jack) KellyBulk Carriers (P.E.I.) Limited

rOad warriOr It was, perhaps, a moment of dangerous driving, but to prevent himself from becoming road kill in the competitive regional trucking business, Jack Kelly switched gears in the 1990s and started hauling fresh and frozen foods. It was a far cry from the petroleum products that had been the stock and trade of his Clyde River-based Bulk Carriers since 1973. But, he explains, as that business was beginning to slip away, his new direction had to be one that allowed him to better control the day-to-day operations. To test his options, he actually hit the road for a year. He’s never looked back. Since

2000, his operations have expanded steadily, growing from two refrigerated

trucks and trailers to a fleet of 70. The

company also maintains 12 full-time dispatch and administrative personnel.

nO tO the statUs QUO True to his peripatetic background and instincts,

Mr. Kelly refuses to stand still. The tried and true simply won’t do. “We strive to

develop strategies that create an environment of growth, both internal and external. We

see our business growing (in five years) another 50-100 per cent in sales volume while maintaining excellent profitability.”

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President & CEO

Jamie KingVerafin Inc.

what’s in a name? Assuming “vera” is short for veracity and “fin” is an abbreviation of finance, then this is an instance when a company name is also its mandate. Verafin is an innovative software company providing user-friendly anti-money laundering and fraud detection solutions to the financial services industry. Fraudsters beware: the technology involved is considerably more complicated than it sounds, involving probabilistic networks, behavior-based analytics and artificial intelligence. Without getting into system specs, the bottom-line result is a significantly higher degree of accuracy in detecting financial malfeasance.

stepping Back tO mOve FOrward The hardest part of Jamie King’s job is letting go – stepping back from the product development and programming activities that are his passion. But it’s a bullet this CEO will have to take if his company is to achieve its long-term vision (already the 27th fastest-growing tech firm in Canada, they plan to double within the next five years). King’s solution has been to look at the business itself as a design problem. “Internal structure, our business model and the business as a whole can be looked at as a system of inputs, outputs and sub-systems. This allows me to continue to be an inventor.” Experiencing leadership problems of your own? There may soon be an app for that.

CEO

Barry KyleIndustrial Rubber Company Ltd.

a Family aFFair When Barry Kyle alludes to his business as a family affair, he means it in every sense of the word. He started working for Bathurst-based Industrial

Rubber in 1978, right out of university. He bought the company in 1990 and has engineered its growth with strict attention to both the bottom line and, by every indication, his employees’ workplace

welfare. Today, the company manufactures rubber products for the Department of National Defence, as well as the mining, pulp and paper, fishing

and food processing industries. It also maintains agencies abroad. Significantly, through all the years of impressive growth, its employee turnover rate

has been precisely three people. Says Mr. Kyle: “With approximately 50 employees . . . we have a pretty close group who know as much about our family as we know about theirs.”

the rUBBer hits the rOad With two sons now working for him, Mr. Kyle believes that the mark of true leadership is the ability to listen and make decisions based on facts. “My father, Doug, always said you have to get the right people with you and treat them as you would want to be

treated. I have tried to emulate that all these years.”

I started in this business fresh

out of university in May 1978. We

had four employees, my job was

to grow the business. To make

a long story short, I bought the

company in 1990 – I knew this is

what I wanted to do for the rest

of my working career.

Barry Kyle

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President & COO

Gordon LaingSouthwest Properties Limited

happy hOmemaker If times are tough, don’t tell that to Gordon Laing who says his biggest challenge nowadays is juggling opportunities. He’s not kidding. For proof, the executive in charge of Halifax-based Southwest Properties Limited, a leading Atlantic Canadian developer of residential and commercial property, needs only point to the company’s portfolio of more than 1,100 apartments, the Bishop’s Landing complex along the Halifax waterfront and hotel developments in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. Perhaps the firm’s 124 per cent, and 46 per cent, revenue and operating income growth rates (respectively) over the past six years is even more compelling evidence. Still, the biggest opportunity is yet to come: A new development of lands owned by the Sisters of Charity in Halifax’s Rockingham neighbourhood, which will shortly transform 63 acres of prime real estate into apartments, condos and retail space.

we BUild, they cOme Not surprisingly, Mr. Laing says one of his chief motivations is growth. “I am motivated by surpassing the results from the year before. Our company is positioned for significant growth over the next five years.” And yet, he adds, “I am motivated by leaving a mark through contributions to the success of others.”

President

Ron LovettRFL Group of Companies

FOrce OF ventUre Don’t bother trying to peg Halifax’s Ron Lovett. You’d have better luck harnessing a hurricane. But you would not be far wrong if you considered him a force of venture, if not precisely of nature. Commercial property owner (25,000 square feet, in total), landscaping and snow removal operator, fraud breaker (his Silver IT Solutions helps the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation and the Halifax Regional Police spot fake IDs), and security czar (his Source Security & Investigations Inc. provides watchdog services for large outdoor rock concerts and nightclubs across Canada) – Lovett puts the capital “E” in enterprise. And he’s not shy about saying so: “My career as an entrepreneur

requires me to be an operations manager, business development manager, people

manager and time manager at all times.” How does he do it? He’s “levelheaded”. He “takes

responsibility” for his actions. And he creates “a strong sense of accountability” in his businesses

– if he does say so, himself. Then again, who’s arguing?

innate aBilities On the subject of leadership, Lovett is characteristically candid. “Not only

do I have the innate ability to identify unique market opportunities, I have also developed exceptional leadership

skills through encouraging active participation from my management team.”

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President & CEO

Earl LudlowNewfoundland Power Inc.

act like angUs Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are – that’s certainly the case with Earl Ludlow and his role model, Dr. Angus Bruneau. Bruneau is a well-known innovator, strategic thinker and international success story, as well as an accomplished business leader with extensive people skills, a dedicated community volunteer and a generous philanthropist. The same descriptors could be applied to the protégé as well: Ludlow is a respected industry leader who sits on the boards of Fortis Ontario, Caribbean Utilities Company, Canadian Electricity Association and Maritime Electric Company. Within Newfoundland Power, his top priority and personal mission is to protect the safety of his employees. And in the broader community, his dedication to “giving back” has earned him numerous volunteer recognitions, including 2010 Humanitarian of the Year by the Canadian Red Cross. Chances are that somewhere within Newfoundland Power is a young engineer who sees Ludlow as his/her own Angus Bruneau – and rightly so.

he’s all ears While there’s never any doubt as to who carries the ultimate responsibility at Newfoundland Power, Earl Ludlow values the opinion of all his employees. “From the janitor to the CEO, everyone has wisdom to pass on – you just have to be willing to ask the right questions and listen.”

Atlantic Practice Managing Partner

Shannon MacDonaldDeloitte

nO glass ceilings In a career of pathfinding “firsts”, Shannon MacDonald is at it again. In June, Deloitte’s Atlantic practice managing partner will relinquish her seat on the board to join the firm’s national executive team – which will mark the first time anyone in that position will reside in Atlantic Canada. Of course, she’s no stranger to personal achievement. After all, she is only the second woman at Deloitte to perform her current, critical role: managing partners and leading the firm’s regional audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services. Last year, she was recognized as one of Canada’s most powerful women by the Women’s Executive Network. She is also a founding member of the firm’s Diversity Council. Somehow, she’s managed to find time to counsel hundreds of women professionals while balancing the demands

of her high pressure job with a rich home life and parenting responsibilities. Who does this role model admire? “I would love

to talk to Hillary Clinton,” she says. Somehow, we’re not surprised.

leadership principles Ms. MacDonald thinks a lot about providing a good example. In fact, she

even itemizes the qualities she thinks a good leader possesses: listening skills, collaborative approach, and emotional

intelligence. “Be tenacious, resilient and persistent in achieving goals. Integrity is an important source of this energy.”


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President

Al MacPheeA.F. MacPhee Holdings Ltd.

On the rOad After 27 years at the wheel of one of Canada’s most successful and decorated car dealerships, Dartmouth’s Al MacPhee says his hardest professional decision was to sell it, which he did last year. It may also have been his best decision: “Making that decision had a tremendous impact on me, my family as well as my employees and their families. As a result, my decision has secured my family’s financial future and many of my former employees have achieved advancement within their new, larger organization.” Still, the multiple GM Triple Crown award winner (he has also received a Maclean’s Dealer of Excellence award, the Time Quality Dealer award and the Summit award) isn’t resting on his laurels just yet. The self-described “kid off the bus from Cape Breton,” who began his corporate career selling cars in 1962, has a new gig as president of Chebucto Ford in Dartmouth. He was also named chair of the Canadian Automobile Association last October. As to where he sees himself in five years, the answer is simple: “Growing.” Under the hOOd For Mr. MacPhee, effective leadership requires no silver bullets. It’s something you learn and practice over time: “Dialogue is my favorite tool. A good leader displays confidence and possesses foresight with humility.”

Regional President, Atlantic Canada

Kim MasonRBC Royal Bank

a BankaBle recOrd She’s been at the helm of RBC Royal Bank’s Halifax-based Atlantic operations for only 16 months, but already Kim Mason – a multiple awards nominee for honours like the Top 40 Under 40™ and

the Halton Business Person of the Year – is making her mark. Thanks to her leadership, the East Coast district of 114 branches and eight commercial banking centres serving 800,000 clients has achieved large

gains in market share and sales force effectiveness. In fact, it maintains the highest customer loyalty ratings in the retail and small business markets of all RBC

regions in the country. Under her direction, the bank’s Atlantic Financial Planning business has jumped from the middle of the pack to number one in Canada for sales growth. Remarkably, the hard-working executive finds time to chair the Halifax Stadium Committee and serve

on the boards of the Greater Halifax Partnership, QEII Health Sciences Centre, and the Dalhousie Dean’s Medical Advisory Committee.

divining the FUtUre What’s Ms. Mason’s secret? It may come down to transparent, compassionate and visionary leadership, qualities she admires in others. “A leader needs to know when to get into the details and when to take a view from the balcony. To me, a leader with vision implies a leader with a following.”


President & CEO

Francis McGuireMajor Drilling Group International Inc.

drill, BaBy, drill! It may be a strange admission from one so demonstrably successful, but Francis McGuire, the executive in charge of the second-largest drilling services company in the world – which operates in some of the toughest terrains in more than 20 countries – says that what motivates him more than anything else is a fear of failure. That, he adds, and the desire to have as many people as possible reach their full potential. If you do happen to be associated with Moncton-based Major Drilling Group International, you’re more likely to enjoy the latter, than suffer from the former. For years since McGuire’s arrival in 2000, the company has been one of Atlantic Canada’s true industrial success stories. Specializing in the kinds of mineral exploration and extraction jobs that literally do strike fear into less experienced and equipped enterprises, it’s less than five years away from becoming a billion-dollar company.

get the JOB dOne What are the most important qualities for a good leader to have? McGuire says he often asks himself that question – and remains perplexed. “I believe that you have to observe and listen keenly. I believe that you have to get a common direction started. I’ve been told that my modus operandi is to be prone to action.”

President

Dr. Brian McMillanHolland College

chieF cOach and BOttle washer For nearly seven years, the ebullient and accomplished academic-cum-university administrator-cum-sporting man, Brian McMillan, has been leading P.E.I.’s Holland College to national and international renown. His peculiar combination of athletic brio and intellectual rigor have ushered a wide variety of innovative achievements: strategic plans, private partnerships, campus infrastructure improvements and expanded government relations. Most recently, he led the revitalization of the college’s finances, student enrollment and services and faculty development. As McMillan observes: “The ramifications of not managing these relationships professionally could have resulted in funding not being approved to enable each of our numerous

projects to proceed. Under my leadership, our response was to treat each of the

government stakeholders with respect in a very professional manner. It was critical that all

funding stakeholders recognized that our objective was to help them achieve their objectives and

that we valued their contributions.”

nO “i” in team For Dr. McMillan, the principles of sound leadership have everything to do with personal virtue. “While the qualities of respect,

empowerment, high expectations and accountability have been fundamental

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President

Carole-Ann MillerMaple Trade Finance Inc.

what lies Beneath In the “How’s That, Again?” department of corporate misadventures, Carole-Ann Miller says the worst thing that’s ever happened to her was being “kidnapped in Schenzen and having a gun placed at my back in Shanghai as an attempt to dissuade me from proceeding to take certain actions against a client.” Fortunately, most days for the innovative business lender are not quite as eventful. Still, they are busy. Over the past decade, the president of Halifax-based Maple Leaf Finance has shepherded her $3-million-a-year operation into an enterprise with more than $1 billion in turnover. Unlike banks, which lend against hard assets and balance sheets, her company measures a client’s softer assets, such as receivables, purchase orders and contracts. The result: happy customers and a durable hedge against the calamities that undermine more traditional financial services companies.

BUsting the myths “I was told that a woman, operating out of Atlantic Canada, could never realize on the business plan and vision we had for the company,” Miller says. Today, Maple Trade Finance has surpassed its original objectives. Based in Halifax, it has regional offices in most major Canadian cities and is the largest Canadian transactional lender. “This, outside of my two daughters, has been my greatest accomplishment.”

President & CEO

Bret MitchellThe Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation

tOasting creativity To say that Bret Mitchell has the pedigree to run the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation is to say that a sommelier knows his wine, or a brew master knows his hops. As it happens, Mr. Mitchell knows a fair bit about delivering these and other libations to a waiting public. A former grocery chain executive, he has been

meeting the challenges of an underperforming economy and aging consumer base head on,

inventing new ways to introduce new products to the marketplace in a fresh and socially responsible manner. In the process, he has

presided over a company that has transformed itself into a nationally recognized Crown-owned

retailer that employs 1,500 people, maintains 160 stores, and manages an international supply chain through 30 different countries. In fact, he says, “We’ve protected our contribution to our shareholder, outperformed our peers in the industry and have positioned ourselves for future success.” change FOr imprOvement Flexibility, creativity, innovation and attention to detail may be Mr. Mitchell’s personal touchstones. But they also

apply to his concept of leadership, which, he says, must be respectful. “Leaders

must be constructively critical of themselves and their organizations. I believe in change . . . that doesn’t create chaos.”


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Senior Vice-President, Atlantic Provinces Division

Stephen MurphyBMO Bank of Montreal

eying the prize If entrepreneurial vision is a prerequisite for innovative leadership, then Stephen Murphy’s eyesight is 20:20, which should come as no surprise. Before his pater familias sold the enterprise, he imagined he’d take over his father’s string of small-town taverns in Eastern Ontario. This, of course, was after his dream of being the next Jean Beliveau didn’t pan out. Deftly shifting gears, the younger Murphy joined BMO Bank of Montreal and quickly rose through the ranks to become, at age 34, a VP in central Alberta. By the time he took over the reins at the company’s Atlantic personal and commercial operations, he had earned a reputation as a creative problem-solver, driven to rescue underperforming people and workplaces from their own complacency. How’s that working out for him? “We have 950 employees serving 400,000 personal and 20,000 commercial banking customers at 80 locations across all Atlantic provinces.”

rising tO the challenge In a world he describes as “fast, fuzzy and fluid”, Murphy (50) says his biggest accomplishment is his own resiliency, especially given the choppiness of financial markets and the head winds that many key sectors continue to face. “I work hard to stay on top of my game, to deliver results and lead myself and my team higher.”

Principal & CEO

Troy NorthrupEast Point Inc./ShredGuard Inc.

gO Big Or gO hOme In his spare time, Saint John entrepreneur Troy Northrup likes to play the trombone and fly planes, which raises a question: When does he have spare time? Leading by example, he owns and operates one of the most diversified portfolios of businesses in the province – everything from commercial and residential property developments to confidential document-destruction services. He credits his success to his love of the chase and the lessons he learned at the elbow of his father, Don. All of which has put him in good staid to weather the recent economic downturn. His biggest accomplishment is probably the East Point Shopping complex in Saint John, now on track to become the largest of its kind in the province. “My father started our family business with just a few

dollars and a belief that if you looked for opportunities and worked hard and long enough, then success would follow.”

Turns out, father did know best.

a triple-p apprOach Despite his indefatigable optimism and startling work ethic, Mr.

Northrup is keenly aware of the challenging times and the pressures on good leadership.

Nevertheless, he says, where there is a will, there is a way. “I am a believer in the ‘triple P’ partnership

approach: patience, persistence and perseverance.”


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President & CEO

Sean O’ReganO’Regan’s Automotive Group

tUning the engine Neither success nor great leadership are accidental. Both require a determination to do what’s best for the organization, a talent for putting the right people in place, an appetite for reality, the courage to follow your dreams, the discipline to make things happen and the fortitude to embrace constructive change. At least, that’s what Henry Cloud, Stephen Covey, and Jim Collins have said on the subject. When leadership experts talk, Sean O’Regan listens – and acts. Since working his way up the ranks of his family-founded automobile sales company (and proving himself every step of the way), Sean has been positioning O’Regan’s to be best in class and market share. Most recently, he invested in new technology to quantify lost sales enquiries. Then, he recruited the best business development consultant in North America to help them realize those opportunities. Results? Incremental sales are already up 10 per cent, with an annualized forecasted increase of $20 million in retail sales.

in the genes Celebrity coaches aside, Sean says his greatest teacher was his father, who he describes as a clairvoyant-like visionary. “If business was a game of chess, he would not just see moves ahead, he would see games ahead.” Sadly, Paul O’Regan passed away this past March.

President & CEO

Donald PetersHorizon Health Network

innOvatiOn’s liFe BlOOd Leadership, thy name may well be Donald Peters. It’s safe to say there’s never been a point in the career of this dedicated CEO when his “challenges” have been merely nominal. First, he managed to amalgamate four health authorities in New Brunswick into Horizon, which is now the largest of its kind in Atlantic Canada. Now, he’s bringing a whole new standard of managerial responsibility to the operation as the New Brunswick government tackles its massive annual deficit and long-term debt requirements. Partly as a result of these efforts, the Province has asked Horizon to be one of five key departments to adopt its new Performance Excellence Process. It’s been tough, but also rewarding.

“This (Horizon’s three years of balanced budgets) has been done with essentially no layoffs to staff and minimal changes to service delivery.” a diet OF cOmmitment Under the circumstances, what motivates Peters is clearly understandable. “Knowing that 13,000 staff, 1,000 physicians and 3,500 volunteers are looking to me for leadership is the greatest motivation any CEO could have. The fact that my leadership has a direct influence on the health services that we deliver to over 650,000 patients . . . certainly reinforces that motivation every day of the week.”


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Group President & CEO

Stephen PlummerI.M.P. Group International Inc.

macrO-manager With 3,700 employees working across a diverse range of sectors (aerospace, aviation, airline, healthcare, information technology, hospitality and property development), you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to conclude that keeping track of staff and business lines must be one of the most difficult parts of Stephen Plummer’s job. How does he engage and motivate all those people? How does he monitor those disparate operations? The challenge is further compounded by his global conglomerate’s need to improve productivity, reduce costs and compete on the international market with a rising Canadian dollar. Stephen “Solomon” Plummer, whose reversed initials could well stand for Problem Solver, is astutely utilizing a multi-pronged response: an aversion to micro-management (i.e. let your employees do their jobs); increased investments in innovation, tooling and facilities expansion to capture new market opportunities; and, extensive use of employee intranets and an online newsletter.

Far FrOm BOred Though he’s been with the same company for 34 years, Stephen Plummer says his career has been as broad and multi-faceted as if he had worked with a dozen companies. “I’ve (watched) the company grow from $10 million in annual sales to over $700 million. The growth in size, scope and diversification of business units has provided a lifetime of successful business experiences.”

President & CEO

Christine PowerCapital District Health Authority

dOllars and sense Public perceptions to the contrary, Christine Power asserts that Nova Scotia has had an “abundance” of health care funding in recent years – increases of six to seven per cent annually, in fact. But with an insatiable demand for services, rising drug/technology costs and wage increases, it seemed that there were never enough resources to go around. So you can imagine her position when the provincial government instituted a zero per cent increase for 2011/12. Rather than cry foul, Power’s perspective was that the authority had enough resources to do its job – they just needed to spend more wisely. Under her deft

leadership, and with input from physicians and staff, Capital Health realigned resources,

ceased inefficient and/or ineffective services, and closed an inpatient unit. Though the original plan called for a reduction of 87 people, ultimately only two were laid off (the rest were reduced through

attrition). It was a double win for Power, who says job losses are the “things that keep (her) up at night.”

mOre tO cOme Glacial it may be, but change is coming

to Nova Scotia’s health care system. Power is advocating

a reduction in the number of health authorities, from 10 down to one – even if it means she herself becomes redundant.

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President & CEO

Charles RandellC-CORE

missiOn pOssiBle In his formative years, Charles Randell thought he’d like to be either a spy or a police officer. By high school, he’d refined his choice to that of a police office involved in electronic surveillance. He’s not a cop, but he did end up building the largest satellite surveillance team in Canada. Headquartered in St. John’s, N.L. with offices in Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax, C-CORE is an R&D organization with world-leading capabilities in remote sensing, ice engineering and geotechnical engineering. From the time of his first assignment with C-CORE (blowing up icebergs) through to his current role (forging international partnerships, monitoring the Arctic and Antarctic, working with a “brilliant and passionate” team), Randell has no regrets. “The satisfaction that comes from overcoming obstacles, breaking down barriers, finding solutions and accomplishing the very difficult is addictive.”

target terminated Pre-Randell, C-CORE suffered from a haphazard hiring cycle: it would periodically grow to 60 people, drop back to 50, then grow again, drop again. Under his direction, it has experienced gradual but continued growth, both in people and revenue. His next target? Coast-to-coast office expansion in Canada as well as a foray into Houston and possibly Russia. He predicts that within five years, “we should be a 150-175 person organization.”

President & CEO

Joseph RandellJazz Aviation LP

chasing airplanes Trombonist J.J. Johnson once said: “Jazz is restless. It won’t stay put and it never will.” He was referring to the musical genre, but he could just as easily have been speaking about the airline and its equally energetic CEO. Jazz Aviation LLP is one of the world’s largest regional airlines, with over 5,100 employees and 83 destinations across North America. With such extensive reach, it’s hard to believe it’s only 10 years old. Joseph Randell – the father of Jazz – is an air industry veteran who founded and operated Air Nova until 1991 when it was acquired by Air Canada. In ‘99, he oversaw the merger of Air Nova with Air Alliance (both owned by Air Canada). He next consolidated the other major regional carriers in the country at the time. Two-and-a-half years later, from a maelstrom of four

major infrastructures, several aircraft types and 26 labour agreements, Joseph Randell

landed a deal; Jazz was born.

winds OF change If he could change one public policy in Canada, Randell would

invariably cut the wings off the taxes and user fees imposed on the airline industry. “The government should not take more out of the industry, and ultimately the consumer, than they put in the air transportation network in

Canada.”


President

Sean RileySt. Francis Xavier University

meeting OF the mind Dr. Sean Riley is a Rhodes Scholar and renaissance man gifted with a high degree of right brain/left brain functionality. He is a visionary with a pragmatic soul; an academic with depths of real world expertise; an introspective philosopher with a gregarious nature; a global thinker loyally rooted in Atlantic Canada. The second-longest serving university president in Canada, Riley’s 18-year tenure at St. FX is a testament to excellence: record-setting levels of student satisfaction; more than $200 million invested in facilities, residences and campus infrastructure; plus numerous academic initiatives (e.g. new Physical Sciences complex, new home for the Coady International Institute, $26-million Gerald Schwartz School of Business, and $12-million Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership). Asked for the “how” of his accomplishments, his response is as thoughtful as the man himself. It requires, he explains, a bias toward action tempered with creativity as well as the resilience that is necessary to achieve change and progress. But it’s all for naught without interpersonal skills. “You have to communicate to inspire, and to inspire in order to lead.”

intellectUal stimUlUs “The privilege of having an impact on the lives of students motivates me, year in, year out. I am also motivated by a sense of playing for the home team.”

President & CEO

Tom RuthHalifax International Airport Authority

Flying high If Tom Ruth were a pilot instead of an airport manager, he’d probably be sky writing messages of triumph and celebration. And with good reason - 2011 gave him plenty of reason to crow. Halifax Stanfield International saw a record number of passengers, surpassed profit expectations, became the first airport in Canada (and only tenth in the world) to earn the “Airport Service Quality Assured” benchmark of service excellence, became one of 14 airports worldwide to receive the Airport Council International’s Director General’s Roll of Excellence award, reconfirmed its A+ rating by Standard & Poor’s, received $14 million for its runway extension project and had phase four of its Safety Management System approved by Transport Canada. But what really fuels Tom Ruth and his co-workers’ enthusiasm is the airport’s annual economic impact to Nova Scotia: a whopping $1.2 billion – and growing.

a leader tO lOOk Up tO Tom Ruth sees much to admire in former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Not only does Ruth think Carter is an underrated President (“the last one to fully balance the budget”),

he also thinks highly of Carter’s post-presidential work. “Even today in his eighties, he is going around the world promoting peace and helping the less fortunate.”


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President & CEO

Tanya ShawUnique Solutions Design Ltd.

a perFect Fit No exaggeration: Tanya Shaw is revolutionizing the fashion industry. Using proprietary and patented technology, her company’s product scans a consumer’s body (fully clothed), capturing over 200,000 points of data in the process. The purpose of that data? To match consumers to the clothing styles and sizes that will fit them best, as well as the stores where those clothes can be found.

stylishly smart Creating an innovative technology is one thing – having the smarts and financial backing to profitably commercialize it is another. Tanya Shaw, student of fashion and finance, has it all. A member of the 2010 Henry Crown Fellows program at the Aspen Institute, Shaw’s participation in this prestigious values-based leadership program has seen her rubbing shoulders with some of the most influential young leaders in the world, including the founder of LinkedIn, the senior vice-president of PepsiCo and the president of Sony Entertainment International. Shaw’s already putting the lessons learned to good use, transforming her company from an entrepreneurial one to a professionally managed one (albeit still entrepreneurial at heart). The results to date are astounding: a significantly strengthened management team, $30 million in financing and expansion from one to 100 locations by the end of June 2012. Success has never looked so good.

President & CEO

Karen SheriffBell Aliant Regional Communications Inc.

there’s a new sheriFF in tOwn Bell Aliant wasn’t in a good place in 2008. Forged in a monopoly environment, the traditional telco was struggling with the competitive new communications reality. Enter executive extraordinaire, Karen Sheriff. With an impressive career for achieving notable “firsts,” her arrival signalled that significant change was about to sweep Bell Aliant. Carefully, strategically, methodically, Sheriff is changing the company’s corporate culture as well as its service offering. From cost-consciousness to employee engagement to labour agreements, Bell Aliant is becoming a smarter, faster, more creative organization. A point of particular pride is the company’s FibreOP™ network: a 100 per cent fibre optic home connection providing the fastest internet speeds in the market. Sheriff spearheaded the launch of FibreOP™ in Fredericton, making it the first

municipality in Canada to have city-wide fibre-to-the-home technology. Her leadership, supported by Bell Aliant’s leaner, keener team, is turning revenue and profitability around.

line OF Fire Of all the leadership lessons Karen Sheriff has learned, one of the most important is confidence. Confidence, she says, is critical to decision-making. This doesn’t

mean she’s never afraid, rather that she works to get past fear by seeking out answers to questions, taking action, consulting others – “all the things that help those fears go away.”

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CEO

Ian SmithClearwater Seafoods Inc.

marching Orders A former captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, Ian Smith is enviably strategic in his leadership. His expectations are clear — for himself and others — as are the steps he wants executed. Professionally trained to direct campaigns, he knows that people must “choose” to give their best and that they will only do so in an environment characterized by trust; clear direction with personal relevance; execution alignment; empowerment with empathy; and continuous learning and improvement. They are characteristics which define Smith’s personal leadership style. The effectiveness of that style is in clear evidence at Clearwater. Twenty months in, he has taken the international seafood company from good to great, converting it from an industry lagging financial performer to top quartile performance in revenue, margins, EBITDA and return on assets – and he’s done it with the help of virtually the same management team that was in place before he arrived.

primary target Good soldier that he is, Ian Smith says the protection of Clearwater’s good name is his primary responsibility. “Upholding our reputation, along with the highest standards in the industry for taste, quality, food safety and on-time delivery ... to more than 40 countries around the world is a daily focus.”

CEO & Franchisee

Anne SquiresExit Realty on the Rock

FOrce OF natUre This fisherman’s daughter from outport Newfoundland has come a long way in her quest for success. From her arrival in St. John’s at 16 with a suitcase and $30, through eight years of slinging fries in a downtown restaurant, she was determined to put poverty behind her. She had no money for higher education, but she was sustained on her journey by remembering the days when her family couldn’t spare a nickel for recess. She became a real estate agent – then top producer for her brokerage in all Atlantic Canada. And when she had the chancce to buy the Exit Realty franchise for Newfoundland, she grabbed the brass ring for all she was worth. She’s been polishing it ever since: growing to seven locations with over 100 employees and number one in market share, as well as North America Brokerage of the Year (2009) and Canadian Brokerage

of the Year (2010). In November 2011, she was given the Alberta Exit franchise rights.

sOFt tOUch, warm heart Squires is an indefatigable champion of the underdog. She has rescued Greyhounds; hosted two charitable black tie

galas; organized a “mall rockers” fundraiser – and that’s just to name a few. “Isn’t it wonderful what passion can do?” she asks. Passion, and a certain tireless dynamo named Anne.

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President, Stanfield’s Canada

Jon StanfieldStanfield’s Limited

nOt as easy as it lOOks The small-minded might begrudge Jon Stanfield’s good fortune at being born into a fifth-generation family business. The small-minded would be well advised to reconsider. Yes, Stanfield’s is a legendary Canadian apparel manufacturer and Jon essentially inherited a job. At the same time, he’s earned his stripes, punching time as a stock boy before gradually graduating to harder work and increased responsibilities. Now that he’s in charge, he’s not only entrusted with protecting the legacy of those preceding generations, he’s also expected to move it forward. This in spite of competition from bigger companies who outsource to developing countries with accordingly low wage rates and production standards. Stanfield’s, meanwhile, continues to produce more than 90 per cent of its product in Canada – specifically Truro, Nova Scotia. Which adds yet another dimension to the job: the responsibility that comes with knowing your decisions affect hundreds of families in your home community. Yeah, he has it easy all right.

making his mark Determined to build on Stanfield’s past triumphs, Jon has launched an innovative brand campaign and increased web-based sales activity, He’s also working on a growth-through-acquisition strategy. “I am constantly pressing management to think differently about process and future.”

President & CEO

Ed StrattonBig Erics Inc./Terra Nova Foods Inc.

like Father, like sOn Ed Stratton says his father conducted business with “the highest principles for honesty, integrity, quality and above all, an intense passion for everything he undertook, with a ‘never quit’ attitude.” He may not realize it, but Ed Stratton is also describing himself. From his earliest career as an accountant through his 15-year management of the Matchless Group of Companies to his eventual acquisition of Sani Pro Inc. and Terra Nova Foods and on to his current role as president and CEO of product distribution firm Big Erics and food manufacturer/distributor Terra Nova Foods, Ed Stratton has built an impermeable reputation for being an ethical man. Which probably explains why, back in 2002, he was a trusted negotiator for all parties involved with the sale/acquisition of Sani Pro and Terra Nova Foods: vendor and purchasers alike (himself included). It’s also why, during the sometimes contentious negotiations for his

company’s 2011 acquisition of Janitor’s Market, harsh words were never spoken –

and the deal was successfully concluded.

nO pUshOver Nice guy Ed Stratton is nobody’s fool. One of his responsibilities is to ensure that everyone on his management team is doing their job properly. Proof of his effectiveness can be found in the strength of his

company’s bottom line.

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President

Anne WhelanWhelan Capital Inc.

serial entrepreneUr If there’s such as thing as an addiction to business building, Anne Whelan has it. She agreed to manage CareGivers for 12 months (it was her mother’s home care agency); five years later, she owned it – and has since grown revenue 600 per cent. Then she acquired shares in BrenKir Industrial Supply – an industrial, fire and safety products company – and has been diligently growing that too. That same year, she bought and renovated a 120-year-old building into a restaurant/pub. And within the past 24 months, she has expanded her real estate holdings and launched several start-up companies: Care Connection, a home health technology company; and SHINE, an executive cleaning service. Addicted as she is to seizing opportunity, Whelan is smart enough to know that she can no longer direct every aspect of her many businesses. “Nowadays, my role is mostly to set out strategy ... I have a great group of managers who make things happen.”

gaUntlet thrOwn A former business school associate dean can be credited with Anne Whelan’s MBA designation. She/he suggested that Anne – a single parent working full-time, studying part-time – might be better off in a communications program because “a lot of women find the quantitative part of the MBA difficult.” No more encouragement was needed.

President

Ian WilsonWilson Fuel Company Ltd.

genetic engineering Ian Wilson was literally born to run his family’s eight-generation fuel marketing and distribution business. Though thrust into the leadership role much too soon (following his father’s untimely death at 59), his performance thus far is of the high octane variety. A Top 40 Under 40™ alumnus, he has steered his company into platinum status as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed – and averaged 20 per cent growth in the process. What fuels this go-getter’s ambitions? In a word, legacy. For staff, customers and everyone involved, he is determined that Wilson Fuel will continue to be successful under his watch.

reinventing the wheel How does a company established in the early 1800s retain its competitive edge in 2012? Ian Wilson does it by sharing the

challenge – and the accomplishment – with everyone he works with. “We

have competed against the largest companies in the world ... by being nimble, innovative and staying close to the market. We continuously work to lower our costs, improve our processes and have great people.

A tough environment opens up opportunities ... and we are always looking to take advantage of those opportunities.” Safe to say, when the ninth generation is ready to step in, Wilson Fuel will be gassed up and ready to go.


www.therooms.ca 709.757.8000 | 9 Bonaventure Ave. | St. John’s, NL

DAVID BLACKWOODJUNE 9 – SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

B L A C K I C EDavid Blackwood Prints of Newfoundland

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46 | atlantic business magazine | may/june 2012

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