electrical contractors association of alberta (ecaa) 50th anniversary publication

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Honouring the past,celebrating the present, preparing for the future.

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Contents

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ECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

5

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A Celebration of 50 Years 19622012

honouring the past, celebrating the present, preparing for the future.

4 Message from the Prime Minister of Canada – the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.

6 Message from the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta – Donald S. Ethell, OC, OMM, AOE, MSC, CD, LLD

8 Message from the Premier of Alberta – the Honourable Alison M. Redford, QC

10 Message from the president of the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association (CECA) – Colin Campbell

11 Message from the president of the ECAA – Kelly Wilde

12 Message from the past president of the ECAA – Clem Gratton, PEC

12 Message from the Calgary chapter president – Scott White, PEC

14 Message from the Edmonton chapter past president – Bob Maslanko, PEC

14 Message from the Central chapter president – Darcy Teichroeb, PEC

16 Message from the Fort McMurray chapter president – Gordon Stuve

16 Message from the Lethbridge chapter president – Rob Coleman, PEC

18 Message from the Medicine Hat past president – Glenn Pocsik

18 Message from the Northeast chapter president – Terry Barnett

20 Message from the Northwest chapter president – Tim Tarita

22 2002-2012: The last 10 years

24 The leaders: a selection of past ECAA presidents reflect on their time with the association

38 The advantage of choosing a Professional Electrical Contractor (PEC)

40 A history of the Electrical Trust Funds

42 Trials and tribulations

44 Here’s to the next 50! ECAA 50th anniversary gala recap

48 Plugged in and working hard: Labour Relations Committee chair continues to lead by example

50 ECAA special award recipients

52 Balancing work and family: the ECAA’s Sheri McLean

53 Congratulations from the Merit Contractors Association

54 Bright lights, big savings: NAIT

55 Congratulations on 50 years from IBEW Local 424

56 SAIT Polytechnic blends the best of both worlds

58 Recollections on a great relationship: Federated Insurance

60 Index to advertisers

Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta4

I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to the mem-

bers of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta on

the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

Over the past five decades, the ECAA has represented

the best interests of electrical contractors in the province

of Alberta, promoted pride and excellence in the profes-

sion, and worked to advance the industry as a whole.

As members of the ECAA, you can take satisfaction in

belonging to an organization that ensures that you merit

the confidence and trust of your clients and that you carry

out your responsibilities with integrity, skill, and profes-

sionalism.

Please accept my best wishes for continued success.

from the Prime minister of Canada

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.

Message

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from the Lieutenant Governor

Donald S. Ethell, OC, OMM, AOE, MSC, CD, LLDLieutenant Governor of AlbertaAs Her Majesty, the Queen’s representative in Alberta, I am very

pleased to congratulate members of the Electrical Contractors As-

sociation of Alberta as you celebrate your 50th anniversary in our

province.

Collectively, over the past five decades you have strived to en-

sure professionalism among your members through educational

opportunities, the building of strong stakeholder relationships

and by developing an industry information centre. You can be

proud of what you have accomplished as an organization and Al-

bertans appreciate the many contributions you have made to the

building of our great province.

Again, congratulations and best wishes to all.

Edmonton Electric has been serving the Edmonton area since 1956 in the Construction, Design Build, and Service industry. Safety and customer satisfaction is our goal for every project. Congratulations ECAA on 50 years.

8023 Argyll Road, Edmonton,Alberta, T6C 4A9

T : 780-463-4911F : 780-463-8233

Brent Connell, Principal, PEC, CME, General Manager [email protected]

Steve Smith, Principal, CME, Service [email protected]

Message

Siemens Canada congratulates the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta for 50 years of providing answers to the industry.

siemens.ca

Siemens electrical distribution products: Made in Canada, for Canada.Proud supplier of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta


from the Premier of aLberta

The Honourable Alison M. Redford, QCOn behalf of the Government of Alberta, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Electrical

Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA) on its 50th anniversary.

From its beginnings a half century ago, the ECAA has established itself as a strong

voice for electrical contractors in Alberta. The ECAA has earned a positive reputation

for its ongoing commitment to education and safety, and its strong ties with industry.

Congratulations to the ECAA and its members on the last 50 years and best wishes

for another 50 years of success.

• COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • HEALTHCARE • BRIDGES • HIGHWAYS • LEED PROJECTS …AND MORE!

www.alliedprojects.com

Congratulations on 50 years!

EL

ECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

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A Celebration of 50 Years 19622012

honouring the past, celebrating the present, preparing for the future.

Message

50th Anniversary 9

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Mechanical contractors association of albertaThe Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta

represents the interests of all mechanical contractors

and their suppliers through business support,

educational resources, and industry advocacy.

Congratulations to the ECAA on their 50th Anniversary!


On behalf of the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association (CECA), I

would like to congratulate the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta

(ECAA) on its 50th anniversary. This half-century milestone could only have

been achieved with vision and dedication.

The ECAA is a stellar example of a trade association that is committed

to furthering the excellence of its member companies and helping them

succeed in today’s extremely competitive marketplace, strengthening the

province of Alberta’s economic growth.

ECAA’s longevity is a real tribute to the value placed in its organization

by its members. It is also an indicator of strong and steady leadership and

superior service as the ECAA continues to be a proactive advocate seeking

to better the interests of this ever-growing industry.

On this, its 50th anniversary, CECA salutes its fellow association, the

ECAA, and looks to the future with anticipation and certainty for contin-

ued cooperation, friendship, and success. We are proud of our relationship

with the ECAA and thank you for your support and leadership in the elec-

trical industry.

Please accept our best wishes for another 50 years of continued suc-

cess.

from the President of the Canadian eLeCtriCaL ContraCtors assoCiation (CeCa)

Colin Campbell

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Message

50th Anniversary 11

It was an honour to be voted in as the president of the ECAA during the past AGM

at the River Cree Resort in Edmonton. After 50 years, this association is still going

strong and to be its president is indeed humbling, and at the same time exciting to

be given the task of upholding the standard of those before me.

I would like to thank Clem Gratton for all his hard work and dedication over the

past years he has been on the board, and especially this last year with all the extra

load put on him with the 50th anniversary. Clem, to you and the staff of the ECAA,

congratulations on a job well done. I would also like to acknowledge all of the past

presidents and board members for all of their hard work to get our association to

the level of importance that it is today. It is because of you that we are what we are.

Times have changed over those 50 years and we find ourselves at a point where

there seems to be a lot of people who would like to take part of our scope of work

away from us. This association has prided itself in making sure we sit on every

board or committee we can to prevent the erosion of our trade. People have tried to

take away such things as data cabling, fire alarm, controls, cathodic protection, and

our Masters Program in Alberta, and we have fought hard to make sure that they

remained part of what we do.

We have battled through the stigma of the ECAA being union only and have put

those issues behind us and now work side by side as union and non-union compa-

nies working on behalf of the electrical industry. We are as vibrant an association

as ever and the dedicated members of the ECAA can be proud of what they have

accomplished.

As in any company or association, the world around us is changing and we have

to change with it. The upcoming year will prove to be as challenging as any as we

fight to remain a prominent voice in the industry and we will need to reinvent

ourselves to make sure that we deliver what we do best in the best way we can.

As I go forward into the challenges of the upcoming year as the president of

the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta, I wish all of the members and

industry partners the very best. And I look forward to working alongside all of you

to continue the work of our predecessors and to make sure our industry remains

strong as ever.

Congratulations to the ECAA for 50 Years as the Voice of the

Electrical IndustryKelly Wilde, Kels Electric Ltd.

505 Sioux Road, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada T8A 4H2 Ph 780-449-1433 • Fax 780-449-5344

www.kelselectric.com

from the President of the eCaa

Kelly Wilde

Message


Our 50th year is now officially upon us. I reflect on the work and dedication our found-ing fathers put forward to achieve our incorporation, and registration under the Societ-ies Act of Alberta on November 29th, 1962. I am completely impressed with their foresight in developing a constitution and bylaws, which have held up through the test of time, half a century, and only a few “changing of the times” tweaks along the way. I am amazed at all that has been achieved with the ups and downs experienced through 50 years of history, all of the changes of governments, policies, and of course the economic roller coaster. When I find time to thumb through our 40th anniversary edition of the ECAA history book, it is fascinating to see the comments and reflect as to what was going on at that particular snapshot in time. Much of the issues that have been dealt with over time within the framework of the ECAA have been reactions to those changes that have presented themselves. As our province started becoming a world stage player, so did the issues that the ECAA dealt with. Our involvement by having representation on committees, provin-cial, and national boards assures us that the voice of our membership is heard. That tradition continues on with our representatives working on current issues such as pro-vincial trade barriers coming down, movement of workers nationally and internation-ally, the evolution of our electrical codes becoming standardized with the rest of the world, and along with that, training methods and standards. All of these things cannot be done without the countless hours of volunteer time by an incredible amount of people. The electrical industry in our province is highly regarded throughout the world because of this dedicated and traditional involvement. With 50 years of such amazing involvement, it truly is a fantastic accomplishment of our association and all the people that came together with their own knowledge and passion. To the founding fathers – thank you for having the foresight to set the framework that carries us through the process today. Thank you to all of our preceding presidents and all their committees and boards who governed our association through 50 years. Finally, thanks to all the volunteers that are currently working on all these committees and boards today, as well as Sheri McLean and our current staff who work very hard for us. Congratulations to 50 years, ECAA. I am very proud to be associated and even prouder to be your past president.

On behalf of the Calgary chapter, I would like to congratulate the ECAA on its 50th an-niversary. The ECAA is an important part of the electrical industry in Alberta; it has continually improved industry standards and voiced the concerns of electrical contractors since No-vember 29, 1962. The ECAA has developed educational programs, networking opportunities, and has fought to protect the interests of electrical contractors. Through such leadership, the level of professionalism has flourished in our industry. If the first 50 years are any indication of how the ECAA can benefit electrical contrac-tors, I cannot wait to see what the future has in store.

from the Past President

Clem Gratton, PEC

from the CaLGary ChaPter President

Scott White, PEC

Messages


The Edmonton chapter would like to offer its congratulations to the Provincial

Board of Directors of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta in reach-

ing its 50th anniversary as a registered association in the province of Alberta. We

acknowledge and congratulate all of its past presidents, executive directors, and

its members for your accomplishments over the past 50 years. Your dedication,

determination and leadership have led to this crowning milestone which has made

this association stand out in the province as “the voice of the electrical industry in

Alberta.”

The Edmonton chapter of the ECAA has held monthly meetings during the fall

and winter months. The current Edmonton executive decided to try a new location

nearer to downtown to make the event more central to our members. We certainly

are seeing some positive response to this decision as we are starting to see more and

more members and associates attending each and every month.

The other thing the executive is trying this year is to get our associate members

presenting more at our chapter meetings; we have had interesting presentations

from the City of Edmonton on the electrical permitting process, photovoltaic sys-

tems, LED lighting, and an update on contractor takeovers in the province, as well

as contractor insurance and bonding issues.

Once again ECAA, congratulations on achieving your 50th anniversary as an

association.

The Central chapter holds two to four meetings throughout the year with inten-

tions to keep the 13 contractor members and five associate members up to date

with current industry and association events/affairs. These meetings also provide

the opportunity to present new technology or industry trends by specific industry

experts.

2011 brought presentations such as utilities high-voltage safety and leading-edge

technology within the LED lighting sector. The 2011 meetings were well attended

and provided productive networking opportunities for the contractors and associ-

ates. I would like to explore the possibility of merging our meetings, providing

more networking opportunities with our fellow association members in Calgary

and Edmonton in the coming year which will be a topic of discussion at the next

Central chapter meeting. Central chapter presidents of the past 10 years include

myself, Jeff Light, PEC; Brian Elam, and Charlie Bagshaw.

Thank you to the current Central chapter members for their continued

participation and contributions to the ECAA.

from the edmonton ChaPter Past President

Bob Maslanko, PEC

from the CentraL ChaPter President

Darcy Teichroeb, PEC

Messages

CONGRATULATIONS ON FIFTY YEARS OF SUCCESS

Local Union 424

IBEWwww.ibew424.net

Proud to be Industry Partners servicing the needs of our valued customers


Congratulations to the ECAA on its 50th anniversary! The ECCA is very important

to the province of Alberta as it helps electricians in a variety of ways. The associa-

tion supports those who are in our industry through the Masters program, and

promotes safety and support for electrical contractors around Fort McMurray and

the province as a whole.

I have been a member of the ECAA for a number of years and found that it

is an excellent way to network with your peers as it presents multiple people to

bounce ideas off; it’s a support group of sorts.

I hope the association keeps growing, and I encourage electricians young and

old to become or stay involved with the ECAA and the different communities

around the province.

Here’s to the next 50!

The Lethbridge market is currently experiencing moderately busy activity of a

very competitive nature. We’ve experienced a pleasantly unseasonable winter in

the Lethbridge area, and with the cooperation of the weather, are looking for-

ward to a mild spring with an increase in construction activity.

The Lethbridge chapter is currently in somewhat of a rebuilding phase after a

few years of minimal activity. I am pleased to report that the membership drive

has realized some possible results. The chapter now has eight contractor mem-

bers, four associate members, four PECs, and two PEC students.

Our current goals, aside from increasing our membership, include raising

awareness and supporting the ECAA with their CME and PEC programs, along

with any of their other initiatives. While we have had a few successful fall chapter

meetings in the last two years, we are trying to increase the frequency of those

chapter meetings with the focus on supporting local construction businesses, the

ECAA, and building a cooperative and healthy market for the electrical contrac-

tors and suppliers in our region. Over the next couple of months, we will con-

tinue with our membership drive and plan to hold a chapter meeting later this

spring.

The Lethbridge chapter would like to take this time to extend our sincere con-

gratulations to Clem Gratton, the executive, the board of directors, and the staff

of the ECAA on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. We thank you for your

support and efforts over the years and going forward, for the beneficial impact

the ECAA provides for all the electrical contractors in the province of Alberta.

from the fort mCmurray ChaPter President

Gordon Stuve

from the LethbridGe ChaPter President

Rob Coleman, PEC

Messages

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Edmonton, AB TS5 2P1Tel: (780) 701-4530Fax: (780) 481-1139


I got involved with the ECAA about 12 years ago and I can happily say I am still a proud

member of the association today. I served as president of the Medicine Hat chapter in

the mid-2000s and found the position rewarding, challenging, and eventful.

The ECAA is important to the industry because of the volume of information avail-

able to us. There is also an abundance of networking opportunities, and we always

have an access to answers if any questions arise.

The most prominent memory I have while I was president was at the convention

in Cuba in 2004. It was the first convention out of the country and we all had a great

time. Another memory I hold dear is the attempt to standardize journeymen wages

here in Medicine Hat, and I’m happy to say that I believe that we accomplished that.

Fifty years is a big deal. We survived all the years that were good and not so good. I

would also like to congratulate Sheri McLean, the executive director of the association.

She is the backbone of the office; the glue that holds everything together.

Greetings from the Northeast chapter and congratulations to the ECAA on its 50th an-

niversary!

All is well and everyone is very busy. 2011 was insane for everyone and 2012 looks

even worse, but we aren’t complaining…okay, we are, but it’s because we all need

employees. With a new RCMP office and new school, new retail stores, and trucking

offices, as well as the housing market going crazy, there is a lot to do.

The oil patch also needs workers as well. The mild winter has helped construction,

as there have been no snow or cold weather delays.

That’s all from the northeast, so from all of us at our board, as well as myself, con-

gratulations on a great 50 years. Keep up the great work!

from the Past President of the mediCine hat ChaPter Glenn Pocsik

from the north east ChaPter President

Terry Barnett

honoring the past, celebrating the present, preparing for the future.

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

Congratulations from

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Fax Line (780) 532-1651 • Toll Free: 1-800-751-0526


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Messages

from the Past President of the mediCine hat ChaPter Glenn Pocsik

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Circle 43 on Reader Service Card

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Greetings from the northwest!

It is with every respect that I take the time to honour the gentlemen that have, in the

past, sat on the board of directors for the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta.

I feel that without these people, the electrical trade and its morals, values, and ethics,

would not be what it is today.

I am privileged to have a place on this board because I know that our discussions

and decisions impact the future of this trade, not only in a political sense, but also in

a practical sense, helping young apprentices strive to meet their goals.

Past presidents of the Northwest chapter are:

1964 - Norm Bakken, Joe’s Electric

1965 - N.A.(Norm) Cookshaw, Cookshaw Electric

1966 - C.E.(Gene) Murrant, B&G Electric & Plumbing


1968 - A.T. Wigelsworth, Midwest Electric Co.

1969-1970 - George Kreuger, Peace River Electric




1974-1976 - Frank Biegel, Midwest Electric Co.

1977-1978 - L. Dechant, Dechant Electrical Contractors


1980-1981 - R. Falkner, Falkner Electric

1982-1983 - Dave Grokowski, Hey-Wire Electric (Fairview)

1984-1985 - Jack Wearmouth, Titan Electric & Controls

1986-1992 - Harm Gerrits, PEC, Cookshaw Electric

1993-1998 - Frank Biegel, Magnum Electric

1999-2002 - William Shumard, PEC, First Choice Electric Supply

2003-2010 - Les Dzwonkiewicz, PEC, Builders Electric Company

2010-present - Tim Tarita, Magnum Electric

I sincerely bless all of these men for sacrificing their time to make our trade what it

is today.

Happy 50th, and I am looking forward to a bright future.

from the northwest ChaPter President Tim Tarita

Box 20 Site 104, RR1Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1X1Email: [email protected]

Telephone (780) 968-1055Cell (780) 995-7383Fax (780) 968-9116

P.G. (Pete) VohrCME., PEC.

PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

Electrical ContractorResidential, Farm, Commercial, Maintenance

P 780.417.1487F 780.417.2158

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Message

Committed to Safety and Performance since 1963!

EDMONTON MAIN OFFICE Ph: (780) 436-9570 Fax: (780) 434-0811

FT. MCMURRAY OFFICE SASKATCHEWAN OFFICE Ph: (780) 790-9722 Fax: (780) 790-1610 Ph: (306) 477-4791 Fax: (306) 477-4789

Congratulations to the ECAA on your 50th Anniversary!

Chemco is proud to be a member of the ECAA for over 40 years.

lElectrical ConstructionlElectrical & Mechanical InstrumentationlHigh Voltage Testing & CommissioninglHigh Voltage DistributionlConstruction ManagementlEHT Installations & CommissioninglElectrical MaintenancelFibre Optics & Data CommunicationslCSA Assembly ShoplConstructability


the last 10 years2002 – 2012

CaLGary Cal riedel 2002-2004 ron mackenzie 2004-2006 brian Phelps, PeC 2006-2007 doug fraser, PeC 2007-2009 tim Lang 2009-2011 scott white, PeC 2011-2012

CentraL Jeff Light, PeC 2002-2004 brian elam 2004-2005 Charlie bagshaw 2005-2006 darcy teichroeb, PeC 2006-2012

edmonton Peter rasmussen 2002-2004 terry emmerson 2004-2006 terry milot 2006-2008 Kelly wilde 2008-2009 dJ Coppens 2009-2010 bob maslanko, PeC 2010-2011 scott hutton 2011-2012 tom morin, PeC 2012-2013

fort mCmurray roger richard 2002-2004 Gord stuve, PeC 2004-2012

LethbridGe Ken rogalsky, PeC 2002-2004 todd mcKay 2004-2010 rob Coleman, PeC 2010-2012

mediCine hat Glenn Pocsik 2002-2009 Larry elhart 2009-2012

northeast brian harris 2002-2004 Keith youngblood 2004-2006 Jonny nielsen, PeC 2006-2010 terry barnett 2010-2012

northwest bill shumard, PeC 2002-2004 Les dzwonkiewicz, PeC 2004-2011 tim tarita 2011-2012

Chapter Presidents

Bob Wagler General Manager

Bay 1, 109 Stockton Pt. Box 447 Okotoks, Alberta T1S 1A6 www.westridgeelectric.com

Cell: 403.369.4124 Office: 403.938.6862

Fax: 403.938.6898 [email protected]

50th Anniversary 23

Labour reLations union sector – brian halina 2002-2011 open shop – dJ Coppens 2003-2011

PeC Chairs Kelly morris, PeC 2002-2005 Lou hiemer, PeC 2005-2010 tom morin, PeC 2010-2013

award of merit reCiPients Louis Galick 2002 terry sawatzky 2003 Kelly morris, PeC 2004 willard Kondro 2005 brian halina 2006 abe reimer, PeC 2007 reg morris, PeC 2008 dave hagen 2009 John robinson 2010 Keven Lefebvre, PeC 2011

masters Kelly morris, PeC 2005-2012

Presidents Kelly morris, PeC 2002-2003 abe reimer, PeC 2003-2004 roger richard 2004-2005 terry milot 2005-2006 mike brunner 2006-2007 dJ Coppens 2007-2008 todd mcKay 2008-2009 ron mackenzie 2009-2010 bob maslanko, PeC 2010-2011 Clem Gratton, PeC 2011-2012 Kelly wilde 2012-2013

Congratulations ECAA on your 50 t h anniversary.

Cathy Whyte780-930-4272

Tasha Bunner780-757-3633

From your group benefits provider

Wirtanen electric training Foundation

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 780.435.1258

John Gullion

5735 Gateway Blvd. Edmonton, AB T6H 2H3

"Training for the Future"


Through the ECAA’s 50 years, on a year-ly basis, one man stepped into the role of leader. While some took the reins in times of triumph, some walked into times of trials. But, no matter what the industry environment, each one took that role of “guidance and neutrality” in order to better the association, and in turn, the industry as a whole.

r.o. (bob) KlassenPresident, 1974-1975Bob Klassen states he started in the elec-trical field like most – as an apprentice. But what his training, which began in 1955 at Canadian International Com-stock Inc., didn’t fully prepare him for was being at the forefront of a labour dispute some 20 years later. After five years with Comstock Inc., the company asked him to be a representa-tive with the Calgary Electrical Contrac-tors Association. Klassen began getting involved just before the formation of the ECAA, and just as the association was in its infancy, Comstock Inc. transferred the budding manager to Ottawa. When Klassen returned to Alberta in 1971, the rumblings of construction la-bour issues had just begun. The ECAA, on behalf of its unionized members, joined the Alberta Construction Labour Relations Association (the name later changed to Construction Labour Rela-tions – an Alberta Association, or CLR-a) and paid dues to the group without an ECAA membership payment increase. But, within a short time, the ACLRA in-creased their dues and demanded the exclusive bargaining rights of ECAA’s unionized members. Klassen’s term

as president in 1974 began just as the concern over this issue mounted. In re-sponse, he and the board appointed a special committee to investigate and deal with the problem. As a result, the ECAA promptly discontinued their member-ship with ACLRA, causing an uproar across the construction industry. Eventually, in what would be con-sidered Klassen’s greatest achievement during his term, the ECAA came to a compromise with the ACLRA. The asso-ciation would actively support ACLRA’s concepts, but keep ECAA’s unionized membership autonomy. Klassen, after 30-some years of work-ing in electrical contracting, decided to leave the industry, but believes there is always a place for the ECAA in today’s industry.

arthur o.r. thormannPresident, 1979-1980 In 1953 Arthur Thormann was work-ing for Eldorado Mining as a mill me-chanic working in the uranium process-ing plant. With radiation posing a daily threat to his health, Thormann saw a sav-ing grace in the electrical field. “I applied to be an electrical appren-tice in three Edmonton shops. I was hired by all three, but my friend, who also wanted to become an electrician got zero. So I took the job I liked with Prog-ress Electric, cancelled the application at the second job, and told my friend to pretend he was me at the third one,” he laughs. Thormann completed his apprentice-ship in 1957 and became a manager with the company. A year later, the owner of

Progress asked him to attend Edmonton chapter meetings on behalf of the com-pany, which soon turned into a position as a director at the local level. He served as a director for 10 years be-fore becoming president of the Edmon-ton chapter, and again, patiently waited another 10 years for the top provincial position in 1979. The ECAA and CLR-a issue was still a hot-button one, with strained labour re-lations. “When my term started I said ‘enough is enough. Let’s have a better relation-ship’,” states Thormann. “This back and forth was unhealthy for the industry and I felt we shouldn’t be separated from the other trades in the construction industry like we had been because of this animos-ity.” To make labour relations even harder, the ECAA chairman of the labour rela-tions committee quit mid-term, so Thor-mann took the role on top of his presi-dential duties. “It was a tough year for that reason. I was more involved than I should have been,” he states. “The ‘70s were tough years. They were very much the forming years for the ECAA because all the by-laws and committees were just being created.” By the end of his term, Thormann felt confident in the committees and plans put forth by the association, as well as the relationship between the ECAA and CLR-a. Just after his presidential term ended, he also ended his position with Prog-ress and finally in 1996, his career as an electrical contractor. Yet, he still sits as a trustee on the Health and Welfare Trust

the LeadersA selection of past ECAA presidents reflect on their time with the association“The president’s position is one of guidance and neutrality. His leadership qualities are largely utilized to organize,

and to assure equal opportunity to express views. A good leader does not impose his prejudices, but encourages

others to make their viewpoints known, so that all decisions will have had the maximum input.”

– Arthur Thormann, president, 1979-1980.

By Carly Peters

50th Anniversary 25

Fund, and the Pension Trust Fund with good friend, and past ECAA president El-ver Olsen.

elver olsenPresident, 1980-1981 Considering himself as one of the “older” members of the ECAA, Elver Olsen fondly remembers his term as president of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta as a time when everyone served the industry together for the greater good. Olsen and his wife were married and living in Denmark when the young cou-ple decided to set off and see the world. They came to Canada in 1957, and hadn’t really planned on staying, but Ol-sen decided to put his skills as an elec-trician to work in Calgary. He became a journeyman, and in 1961 started his own business. He was also at the start of the Electri-cal Contractors Association of Alberta, attending the very first convention of the provincial group. “A good majority of contractors were a part of this and they were very happy to now have a group to speak for them,” he says. After serving on the board for numer-ous years, Olsen followed good friend Art Thormann as president of the provin-cial association in 1980. The theme he chose for his term was “Service Through Unity.” Olsen brought the association to-gether through a very busy construction season, and served the industry well. Since his time as president, Olsen con-tinues to serve through unity, working together with Thormann as trustees on the Health and Welfare Trust Fund, along with the Pension Trust Fund. “Art and I are not as involved as we once were. We used to be the youngest, but now we’re the oldest,” he laughs. “The association has a great group of people. And, when we work together, we are stronger. We can deal with anything if we stand together.”

willard KondroPresident, 1985-1987 Willard Kondro may well be able to claim one of the toughest terms as presi-

dent of the ECAA simply because it was the longest. Serving almost two years in the top spot, Kondro took the associa-tion out of the red and put it in a better position for the next leader and the in-dustry as a whole. Kondro began his apprenticeship with Radio Electric Centre in Moose Jaw, Sas-katchewan in 1960, working his way up to journeyman and then business owner in 1967. Two years after opening up his own shop he was introduced to the Elec-trical Contractors Association of Alberta, and knew that it was the right fit for his business and industry ideals. “As an electrical contractor I wanted to put something back into the industry,” he states, highlighting that he served as a long-time board member and vice-pres-ident before becoming provincial presi-dent in 1985. When Kondro took the role as presi-dent, the ECAA was well in the red, over $110,000 to be exact. The first task at hand was to stop the bleed and re-build the association – not a small feat. “We had numerous board meetings and it was decided that I was given the authority to do what I had to do to get the ECAA back on its feet,” recalls Kon-dro. He began the upward swing by re-structuring the main office in Edmon-ton, physically and personally. The asso-

ciation relocated the office three times in one year in order to downsize space and find cheaper rent. “We owed $12,000 in rent, but we renegotiated and ended up paying $10,000,” he says. “We ended up not only downsizing the building, but the staff as well.” This included letting go two of the three office girls, as well as the ECAA CEO, along with capping any spending to stop the debt. But, Kondro also had to find a way to bring money in. “It was decided at a meeting in order to raise more money we needed to increase the membership cost by $25, and every-one agreed,” he says. “To make the ECAA survive I had to make a lot of moves that weren’t pretty, and were not always fa-voured, but we had a great board and a lot of positive thinkers.” With the ECAA on the road to recov-ery, Kondro handed over the reins as president in 1987, but stayed on the board. He also served as the Alberta rep-resentative on the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association (CECA) board for 15 years (he just resigned last year), as well as sitting on the Masters Program committee and numerous others. “You have to put something back into the industry for it to survive,” states Kon-dro. “If the people didn’t do it before us, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Peo-

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harm GerritsPresident, 1990-1991 Harm Gerrits’ term as president for the Electrical Contractors Association of Al-berta could be the greatest lesson in turn-ing a negative into a positive thanks to hard work and good support. Gerrits was given the opportunity to apprentice during his time at the Great

Canadian Oil Sands in Fort McMurray in 1967. He moved to Grande Prairie in 1974 and joined Cookshaw Electric in 1975, where he became a member of the local chapter. “I really saw the benefit of associa-tion networking, that they addressed the common concerns of the industry and were involved in apprenticeship and training, everything that benefits the in-dustry,” he says. Gerrits worked at the local level, ad-dressing the concerns of the Grande

Prairie market as president from 1987 to 1991, until he stepped into the provin-cial role that year. At the time, the association, he says, was in “turmoil” both financially and with their membership. The union ver-sus non-union tension was mounting, and Gerrits travelled across the province to try and defuse the friction and obtain new members. “I stayed connected to all the local chapters, as they are our grassroots, visit-ing them and participating in a number of functions. I was just trying to get ev-eryone back together because what we were trying to achieve as an association shouldn’t have been affected by union versus non-union,” he states. “Eventu-ally, common sense prevailed and every-one realized we’re all in it together. Be-ing a united group was the best option for making the industry better. Not to say all was resolved, but enough to keep the ship afloat and get things moving again.” He adds it was through a lot of hard work by a lot of supportive people that this was achieved. “The ECAA is a group of people mo-tivated in what they are doing and have opinions on how things should oper-ate. While things can be interesting at times with individual personalities, it’s also what makes the association strong,” states Gerrits. He feels that the ECAA strong social programs and conventions/annual meet-ings allow everyone to get together on more recreational terms. “It is a great chance to liaise with people in your industry and it helps a lot to discuss things on a casual basis,” explains Gerrits, who adds that he orga-nized the first annual out of the country convention in Phoenix, a tradition that’s been kept for every other year. He says he still sees a lot of optimism in the association as it heads into the future. “The industry is pretty fast changing. New technology brings in new people with different interests but it always starts with the base of electrical,” states Gerrits. “The growth in membership is positive, I see a lot of positives coming out of the ECAA and I hope it continues.”

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Perry schmaltzPresident, 1995-1996 Perry Schmaltz began his electrical career as a way out of heavy, manual la-bour, but it turned into something much more meaningful for himself, and the entire Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta. Schmaltz had quit high school, and was tired of literally working in the trenches. He went back to finish Grade 12 and began an electrical apprentice-ship with his father’s company in 1964. He continued to gain experience work-ing for various other companies until he decided to found his own company, Carl’s Electric, in 1981. He was first introduced to the Electri-cal Contractors Association of Alberta a year into running his own shop by a well-established ECAA member. “I was a union contractor and at the time we weren’t obligated to belong to the association,” he states. “But, Elver Ol-sen introduced me to the association and I felt it was right to become a member.” The good feeling continued as Schmaltz held all the positions of the Calgary chapter, until he became presi-dent in 1990. He then took the helm of the provincial association in 1995. When Schmaltz stepped into the role, the Masters Program was still being run by Alberta Labour, but they were look-ing for a group or organization to take over the program. In what Schmaltz calls a “major feather in their cap”, the ECAA was handed the reins to the essential program. “We upgraded the program by intro-ducing new exams and courses. All of the testing was to be administered by the Electrical Contractors Association of Al-berta at the local chapters,” he explains. He states during that year they also achieved the approval of the Professional Electrical Contractor (PEC) status which re-quired six various courses to gain the rank. “It took 17 months of meetings to ramp up the application, and we got the approval just after my presidency,” states Schmaltz. “The ECAA was the first orga-nization in North America to receive a professional status.” With so much groundwork laid down during his year as president, Schmaltz

says he leaned on his great staff and brothers to prop up the business end of his life. Yet, even after his term was up, Schmaltz continued to serve his associa-tion. He sat on the Safety Codes Coun-cil for 14 years, as well as representing journeymen at the Local Apprenticeship Committee (LAC) in Calgary. Even today, Schmaltz is a code advisor for the ECAA, along with sitting on the Canadian Electrical Code Part I Section 12 sub-committee. “I see a united electrical industry in the

future for the ECAA. We’re already getting there,” he says. “We can all play a role in making this true. Past and present.”

Pat barnesPresident, 1999-2000 Even though he is now retired from the electrical field, Pat Barnes remembers his time as ECAA president as a term of trials and triumphs. And, the world did not come to an end. At the urging of his wife’s uncle who worked as an electrician with the Trans

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Canada Pipeline, Pat Barnes embarked on an apprenticeship in the trade. Work-ing his way through Manitoba and Sas-katchewan, he ended up finally settling with Edmonton Electric Inc. It was there he began to see the benefit of meeting with other contractors in the industry, and saw that the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta was the ideal or-ganization in which to do so. Barnes worked with the Edmonton chapter and quickly became the group’s

president from 1994 to 1996. He then took the lead on the provincial board in 1999 just before the “dreaded” Y2K. What was even more worrisome was, once again, the relationship between union and non-union members of the ECAA. “I really wanted to try to get union-ized contractors and non-union think-ing along the same lines,” he states. “I attended chapter meetings to encourage communication between the two groups

and to try and get them to understand each other. They needed to know that the ECAA could represent both groups in an unbiased fashion in regards to the issues that affected all electrical contractors.” Working alongside the board, Barnes helped modify budget preparation, and rationalize union company contributions and non-union fees which allowed the ECAA to revise the membership fee sched-ule so that it was fairer to membership. He states this helped them be more successful in that term’s membership drive. Moving the ECAA’s head office to its current location was also helpful in in-creasing the association’s profile in the industry, another one of Barnes’ memo-rable moments from his term. “There’s always going to be challeng-es,” he states. “But it’s good to celebrate the accomplishments. The ECAA is a strong base that will address the industry issues that arise, and they will continue to do to so in the future.”

daniel KuderewkoPresident, 2000-2001 Daniel Kuderewko jokingly refers to his term as ECAA president as “The Fun Year.” All laughs aside, he states as a newly joined member thrust into the head position, it was a strong executive that helped the association continue on a positive path. Kuderewko’s father was an electrician in Regina, and he worked with him as a teenager during the summer. Part-time work turned into a full-time career when he moved to Alberta (1985) and started at Prelim Electric Ltd. in Medicine Hat in 1991. Feeling the need to give back to the association that looks after his best in-terest, he decided to attend a meeting of the ECAA Medicine Hat chapter. At this first meeting, Kuderewko was appointed president of the local group, a position he held for five years. It was in 2000 when he took over the provincial president spot, and at that time the ECAA was in a very good posi-tion. “The ECAA was growing; we reduced membership costs, but maintained a bal-anced budget. Everyone was quite jovial that year,” he says.

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50th Anniversary 29

Yet, there were a few bumps along the road that year. Issues such as non-com-pliance overtime, the Master’s License, and the Industrial Code and Apprentice-ship were overseen by Kuderewko and the board. He states it was an interesting time, and certainly a learning curve for someone who was relatively “green” to the association. “I was newly involved and going through the ranks. It was an eye-opening experience working with an executive that had more years than I. They really helped carry the association through,” he states. Still a member of the ECAA, Kud-erewko states industry and ECAA need to continue on with their professional path to make a positive impact on the con-struction industry as a whole.

Kelly morrisPresident, 2002-2003 Kelly Morris could have been, and has been, many things. From taking the steps towards an automotive career at his vocational high school, to training as an electrician, then becoming an aircraft maintenance engineering technologist, to a technical writer and project man-ager for a military aircraft technical pub-lications team, he has gone where the work is. But, thankfully for the Alberta electrical industry, he came back to the trade. Morris grew up in the electrical in-dustry with his father owning a shop. Even though he had his eyes set on an automotive career, he started his elec-trical apprenticeship at his vocational high school. He fast tracked his way through, working in the trade while at high school and becoming a journey-man in three years after then landing a job working on the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre in Edmonton. “Then the industry tanked,” he states. “So I got out of it, went back to school and became an aircraft maintenance en-gineering technologist.” Working for Wardair was the goal, and he headed out east to Ontario to accept a job with them; but not before discussing with his father the possibility of buying the family business when he was ready to retire.

This possibility presented itself in 1989, and after giving notice to this fa-mous airline, the sale of which broke the news the day and hour he entered his house returning from his last shift, the then 27-year-old Morris headed back to Alberta, only to step into another reces-sion. Taking a job as a technical writer with an aviation company and moving up to a project management role with them, he bided his time until he saw the electrical industry picking up once again.

Back in the electrical trade, Morris be-came reacquainted with a familiar asso-ciation. “From a young age I was dragged out to ECAA meetings as a teen and an ap-prentice. But as I got older I found there was an opportunity to express opinions and have my opinions challenged, and that interested me,” he explains, adding Sheri McLean was an additional force,ensuring he got involved with the ECAA provincial board.

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When Morris stepped into the provin-cial president role in 2002, the associa-tion’s 40th year, it was, as he describes, explosive. “We were at the boiling point with the unions and the Market Recovery Fund,” he states. “The open shops had to see that the ECAA was complex be-cause we can negotiate contracts for the unions, yet this labour group was au-tonomous within our associations. So we really pushed for better communica-tion from the labour committee. It was fine if the two groups disagreed, as long as we stayed united for the bigger issues. We had to relearn how to disagree with one another yet remain associated.” One of the larger issues at hand was the release of the Alberta government’s white paper in 2002. Morris states they lobbied the government very hard to stop the idea of issuing permits to jour-neymen, and to insist there be a cer-tain level of education in order to ob-tain those permits. In other words, the ECAA felt it was very unwise to make electrical permits available to individu-

als who aren’t educated in the liability

associated with that piece of paper.

While he thought the ECAA had

opened up a terrific dialogue with the

government, he states they were in fact

not supported at the end of the day by

municipal affairs, despite their contin-

ued statements to the contrary, and still

continue to be disappointed by current

government relations and performance.

“The ECAA still plays a big role in

making change in the industry,” states

Morris. “There is a devaluation of trades

people in society. We’re seeing compa-

nies hire whoever they choose, and elect

to work outside of the safety and labour

codes without consequence. In this type

of environment, credentials can become

meaningless. We have to ensure we have

our professional titles and bring value

back to the electrical industry specifi-

cally, and trades in general. The ECAA is

the voice of the electrical industry, so we

must stay strong, react, and be true to our

members.”

abe reimerPresident, 2003-2004 Abe Reimer went to school to build computers, but it was a gig over summer break that got him interested in the elec-trical field, an industry he’s been in ever since. Reimer began his electrical apprentice-ship with Lone Pine Electric, and worked to get his professional certification. Be-ing well connected in the industry, he knew several people already involved in the ECAA, and was asked to come to one of the meetings. Feeling that it was the right fit for him and the company, Reimer stayed on and eventually became the president of the Edmonton chapter before taking on the provincial top spot in 2004. His goal as president was to continue the relationships with government, draw more contractors to the ECAA, and to ensure there was equal representation for the members already involved in the association. “We formed a group to get equal rep-resentation for the open shop contrac-

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50th Anniversary 31

tors, not just the union groups, so they felt like they were a part of the ECAA,” he states. “The ECAA was for the betterment of the industry as a whole, not just the unionized contractors.” He also tried to strengthen ties be-tween the association and the govern-ment, a relationship which sometimes could be strained. “We wanted our voice to get right to the provincial ministers so our trade could be heard,” he explains. The association and trade was front-line when the ECAA participated in WorldSkills Calgary 2009. “This was a great event because it brought the electrical trade to the fore-front. The young kids could come in and see that the electrical field could be lucra-tive for them and a viable career option,” states Reimer. Now semi-retired, Reimer does con-sulting out of Calgary and Kelowna, but always keeps his ECAA cohorts in mind. “Representing the majority of the ma-jor contractors in Alberta, the ECAA are a great bunch of people to work with.”

terry milotPresident, 2005 - 2006 While interviewing the legendary golf-pro Jack Nicklaus, a reporter once remarked, “Jack, you have had a spec-tacular career. Your name is synonymous with the game of golf. You really know your way around the course. What is your secret?” Nicklaus replied, “The holes are numbered!” “If only leadership and the construc-tion industry were so easy,” states Terry Milot. “Unfortunately, there are no handily numbered steps that we can fol-low in growing our leadership, or in the game we have chosen to participate in.” Milot began his game in 1979 when he started his apprenticeship with Chem-co. “During that time the work week was 35 hours a week, seven hours a day. Re-alistically, a half day for a farm boy, so I enrolled in night courses taking account-ing, opening a small business, and many other courses which I hoped would later pay dividends,” he recalls.

After receiving his journeyman electri-cal credentials and apprenticing for an instrument mechanic, Milot ran several jobs and moved up the supervision lad-der within Chemco. With the economy heating up, Mi-lot found himself greatly involved with Chemco and in 1993 became chief es-timator and partner in the company. Since then, he has been involved with all aspects of the company’s growth and responsible for the estimating, business development and major proposals. Even during his rise to the top at Chemco, Milot found time to join the ECAA in 1998 as a member of the Ed-monton chapter executive. There he be-gan to move up again. In 2000, he was appointed role of secretary, which he served as for two years, and continued moving up the ladder to treasurer and vice-president each for two year terms, as well as holding the chapter presidency from 2006-2008. He finally stepped into the “big role” as provincial president in 2005. The in-dustry and association were in a very

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busy state at the time. Numerous issues, such as creating a non-union committee, creating an associate liaison commit-tee, and balancing a decreasing revenue budget were just some of the unmarked holes that Milot encountered. “When looking back at the issues, I think the Masters debate was definitely a fight which took a lot of effort and determination,” he states. “With the re-cent award of the Masters Program to the Safety Codes Authority, it may appear that we have lost the war, but in reality we can take solstice in the fact that there still remains a Masters Program, which for a while was also in jeopardy of being deleted.” Milot saw other victories during his term which sought to give everyone a level playing field. “The greatest accomplishments were to set up the dues structure so all parties were paying the same amount and recog-nizing that this association gains a lot of its strength from the diversity of its mem-bers. Whether you are a two-man shop or a company of 200, your concerns are rel-ative and the association can raise your voice to a higher level in government and in industry.” “During the period of time I have served with the ECAA Provincial Board, the game has seemed to be of the same objective; however, the rules have fre-quently changed. The advantage the ECAA has is that of the team concept. It is the strength of the entire association with its many leaders and players that enable the major hurdles to be more like small hazards.”

mike brunnerPresident, 2006-2007 When most teenagers are thinking about getting their driver’s license, Mike Brunner was getting his apprenticeship. In England, at the age of 16, during his last year of school he embarked on a five-year apprenticeship. He followed that up with five years of working in the trade before starting his own company. In 1974, Brunner skipped back across the pond to Calgary. Having lived in Canada until the age of 15 (his mother was a war bride, and when his father passed away they moved back to her

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50th Anniversary 33

home in England), he settled in nicely, finding work with Merriman Electric and then with Custom Electric in 1978. He went from foreman to project manager, and along the way began attending the odd ECAA Alberta meeting. It wasn’t until he started with Allied Projects in 1996 that he became more involved with the association. In fact, Brunner went straight from sitting on the Apprenticeship Program Committee to a position on the provincial board after another member had stepped down. He moved up in ranks from treasurer to sec-retary to vice-president and finally presi-dent in 2006. “It was busy that year, but it was a good time,” he states. “We really wanted to fo-cus on getting apprentices in the trade since we were dealing with a booming economy. We were all asking ‘where can we get more skilled people?’” Having sat on the apprenticeship com-mittee previously, Brunner states he tried to promote the association and trade as a career choice, not just an in-and-out op-tion.

“I love this industry,” he says. “I can probably count on one hand the days I hated to go to work. I really wanted to pass that along. You do have to start at the bottom, but with hard work you can most certainly make it to the top.” During Brunner’s term they also of-fered up some benefits to the current membership. The ECAA health plan was put through, offering non-union mem-bers an option for themselves and their employees. While not overly active in the ECAA since his term ended, Brunner still offers a hand when needed. “The association is very strong. They do such a good job of keeping members involved and keeping the industry posi-tive. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”

dJ CoppensPresident, 2007-2008 It was by fluke DJ Coppens landed a job in the electrical field, but it was not by chance that he ended up joining the Elec-trical Contractors Association of Alberta.

Coppens had been working another job when he was asked to help a friend on an electrical project. He foresaw a fu-ture in the field, and sought an appren-ticeship. Coppens apprenticed at AK Electric and Controls, a small, one-man opera-tion until it was suggested that he should work elsewhere (commercial and in-dustrial areas) to become a more versa-tile electrician. He took the advice and worked for various companies until set-tling with Territorial Electric in the early ‘80s. It was a shortly after joining Territorial that Coppens began going to the ECAA’s Edmonton chapter meetings as a com-pany representative. “I thought the association was really good for the entire industry, and thought it would be really good for the company as well,” he states. Coppens continued to serve the ECAA and Territorial and was elected provincial president in 2007. While the association was still fighting the battle to keep the Masters Program and finalize the Profes-

ON 50 YEARS!!Electrical Wholesalers has been a proud sponsor of

the ECAA since our inception in 1979.


sional Electrical Contractors (PEC) status during his year, Coppens states the Trade Investment Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) was another hot-button issue which he had to address. “The federal government was trying to make it easier for trades to work in both Alberta and B.C., essentially making equal tickets,” he explains. “But Alberta has one of the strongest apprenticeship programs in Canada, so there was con-cern that other province’s levels of ac-creditation would not match ours.” While some of these hot-button topics were not resolved during Coppens term, he states he still realized the power and pride of a united association. “It never ceased to amaze me that when an issue came to light how respon-sive our members were to form commit-tees,” he says. Coppens continues to volunteer for the industry as the Alberta representative on the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association Board (CECA), as well as an ECAA representative at the Alberta Con-struction Association (ACA) as part of the Standard Practices Committee. Yet, he states, for the association and industry to grow, more contractors need to step up to serve their trade. “In the future, the ECAA needs new blood, new ideas, people that are ready to take on new adventures. People step-ping up and taking charge is always a good thing.”

ron mackenziePresident, 2008-2009 Ron Mackenzie was introduced to the Electrical Contractors Association of Al-berta 11 years ago as a networking oppor-tunity, but having since served as presi-dent for both the Calgary chapter and provincial association feels he’s gained much more. At the age of 27, Mackenzie began his electrical apprenticeship with a fam-ily friend’s company. After the company folded, he worked in the industry for 10 years before settling into Trotter and Morton, where he went from field elec-trician to project manager. It was here he joined the ECAA to connect with others in his industry.

www.cmnelectrical.com • (780) 487-9458

Congratulations to the ECAA for 50 years of outstanding work for our industry.

It is great to be a part of an industry and an association that has so many great people. We at CMN look forward to being a part of the association

for the next 50 years.

CMN has been in the electrical business for over 23 years and a proud member of the ECAA for over 13 years. We feel that having a strong commitment to the ECAA

and other associations help make us the professional company we are today.

Please feel free to call us or check out our website and see if we can help you for any or all of your residential wiring needs.

Box 3628, Wainwright, AB T9W [email protected]

50th Anniversary 35

“Without being part of an association or group, it’s kind of like you’re on an island. There’s always a great sense of be-ing part of something,” he says. Mackenzie found his place as presi-dent of the Calgary chapter from 2004 to 2006, and again as provincial president in 2009. He came in just as Municipal Affairs was once again making a bid to take the Masters Program back from the ECAA. In what he considers the greatest achievement during his term, the ECAA renewed the contract on the program for another year, ensuring the same high-quality testing and skill level would be achieved in the Alberta electrical indus-try. Skills were certainly being tested as the ECAA sponsored the WorldSkills compe-tition in Calgary. Not only did it put the association on the world stage and help them gain exposure, but the group also got meet and network with contractors and apprentices from across the globe. Mackenzie continues to serve as direc-tor at large for the association and advis-es on the education and apprenticeship programs. Even though he dedicates his time to the ECAA, he states more electri-cal contractors need to do the same. “The ECAA is the voice of the indus-try in the province even though we only represent a fraction of the contractors,” he states. “But there is so much more to being part of the association than issues and industry. Through networking, you get a feeling for the industry as a whole and where the market is going.” “In my involvement with the asso-ciation I have gained more than I have given. I am so glad I got involved.”

bob maslanko, PeCPresident, 2010-2011 At 18 years old, Bob Maslanko dab-bled in the auto industry until his dad, a carpenter, suggested he better settle into a trade and be either a plumber or electri-cian. He chose the latter, and since then has been serving the industry through both his career and ECAA postings. Maslanko completed his apprentice-ship with Western Electric before joining Stantec in their engineering, oil and gas division as an estimator. He was encour-aged by a friend in the industry to attend

a meeting of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta as he thought be-ing a part of the organization might be his forte. Turns out that friend was correct. Maslanko sat on the Edmonton chapter’s board of directors until he was offered the provincial top position in 2010. Once placed in the role, he states there were three main challenges that faced the ECAA. The first being a large increase in premiums for the contractor health plan. “There was not a lot of great participa-tion from the contractors in the health plan. Many of the bigger companies de-cided to stay with their own plans, and the smaller companies couldn’t afford to join,” he states. The ECAA was also addressing some financial issues. Maslanko said they were looking to maintain association costs while facing decreased revenues. This partly sparked from the loss of the Mas-ters Program, a battle the ECAA had been winning for several years until Alberta Municipal Affairs moved the program over to the Safety Codes Council.

“While training took place at NAIT, we had looked after the exams, and kept all the Masters informed and up-to-date,” he states. “Now there is a worry that skill level, that level of knowledge that can only be given by people directly in the industry, will not be up to par.” Yet, the ECAA continues to find a way of keeping members informed through The Spark, an e-newsletter developed during Maslanko’s term. “We wanted to keep in touch with all the contractors and members through social media,” he says, adding they also began to run radio and advertising cam-paigns to promote the industry and the association. Fresh off his post, Maslanko states the association will have to continue to find different sources of revenue, such as of-fering more courses for members to take, in order to stay financially level. But, he does think the ECAA will continue to grow, despite whatever challenges come and go, thanks to a strong group of edu-cated, skilled people.

Phone: 1-800-642-5508Email: [email protected]

AEL is an organization whose membership is open to companies and practitioners of every facet of the electrical industry in the province of Alberta. Its purpose is to promote the entire electric industry, identifying and implementing promotions to raise the public profile of the industry, and to explore ways and means to develop and market new and existing business opportunities for its members by exploiting the combined results from the various industry segments working together in harmony.


Toll Free: 1-800-642-5508

The CEC is open to everyone in the industry: electricians, contractors,

engineers, manufacturers, distributors, manufacturers

representatives, utility, inspectors, and so on. We encourage younger

members of our industry to join as the CEC is a great way

to network and meet people.

Wishing a Happy 50th Anniversary to the ECAA!

Congratulations to the ECAA on 50 Great Years !


Clem Gratton, PeCPresident, 2011-2012 In 1977, Clem Gratton was wondering

what to do with his life. Luckily, a sneaky

friend convinced him to come to work

at Creative Electric, unbeknown to the

company’s boss, and he’s been in the biz

ever since.

After being allowed to work at Cre-

ative for a while, Gratton joined KVR

Electric, which at the time was a “start-

up company”. As the company began to

grow so did his knowledge and experi-

ence, moving from apprentice to up-

per management over the course of 11

years.

Seeing that he could run a large company, Gratton decided to do it for himself, starting up CMN Electrical in 1989. After a couple years, Gratton joined a few Edmonton chapter ECAA members at the association golf tournament. In the lounge afterwards, Gratton began sharing his views and opinions on some industry issues, and the group, in so many words, said, “don’t tell us how to do it, show us.” He began by volunteering for several committees, including representing the ECAA at the Canadian Electrical Code Advisory Committee, the Electrical Technical Council, and the Provincial Apprentice Committee, before becoming president of the ECAA in 2011. When his term began, Gratton states his goal was to show the membership the value of the association they belonged to. “I wanted to inspire the board of directors to communicate with their members, find out what they were working on, and in turn give them information about the association,” he says. “I decided to spread the word

Board of Directors 1967 - Back Row: A.T. Wigelsworth, D.W. Maltby, J.P. Robinson, W. Manchakowski, P.D. Raffin, J.K. Matthews, J. Merriman. Front Row: R.C. Harris, G. Hammond, E.S. Sunley, W.A. Lawrence, J. Bury.

ELECTRIC CO. LTD.Box 21050, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6W7

LESLIE DZWONKIEWICZ, PECManager

Tel: 780-532-0304 • Fax: 780-532-0391 • Cell: 780-876-4500

Builder’sProud to be a 50th Anniversary gold sponsor.

Serving Grande Prairie and area for 17 years. Residential and commercial installations.

50th Anniversary 37

myself as well by going out to chapter meetings. I did this all the way to my last speech as president at the AGM.” In hopes of giving members an appreciation of their association Gratton himself learned a thing or two about recognition of the ECAA. “You really learn to appreciate all the work of the committee members and the manpower it takes to make the association tick,” he says. “In 50 years, it’s taken a lot to build the association and you don’t realize until you are president how much is really going on.” And, during Gratton’s term there was indeed a lot going on. The ECAA completed their hand-over of the Masters Program to the province, which meant finding out how to do business without this additional revenue stream and source of information distribution. He states while some saw this as a blow to the association, there was an upside.“What this did achieve was that the Masters Program became ingrained in the province and that it holds importance in the Safety Code’s

system,” he says Dealing with association issues and travelling left little time for his own career. Luckily, Gratton’s two sons oversaw the business side of life while he tended to his ECAA duties.

“Without them there I couldn’t have put the hours in, not be able to travel as much without worrying about things being looked after. This was the only way it could have happened,” he says.

Edmonton Office904, 10050 - 112 StreetEdmonton, AB T5K 2J1

Phone: 780-451-5444Fax: 780-451-5447

Promoting excellence for 50 years.


Construction Labour Relations

Calgary Office207, 2725 - 12th Street N.E.Calgary, Alberta T2E 7J2Phone: 403-250-7390Fax: 403-250-5516

Toll Free: 1-800-450-7204

Congratulations ECAA on 50 years!

Trotter & Morton Building Technologies5711 1st S.E.

Calgary AB T2H 1H9

www.trotterandmorton.com


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The success of any construction project depends upon the skill and reliability of each person in every trade involved. Through a strong apprenticeship pro-gram and valuable on-the-job training, Alberta’s workforce is second to none. The Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA) takes that commitment to excellence one step further with its Professional Electrical Contractor pro-gram. In Alberta, you can have an electrical contracting company owned by someone who may not even be an electrician, but registered electricians must perform the work (as per Apprenticeship and Indus-try Training regulations). Electrical per-mits are required for virtually all electrical work, and only a Master electrician can

apply for that permit, save for a few excep-tions including ‘homeowners’. The Master electrician earns certification through suc-cessful completion of the Master electri-cian’s exam, and is renewed every year. But success in business goes beyond skill and hard work. Eric Fadden, PEC, provincial commu-nications chair for the ECAA, explains it this way: “The association has found over the years that professional electrical con-tractors earned their Master electrician’s license, which requires both knowledge and experience as a journeyman electri-cian and an extensive knowledge of the Canadian Electrical Code, but they have little or no training in solid business prac-tices, the legal implications for business owners, marketing, or public relations.”

For a construction contractor, this could have disastrous implications. “What happens if you’re involved in a large project and the electrical contractor you’ve hired goes broke because of im-proper business practices?” asks Fadden. How does an employer find a reputable electrical contractor that will stay in for the long haul? The past presidents of the ECAA came up with a plan to answer these questions, and on May 12th, 1993 the association re-ceived professional designation for its Pro-fessional Electrical Contractor program (PEC)—a program to provide profes-sional training and status, and to develop confidence in electrical contractors both within the construction industry and the public market. To receive the PEC designation, an elec-trical contractor must successfully com-plete courses in accounting principles, business and public relations, estimating and finalizing the tender, project manage-ment, safety principles and legal implica-tions involved in the contracting business. Lawyers, accountants, public relation pro-fessionals share their knowledge of the pit-falls to avoid and the keys to success. All of these courses are tailored specifically to enhance the education of Master Electri-cians and prepare them for the task of a Professional Electrical Contractor.

the advantaGe of ChoosinG a ProfessionaL eLeCtriCaL ContraCtor (PeC)

DC Electrical s e r v i c e s

Phone (780) 865-4882 Fax (780) 865-4119 [email protected]

107 Swanson Dr., # 12Hinton, AB T7V 1H1

Douglas VanCE Manager

By Deb Smith

Power works electrical ltd.

Ph: 780-960-8771 ext. 101 • Cell: 780-777-2129

Fax: 780-960-8773 • [email protected]

50th Anniversary 39

101, 18016 - 105 Avenue NWEdmonton, Alberta T5S 2P1

Office: (780) 451-9303 Cell: (780) 910-4724 Fax: (780) 451-1795

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The uniqueness of this program is that equivalent courses are recognized by the association in achieving this designation. As well, PEC certification is recognized towards the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Blue Seal, as well as the Cana-dian Construction Association Gold Seal program. “The PEC program trains and educates Master electricians on how to be a con-tractor and then binds them to a code of ethics governed by a practice review com-mittee,” says Fadden. The ECAA encourages all electricians in Alberta to take the PEC courses, even if an employee is within the industry and not necessarily a contractor. Courses are open to anyone interested in taking them. But,

to achieve professional status, one must be a Master electrician, successfully com-plete the courses, and be of good charac-ter and reputation. The code of ethics and teaching effec-tive methods of operation reflect the mis-sion of the ECAA to be the voice of the electrical industry in Alberta, to educate, and to build strong relationships within the construction industry as a whole. The construction contractor with a Professional Electrical Contractor on the team is assured of skilled workmanship and reliable completion of the job. “We’re giving the contractor a qual-ity and knowledgeable installation and we understand the business practices that go in behind it,” explains Fadden. “And if anything ever did go wrong, the contractor is held accountable to their peers through a legislated process with-out having to go to the Alberta court system. All actions are governed by the Professional and Occupational Associa-tions Registration Act (POARA), and the

Professional Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians Regulation. The association currently has helped more than 200 Master electricians earn the designation of a Professional Electri-cal Contractor and the number increases every year as contractors realize the ben-efits of this additional knowledge, and consumers realize the additional protec-tion and advantages to hiring reputable contractors through the ECAA certifica-tion program. Competition in the con-struction industry is tough, and the suc-cess of the team depends on each mem-ber. Hiring a professional electrical con-tractor for the job is one way of ensuring a positive and prosperous outcome.

Eric Fadden, PEC, provincial communications chair for the ECAA.


The benefit of the Electrical Trust Funds is one of the great ser-vices provided by the ECAA in conjunction with the IBEW; it provides long-term and short-term care and education to elec-trical contractors’ bargaining and non-bargaining employees and their families. The parties established four trust funds in the 1970s: the Health & Welfare Trust Fund on April 1, 1971, the Pension Trust Fund on April 1, 1973, the Education Trust Fund for Northern Alberta on May 1, 1977, and the Education Trust Fund for Southern Alberta on October 1, 1977. The fol-lowing is a list of the people who served as trustees of these trust funds, and the benefits they achieved for the members and their families.

the health & welfare trust fund The parties officially named the fund the Electrical Indus-try Insurance Benefit Trust Fund of Alberta. The ECAA’s initial trustee appointees were Arthur O. R. Thormann and Arthur Edward Bainard; IBEW’s initial trustee appointees were Har-old Reginald Taylor and Garth Frederick Myers. Art Bainard resigned after four years for health reasons. Elver Olsen took his place on December 1, 1975. On February 1, 1978, Neil Goudriaan took Garth Myers’ place, and on October 14, 1981, Vair Clendenning took Neil Goudriaan’s place. Clendenning resigned on December 1, 1990, and Robert Lynn replaced him. On July 1, 1996, Harold Taylor resigned and John Briegel took his place, but Taylor remained on as an advisor. John Briegel resigned on December 2, 1998; this left a temporary vacancy which Ken Sieben filled on August 3, 2001. Mike Reinhart took Ken Sieben’s place on July 21, 2004, and Tim Brower took Mike Reinhart’s place on December 20, 2004. To accommodate the increased workload and better succes-sion planning, the ECAA and the IBEW recommended an in-crease from four to six trustees in September 2006. The IBEW appointed Gordon Graham on October 1, 2006. In addition, the IBEW reappointed Harold Taylor on November 6, 2006. Robert Lynn resigned as union trustee, and the ECAA reap-pointed him on November 1, 2006 as management trustee. On July 20, 2010, Kevin Levy took Tim Brower’s place, and the IBEW reappointed Ken Sieben to take Gordon Graham’s place. The ECAA and the IBEW also recommended the appointment of trustee trainees, and the ECAA appointed Kelly Morris on July 1, 2009 and Brian Wagner on August 1, 2009. The pres-ent board of trustees consists of Arthur Thormann, Elver Olsen, Robert Lynn, Kevin Levy, Ken Sieben, and Harold Taylor. The health and welfare benefits provided to plan members and their families over the years include life insurance, acci-dental death and dismemberment insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, major medical care, dental and orthodontic care, prescription drugs, vision care, hearing aids,

and supplemental hospital care, to name a few. As well, an Em-ployee and Family Assistance Plan is provided for face-to-face counseling, referral to specialized or long-term treatment, fam-ily advisory services, legal advisory services, financial and career counseling, health information services, and trauma (critical incident) response. Through the accumulation of an hour-bank, the trust fund covers plan members and their families for benefits up to nine months during periods of unemployment. In addition, when plan members retire, the trust fund covers them and their fami-lies for a period of one-and-a-half months for each year of plan membership – a most remarkable benefit! The financial record of the Health & Welfare Plan is just as remarkable. To fiscal year-end 2011, the trust fund received em-ployer contributions in excess of $227 million and paid out for insurance premiums, direct reimbursements, and reciproca-tions just over $189 million. Additionally, the fund holds re-serves of just over $37 million for incurred but unpaid liabili-ties, and for other contingencies. This leaves the fund with a small remainder of just over $1 million towards its administration expenses of just over $17 million, which the fund’s investment income augments with just over $16 million. The above figures clearly illustrate that the Health & Welfare trustees in just over 40 years of unrelenting work, managed to achieve an excellent record of balancing the trust fund’s income with its required expenses and reserves, and this on a nonprofit basis!

the Pension trust fund Officially named the Electrical Industry Pension Trust Fund of Alberta, it has a trusteeship history identical to that of the Health & Welfare Fund, except that it started on April 1, 1973. One of the major hurdles this fund had to overcome right from the outset was to provide meaningful pensions to pen-sioners retiring during the early years of the pension plan. The trustees accomplished this by providing up to 10 years of past service credit for plan members still active in the industry dur-ing a period of one year prior to, and eighteen months after April 1, 1973. Presently, the fund supports about 2,250 pensioners receiv-ing over $24 million per year in monthly pensions, and about $3.5 million in commuted values for plan members receiving a termination benefit. In addition to the contributions received from employers, the trustees achieve this feat mainly through their investment income. The following is a summary of the fund’s 38-year financial record. To fiscal year-end 2011, the trust fund received em-ployer contributions amounting to $462.8 million, and paid

a history of the eLeCtriCaL trust funds

Prepared by Arthur Thormann (last paragraph supplied by Reg Morris)

50th Anniversary 41

out $319.5 million for pensions, $27.9 million for termination benefits, and $52.5 million for administration expenses and various investment and custodial fees. This left the trust fund with a remainder of $62.9 million for investments, and its in-vestments earned an additional amount of $513.3 million, for a total of $576.2 million available for future pensions – achiev-ing an amazing compounded return of 9.37 per cent per year over a 38-year investment period. Since the actuarial liability for future pensions, plus a 10 per cent margin for adverse markets, comes to $599.4 million, it leaves the trust fund with a going-concern deficit of $23.2 mil-lion, discounting the $54.5 million reserve for adverse markets. However, a 10-year smoothing the fund asset’s market values adds $86.4 million to the actual market value, resulting in an “actuarial” market value of $662.6 million. In actuality, adding the apparent going-concern deficit of $23.2 million to the ad-verse market reserve of $54.5 million, plus the asset-smoothing amount of $86.4 million, results in a true actuarial going-con-cern surplus of $117.7 million. However, in addition to dealing with adverse markets, the fund’s trustees must also deal with adverse legislation. Present pension legislation in Alberta requires the fund to set aside a re-serve for funding pensions in case the trust fund terminates its obligations, in which case the fund must have sufficient funds available to buy expensive annuities from insurance compa-nies. The legislative requirement for such a reserve comes to $344.5 million, leaving the fund with a solvency deficiency of $314.2 million ($889.4 million solvency liability, minus $576.2 million asset value, plus $1 million wind-up expenses). This creates a dilemma for the trustees: while this unfair pen-sion legislation exists, the trustees cannot deal evenhandedly with their present and future beneficiaries as required by the Trustees’ Act because the trustees cannot grant further pension increases unless and until they meet the Pension Act-legislated solvency requirement.

the education trust funds The parties officially named these funds the Electrical In-dustry Education Trust Fund of Northern Alberta and the Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Southern Alberta, until the merger in 1999, and then renamed both funds the Electrical Industry Trust Fund of Alberta. The ECAA’s initial trustee appointees were Arthur Thor-mann and Elver Olsen (for both the northern and the south-ern funds); the IBEW’s initial trustee appointees were Gary Frisk and Fred Fisher (for the northern fund) and Harold Tay-lor and Don Hegland (for the southern fund). John Briegel replaced Hegland in December 1983. Both Taylor and Briegel served until the merger in 1999. In May 1981, Arthur Thor-mann and Elver Olsen resigned from the northern fund, and Reg Morris and Frank Geweth replaced them. Geweth served until his retirement in January 2002 and Pat Barnes replaced him. At the end of 1981, Art Thormann also resigned from the southern fund, and Ross Andreas eventually replaced him in May 1983. In June 1986, Elver Olsen also resigned from the southern fund, and Rick McMurray replaced him.

Both Andreas and McMurray served until the merger in 1999. The IBEW replaced Gary Frisk with Neil Goudriaan in Janu-ary 1979 for the northern fund, and in May 1981 Vair Clen-denning and Darel Small replaced Neil Goudriaan and Fred Fisher. Then, in April 1982, Jim Benfeld and Derek Briton re-placed Clendenning and Small. In September 1989, Robert Lynn replaced Briton, and in December 1990, George Chats-chaturian replaced Lynn. Chatschaturian served until his premature death in April 2002. In July 2001, Jim Benfeld re-signed and Larry Gatner replaced him. In July 2002, the IBEW appointed Robin Duke to take George Chatschaturian’s place. The present board consists of Reg Morris and Pat Barnes as ECAA appointees, and Larry Gatner and Robin Duke as IBEW appointees. The Education Funds were set up to fill a specific need, that of teaching practical hands-on courses to the beneficiaries such as conduit bending, hoisting and rigging, fire alarm wir-ing and testing, etc., and all the computerized systems that are part of today’s construction and service world. These were required because the mainstream education institutes were leaning too far into the theoretical end of the training spec-trum and were of little use to residential electricians who re-quired the hands-on training in the above mentioned courses (and conversely to the commercial industrial electricians who had little knowledge of service work, etc.). These types of courses are being taught in the fund’s own facilities today to good attendance. A current need and an ongoing requirement is the Construction Safety Training System that all industrial electricians require before being allowed on to the large oil sands projects. This is a costly venture, but one that the Edu-cation Trust Fund was quickly able to fill. The diligent work done by the various boards of trustees to improve the educa-tion of electricians and electrical apprentices over the years is to be highly commended.


If it wasn’t for the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA), there would be no Master Electrician creden-tial today. The ECAA, as an industry association, provided a forum for master electricians to provide their feedback, and an avenue to ensure that their voices were heard.

The Government of Alberta has ex-plored extreme position with respect to skilled labour, up to and including the idea of eliminating trade credentials al-together, or simply recognizing anyone claiming to have skills as being a creden-tialed tradesperson. The Master Electrician issue surround-

ed their idea of allowing journeymen electricians to obtain electrical permits for certain kinds of work. While on the face of it one might con-sider this “reasonable”, when you apply careful thought and analysis, the fool-ishness associated with this concept be-come self-evident. Master electricians are educated in items related to assuming responsibility for an electrician installa-tion, whereas journeymen electricians are not. It is not “reasonable” to accept the signature of a journeyman electrician on an electrical permit without educat-ing that person in what responsibilities result from that, and further, for how long those responsibilities remain. Having successfully lobbied the gov-ernment to prevent these changes, the ECAA approached them; specifically the Department of Municipal Affairs, and opened a dialogue to examine what their issues with the Master Electrician were. The result was the creation of the Certified Master Electrician and Regis-tered Master Electrician under the exist-ing Professional Electrical Contractor regulation. This regulation exists under the Professional Occupations and Asso-ciation Registrations Act in the Depart-ment of Employment and Immigration. These titles were created and designed to “enhance” the Master Electrician pro-gram, and bring more accountability and ensure safe electrical installations. At the final hour, the Department of Municipal Affairs refused to change their regulation to recognize the Certi-fied Master Electrician as they previously committed to do. In addition, concurrent in their work with the ECAA to enhance the Master Electrician program, they altered the val-ue of the permit in industry from “autho-rized to proceed with work” to demote it to an undefined document that they see as little more than a registration form. Finally, they divested themselves of any interest in or ownership of the Mas-

triaLs and tribuLationsBy Kelly Morris, PEC

ELECTRICIAN APPRENTICE - PERIODS 3 AND 4The School of Construction’s Electrical Apprenticeship program at SAIT Polytechnic is now offering an online blended learning program for third and fourth period electrical apprentices.

Working at home, supported by your instructor you work through the program in stages, reducing your time off the job and the associated lost of income. Through a blend of online theory training and in class lab studies you can complete third period in a combined 16 weeks and fourth period in only 21 weeks.

Employers and apprentices interested in learning more about this instructional option should contact the School of Construction’s Electrical program at SAIT Polytechnic.

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S2012-03-00557 Online Blended Learning AD - Elec Contractors Association of Alberta Magazine.indd 1 12-04-02 12:57 PM

50th Anniversary 43

ter Electrician program and moved it all

to the Safety Codes Council. The admin-

istration of this program, performed on

behalf of government for over 15 years

by the ECAA, is now at the mercy of this

bureaucracy.

It should come as little surprise, in

hindsight, that this government, in their

never-ending pursuit of de-skilling,

took this approach. The Department

of Municipal Affairs has had six differ-

ent ministers since 1999. The efforts of

the ECAA towards enhancing the Mas-

ter Electrician program to address their

concerns with it saw us work with five of

them.

It’s clear to me that the agenda of the

bureaucracy is taking precedent over

anything that a new minister might

mandate; given the ministers have had

no time to learn the demands and is-

sues of their portfolio. In other words,

they end up relying on information

from their bureaucrats as opposed to the

electorate, or the expertise in the Safety

Codes Council, or industry for that mat-

ter on what might better serve public

safety.

In addition to instability in the leader-

ship of that department, there have been

two Electrical Technical Council admin-

istrators, also identified as chief electri-

cal inspectors, to occupy this post on our

time working with this department.

The failure of the Safety Codes Act to

protect the citizens of Alberta for safe

installations (the recent situation in

Fort McMurray being the most visible

to date) continues to demand the cre-

dentials of master electricians and cer-

tified master electricians for that work

that is done within the safety system.

The added value of the certified master

electrician is presently lost in industry,

as to what it can do to address the vast

volume of work done outside the safety

system. This issue alone represents a

shortcoming in government philosophy,

as they don’t know, and they don’t ask

“how much work is being done outside

the safety system”.

The ECAA can be satisfied for now that the Master Electrician credential remains, and the Certified Master Elec-trician title remains (in addition to the Registered Master Electrician and Profes-sional Electrical Contractor titles). The electrical permit, however, once the cor-nerstone to ensure the safe installation, is now simply an avenue for jurisdictions to charge what I would argue is a tax on master electricians, to fill out a form that

has little value; further, the money paid

for this form has no relationship to the

service provided; it’s simply based on

project value.

As long as challenges such as these

continue, the need for a strong associa-

tion such as the ECAA increases. As the

“voice of the electrical industry”, the

ECAA continues to represent its mem-

bership very well in my opinion.

Kamwin ElEctric ltd. spEcializEs in commErcial & institutional

installations

Marvin Green Kamwin electric Ltd.

#101, 15334 - 123 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5V 1K8

(780) 454-8817

Kamwin would like to

congratulate

the ECAA on their

50 years


here’s to the next 50!ECAA 50th anniversary gala recap

By Shayna Wiwierski

On May 25 and 26, 2012 electrical contractors from all across Alberta gathered at the Marriott River Cree Resort in Edmonton to celebrate the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta’s

(ECAA) 50th anniversary. The two-day event, which featured the ECAA Annual General Meeting and President’s Gala, was hosted by past president Clem Gratton and his wife Kathy.

Amongst a variety of exciting events, including a golf

tournament, president’s reception, a number of AGMs, and

an awards luncheon, the main event (and the finale to the

weekend) was the President’s Gala, held on May 26th in the

evening. The event featured a musical performance by Canadian

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50th Anniversary 45

MC Chris Browton (right), executive director of Skills Alberta, presents president Clem Gratton with a congratulatory plaque on behalf of the City of Edmonton.

Outgoing president Clem Gratton (left) passing the hat to incoming president Kelly Wilde.

“The 50th anniversary is a special occasion,” said Eric Fadden, communications chair for the ECAA. “I recognize a lot of people that I’ve seen my dad involved with over the years.” The gala, which had an attendance of around 300 people, also introduced incoming president Kelly Wilde, owner of KELS Electric Limited in Sherwood Park, Alberta, to the rest of the association. “It’s an honour to be a part of an association that has a 50-year history. It’s a bit of a daunting task; there have been a lot of people that have been in this position before me who were probably smarter than me,” laughs Wilde. “I am giving back, that’s the way I do it.” Although the weekend was filled with a number of fun, memorable events, undoubtedly the highlight for a lot of people was the opportunity to connect and network with fellow members. “The social events were the most beneficial to me, especially seeing familiar faces and keeping myself up to date with present issues,” says Dave Carson, outside sales for Electrical Wholesalers Edmonton Limited (EWEL). Adds Wilde, “I enjoyed seeing the PEC [AGM]. I sat in the meeting after and there were a lot of young PECs that had the desire to move on with the association. I haven’t seen that [enthusiasm] prior to today from a younger generation in a long time.” Fadden, a member of the ECAA since 2008, had a hard time picking one moment that stuck out for him as his weekend

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Outgoing president Clem Gratton and his family at the ECAA 50th Anniversary Gala.

Canadian Country Music Association award-winning band Hey Romeo entertained gala guests.

The ECAA 50th Anniversary golf tournament winners.

highlight. Instead, he says that just the fact that the

association is still going strong even after 50 years is the

biggest focal point for him.

“To pick one moment that was my favourite, I don’t

think it would do justice as the fact that the association

has been around for 50 years speaks to the importance

it has to the construction industry in Alberta.”

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The Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA) has long been a mainstay of the Alberta Electrical Contractors In-dustry. Lesser known, perhaps, is the ongoing effort in time and resources that has gone into the ECAA’s Labour Relations Committee. Chairman Brian Halina has been at the helm of this committee since the mid 1990s, taking over from Art Thor-mann who had been chair for many years previous. “I’ve sat on the Labour Relations Committee for the last 22 years,” explains Halina. “It was my first position with the ECAA.” Halina attributes his foray into the committee as one that “was a good fit”. “I was president of Chemco Electrical Contractors Ltd. at the time and heavily involved with labour relations with the Inter-national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.” Today, the ECAA’s Labour Relations Committee is respon-sible for all the electrical contractors covered by Certificate 52 within the province of Alberta between the ECAA and the IBEW.

a man with a mission Halina himself began his apprenticeship in the electrical in-dustry in 1969, when he signed on with the then-named com-pany Doug Smith Electrical. The firm employed approximately 10 people at the time. Halina was on the fast track and by 1975, became one of the owners of the Edmonton-based organiza-tion. In 1978, the name was changed to Chemco Electrical Contractors Ltd. Today, the company has employed upwards of 2,500 electricians and has branches in Fort McMurray and Sas-katoon. Its service offerings include heavy industrial electrical construction, electrical and mechanical instrumentation, fibre optics, high-voltage testing and distribution, and maintenance. “We pretty much service all facets of the electrical industry,” he says.

the art of negotiation Halina’s work as president of Chemco Electrical Contractors mimics his role of chair of the Labour Relations Committee. The company successfully made the transition from a privately owned organization to an employee-owned one in 2011. And there has been no looking back since. Halina has used these same group-negotiating skills in spear-heading the Labour Relations Committee toward change. “We recently concluded a four-year agreement in 2011 that will run until 2015,” he explains. “It took almost a year of ne-gotiation between the contractors and the unions. We changed the way negotiations are done. We went from a negative process to a more proactive one where we identified the challenges in front of everyone and worked together to create a solution. It was very different from the way things were done in the old days when the process was a lot more reactionary.” The ECAA’s Labour Relations Committee is currently com-prised of 17 electrical representatives. However, it represents some 80 to 100 electrical contractors in the province. “By having the committee, we’re able to voice the opinion of all electrical contractors, whether they be residential, commer-cial, or industrial,” says Halina. “Our biggest goal is to represent the whole industry. And I think we’ve achieved that.”

evolving with change Having served on the Labour Relations Committee for nearly a quarter of a century now, Halina is the first to admit that the role of the association and the committee has changed over time, evolving to better meet the needs of its members. “One of the biggest changes has been that the association has taken on a larger role in promoting training,” he explains. “There is Better SuperVision available, Leadership in Safety Ex-

PLuGGed in and worKinG hard: Labour Relations Committeechair continues to lead by example

Congratulations

on your 50th Anniversary

– may favorable winds fill

your sails for many more

years to come

NOVA SCOTIA ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

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204-783-4125

By Melanie Franner

50th Anniversary 49

cellence, and the ECAA has taken on the role of liaison with other associations. The ECAA has continued to deliver audio-metric testing, CWB welding training, and Electrical Trades Skills Evaluation. The Electrical Industry Training Centre pro-vides training in a large variety of electric courses including Substation, Construction Arc-Flash Training, EHT Training and Testing, and QA/QC Program. In conjunction with the IBEW, a 12-week, Pre-Apprenticeship Program is offered for new electri-cians taking up the trade. We have also been more proactive in bargaining agreements with the trades and have become in-volved in project labour agreements with large industrial or-ganizations like Shell, Syncrude, Capital Power, and CNRL to name a few.” And, of course, change will continue to come in the months and years ahead. But the groundwork of a strong foundation has already been firmly established. “The committee is very well structured,” concludes Halina. “The structure mechanism has been in place for a number of years now. I think there will continue to be slight changes in the future but the role and responsibility of the committee will stay the same for the long term.”

That being said, Halina is quick to add that change may soon be coming in the form of a new chair. “I’m probably going to be looking at retiring in the near fu-ture, from both Chemco and the committee,” he concludes. But if and when Halina does make that personal transition, he can do so in the knowledge that he has helped affect mean-ingful changes of benefit to electrical contractors working with-in the province of Alberta.

The

Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec

is glad to congratulate the

Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta

for its perseverance during the last 50 years!

It is clear that this milestone announces

a long life to go for the ECAA!

5925, boul. DécarieMontréal (Québec) H3W 3C9 Tél. : 514 738-2184 / 1 800 361-9061Téléc. : 514 738-2192 / 1 888 390-2637

www.cmeq.org

Brian Halina

Today, the ECAA’s Labour Relations Committee is responsible for all the

electrical contractors covered by Certificate 52 within the province of Alberta between

the ECAA and the IBEW.


Each year the ECAA recognizes members through special nomi-nations. Lifetime membership is awarded to a member who has served a minimum of 15 years continuously in good stand-ing with the association; has served on boards or committees on behalf of the ECAA for 10 years; and has contributed, and

is encouraged to continue to contribute, to the better of the association. Recipients from 2002 to 2012 include Ron Faulkner, Bob Klassen, Pete Raffin, Bryan Wynker, Henry Stanowich, Klaus Reichwald, Bjorn Gjertsen, Peter Idler, Gordon Badach, Elver Olsen, Gord Harris, Brian Galick, Don Hansen and Stan Misyk.

eCaa sPeCiaL award reCiPients

Bob Maslanko (l) presenting a lifetime membership to Don Hansen (R).

Willard Kondro (L) presenting to 2007 Award of Merit recipient Abe Reimer.

Pat Barnes (C) receiving an honourary membership in 2011 from Bob Maslanko (L) and Terry Milot (R).

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50th Anniversary 51

eCaa sPeCiaL award reCiPients

Willard Kondro (L) and Terry Milot (R) presenting 2006 Award of Merit recipient Brian Halina (C).

DJ Coppens presenting to 2008 Award of Merit recipient Reg Morris.

The association may, at an annual general meeting, elect to nominate any individual to be an honourary member of the association. Recipients added to this select group from 2002 – 2011 in-clude Cliff Pilkey, George Froese, Steve Warholik, Bob Steele, Allen Wigels-worth, Walter Manchakowsky, Brian Harris, Ken Cameron, Perry Schmaltz, Keith Youngblood, Ernie Mortemore, Pat Horiachka, Pat Barnes, and Bunny Kennedy.

award of merit The purpose of the ECAA’s Award of Merit is to honour a person whose out-standing achievement is of such im-portance to the electrical contracting industry of Alberta that it is contrib-uting to its human welfare and com-mon good. Persons to be considered shall have been concerned with some portion of the electrical industry in Alberta including, but not limited to, electrical contractors, consulting en-

gineers, inspectors, educators, suppli-ers and manufacturers, and shall have been in residence of Alberta during the period of their considered achieve-ment. Since 2002, this distinguished award has been presented to Louis Galick, Terry Sawatzky, Kelly Morris, Willard Kondro, Brian Halina, Abe Reimer, Reg Morris, Dave Hagen, John Robinson and this year to Keven Lefe-bvre, PEC.


Wife, mother, grandmother, and work-ing professional – the ECAA’s executive director Sheri McLean has managed to balance it all. The hard-working wife and mother of three admits that her life with husband Ned is very fulfilling, as is her job. “The ECAA keeps me very busy, as do our grandchildren – all four of them [soon to be five].” What prompted McLean to devote her career to the association were the down-to-earth people who made up the boards throughout the years and the member-ship. “They are genuine, good people who have appreciated me and welcomed us into the electrical contractor family, and are giving back to the industry they make their living from. Many put in hours and hours of volunteer time and I truly re-spect each and every one of them.” As McLean reminisces, she was hired by the ECAA as part of their “frugal years cut-backs” on a six-month contract as an administrative assistant. Her 15 years of experience with another association and her love of the not-for-profit sector sealed the deal and landed her a perma-nent position.

Early in her career with the ECAA, McLean received a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation through the Canadian Society of Association Execu-tives (CSAE), garnering the executive di-rector a proud honour and a wealth of knowledge. For McLean, career highlights include the ECAA receiving professional status and the ECAA’s 40th anniversary conven-tion and history book. “I spent my summer months tour-ing the province with one of our life-time members Lou Galick interviewing founding fathers and listening to memo-ries being shared on the past history of the chapters and the association overall. A wonderful, wonderful experience,” shares McLean. Another highlight was administering the electrical Masters Program for the Department of Municipal Affairs for 15 years and being able to talk to and meet and mentor a number of the students and then watch them proudly receive their certificates at local chapter meet-ings. “The best part of my job is travelling to our eight chapters and being able to meet and network with all our members

and their families – many have become

very close friends,” says McLean. “I don’t

understand why every electrical contrac-

tor in the province is not a member of

this truly wonderful association.”

Although she has held the position

for a number of years now, she shares

that hasn’t yet thought about retirement.

Instead, there are a few more things she

would like to get done.

“I would like to see the ECAA’s Profes-

sional Electrical Contractor (PEC) pro-

gram really flourish over the next couple

of years by increasing public awareness

of the PEC designation and the benefits

of hiring a PEC.”

Although McLean works closely with

the members of the ECAA, she also has

formed close relationships with her fel-

low staff as well.

“I have to acknowledge the exception-

al people I have worked with during my

tenure at the ECAA. The staff turnover

here is very small. I feel I have given my

staff the confidence to grow into incred-

ibly strong, competent employees who

will succeed anywhere in the corpo-

rate world. Many have become special

friends not only to me, but to our mem-

bers as well. As one employee put it, ‘we

are an ECAA family’.”

baLanCinG worK and famiLy: The ECAA’s Sheri McLean

Sheri McLean (sitting, right), with the ECAA office staff, Dorothy Dean(top left), Brittany Smith (top right) and Christine Hryniw (bottom left)

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50th Anniversary 53

Merit Contractors Association would like to congratulate the

Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta on its 50th anni-versary! For the past 26 years, the Merit Contractors Association (Merit) has been serving the needs of Alberta’s open shop con-struction industry and currently represents over 1,300 construc-tion companies in the province, which employ nearly 40,000 Albertans. Merit is one of the fastest-growing construction as-sociations in Canada. Its member companies participate in all sectors of the construction industry, including residential, com-mercial, institutional, industrial, heavy civil and road building, and together completed over 60 million hours of work in 2011. Merit is best known for its cost-effective and portable Hour Bank Benefit Plan, which includes life insurance, health, den-tal, disability, and employee and family assistance. Merit’s Hour Bank and Office Supervisory Plans combine to provide benefits

to over 2,500 companies and 53,000 employees across Canada. Merit also covers 100 per cent of member companies’ appren-tice tuition fees. Last year we paid over $2 million in tuition refunds to over 2,500 apprentices. Merit has enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship with the electrical sector. Our current 1,300-plus member companies in-clude over 240 electrical firms and our tuition refunds to em-ployees in electrical for the past five years have totaled close to $5.5 million. Electrical contractors have also had a sizeable presence on our board of directors (including a number of our past chairs) and have played an important role in shaping the development of our association. The Merit Contractors Association would like to thank our partners in the electrical sector for their vital contributions to our association. We hope that the coming decades will see the continued growth of this valued partnership.

from the merit ContraCtors assoCiation

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Mike Swanson, electrical specialist at Alberta Envirofuels Inc., wanted a road-map for upgrading lighting at the com-pany’s compressor and utility buildings, where it makes a blending component for premium gasoline. He wanted a solu-tion that merged environmental aware-ness with cost efficiency and improved the quality of lighting. The project turned out to be a perfect applied research capstone project for NAIT’s bachelor of technology in Tech-nology Management students Ryan Kirs-tiuk and Nadiya Herman, who graduated in 2011. Kirstiuk took the lead role and analyzed Alberta Envirofuels’ lighting system and then suggested the company trade its existing HPS (high pressure so-dium) lighting for new, highly efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lights. By December 2010, the company had changed all the indoor lights in the com-pressor building and some in the utility building. Kirstiuk calculated that switch-ing to LED would save Alberta Envirofu-els as much as 50 per cent, or approxi-mately $59,000 in electricity and unit replacement costs over the approximate 10-year lifetime of the lights.

In time, Kirstiuk’s work could save the company even more. “We will make upgrades to lighting throughout Alberta Envirofuels in the future based on budget availability,” says Swanson. Meanwhile, Kirstiuk, now an engineer-ing technologist in property manage-ment at Atco Gas, hopes to bring what he has learned about green lighting to his employer and a broader market. “A lot of places might be interested in LED lighting but not be aware of the sav-ings,” he says. “Sometimes the upfront capital costs scare off interested par-ties.” However, after his capstone project work for Envirofuels, Kirstiuk now has the cost- and energy-savings numbers to share with those interested in making the switch. All students in NAIT’s Bachelor of Technology program must complete cap-

stone projects, in which teams of students

work with industry partners on an iden-

tified problem or opportunity. Although

capstone subjects can vary widely, each

must deliver a practical solution or vi-

able recommendation. The two-semester

capstone is an important part of BTech

degree studies, giving students valuable

insights into real-world challenges.

2012 is a milestone year for both NAIT

and the ECAA as we each celebrate 50

years of growth, evolution and service

to the community. In 1962, NAIT’s very

first class was a group of 29 Communi-

cation Electrician apprentices. Over the

past five decades, thousands of skilled

graduates have built rewarding careers

in fields touched by the ECAA, and in-

deed many ECAA members are no doubt

NAIT alumni.

briGht LiGhts,

biG savinGsBy Theresa Shea

NAIT congratulates the ECAA on 50 years of success and is proud to have been part of the journey.

50th Anniversary 55

briGht LiGhts,

Local Union 424 of the Internation-al Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is proud to congratulate the Electrical Contractors Association of Al-berta (ECAA) on its 50th anniversary. Local 424 is honoured to have pro-vided skilled, qualified trades people to the signatory contractors of the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta since the beginning. Currently our member-ship exceeds 7,000 members working mainly in the commercial and industrial markets. From solar panels to lightning bolts, our membership is always willing to assist the signatory contractors of the ECAA.

Local 424 is proud of the work we have done in partnership with our signatory contractors. Not only in building some of the finest construction projects but also in developing industry-leading stan-dards. Our training centre has allowed thousands of our members to be trained in cutting-edge technology. From basic courses like conduit bending to complex courses for substation relays, we are con-stantly seeking to enhance the value of our signatory contractors. Our pension plan and our benefit packages set the standard for the rest of the industry. All of these items are a result of years of suc-cessful bargaining with the ECAA.

Our partnerships with programs like Tradewinds to Success and our own pre-apprenticeship program show the com-mitment to the community in which we all live and work. Many of our signatory contractors are active within the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta and their dedication shows the true value of the organization. IBEW Local 424 knows that the first 50 years are but a sign of things to come. With the knowledge, commitment, and leadership of the ECAA, our members look forward to another 50 years of quality, cost-effective construction projects. Congratula-tions ECAA on 50 years of success.

on 50 years from ibew LoCaL 424

4.5” x 4.5”INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS®900 Seventh Street, NW • Washington, DC 20001 • www.ibew.org

The IBEW Honors Local Labor Activists for Their Outstanding Contributions

Edwin D. HillInternational President

Salvatore J. Chilia International Secretary-Treasurer

Congratulations


Time is always in short supply for third-

year electrical apprentice Max Thrasher.

Since launching his career, the 32-year-

old has quickly worked his way up the

ranks. He was hired on the spot by em-

ployer Dendera Electric and soon found

himself with a hand in running the com-

pany. While the swift rise is good news,

Thrasher has found it challenging to

keep up with his training.

“It’s just part of my personality, I can’t

let things go. Whenever I leave the shop,

I take it home with me,” says Thrasher.

“It took me quite a while to even get into

my first year [of apprenticeship training]

because of how busy we were at work.”

Thrasher found a way to beat the clock

by enrolling in the third-year Blended

Learning program for electrical ap-prentices at SAIT Polytechnic’s School of Construction — a flexible new pro-gram that combines online studies with hands-on lab time. Launched in September 2011, the third-year Blended Learning option combines 12 weeks of online theoretical studies with four weeks of on-campus labs. The theory and lab components can be spread over a 16-week period or taken as two separate blocks. A 21-week, fourth-year Blended Learning program has also been available since 2010. Instead of committing two full months to school, third-year Blended Learning students can continue to work while completing their training— tak-ing off one day a week or a few hours here and there for labs — flexibility that Thrasher says benefits himself and his employer. “Having this program available is definitely a good option,” says Thrasher, explaining that some people — such as himself— become so involved in work that they need help making time while others are really motivated to learn on their own. And those two features are the keys to the program, explains Dr. Lionel Shew-

sait PoLyteChniC bLends the best of both worLdsCongratulations ECAA!Congratulations to the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta on its 50th anniversary as the “voice” of the provincial electrical industry. SAIT is proud of its ties to industry and the longstanding relationship with the ECAA. The association’s commitment to education, stakeholders, and industry information has served the province of Alberta admirably for 50 years, and we look forward to continuing to advance electrical education and training together for decades more.

Instructor Bob Veck (l) working with Simon Mather (r).

Proud Member

and Supporting Partner

of the Electrical Contractors

Association of Alberta

Congratulations on 50 yrs Strong!

ECAA 50 yrs.indd 1 27/02/2012 12:30:53 PM

50th Anniversary 57

Max Thrasher working on multimedia review exercises (near) and Simon Mather conducting transformer testing (far).

chuk, academic chair for electrical ap-prenticeship at SAIT. “It has reduced a lot of the stress that would normally exist with a student not having funding,” says Dr. Shewchuk. “That is one facet. But the other is allow-ing them to work at their own pace. We had a student who finished a 21-week program in 12 weeks and he was at it part-time.” A journeyman electrician who has taught for 25 years, Dr. Shewchuk also earned a doctorate in education technol-ogy and has done extensive research on distance learning. He and his team de-veloped the Blended Learning program to create a system where students are en-gaged in a learning community through technology — rather than being isolated by it. There is strong program support for students through an array of resources specifically tailored to their needs: on-line chat with instructors, specialized print material, and interactive multi-media. These tools emulate a standard classroom environment but with more flexibility. Industry-experienced instruc-tors are available to answer questions in labs that are open five days a week while providing one-on-one instruction when possible. Additionally, instructors can be reached by phone and email. Balancing education with the ability to earn a living was the primary draw for Simon Mather, another third-year elec-trical apprentice enrolled in the Blended Learning program. He recommends the approach to anyone prepared to make the commitment. “I do recommend it, if you are will-ing to put in the effort,” says Mather. “It’s great, because you are getting the one-on-one, hands-on training with the teacher while enjoying the flexibility of the extended time.” The program has the full support of Al-berta Apprenticeship and Industry Train-ing and follows the same curriculum as the traditional in-class apprenticeship program in order to prepare students for their provincial and inter-provincial ex-ams. “What we want to do is make sure they are successful, that is the bottom line,” says Dr. Shewchuk.

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S2012-03-00558 Electrical Constractors Association of Alberta - 50th Anniversar Con-Ed AD.indd 1 12-03-28 1:59 PM


Federated Insurance extends their sincere congratulations to the Electri-cal Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA) on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. To reflect back on the out-standing partnership Federated Insur-ance has enjoyed with the ECAA for many years, we sought out our Associa-tion Services coordinators. George Froese, honourary member of the ECAA, represented Federated In-surance with associations from 1991 to 2001 and recalls the relationship as really getting underway in the late 1970’s when Tony Tonhauser, Terry Rausch, and other marketers (now Risk Services coordina-tors) started calling on electrical con-tractors in Alberta. As part of our overall association marketing philosophy, Fed-erated Insurance has always supported representation at ECAA chapter meet-ings and Froese recalls such cooperation from our sales and other personnel in Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmon-ton, Grande Prairie, and Lloydminster. As a company focused on the value of relationships, it’s no surprise that Froese speaks highly of the prominence of ex-

ecutive director Sheri McLean, Perry and Sophie Schmaltz, Kelly Morris, Jeff Light, and “many others”. Froese credits the positive relationship with the ECAA as directly impacting our subsequent successes with other provin-cial electrical associations, as well as the Canadian Electrical Contractors Associa-tion. Gary Borodenko recalls taking over as the Association Services coordinator in 2001 with some trepidation. With Fro-ese’s reassurance, that in the ECAA he would be dealing with people who were “the best in the industry” and “salt of the earth”, Borodenko visited the board of directors with the intent of finding out how he could help the association. He was struck by the overall concern for the electrical industry in Alberta, and not only their own businesses, but those of their competitors as well. Borodenko also references his meet-

ings with Sheri McLean and how she provided him with the opportunity to address the membership following the tragedy of 9-11 to explain the impact on insurance rating. He also recalls memo-rable meetings with Gord Harris and Willard Kondro. Upon Borodenko’s move to a sales management position, Wayne Budge assumed the Association Services co-ordinator role in 2008. Enhancing the partnership with the ECAA as set by his predecessors is critical to Budge and he also acknowledges the support of other Federated Insurance personnel in at-tending association events and develop-ing solutions to their insurance-related needs. Budge has thoroughly enjoyed his time building on the relationships with Sheri McLean, ECAA staff, president Clem Gratton, the past presidents, board members, and the general membership. “There is a lot of satisfaction in work-ing with people from the ECAA, who are dedicated to the welfare of their industry and membership,” says Budge. While Budge has fond recollections of ECAA meetings, conferences, and play-ing (poorly) in the Carson Classic, the highlight is his attendance to the 50th an-niversary convention where many new friendships were developed. George (Verna), Gary (Linda), and Wayne (Wendy) are all grateful of their times with the ECAA and the wonder-ful people they have come to know and respect. On behalf of all of Federated Insurance, we again congratulate the as-sociation on their 50th anniversary, for their service to Alberta residents, and for their role in the training of electrical contractors. Federated Insurance is hon-oured for having shared in some of your past, happy to be celebrating the present, and look forward to helping the Electri-cal Contractors Association of Alberta prepare for the future.

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Federated Insurance extends our warmest congratulations on the occasion of your 50th anniversary.

It’s been our privilege to work with you and we are very proud of and truly value the many great relationships we have made.

Cheers! Wishing you many more years of success.

President

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Congratulations ECAA on 50 years

1. Past Presidents attending gala.2. Lifetime Member Stan Misyk.3. Past President and Labour Relations Coordinator, Pat Barnes (C) receiving recognition from President Clem Gratton (L) and Labour Relations Chair Brian Halna (R).4. Award of Merit Recipient, Keven Lefebvre, PEC.5. 50th anniversary gala sponsors.6. George Froest (L) and Wayne Budge (R) - Federated Insurance.7. Labour Relations Chairs Art Thormann (L) and Brian Halina (R).

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50th Anniversary Gala

Seated (L-R) Clem Gratton, Ron Gilhooly, Willard Kondro, Art Thormann, Elver Olsen, Eldon Dane. Standing (L-R) Perry Schmaltz, Jeff Light, Pat Barnes, DJ Coppens, Bob Maslanko, Harm Gerrits, Kelly Morris, Kurt Sorensen, Gord Harris, Ron Mackenzie, Ross Andreas

50th Anniversary 61

5

6 7

3770 12th Street NECalgary, Alberta T2E 8H9

Tel: 403-291-2333 • Fax: 403-291-5118

www.westernelectrical.com

As a member for the past 44 years, i t is our

great pleasure to congratulate the

Electr ical Contractors Association of Alberta

on your 50th anniversary!

3770 12th Street NE Calgary, Alberta T2E 8H9 Telephone 403-291-2333 Fax 403-

291-5118 www.westernelectrical.com

As a member for the past 44 years, it is our great

pleasure to congratulate the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta on

your 50th anniversary!

Congratulations ECAA on your 50th Anniversary!

Eaton Electrical Group12465 - 153rd Street

Edmonton, AB T5V 1E4Phone: (780) 490-3280

Fax: (780) 450-1750Toll Free: 1-800-268-3578

www.eatoncanada.ca


A.C. Dandy Products Ltd. .............................................OBC

AAA Enterprises ............................................................ 20

Alcan Cable .................................................................. iBC

Allied Projects Ltd. .......................................................... 8

AltaPro Electric Ltd. ....................................................... 31

Bantrel ........................................................................... 9

Bar W Petroleum & Electric ........................................... 45

Black & McDonald Ltd. .................................................. 53

Brews Supply Ltd. ......................................................... 58

Builder’s Electric Co. Ltd. ............................................... 36

Building Trades of Alberta ............................................ 51

Calgary Electric Club ..................................................... 35

Canadian Custom Engravers .......................................... 22

Canadian Electrical Contractors Association .................. 13

Candela Group Ltd........................................................... 4

Canem Systems ............................................................. 32

Chemco Electrical .......................................................... 21

Chermik Communications Ltd. ...................................... 20

CLR - Construction Labour Relations ............................. 37

CMA – Electric Ltd. ........................................................ 38

CMn Electrical Systems Ltd. .......................................... 34

Corona Electric Ltd. ....................................................... 44

Corporation des Maitres Electriciens du Quebec ........... 49

DC Electrical Services .................................................... 38

Design 21 LED Lighting Systems ................................... 49

DnC Energy inc. ............................................................. 39

Eaton ............................................................................ 61

Edgerton Electrical Services .......................................... 34

Edmonton Electric ........................................................... 6

EECOL Electric Corp. ........................................................ 5

Electrical Safety Program Solutions inc. ..................11, 19

Electrical Wholesalers Edmonton .................................. 33

Federated insurance ..................................................... 32

Fisher Powerline Construction Ltd.................................iFC

Gescan .......................................................................... 30

Graybar Canada............................................................. 17

Guillevin international Co. ............................................ 56

iBEW Local union 424 .................................................. 15

international Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ........... 55

iPEX............................................................................... 59

Kamwin Electric Ltd. ..................................................... 43

Kels Electric Ltd. ............................................................ 11

Magnum Electric ........................................................... 18

Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta ............... 9

Merit Contractors Association ....................................... 10

n.A. Power installations Ltd. ......................................... 44

nAiT.............................................................................. 26

nedco Western Canada ................................................. 29

nomad Electrical Contractors Ltd. ................................. 10

nova Pole international inc. .......................................... 47

nova Scotia Electrical Contractors Association .............. 48

Power Works Electrical Ltd. ........................................... 38

Prelim Electric Ltd. ........................................................ 30

Richard McDonald & Associates Ltd. ............................. 62

SAiT Polytechnic School of Construction ..................42, 57

Schneider Electric ......................................................... 28

Siemens Canada ............................................................. 7

Simplex Grinnell ........................................................... 25

Sun Life Financial .......................................................... 23

Territorial Electric .......................................................... 60

The Cat Rental Store ........................................................ 9

The inspections Group inc. ............................................ 46

Thomas & Betts ............................................................. 18

Trimen Electric .............................................................. 52

Trotter & Morton ........................................................... 37

Trydor industries (Canada) Ltd. ..................................... 50

Wesco Distribution ........................................................ 27

Western Electric ............................................................ 61

Westridge Electric Ltd. .................................................. 22

Wirtanen Electric Training Foundation .......................... 23

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Project2_Electrical 50 year 7/16/2012 9:54 AM Page 1

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ECAA_PRESS.pdf 1 12-02-01 3:36 PM

electrical contractors association of alberta (ecaa) 50th anniversary publication

Documents

pec14 message

pec16 message

pec18 message

pec12 message

lld8 message

qc10 message

ecaa kelly wilde12 message

president bob maslanko