Southern Alberta nabs top prize

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St. Mary's Construction Co. Ltd. is the 2002 recipient of the Eagle Feather Business Award of Distinction.

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce award in the category of First Nations-owned Business was presented at a banquet Feb. 28 in Calgary. The honor recognizes the company, which was sponsored by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, for successfully incorporating Native culture into its business plan and management operations.

St. Mary's Construction at Standoff is owned by the Blood Tribe and has been committed to hiring its own members and creating employment opportunities on reserve from its inception. Since April 1997, 374 band members have been hired to work on 15 construction contracts worth more than $56 million.

Fort McKay Enterprises Ltd. and Goodfish Lake Development Corporation were runners-up for the award.

"It's an honor for a company from way down south," said Leonard Day Rider, who was hired by the Blood Tribe in 1997 to compete for construction contracts.

Unlike the other nominees, the company is headquartered on reserve and is owned by the band.

Also unique to St. Mary's Construction, said Day Rider, the company is very conscious of its First Nation roots.

"We use a business approach, today's latest technology, but we never forget where we come from," said Day Rider.

Cultural values such as honesty, integrity, respect and trust are an integral part of the company's dealings.

"Our word is just as good as a contract," said Day Rider.

In its nomination for the award, the company noted, "Our Native culture has been successfully incorporated into our business planning, management and operations of the company through a steadfast commitment to continuously search for and employ our own people in designated areas in the construction industry."

St. Mary's Projects (which is the parent company to St. Mary's Construction Co. Ltd.) was started 25 years ago as a construction company.

Having won the award has already opened doors for the company, which has been courting inquiries from other First Nations as well as municipalities in southern Alberta.

"It's opening up a lot of business doors for us already," said Day Rider. "We're looking at joint ventures with non-Native firms, projects that are bigger than what we can do on our own."

Thirty finalists were selected in 13 categories by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce in January.

Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc. won the INAC/Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative-sponsored Aboriginal Relations-Best practice Award of Distinction category and Alberta Energy Company Ltd. was the runner-up.

"Our field of nominees ran the gamut from small operations to major corporations. They exemplify the diversity of Alberta's business community and highlight its strengths," said Martin West, president of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

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