Gary Bosgoed succeeding in business and life

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Awards and accolades are nothing new to Regina engineer, entrepreneur, and exemplary citizen Gary Bosgoed. In the past five years alone, he has been honoured with a University of Regina Distinguished Alumnus Award, a Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Business Recognition Individual Award, and a Consulting Engineers of Saskatchewan Award of Merit, and he was also a finalist for an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Obviously, Bosgoed is a very successful businessman, and his 10-year old company, Bosgoed Project Consultants, is now widely known and respected as a model of Aboriginal business success.

On March 28, Bosgoed will be in Ottawa to receive his latest honor-a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in business and technology. Although the friendly and forthcoming member of the Peepeekisis First Nation is certainly appreciative, he is quick to point out that his co-workers and employees deserve much of the praise.

"The award is certainly a great honor. I characterize it as a real credit to the people that work here, and have worked here over the past decade," he said.

Bosgoed Project Consultants is a full-service engineering firm with the capabilities to handle project design, management, construction and consulting. The company focuses on serving the needs of First Nations communities, and in its short history, it has worked with over 100 First Nations on projects ranging from the construction of health and education centres to the installation of modern telecommunications and natural gas infrastructures. Prior to founding his now thriving business, Bosgoed spent nine years working for several Regina-based engineering firms, but his desire to become his own boss, and to work on more Aboriginal initiatives, led him to start his own firm in 1992.

"At the time, I hadn't worked within the Aboriginal community. It was explained to me that there were a lot of different capital projects going on there, that there weren't very many Aboriginal professionals working in that environment, and that it might be a good opportunity," said Bosgoed.

Given the company's success, the providers of this sage advice were obviously correct. Not long afterward, Bosgoed received some additional advice, and it, too, proved very beneficial.

"Shortly after I started Bosgoed Projects, I ran into some Elders. They said, 'We don't know anything about your business, but if you can give of yourself, give up a little bit of money to the Aboriginal community, and get involved in that community, it'll help you and your community," he explained. "That was certainly consistent with what I'd done up to that point. It was good advice, and in the decade since that meeting, it has been good for both the community and myself."

These Elders likely had no idea of just how involved Bosgoed would become. His full community and volunteer efforts are too extensive to list, though they include founding the Regina Aboriginal Professional Association, acting as a mentor for the Spirit of Aboriginal Enterprise program, serving on the advisory committee for the Community Access Program, holding the position of vice-president and director of the Canadian Aboriginal Science and Engineering Association, and sitting on the boards of the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority, Ranch Ehrlo Society, SaskFilm, Sask Centre of the Arts and the Wicihitowin Foundation.

"For as long as I can remember, I've always been active in the community," Bosgoed said. "I was president of my high school, I was president of the Engineering Student Society, I was a member of the student union . . .. It's always been an interest of mine, and I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of those kinds of things."

Though Bosgoed's involvement covers a broad range of issues and interests, he has two overriding goals that he consistently returns to.

"Promoting science careers toward children is what I lean to the most. There are so few Aboriginal scienc professionals in Canada, particularly engineers. It's a great opportunity, both for the young people and the country, to develop those people," he explained. "One of my big themes in addition to youth is to tell corporate Canada that they can and should hire more Aboriginal people."

Between his business and his numerous ongoing projects, it's a wonder that Bosgoed has time for anything else. But for the married father of three, family is a priority above all others.

"I'm a Beaver leader and a soccer coach, all of that fun stuff," he noted. "All of that can work, you just have to decide what your priorities are. Obviously, the kids are only going to be young for so long, and I put a lot of time into what they're doing. That's a great part of my life."

With a thriving business, a high level of community involvement, and a large, loving family, there seems little about Gary Bosgoed's life that isn't great. He is certainly a deserving recipient of all the successes and awards now coming to him.