Graham inducted to Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame
By STAFF REPORT
Construction Infrastructure Skills DevelopmentGraham Construction has been inducted as the 29th member of the Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame.
“Since its start as P. W. Graham Construction, right here in Saskatchewan, and through its emergence into the top ranks of construction companies across North America, Graham’s success has mirrored the growth of this province, generation after generation,” said Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.
It was in 1926 when P. W. Graham & Sons got their start building railway stations for the Canadian Pacific Railway in Moose Jaw. Graham is now primarily Western Canada-based but has an office as far east as Mississauga, Ont. It’s also established a presence in the United States with work going on in Washington, Texas and even New York state.
“To be inducted into the hall of fame is not just a reflection of the company the way it sits but rather it’s a reflection of the leaders of this company and their vision that really preceded us,” said Grant Beck, president and CEO of Graham Construction, following the recent award ceremony.
According to Beck, former president and CEO Tom Baxter was pivotal for the company in bringing Graham from around $30 million in revenue to $1.5 billion annually in a little over two decades.
“We’ve had some outstanding leaders over the decades and one in mind that sticks out to me is Tom Baxter, who transitioned us from 1984 to well into the mid-2000s through all the sustained growth.”
“To have the industry … actually recognize what we’ve accomplished in helping build the province is truly honouring, particularly when it’s your peers and your business partners that are making that choice,” said Beck.
The company’s resilience and quality of work enabled them to survive the Great Depression by focusing on government construction including schools, hospitals and public buildings. Demonstrating building excellence, the company was able to reach another milestone in the 1950s – constructing the Boundary Dam power generating station in Estevan for Saskatchewan Power. This launched a new era for Graham and initiated a major growth phase.
Graham has diversified, providing construction services to every sector of the Saskatchewan economy. Services are delivered to the mining, power and energy sectors to a long list of clients. In partnership with Athabasca Basin Development LP, Graham is also part of Points Athabasca Contracting Limited Partnership, one of the most successful aboriginal construction firms in the region. Through its success and engagement with its northern customer, Cameco, Points Athabasca and Graham have developed an additional partnership with File Hills Qu’Appelle Development to address aboriginal engagement and capacity in the southern part of the province.
“In the 80s was probably the most significant change because in 1984 the employees purchased the assets of the company from the Graham family and that’s when everything started to change for us and our whole growth curve really moved,” said Beck. The company now sees gross annual revenues exceeding $2 billion and was ranked 6th in the annual On-Site Canadian Top Contractors Survey.
Graham continues to be a trusted construction solutions partner in Saskatchewan as evident by many landmark awards including the province’s biggest infrastructure project to-date, the Regina Bypass project. Other important recent awards include Saskatoon Children’s Hospital, Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford and the North Commuter Parkway.
These projects demonstrate the significant opportunities available in the province. Graham is building on its legacy in the province by providing services that facilitate continued growth, business with local subcontractors and suppliers, and creating more job opportunities.
Over the decades Graham has been a strong supporter of the Saskatchewan communities where its employees live and work.
Graham continues to give back to the province in many ways, including partnerships with regional educational institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan, the College of Engineering, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Edwards School of Business, as well as through organizations and charities that promote the health, well-being and prosperity of citizens throughout the province.
“The Graham team have worked for decades to make their company a leader in the construction industry. Graham is a very deserving inductee, one that we believe epitomizes the spirit of the Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame,” McLellan said.
