The long-time president of construction at the Ledcor Group of Companies is hanging up his hard hat, clearing the way for the next generation of leadership at the Vancouver-based contractor.
The company announced Feb. 8 that Peter Hrdlitschka plans to retire after 29 years with Ledcor, though he will stay on as an advisor.
As president of the firm’s Canadian Building Construction unit, Hrdlitschka oversaw the teams responsible for a wide range of notable projects across Canada, such as the Teck Acute Care Centre in B.C., the Epcor Tower in Edmonton and the Pan Am Games Athletes Village in Toronto.
“Working for Ledcor for almost 30 years has been the defining achievement of my professional career,” Hrdlitschka said in a release. “Leading the building construction division has been an unforgettable experience, working with many wonderful people, building amazing structures and helping develop our communities along the way. I very proud of what we accomplished together and forward to continuing to mentor, coach and advise the group for the foreseeable future.”
To take over for Hrdlitschka as head of the division, Ledcor has appointed Russell Zirnhelt executive vice-president of Building Construction. Zirnhelt has been with the contractor since 2010, most recently serving as chief business officer for Building Construction.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to lead Ledcor’s building Construction Division and continue building lifetime clients as a market leader in safety, quality, and innovation,” Zirnhelt said. “We have the best people in the market working on complex, industry-leading projects for many brand-name clients. The opportunities for value enhancements are immense.”
The shift comes as Ledcor continues to take on larger projects and push into markets in eastern Canada, Tom Lassu, president of Ledcor Industries Inc. noted.
“Russell is a strong advocate for innovation, sustainability, new technologies, and inclusion and diversity initiatives,” Lassu said. “His insight and forward-thinking approach will help us continually enhance and expand our market leadership with safety, quality, and efficiency always at the forefront.”
