Everyday Heroes: Meet Finning's service ... - Finning Canada

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REMEMBER WHEN…Terrace, B.C. field service: circa 1972the front seat to take in the view. “He hadan insatiable curiosity and loved to learn asmuch as he could,” says Ritchie. “I have greatadmiration for what he did. He and Rosellawere such a hardworking, great team.”At one auction in Whitehorse, no soonerhad the Boreks bought two Cat 621 scraperswhen Rosella and Kenn hopped on them anddrove them the long haul to Dawson Creek.To say Kenn was hands-on is an understatement.He knew every aspect of his business,and knew where every cent went. Whenhe went to a sale, says Middleton, everybodywanted to talk to Kenn. He could be foundleaning on a piece of equipment, likely with apair of gloves in his front pocket, checking outhis competition. “He never owned a suit, hegot dirty just like everybody else,” Middletonsays. And he and Rosella always made suretheir employees were well looked after.“He knew how to do business the rightway,” Middleton says. “He knew his equipmentand passed on principles that we stilluse today. I learned an immense amountfrom Kenn.”Today, business is still going strong forBorek Construction. It has camps in the North-TIMELESS TRUTH: Borek Construction stilluses principles passed on from its founderwest Territories, is building leases and roadsaround Hinton, Alberta, and is double shifting12 or 14 pieces of equipment in Fort Nelson.Still loyal Finning customers, the businessowns more than 100 Caterpillar machines.Rosella serves as president of Borek Construction,while her son Dean manages thebusiness. Most of Kenn and Rosella’s kids areinvolved in the company, including many oftheir 11 grandchildren. (They also have fourgreat grandchildren).And Kenn’s name lives on. The KennBorek Memorial Scholarship recognizes aWestern Canadian or Northern Canadian studentpursuing an aviation career. The familyalso donated $250,000 to what would laterbe named the Kenn Borek Aquatic LeisureCentre in Dawson Creek, and Rosella donatedher CF-PAT, one of the most well-travelledTwin Otters in the world, to the Aero SpaceMuseum in Calgary.Just as she always has, Rosella works hard,going to the office every day. When Kenn died,she slipped into his spot, running the companythey spent decades building together. “It’shard for me to stay home. I’ll keep going in aslong as I can. It’s all I know.”Borek on the wingIf something needed fixing, Kenn Borekwould sit down and figure out how to doit, says his wife Rosella. That includedfinding an easier way to cart his crew,supplies and equipment to the Arctic.In 1970, Kenn bought his first DHC-6Twin Otter and Rosella chose the redand black insignia that still adorns thefleet’s fuselage. Today, the companyowns and operates 57 aircraft and isone of the largest Twin Otter operatorsin the world.Although offering their machines forexploration activities has been the largestsingle source of revenue for KennBorek Air, it provides a range of servicesworldwide. On any given day, its aircraftcould be supporting UN peacekeepingmissions, transporting scientific teamsand adventure charters in both polar regionsor leasing aircraft and equipmentto carriers in Cuba, Panama, the Maldivesand Canada.The company gained notoriety in2001 when it carried out one of theriskiest rescue missions by a smallplane near the South Pole. Kenn BorekAir pilots transported a sick Americandoctor out of Antarctica, taking him tosafety in Chile for treatment.Now led by Christien Vipond, Kennand Rosella’s oldest daughter, KennBorek Air has permanent fixed-wingbase facilities all over the Arctic, in BritishColumbia, Edmonton and Calgary.30 TRACKS & TREADS • Spring 2008 www.finning.ca
TryFreedomErnie Catherwood bought hisfirst Fraser River tug to free himfrom working for the man.Now he is the manStory by Katherine Fawcetthe number one song of 1971blared from someone’s carradio near the dock on theFraser River at Mission, B.C. as Ernie Catherwoodgazed proudly at the most importantpurchase he’d ever made.“Jeremiah was a bullfrog / Was a goodfriend of mine.”Catherwood smiled and bobbed his headto the beat. At 24, he had been a boom-mansince high-school, and had biceps the girlsloved to squeeze. His shaggy brown hair fellinto his blue eyes and he stepped into hissmall, wooden tug-boat. Ten thousand dollarsit had cost him. Huge money, but heknew it would buy him freedom. No morepunching the clock and putting in time.When he bought that first tug, he hada mind to deliver booms to the shake andshingle mills in the region from local storagegrounds. He also thought he’d pick up somebusiness helping other companies tow logbooms and barges upstream and downstreamthrough the Mission Rail Bridge. Catherwoodcalled his tug the Sea Imp, and there wouldbe more vessels of the same name to follow.Business was good from the start, and thecompany would eventually provide a cruciallink in the economy of British Columbia.Catherwood figured out how to operatehis new boat, and learned what kind of tow-www.finning.ca Spring 2008 • tracks & treads 31
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Page 6: News & ReviewsBY DAVID DICENZOPaint
Page 9 and 10: GROUNDBREAKERGareth SinePedal to th
Page 11: GROUNDBREAKERBy the NumbersHeight i
Page 14 and 15: We service what we sellIn 1928, Ear
Page 17 and 18: CAT POWER: A Cat 3406 engine powers
Page 19 and 20: SIXTIES SERVICE: Finning’s Jerry
Page 21 and 22: company was asked to take on the ad
Page 24 and 25: Giant spruce near Port Renfrew, B.C
Page 28 and 29: Lines Acrossthe NorthKenn and Rosel
Page 32 and 33: Remember When…Cat equipment clean
Page 34 and 35: EverydayHeroesKeeping customers’
Page 36 and 37: Green isGoldOne B.C. family is tear
Page 38 and 39: The sureway: An Edmonton constructi
Page 40: and Alberta was experiencing its fi
Page 43 and 44: Partners inProgressAn Edmonton comp
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Page 49 and 50: 1970s:D10 tractorCat spreads its wi
Page 51: 793 has a higher yield.” Moving m
Page 54 and 55: TEAM SPARWOOD: Clockwise from botto
Page 56 and 57: 56 tracks & treads • Spring 2008
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Page 60 and 61: REMEMBER WHEN…Field Service 1962b
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Page 64 and 65: 12 DecadesStrongPeter AndrewA coupl
Page 67 and 68: A NiceStretchRon Macmillan’s gran
Page 69 and 70: REMEMBER WHEN…Service preventive
Page 71 and 72: Have anIce DayIn February and March
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Page 75 and 76: LIMITED TIME ONLY - 75 TH ANNIVERSA

Everyday Heroes: Meet Finning's service ... - Finning Canada

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