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COMPANY PROFILE :: Marnevic Construction Ltd.TROY DECICCIO, JOURNEYMAN MECHANIC;A CAT 988B (RIGHT)“In the early years, therewere always rumoursthat Fox Creek wouldbe a ghost town by2000,” says MarnevicConstruction Ltd.’s NeilDeCiccio.Marnevic succeeds by concentrating onthe local market and avoiding biddingwars with larger companies. “Most contractors,they’re staying in hotel roomsand traveling across the province,” saysTodd DeCiccio, who takes care of theoperations and safety side of the business.“We pretty well stay within an 80-kilometreradius of Fox Creek, so our guys arehome every night.”Todd represents the third generation ofthe DeCiccio family to take an interest inthe company. His brother, Troy, is focusingon mechanical engineering. Familyand community are important themesat Marnevic. “Our jobs are such that ourworkers can go home at night and be withtheir families,” says Martha, the matriarchof the clan. “We’re having fun and weenjoy Fox Creek,” she adds. “We participatein helping the community and we’revery proud of the employees we have.”That spirit is reflected in the floats theDeCiccios have built in the Marnevicshop. Between 1989 and 1991, the companywon three awards at the KlondikeDays parade in Edmonton.There have been a lot of changes in the37 years since Bill launched the business.Instead of one employee, there are now 50full-timers on the payroll, with additionaltemporary jobs during the busy season.Marnevic maintains more than 35 piecesof machinery and 10 trucks. In 1975, thecompany purchased a rock crusher toprovide gravel surfacing for all-weatherroads, the start of what the DeCiccios liketo call their “Flintstone era.”What’s next for the company? “Thefuture depends on these grandsons ofmine, whether they want to expand andmove on, or stay and be like the rest us,”Bill muses. “As far as I’m concerned, wemake a damn fine living here so whyshould we move on.” Todd doesn’t thinkvery much of the idea of moving on,either. “I don’t see any reason why I wouldleave. I grew up here and I enjoy the smalltown. I went to university in the city, andI’m definitely not a city person. I wouldhave a hard time working in a bank orsomething where you are doing the samething everyday.”Fox Creek, population 2,500, haschanged a lot since Bill had his first lookat the place. There are schools and playgrounds,hiking trails and plans to build askateboarding park for teenagers. Nearbylakes offer top-notch fishing and boating.In the winter, the DeCiccios spend a lot oftheir recreational time at the curling rink,where Todd and Troy provide the sweepingpower for a championship foursomeskipped by Neil.The community and the companygrew up together. It is a relationship that islikely to continue for a very long time.PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUSTIN DELFS40 TRACKS & TREADS • Summer 2005 www.finning.ca