It is difficult to segregate management personnel from the operating people as almost all of Dawson’s management team members have arrived there via the field. They both are essential to the success of the Dawson Group of companies. Among Dawson’s operating people are some of the most highly skilled construction men in the industry, manning the group’s huge fleet of equipment. A few of them are:
H.D. (Herb) Grant joined Dawson, Wade and Co. in the early ’50s as a foreman at the Cold Lake airport project in Alberta. Following completion of the project, he went to Fort McMurray, Alberta, as project manager for the construction of the airport there. In Campbell River, B.C., he was assistant manager of the Upper Campbell Lake development, the Strathcona Dam. He was also in charge of relocation of the Elk Valley road.
Herb has been in charge of some of the most difficult highway construction projects ever undertaken in B.C., and is currently project manager of the Upper Levels Highway widening and the Cypress Bowl access road.
Maintenance
Jack McKee is the equipment manager for Dawson Construction. He is responsible for the selection, preventive maintenance programs and repairs for the entire Dawson fleet of equipment.
He joined the company at the Cold Lake airport project in 1954 as a warehouse clerk. Since that date, he has given leadership in almost every facet of the Dawson organization.
In the latter part of 1959, Jack was superintendent in charge of construction of an access road running from Dawson City in the Yukon east for 30 miles through the most terrible terrain. He had to build that road just following blaze marks on trees-and every now and then tractors disappeared in the muskeg.
Largely as a result of this experience, he became very versatile in all facets of mechanical construction. He later became a paving superintendent and for a few years was in charge of paving operations; from which he gained further experience.
He brings to Dawson’s equipment fleet a thorough knowledge of its operating capabilities, its strengths and its weaknesses. He is highly regarded by the operating people for his leadership in this field.
Earth moving
Harry Glendinning is project manager at the Gibraltar Mines stripping project near Williams Lake.
Harry joined the Dawson companies as a scraper operator about 10 years ago. Shortly thereafter, he became foreman in charge of Dawson’s growing fleet of self-propelled scrapers.
He was appointed assistant project manager of the Tete Jaune Cache section of the Yellowhead highway.
Since that day, he has assumed command of some of the largest earth-moving projects in Western Canada. He has a thorough working knowledge of the capabilities of the most sophisticated earth-moving equipment and is well respected by his men for leadership in this field.
Currently, he is in charge of the stripping project for Gibraltar Mines which requires a very tight time scheduled.
Paving
Ed Bauder is paving superintendent. He has been associated with the Dawson organization since his discharge from the Army in 1946.
He started with Dawson’s paving crews in Vancouver and supervised many intricate projects. With Dawson’s acquisition of the large Madson asphalt plant, Ed was put in charge of the then-largest paving operation in Western Canada.
He has paved large sections of the Rogers Pass highway, the 401 freeway, and many projects in the interior around Kamloops and in the Cariboo. He presently works on the Clinton highway project.
As the Dawson organization acquired more asphalt plants, Ed has been instrumental in the training of some of the best operators to be found in this highly specialized industry.
Father & son
Henry Castle joined the Dawson organization in 1949 as a labourer and has worked continuously since that date with the company. Not only is Henry a highly skilled roller operator, but he has trained his son Donald, who also works for Dawson, to be equally capable.
The skills of men as Henry, combined with long service and loyalty to the company, is one of the reasons that the Dawson organization continues to grow and produce first-class workmanship.
Photo Caption: TRYGVE ‘TED’ THORESEN is typical of Dawson long-service employees. He started as a powder man in 1924 in the Yoho Valley and retired four years ago as a superintendent.