Seven Lakes Oilfield Services is continuing to rise up as an industry leader.
At the 2018 Alberta Business Awards of Distinction earlier this month, the local company was presented with the Eagle Feather Award of Distinction.
“We’re truly honoured to receive the award,” expressed Seven Lakes president and CEO John Darr. “Just being nominated was a great achievement, and then to actually win it, it felt really good.”
Given out annually to one business in Alberta, the Eagle Feather Award is to recognize a First Nation, Métis, or Inuit owned business that demonstrates outstanding achievement in business and incorporates cultural concepts into its operation for long-term success. A committee from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce carefully reviews the nominations, before deciding who best represents the criteria set out.
“For our local businesses to be recognized at a provincial level is pretty spectacular. The fact that (nominations) come from every corner of the province, and judging is done at the Alberta chamber level, it speaks volumes about the impact those businesses are having in our local region,” said Sherri Bohme, executive director of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Seven Lakes was nominated for the provincial designation by the Bonnyville and Cold Lake chambers of Commerce, after winning the award for Outstanding Large Business at the 2017 Lakeland Business of the Year Awards.
However, that wasn’t the only feather in their cap Seven Lakes received in the past year. They were also presented with the ASCA Trailblazer Award for Safety Excellence and the Global Petroleum Award for Indigenous Engagement.
“We’re truly humbled. We couldn’t do it without great partners, and we have some really good industry partners out there that work with Seven Lakes and have worked with us for a long time,” said Darr. “It means a lot to me, it means a lot to our workers that work hard every day and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our competitors. It’s the hard work my team puts in every day to make us successful.”
Commencing operations in 2002, Seven Lakes Oilfield Services was started on the basis of filling a need for employment opportunities for aboriginal peoples. Seven First Nations organizations came together to form the ownership of the company – Cold Lake First Nation, Frog Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Goodfish Lake First Nation, Beaver Lake Cree Nation, and Heart Lake First Nation.
Today, the company, based in Cold Lake, has over 300 full-time employees representing 53 different First Nations groups and settlements.
“All nations struggle with the same frustrations, which is opportunities for employment for their members. By coming together to create a company that was focused on long-term, sustainable employment for Indigenous members, that’s where the concept started in 2002,” Darr explained.
It’s that notion that Darr believes helped Seven Lakes get recognized among the other nominees in the Eagle Feather Award category.
“By demonstrating that we can have 300-plus employees working for a 100 per cent owned First Nations company, had us stand out over and above some of the other companies that we’re truly remarkable at what we’re doing.”
Bohme added, “They’ve got a proven business case and it works, coupled with the fact that they’re great community supporters, all around it was just a good fit.”
