ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2021 - 20

Dawe has seen this not only in his own time at Graham,
but among a large chunk of the 500 people who report to
his groups.
" Probably 25 per cent to 30 per cent of them, I've worked
with them for an excess of 10 years, maybe 15, " Dawe says. " I
know their families, I know their kids. I know them personally.
There's a lot of trust built in the organization for that. "
Given the emphasis on loyalty, care for the work and professional commitment Graham hunts for, Nickolson says it's not a surprise that its ranks are stacked with professional technologists.

Image courtesy of Graham Construction & Engineering Inc.

" I've progressed through just about all the operational roles
within Graham, " he says. " Graham's a seven level organization with how we run our management systems. If you think
about the levels in Graham through one to seven, I've held
positions in one through six. "
Of the compelling reasons behind Dawe staying at the company for his entire career, the largest he points out is his investment in Graham-both literally and figuratively.
" This is an employee-owned organization, " he says, which
makes the company " different than lots of organizations of
Graham's size. It's absolutely 100 per cent owned by the employees of the organization. "
This characteristic is made even more persuasive due to the
egalitarian way Graham handles its ownership model.
" The receptionist at the front door, all the way to the CEO, everyone in this organization has the opportunity to have ownership in the organization, " Dawe says.
" There's no segregated classes of ownership, we all own the
same unit, per se. There's no differences; there's not like a
Class A and a Class B share. We all own the same thing. We all
have the vested interest in the organization for its success. "
The result of this system is an almost magnetic effect, drawing in high-performing individuals. These performers then
stick around once they realize the possibilities for financial
ownership growth, matched by steady personal and career
development, according to Dawe.

20 | SPRING 2021 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA

" Probably an overwhelming percent of the people I've ever
hired here at Graham do have technologist certification, because right off the bat, we know there's a level of professionalism, " Nickolson says.
This professionalism, as well as the exceptional skillset and
teachability technologists bring, all combine to assist Graham with proving competency to its clients.
" When we suggest an organizational chart and a workforce
complement for a project, one of the big things that clients
want to know is, 'How do you assess competency?' " Nickolson explains.

" Technological certification is a big
component of the foundation of that
competency verification. You know that
the people that have that certification
have a level of professionalism, a skill set,
[and] an ethical framework for what they
do than can be built upon. It's a solid
foundation to build upon. "
Graham Construction & Engineering Inc. is ultimately a company that stayed close to its roots in all the right ways. While
not discounting its early strides in software innovation and
green technology, the company is at heart a place that never
lost its people-first mentality, in the aim of something better.
" We really do believe as leadership that the people drive
this business, " Dawe says. " Graham says right in its mandate that we do this for the employees, and people are the
most important thing in the organization. That's not really
just lingo here. "

ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2021