Calgary may be one of the most livable cities in the world, but it can’t sell itself.

That’s why two years ago Calgary Economic Development, as a strategic initiative of its Action Calgary business partnership, launched Be Part of the Energy, a marketing campaign aimed at showing national and international busi-ness investors there’s more to this place than cowboys and mountains.

“The campaign is a double entendre — this is an energy city, and the city has such energy in its people,” says Richard Gotfried, vice-president, corporate and community engagement with CED. “It’s a key driver of what happens in this city.”

CED currently has 67 corporate partners, ranging from small- and medium-sized businesses to major

energy firms, and Be Part of the Energy has become a brand for promoting the partnerships that have been created. “They share a vision that Calgary is dif-ferent and a great place to do business, make a living, and create a new life,” says Gotfried.

So far, Be Part of the Energy has been successful in attracting new involvement in CED’s partnerships, and recently CED collaborated with Tourism Calgary, the Telus Convention Centre and the Calgary Hotel Association to produce Right Here, a video spotlight-ing what makes this city a great place to visit and do business in.

“Calgary is a city that has an out-standing story to tell. We punch above our weight in so many categories and in every measure,” he says. “But nobody

is telling the story for us.”

As such, Be Part of the Energy is as much about engaging CED’s partners in sharing their pride in Calgary with the rest of Canada and the world as it is about talent recruitment and attracting business investment in the city. “Be Part of the Energy, with Action Calgary, is an opportunity to share in something bigger than any individual company or organization,” says Gotfried.

For more information on Action Calgary or to view the Right Here video visit bepartoftheenergy.ca.

Enabling and equipping Alberta businesses to do what they were built to do for the benefit of all

is something ATB Financial knows all too well.

“We are committed to helping grow this province by helping Alberta businesses grow,” says Wellington Holbrook, executive vice- president of business and agriculture at ATB Financial. “We know this province better than anybody else. Decisions are made here by Albertans for Albertans.”

ATB is committed to deepening the understanding of the clients it serves.

“We’re now producing quarterly reports to find out what Alberta entre-preneurs are thinking and what keeps them up at night,” says Holbrook.

“And we have also launched a series of videos to tell entrepreneurial stories to celebrate successes and learn from each other.”

The popular Long Love This Land video featured on the ATB website now has more than 25,000 views on YouTube, and the enthusiastic reviews have been growing.

The Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery plans to show the video in an upcoming exhibition as a tribute to the farmers and agribusiness experts in Alberta.

“We love telling Alberta success stories, because we feel like they’re our success stories too,” explains Holbrook.

ATB has been offering financial services to the people and the busi-

nesses contributing to the growth in the province for the last 75 years.

The institution has grown from one small branch office to become the largest Alberta-based financial institution in the province with assets of about $32 billion. ATB Financial employs more than 5,300 associates who serve more than 635,000 cus-tomers in 242 Alberta communities.

“We are not a fair-weather financial institution,” says Holbrook. “We have nowhere else to go. We’re here to stay through the ups and downs and that changes how we do business with our clients.”

He says financial institutions based in other provinces simply don’t under-stand the subtleties of what it takes to succeed in Alberta.

“We understand there is a certain amount of volatility here, and some-times that means a business needs to grow really quickly and sometimes that means they might hit a rough patch and need some support through that, but we’re in it with them for the long haul to see them through, because that’s what we know how to do,” says Holbrook.

With a network of 170 branches, 130 agencies, and a customer contact centre, ATB professionals work along-side their clients in their communities.

The organization makes serious commitments to these communities, and last year, ATB Financial made $1.3 million dollars in corporate donations.

Through programs such as the Teddy for Toonie and United Way

campaigns, ATB Financial also raised $1.2 million for various charities across Alberta. ATB associates donated close to 20,000 hours of volunteer time and raised $490,000 for the causes they care about, and the financial institu-tion’s sponsorship portfolio totaled $5.3 million to help support the arts, festivals and sports and recreation events in Alberta.

“We’re continuing to build our reputation as one of the best-loved and most-trusted organizations in the province while also helping our clients achieve their goals,” says Holbrook. “We are strong advocates for Alberta businesses and there is nowhere else we would rather be.”

Visit atb.com/wegrowalberta for more information.

Focus on LeadershipA s p e c i A l s e r i e s o n cA l g A ry’s b u s i n e s s v i s i o n A r i e s

A special publ icat ion of the Calgary Herald in par tnership with Calgary Economic Development

Connections help ATB cater services to clients’ needs

Bev Clark doesn’t just go above and beyond to better understand her clients and their needs.

The Calgary-based real estate asso-ciate broker went over and across the Pacific Ocean, all the way to China and back, to ensure she is, and will be, able to fully satisfy her clients’ needs.

“Last year, as an individual Action Calgary partner with Calgary Econom-ic Development, I had the opportunity to travel to China on a trade mission,” says the Re/Max Professionals associ-ate broker.

“This introduction into the global economy enhanced my ability as a cor-porate relocation realtor, an investment realtor and, indeed, as a local Calgary realtor.

“ My experience with Calgary

Economic Development has created wonderful contacts with both local and international businesses.”

Clark has built her real estate prac-tice on the same principles that drive Calgary Economic Development as a supporter and enabler of business and growth in the city.

“I like to reflect the ‘can do’ attitude of Calgary Economic Development to bring people to Calgary,” says Clark. “We have passion, commitment and dedication in this city, and these are some of the attributes I bring to my real estate practice, as well.

“We dream big here. I work to achieve my clients’ satisfaction in a big way. Many of my repeat and referral clients are third generation.”

She says her goal is always to ensure

her clients are very satisfied, because in the real estate industry, that is the only way to build a thriving practice.

“When you are receiving referrals and repeat business, you know you are doing it right,” says Clark. “I listen care-fully to understand my client’s real estate goals and work hard to create solutions for each and every client.”

The ability to build a successful career in real estate in Calgary has also pro-vided Clark with a fulfilling lifestyle both personally and professionally, furthering her ability to contribute to the commu-nity in a meaningful way.

“Success in real estate affords you an opportunity to refine your work/life balance, and it gives me a fabulous opportunity to give back to the com-munity I serve,” she says.

Be Part of the Energy hits its stride

Partnering helps realtor bring global view home

RichardGotfried

Photos, Wil AndruschakAlberta’s success stories are something worth celebrating, says Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of business and agriculture with ATB Financial.

Long before Calgary was a sophis-ticated metropolis, and while it was still decades away from becom-

ing an international energy capital, the founders of what would become Bennett Jones LLP were building a presence that would endure.

“We are the only national Law firm in Canada with Western Canadian roots, and with an equally significant presence in both Alberta and Ontario,” says Perry Spitznagel, vice-chairman and Calgary managing partner with Bennett Jones.

“We also have offices in the Middle East and Beijing and are in the process of establishing an office in Washington DC, and we are the only Canadian law firm to do so.”

Bennett Jones is one of Canada’s most prominent business law firms.

Its 90-year history has given the firm exceptional expertise in energy, natural resources and project development.

The firm has more than 360 lawyers advising clients on corporate, com-mercial and restructuring mandates and litigation matters.

“We have a long and deep history in Alberta, with roots that go back over 100 years, including personalities who have helped to shape the province and the country, such as former Prime Min-ister R.B. Bennett, Sir James Lougheed, grandfather of Peter Lougheed, and of course, Peter Lougheed, as well as Mac Jones, one of the pioneers of law in the energy sector,” says Spitznagel.

“Our development as a law firm has been intertwined with the history of Alberta and the growth of the energy sector.”

In addition to a Canadian prime minister, a deputy prime minister and

a provincial premier, the firm’s lawyers past and present also include federal and provincial cabinet ministers, two Canadian ambassadors to the United States, a deputy minister and deputy attorney general of the Department of Justice.

The firm has also employed two Supreme Court Justices, a Court of Appeal appointee, several chief justices of federal and provincial courts, numer-ous appointees to provincial supreme courts and the Court of Queen’s Bench, several chairmen of securities commis-sions and a president of the Canadian Bar Association.

This wealth of talent has helped the firm build a reputation for providing trustworthy and highly efficient service.

“We demonstrate leadership by delivering the highest quality of service to our clients at all times,” says Spitzna-gel. “And we define our success by our ability to meet and surpass the needs of our clients, and by the satisfaction and success of our clients, our lawyers and our support staff.”

The goal of the firm’s leadership, now, is to continue to continue to respond effectively to the needs of the firm’s clients and provide high quality legal services in a constantly changing envi-ronment and to seize any opportunities that arise to reinforce that goal, explains Spitznagel.

“Our partnership with Calgary Eco-nomic Development provides us with an important window on all of the oppor-tunities and challenges for Calgary and Alberta and helps us to project ourselves into the local, national and international market as a top provider of legal services,” he says.

Bennett Jones’ Western, national roots run deep