Jager Homes

Jager Homes Inc. | 65 Years | 1

http://www.jagerhomes.com


The year was 1947. Mackenzie King was prime minister, the Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect and it was the start of the Cold War. Technology welcomed the invention of the

transistor, the mobile phone and the instant camera. A loaf of bread cost about 13 cents, average annual wages were $2,850, and the average cost of a new home in North America was about $6,600.

Closer to home, huge oil reserves were discovered in Leduc, Alberta and Calgary quickly found itself at the centre of the ensu-ing oil boom. Stampede Wrestling was established and the city’s population was just over 100,000.

It was also in 1947 when Bill Jager started a small homebuild-ing business, Jager Homes Inc. Over six decades later, Jager is recognized as one of the oldest and most trusted names in West-ern Canada. And it would seem that Jager is as much a part of Calgary’s history as the oil industry.

Jager has built over 13,000 homes in Calgary and the surround-ing communities, and they have worked in every quadrant of the city. Jager was one of the fi rst companies to work with the city in residential land development – giving rise to many of Calgary’s early communities. They have not only watched the skyline grow, they have contributed to the growth and witnessed hun-dreds of city milestones.

Jager, along with other Calgary pioneer homebuilders, fostered a vision to develop these communities and that history speaks to Jager’s success. “Jager has been successful because of the foundation that was laid 65 years ago,” says Joe Roland, general manager, Jager Homes. “It’s the foundation of hard work, trust, looking for opportunities, seizing those opportunities and not being afraid of the growth.”

During the 1970s, Jager expanded its Calgary operation to Ontario where they manufactured

fl oor joists to better service the North American market, and the following decades saw the continued growth in manufacturing, land development and homebuilding.

By the early 2000s, the three divisions were sold and Jager Homes was re-established as its own identity under the Hon Group of Companies, a family-run business that has been involved in real estate and land development for decades.

More than Bricks and MortarWhat’s changed … what’s stayed the same

Over the course of six decades, one of the most signifi cant changes to affect the homebuilding industry is the rate at which the city has grown: it’s how the land is approved, developed and serviced today. The supply of land and exponential growth has led to regulations that have inherently affected this growth and development.

“The realities of building a home today are completely dif-ferent than they were in the 1950s, but along the way, we have adapted and we like to think we have adapted better than most,” says Roland.

Technology has changed the way houses are built. The materi-als are constructed and manufactured differently, and the houses are put together differently. The industry has specialized sub-trades and instant communication connects everyone – whether they are on-site, en route or in the offi ce.

When it comes to building materials, as an example, granite was a signifi cant upgrade 20 years ago. Today, granite is found in almost every starter home in the city. “Technology has made the delivery process much easier,” asserts Roland. “The global supply chain has tightened up and now we’re able to get products from all over the world at the snap of a fi nger.”

During a recent conversation with one of Jager’s suppliers, Roland recalls how they worked with homeowners 15 years ago to select fi xtures. “When it came to faucets, there were two types – Delta or Moen – and they came with a chrome or pewter fi nish,” remarks Roland.

“Today, that same supplier carries 220,000 products in his warehouse. Access to that many choices has really changed the way we do busi-ness,” he adds. “We can compete with any builder in the world with respect to product and design – and it’s because we live in a global marketplace.”

Beyond the fi xtures, advanced communica-tion has given rise to a more educated consumer and Roland believes this is another positive aspect of adapting to change.

“People are very knowledgeable with respect to property values and building materials. There’s a lot more information in the consumer’s hands and sometimes the availability of information is perceived as a bad thing, but having that infor-mation actually makes us better,” he says.

Jager HomesBuilding Calgary communities for over 65 yearsBy Mary Savage

Above image courtesy of Jager Homes

Joe Roland, General ManagerPhoto by Mary Savage


RCPRight Choice

PLUMBING LTD• New home construction • Basement development •

• On-demand hot water heaters • • Residential plumbing & gas fi tting • Insured •

Serving Calgary and area since 2000 with over 30 years combined experience

[email protected]

403.369.9085South

403.369.9084

On behalf of everyone at Right Choice Plumbing, B.A. Robinson Co. and Bartle & Gibson, we congratulate Jager Homes Inc. on their 65th Anniversary!


The year was 1947. Mackenzie King was prime minister, the Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect and it was the start of the Cold War. Technology welcomed the invention of the

transistor, the mobile phone and the instant camera. A loaf of bread cost about 13 cents, average annual wages were $2,850, and the average cost of a new home in North America was about $6,600.

Closer to home, huge oil reserves were discovered in Leduc, Alberta and Calgary quickly found itself at the centre of the ensu-ing oil boom. Stampede Wrestling was established and the city’s population was just over 100,000.

It was also in 1947 when Bill Jager started a small homebuild-ing business, Jager Homes Inc. Over six decades later, Jager is recognized as one of the oldest and most trusted names in West-ern Canada. And it would seem that Jager is as much a part of Calgary’s history as the oil industry.

Jager has built over 13,000 homes in Calgary and the surround-ing communities, and they have worked in every quadrant of the city. Jager was one of the fi rst companies to work with the city in residential land development – giving rise to many of Calgary’s early communities. They have not only watched the skyline grow, they have contributed to the growth and witnessed hun-dreds of city milestones.

Jager, along with other Calgary pioneer homebuilders, fostered a vision to develop these communities and that history speaks to Jager’s success. “Jager has been successful because of the foundation that was laid 65 years ago,” says Joe Roland, general manager, Jager Homes. “It’s the foundation of hard work, trust, looking for opportunities, seizing those opportunities and not being afraid of the growth.”

During the 1970s, Jager expanded its Calgary operation to Ontario where they manufactured

fl oor joists to better service the North American market, and the following decades saw the continued growth in manufacturing, land development and homebuilding.

By the early 2000s, the three divisions were sold and Jager Homes was re-established as its own identity under the Hon Group of Companies, a family-run business that has been involved in real estate and land development for decades.

More than Bricks and MortarWhat’s changed … what’s stayed the same

Over the course of six decades, one of the most signifi cant changes to affect the homebuilding industry is the rate at which the city has grown: it’s how the land is approved, developed and serviced today. The supply of land and exponential growth has led to regulations that have inherently affected this growth and development.

“The realities of building a home today are completely dif-ferent than they were in the 1950s, but along the way, we have adapted and we like to think we have adapted better than most,” says Roland.

Technology has changed the way houses are built. The materi-als are constructed and manufactured differently, and the houses are put together differently. The industry has specialized sub-trades and instant communication connects everyone – whether they are on-site, en route or in the offi ce.

When it comes to building materials, as an example, granite was a signifi cant upgrade 20 years ago. Today, granite is found in almost every starter home in the city. “Technology has made the delivery process much easier,” asserts Roland. “The global supply chain has tightened up and now we’re able to get products from all over the world at the snap of a fi nger.”

During a recent conversation with one of Jager’s suppliers, Roland recalls how they worked with homeowners 15 years ago to select fi xtures. “When it came to faucets, there were two types – Delta or Moen – and they came with a chrome or pewter fi nish,” remarks Roland.

“Today, that same supplier carries 220,000 products in his warehouse. Access to that many choices has really changed the way we do busi-ness,” he adds. “We can compete with any builder in the world with respect to product and design – and it’s because we live in a global marketplace.”

Beyond the fi xtures, advanced communica-tion has given rise to a more educated consumer and Roland believes this is another positive aspect of adapting to change.

“People are very knowledgeable with respect to property values and building materials. There’s a lot more information in the consumer’s hands and sometimes the availability of information is perceived as a bad thing, but having that infor-mation actually makes us better,” he says.

Jager HomesBuilding Calgary communities for over 65 yearsBy Mary Savage

Above image courtesy of Jager Homes

Joe Roland, General ManagerPhoto by Mary Savage


RCPRight Choice

PLUMBING LTD• New home construction • Basement development •

• On-demand hot water heaters • • Residential plumbing & gas fi tting • Insured •

Serving Calgary and area since 2000 with over 30 years combined experience

[email protected]

403.369.9085South

403.369.9084

On behalf of everyone at Right Choice Plumbing, B.A. Robinson Co. and Bartle & Gibson, we congratulate Jager Homes Inc. on their 65th Anniversary!

http://www.superiorcabinets.ca


And as the consumer becomes more educated, Roland feels there’s less ambiguity when it comes to the homebuilding pro-cess. “The end result sees a better product, a better experience and better communication.”

In 65 years, one thing has remained the same: people want value for their money – period. It matters not if someone paid $20,000 for a house in the 1960s or if they paid $800,000 in today’s market. It’s still the same principle and people still ask, “What am I getting for my money?”

“Building a home is a fi nancial investment, but it is also an emotional investment,” says Roland. “It’s where we raise our families, celebrate birthdays and the holidays. It’s where our kids lose their fi rst tooth and it’s the place we call home – every day. It’s not just bricks and mortar.”

A Higher Standard in HomebuildingDecades of passion and commitment

When Jager started building homes, originally they bought the developed lots from the city. They ran a small crew, built a house and moved on to the next lot. When Jager and like-minded businesses realized they needed more land to run a more profi table business,

they purchased larger sections and started developing communities. As the communities started to take shape, forward thinking

found the people at Jager developing a concept called an ‘I-joist’ – once again illustrating an example of how to build a better home. And it’s this type of forward thinking that has culminated the higher standards in homebuilding today.

“In the Calgary area, the quality of homebuilders and construction is much higher than most of what I’ve seen in many North American cities. We hold ourselves to a slightly different work ethic. We have a great national and provincial building code, excellent associations and great leadership that comes from many of these founding com-panies that have been around for decades,” says Roland.

“When you look around Calgary and as it relates to our indus-try, there are a lot of single-family homebuilders that have been in Calgary for over 30 years. I attribute that longevity to our historically strong economy, but there’s also a passion among the local builders. There is an overall belief within the industry that we can always build better,” he adds.

Bridging the DecadesBuilding for generations

When you look at any successful long-term business, the most important assets are found among the people. And in an industry where people are known to cross the street for an extra buck or two, it’s a tall order to maintain relations with excellent trades-people – decade after decade.

Inside the Jager offi ce, you will fi nd people who have been committed to the company for over 30 years and Roland attri-butes the company’s success to this stability. Stu Garrioch has been building Jager foundations for over 28 years; Dennis Lid-stone, service manager, has been with Jager for over 24 years; and Mike D’Agnillo, assistant superintendent, has been with the company for over 44 years.

These men represent a cornerstone in the Jager family and their unwavering commitment to workmanship has helped build the Jager brand.

“Calgary has an excellent talent pool and labour base, and Jager has been very fortunate in this arena. We have framers that have been with us for 25 years and most of our fi nishing carpenters have

7515 84th Street SE Calgary AB Phone: (403)-248-8222 • Fax: (403)-569-0390

www.fishcreekex.com

S e r v i n g A l b e r t A F o r o v e r 6 0 y e A r S

Congratulations from your partner in building Calgarians dreams!


worked with us for over a decade,” explains Roland. “We are proud of the longevity with our employees and the

partnerships we have forged with our subtrades,” he says. “We are now starting to work with second-generation subtrades and they are all part of the Jager family.”

Likewise, Jager is building for the second and third generation of customers. “People hire us to build their home because their grandmother lives in Jager Home or they know someone who worked for Jager,” notes Roland.

“We bring a lot of expertise to any project because of our his-tory. Our collective experience, which includes our ownership, helps us to develop a different vision,” he says.

“We also have to meet the challenges associated with city growth. In older cities like New York and Boston, they have met many of these challenges – they are hundreds of years old. Cal-gary is still a young city and there are challenges that come with our city’s age and unique qualities,” he adds.

In addition to growth, there are social and environmental chal-lenges. “Values are changing toward energy consumption and consumables, and we are trying to bridge that gap,” he notes. “As a society, we are realizing that resources are fi nite, so we have to fi gure

out how to live with less – consuming less energy, better utilization of the land, building better homes and meeting future challenges.”

Looking ForwardWhen Roland pauses to refl ect on Jager’s success, he concludes

it was due to a combination of factors. “We built the business on core values that were established 65 years ago, but we also hap-pen to be in the right geographical location,” he says. “We are blessed with natural resources, Alberta is energy-rich and Calgary is a young city with the right demographics.”

As Jager Homes celebrates 65 years in business, they pause from their workday to extend a note of gratitude to all the busi-ness partners, customers, suppliers, tradespeople and employees who have contributed to their success; they couldn’t have achieved this milestone without that support. •

T: 403.301.2615 | www.jagerhomes.com

Overhead Door CompanyP: 403.262.7777W: www.overheaddoor.tv

Congratulati ons to Jager Homes Inc. on their 65th Anniversary!

Rolling Mix Management7209 Railway St. S.E.

Phone: 403- 253-6426 • Fax: 252-5442

Congratulations Jager Homes on

65 Years of Success!

Congratulations Jager Homes Inc.! Wishing you continued success in all your future ventures!

Architectural Design | Drafting | Estimating | Consulting

P.O. Box 6626, Stn. “D”, Calgary, AB T2P 2E4 | Offi ce: Bay #5, 6130 - 4 Street S.E., Calgary, ABPhone 403.229.1966 | Fax 403.229.1908 www.debdesign.com | Email: [email protected]


And as the consumer becomes more educated, Roland feels there’s less ambiguity when it comes to the homebuilding pro-cess. “The end result sees a better product, a better experience and better communication.”

In 65 years, one thing has remained the same: people want value for their money – period. It matters not if someone paid $20,000 for a house in the 1960s or if they paid $800,000 in today’s market. It’s still the same principle and people still ask, “What am I getting for my money?”

“Building a home is a fi nancial investment, but it is also an emotional investment,” says Roland. “It’s where we raise our families, celebrate birthdays and the holidays. It’s where our kids lose their fi rst tooth and it’s the place we call home – every day. It’s not just bricks and mortar.”

A Higher Standard in HomebuildingDecades of passion and commitment

When Jager started building homes, originally they bought the developed lots from the city. They ran a small crew, built a house and moved on to the next lot. When Jager and like-minded businesses realized they needed more land to run a more profi table business,

they purchased larger sections and started developing communities. As the communities started to take shape, forward thinking

found the people at Jager developing a concept called an ‘I-joist’ – once again illustrating an example of how to build a better home. And it’s this type of forward thinking that has culminated the higher standards in homebuilding today.

“In the Calgary area, the quality of homebuilders and construction is much higher than most of what I’ve seen in many North American cities. We hold ourselves to a slightly different work ethic. We have a great national and provincial building code, excellent associations and great leadership that comes from many of these founding com-panies that have been around for decades,” says Roland.

“When you look around Calgary and as it relates to our indus-try, there are a lot of single-family homebuilders that have been in Calgary for over 30 years. I attribute that longevity to our historically strong economy, but there’s also a passion among the local builders. There is an overall belief within the industry that we can always build better,” he adds.

Bridging the DecadesBuilding for generations

When you look at any successful long-term business, the most important assets are found among the people. And in an industry where people are known to cross the street for an extra buck or two, it’s a tall order to maintain relations with excellent trades-people – decade after decade.

Inside the Jager offi ce, you will fi nd people who have been committed to the company for over 30 years and Roland attri-butes the company’s success to this stability. Stu Garrioch has been building Jager foundations for over 28 years; Dennis Lid-stone, service manager, has been with Jager for over 24 years; and Mike D’Agnillo, assistant superintendent, has been with the company for over 44 years.

These men represent a cornerstone in the Jager family and their unwavering commitment to workmanship has helped build the Jager brand.

“Calgary has an excellent talent pool and labour base, and Jager has been very fortunate in this arena. We have framers that have been with us for 25 years and most of our fi nishing carpenters have

7515 84th Street SE Calgary AB Phone: (403)-248-8222 • Fax: (403)-569-0390

www.fishcreekex.com

S e r v i n g A l b e r t A F o r o v e r 6 0 y e A r S

Congratulations from your partner in building Calgarians dreams!


worked with us for over a decade,” explains Roland. “We are proud of the longevity with our employees and the

partnerships we have forged with our subtrades,” he says. “We are now starting to work with second-generation subtrades and they are all part of the Jager family.”

Likewise, Jager is building for the second and third generation of customers. “People hire us to build their home because their grandmother lives in Jager Home or they know someone who worked for Jager,” notes Roland.

“We bring a lot of expertise to any project because of our his-tory. Our collective experience, which includes our ownership, helps us to develop a different vision,” he says.

“We also have to meet the challenges associated with city growth. In older cities like New York and Boston, they have met many of these challenges – they are hundreds of years old. Cal-gary is still a young city and there are challenges that come with our city’s age and unique qualities,” he adds.

In addition to growth, there are social and environmental chal-lenges. “Values are changing toward energy consumption and consumables, and we are trying to bridge that gap,” he notes. “As a society, we are realizing that resources are fi nite, so we have to fi gure

out how to live with less – consuming less energy, better utilization of the land, building better homes and meeting future challenges.”

Looking ForwardWhen Roland pauses to refl ect on Jager’s success, he concludes

it was due to a combination of factors. “We built the business on core values that were established 65 years ago, but we also hap-pen to be in the right geographical location,” he says. “We are blessed with natural resources, Alberta is energy-rich and Calgary is a young city with the right demographics.”

As Jager Homes celebrates 65 years in business, they pause from their workday to extend a note of gratitude to all the busi-ness partners, customers, suppliers, tradespeople and employees who have contributed to their success; they couldn’t have achieved this milestone without that support. •

T: 403.301.2615 | www.jagerhomes.com

Overhead Door CompanyP: 403.262.7777W: www.overheaddoor.tv

Congratulati ons to Jager Homes Inc. on their 65th Anniversary!

Rolling Mix Management7209 Railway St. S.E.

Phone: 403- 253-6426 • Fax: 252-5442

Congratulations Jager Homes on

65 Years of Success!

Congratulations Jager Homes Inc.! Wishing you continued success in all your future ventures!

Architectural Design | Drafting | Estimating | Consulting

P.O. Box 6626, Stn. “D”, Calgary, AB T2P 2E4 | Offi ce: Bay #5, 6130 - 4 Street S.E., Calgary, ABPhone 403.229.1966 | Fax 403.229.1908 www.debdesign.com | Email: [email protected]

35YEARS

The Calmont Group: 35 Years of Driving Success

By Nerissa McNaughton

The year was 1966. Lawrence Pudlowski was fresh out of school and had put in a couple of years working for Pep-siCo when he �gured there had to be a better way of life.

He answered an ad for Avis Truck Rentals and joined the fran-chise. It wasn’t long before Pudlowski and his franchise partners looked up at the Avis banner and had the same thought, “why are we paying for the use of the Avis name when we could run a truck rental company on our own?” With that thought, the partners sold their Avis franchise and the Calmont Group was born. �e name, Calmont, is derived from Calgary to Montreal; the franchise locations (Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal) of the original Avis Truck Rental company. As for Pudlowski, this original business partner is still fully active in senior manage-ment and cites Calmont as “the only job I’ve really had.”

“It’s an exciting business,” Pudlowski says as he re�ects on the many years and changes he has seen at the Calmont Group. “You look forward to coming to work because you know some-

thing is going to happen, and it’s usually something good.” Something good indeed. What started out as a modest light truck rental business with a �eet of 25 units has grown to a mas-sive enterprise with over 2000 rental and leasing units. Approx-imately 1400 of those units are rented or leased from Calmont’s headquarters in Edmonton, which operates from the original business site at 14610 Yellowhead Trail. It is from this Edmon-ton location that Calmont has grown, changed and adapted into the success it is today.

�e Calmont Group provides �nancing and leasing of com-pany trucks and cars, service vehicle leasing, short-term leas-ing, daily rentals, trucking �eet sales, and a parts and service department that includes complete maintenance, top repair sta-tions, and emergency roadside assistance. Calmont’s sleeper, day cab, straight truck and shunt truck �eets have the latest technology for commercial transport rental and leasing needs across Canada.

Lawrence Pudlowski, (Senior Vice-President) and Darren Currie, the President and CEO


424 Gri� n Road East, Cochrane, Alberta, T4C 2E1 Tel: 403-932-7878 | Fax: 403-932-7892 | www. allspan.com

Congratulations to Jager Homes Inc.!Calgary Showroom

3504-80 Avenue SEPh: (403) 279-5898

Edmonton Showroom17320-108 AvenuePh: (780) 489-5591

[email protected] www.artisticstairs.com

Calgary Showroom Edmonton Showroom

A tradition of exceeding expectations

IT’S A SCHONBEK. A MOMENT TO IMPRESS.

STERLING and other illuminating designs available for viewing at the showrooms below and schonbek.com.

Schonbek® is a member of the Swarovski Group.© 2

013

Swar

ovsk

i Lig

htin

g

WWW.CARRINGTONLIGHTING.COM

NORTH LOCATION(Corner of 5th Ave & Crowchild Tr NW)2513 5 Avenue NW403.264.5483

SOUTH LOCATION(Deerfoot Meadows)400 - 33 Heritage Meadows Way SE403.259.3532

CALGARY Showroom7140 - 40 Street S.E. Calgary, ABP: 403.203.8200 TF: 1.800.297.6102

WWW.GIENOW.COM

EDMONTON LETHBRIDGE VANCOUVER KELOWNA PRINCE GEORGE KAMLOOPS SASKATOON WINNIPEG

Both Opening Doors in Calgary for 65 Years.Congratulations Jager Homes!

SINCE 1947

#3 – 6923 Farrell Rd. SE. Calgary Alberta, T2H 0T3Offi ce: (403) 236-5966 • Fax: (403) 203-3351

NEWINTERIORS

LTD.

PROUD TO BE A PART OF JAGER HOMES’ SUCCESS!

4380 104 Avenue SEPh: 403-236-1666 • Fax: 403-236-3555

www.westernone.ca

Congratulations Jager Homes on 65 years!

http://www.carringtonlighting.com

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