shareholding in the hands of employees. " This type of structure gives us the luxury of working differently," explains Wesley. " Managers are given the freedom to get on with things in their own way. Of course, there are checks and balances and the client's interests always have to come first, but EllisDon is certainly refreshingly different from any other construction business I'm aware of." This flexibility has also opened up new revenue streams outside the traditional construction field. " We don't get bogged down, sticking with our so- called core competences the way some corporations do," says Wesley. " The company has a policy of listening to any business proposal and, if merit is seen- regardless of the sphere- we'll go for it, usually allowing the person who proposed the idea to head the new venture. These new ventures have been beneficial over the years to growing our business and allowing us to offer more value to owners." The business was started in the 1950s by Smith brothers Ellis and Don. It's still privately owned- largely by the Smith family- but with a considerable EllisDon Construction Services Inc.: Eighth Avenue Place NOVEMBER 09 www. bus- ex. com 71 Bluebird Contracting Services Ltd. is backed by extensive project experience, specialized equipment and dedicated personnel. Bluebird owns and operates a comprehensive fleet of heavy equipment, allowing us to undertake multiple projects at any given time and delivering practical, cost effective solutions for our clients. Bluebird's proud of our long term relationship with EllisDon, and congratulates them on their success. Bluebird Contracting Services Ltd.

72 www. bus- ex. com NOVEMBER 09 Running course the