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Dave joined PCL Edmonton in 1984 as a field engineer after graduating from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. Following several project assignments across Canada and the United States, he settled in Calgary as construction manager in 1997. He was appointed Calgary district manager in 2004, regional vice president of Western Canadian Buildings in 2008, and president and COO of Canadian and Australian Operations in 2013. After serving as Deputy CEO in 2015, Dave became PCL’s eighth president and CEO in 2016. In November 2024, he assumed the role of PCL’s Board Chair. Guided by the philosophy of “Everyone, Every Day, Outperform,” Dave has combined vision with an entrepreneurial mindset and a people-first leadership style. His impact has been instrumental in PCL’s ongoing success, culminating in a record-breaking year with over $11 billion in revenue and over $16B in new work securement —setting the stage for the company’s next chapter. “Being recognized by Junior Achievement Northern Alberta is a tremendous honor, especially here in Edmonton, where PCL’s roots run deep. JA’s mission to inspire and prepare young people for success aligns closely with our own commitment to developing strong leaders at every level of our company. My goal as a leader is to inspire and uplift those around me, supporting their growth to drive our company and industry forward. I’ve been fortunate to learn from and work alongside some of the best—both past and present—and this recognition is truly a reflection of the incredible people who make up PCL.”

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David Kent is the founder and chairman of Nearctic Property Group. He was born in Vancouver, raised in Montreal, and is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick with work experience in England, France, the U.S.A., and China. David has a proven track record with over 45 years in Western Canada as a developer and manager of multi-family homes, rental apartments, industrial, commercial, and retail properties, which are currently valued at approximately 200 million. Throughout, he navigated Alberta’s dynamic economic environment with consistent positive outcomes, creating a winning environment for both tenants and staff. Married to Janice, they have three children, Robert, Daniel, Sarah and two grandchildren. A proponent of giving back to the community, David has been a volunteer, supporting various charitable organizations from Alpine Skiing, Local Club to National Board, AGA, Valour Place, Honorary Colonel, Vice-Chair of the University of Alberta Business Family Institute, to past president of the Edmonton Club. An active sportsman, David still enjoys skiing, fishing, biking and travelling.

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R.J. (Bob) MacLean was raised in a large Northern Alberta family, attending Grande Prairie Regional College in the early ‘70s, then attaining a B Comm at the University of Alberta. Early on, Bob showed entrepreneurial aptitude, pursuing multiple ventures. His formative business career was with Peace Trailer Industries, providing modular housing and food services to Resource clients with a turnkey solution. Bob co-founded The Crossing Company in 1997, which evolved through the leadership of his son Ryan and a dedicated team into one of North America’s leading Horizontal Directional Drilling Companies. Real estate investments included College Plaza, The Varscona and Meterra Hotels, and Peace Country farming operations. His passion for aviation led him to form AirSprint Private Aviation. MacLean Family entity, RJM Corp, still actively invests in private equity. Community endeavours include chairing the Edmonton Eskimos Board during the 2005 Grey Cup win, the U of A Leadership campaign, the Pope Francis visit campaign, and other local charities. Today Bob focuses on family, travel and health.

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Zainul Mawji is a trailblazer in Edmonton’s business and technology sectors, driving national innovation and connectivity as the Executive Vice-president and President of TELUS Consumer Solutions. She leads a passionate team responsible for everything that keeps you connected - whether it's your cell phone, Internet, TV and entertainment, consumer health or home security and automation. Many of these leading products launched in Alberta first and are now national. Her leadership has propelled the expansion of high-speed fibre internet, which began as a groundbreaking initiative in 2013. Under Zainul’s guidance, TELUS has built the most comprehensive and unique suite of Consumer products in the industry, including services that are a first of their kind such as SmartEnergy and Stream+, while expanding TELUS' health offerings to improve the lives of Canadians by placing healthcare in their hands through technology. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to TELUS’ social purpose and breaking digital divides throughout Alberta and Canada, and beyond her professional achievements, she serves as Vice-Chair of the TELUS Edmonton and Northern Alberta Community Board which has supported 686 grassroots projects since 2005. She is also a passionate champion of enhancing economic productivity, improving education, advancing healthcare and the Edmonton Oilers!

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Dr. Nizar Jaffer Somji is a transformational entrepreneur and visionary leader whose contributions have significantly shaped Alberta’s economic and business landscape. As the founder and chairman of the Jaffer Group of Companies, he has built a diverse enterprise that spans construction, staffing, IT, real estate, and hospitality, investing over $130 million into Alberta’s economy and creating hundreds of jobs. Previously, he founded Matrikon Inc., scaling it into a global leader in industrial automation before its $144 million acquisition by Honeywell. His influence also extends to key corporate and advisory boards, where he promotes strategic growth and innovation. Beyond business, Nizar is deeply committed to education and community development. As the current Chancellor of the University of Alberta, he fosters industry partnerships, advocates for research, and creates opportunities for future leaders. His philanthropic efforts include funding engineering research chairs and mentoring young professionals. He has also volunteered for nearly a decade with the Aga Khan University in Asia and Africa. His legacy reflects innovation, leadership, and a lasting social impact.

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Dave joined PCL Edmonton in 1984 as a field engineer after graduating from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. Following several project assignments across Canada and the United States, he settled in Calgary as construction manager in 1997. He was appointed Calgary district manager in 2004, regional vice president of Western Canadian Buildings in 2008, and president and COO of Canadian and Australian Operations in 2013. After serving as Deputy CEO in 2015, Dave became PCL’s eighth president and CEO in 2016. In November 2024, he assumed the role of PCL’s Board Chair. Guided by the philosophy of “Everyone, Every Day, Outperform,” Dave has combined vision with an entrepreneurial mindset and a people-first leadership style. His impact has been instrumental in PCL’s ongoing success, culminating in a record-breaking year with over $11 billion in revenue and over $16B in new work securement —setting the stage for the company’s next chapter. “Being recognized by Junior Achievement Northern Alberta is a tremendous honor, especially here in Edmonton, where PCL’s roots run deep. JA’s mission to inspire and prepare young people for success aligns closely with our own commitment to developing strong leaders at every level of our company. My goal as a leader is to inspire and uplift those around me, supporting their growth to drive our company and industry forward. I’ve been fortunate to learn from and work alongside some of the best—both past and present—and this recognition is truly a reflection of the incredible people who make up PCL.”

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× Cam Linke is a longtime leader in Canada’s technology and startup community. Over the past 10 years, he has worked as a CEO, investor, community builder, product manager, software entrepreneur, academic, and developer.  Past roles include Co-founder of Startup Edmonton, Founder of Flightpath Ventures, CEO of Touch Metric, Product Manager at Nexopia.com, and Founder of DemoCamp Edmonton. Linke is a sought-after speaker and mentor and has been recognized as Avenue Magazine Top 40 Under 40.  He holds a Master’s degree which was supervised by Dr. Richard Sutton and Dr. Adam White. His research, which focused on AI adapting behaviours to improve their own self-learning, has been published at top conferences.

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