Awards

PRESS RELEASE - VANCOUVER - The Alberta School of Business is pleased to announce that Dave Lede, '70 BCom, has been selected as the School’s 33rd Canadian Business Leader Award (CBLA) recipient, which will be presented at a special awards dinner on March 12, 2014 in Edmonton. Dave is long-time Chairman and CEO of Leduc-founded Ledcor Group of Companies, a leading North-American construction company, now headquartered in Vancouver. 

“The University of Alberta looks forward to welcoming Dave back to Edmonton for this award,” said Neil Manning, Chair of the Business Advisory Council (BAC) for the School of Business. “We want to recognize the substantial business accomplishments Dave has achieved in Alberta and across North America and bring attention to his personal contributions to the community, especially in healthcare and education.” 

"I am truly honoured by this generous recognition from my alma mater, the University of Alberta, Alberta School of Business, and I am pleased to share this award with the entire Ledcor team, without whom my success would not have been possible," said Dave Lede. 

"At Ledcor, we believe that projects are about more than concrete and steel.  They are about our people and the power of the partnerships we bond - with our clients, our employees, our contractors, and our communities.  We believe in building trust wherever we do business by putting safety first, by engaging fairly, by giving back, and by looking for more sustainable ways of doing the job well.”

Dave Lede

Dave Lede is Chairman and CEO of Ledcor Group of Companies, one of North America's leading privately-held, employee-owned construction companies, specializing in building, civil and industrial projects, and related business operations. 

Under Dave's leadership since 1980, Ledcor has grown into seven construction divisions (building, civil, industrial, mining, pipeline, highways, and telecommunications) as well as establishing operations in aviation, forestry, marine services, and investments in environmental sustainability. In addition, under Dave’s management Ledcor has been named one of Canada's Top 10 Companies to Work for in Canada (Financial Post - 2011, 2012, 2013) and one of Canada’s Top Employers (Globe and Mail - 2011, 2012, 2013). 

Dave believes strongly in giving back to the communities where Ledcor’s people reside and where they do business, and to the health and educational institutions that support them. In Edmonton, through the Dave Lede Family Foundation and Ledcor, Dave has been instrumental in supporting the construction of a medical training centre at the University of Alberta ($2.5M donation), the Kids with Cancer Society House near the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, and the establishment of the Ledcor Group Applied Research Chair in Oil Sands Environmental Sustainability at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). 

Other major initiatives of the Dave Lede Family Foundation include the Dave Lede Campus of Care ($5M) in support of families across BC, which is developing three buildings: a children’s hospice, a centre for children with complex medical challenges, and a young adult hospice. The Foundation has also partnered with Ledcor to make generous contributions to the BC Children’s Hospital Emergency Care Wing ($5M), the Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego ($2M), and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Canadian Business Leader Award (CBLA)

Since 1982, recipients of the CBLA are leaders, entrepreneurs, and pioneers of progress in the business world recognized for their outstanding achievements and business acumen. CBLA is hosted by the 26-member Business Advisory Council (BAC) of the Alberta School of Business. The selection committee is comprised of members of the BAC as well as students, faculty, and alumni. 

"The Alberta School of Business vision is: Leaders from Alberta for the World," shares Dean Joseph Doucet.  "I can think of no better leader who embodies this vision than Dave Lede – a proud alumnus - a proud Albertan – an equally proud Canadian - who continues to creatively support, and export, the discoveries and innovations that characterize the entrepreneurial spirit of Alberta."   

The CBLA Dinner, the School’s signature event, is attended by over 800 members of Alberta’s business community and will take place on March 12, 2014, in Edmonton.  Exposing students to great leaders is at the core of the CBLA. Over 140 students are typically able to attend the dinner thanks to sponsoring individuals and companies. The CBLA recipient also participates in an informal session with students earlier in the day.