June 6, 2024 – If you’ve never been, it is quite the experience driving along the Trans-Canada through the foothills west of Calgary, which are marked by rolling hills, grasslands, ranches and cattle. Off in the distance looms a snow-covered rock wall—the Canadian Rockies—which seem close, yet are still an hour’s drive away.

Then, suddenly, you’ve entered the Rockies. You see the Lafarge Exshaw cement plant and Lac des Arcs off to your right; soon thereafter, the Three Sisters peek at you from the left. You pass through Canmore and enter Banff National Park, then the town of Banff itself, where you’re surrounded by Sulphur Mountain, Mount Rundle, Cascade Mountain, Tunnel Mountain, and Mount Norquay.

You pop into café and wonder why your server (and many others) is speaking with an Aussie or Kiwi accent. They are in Banff as part of International Experience Canada’s Working Holiday program, which is designed to help young adults work and travel in Canada while funding “the trip of a lifetime”.

(“Banff is actually the 9th biggest city in Australia” jokes one Reddit user.)

I was there last week for Electro-Federation Canada’s annual industry conference where, among the highlights, is the much-anticipated Industry Awards Dinner… who would be the evening’s honorees? Congratulations to:

• Bill Hammond, CEO of Hammond Power Solutions, received EFC’s highest honour, the Industry Recognition Award.
• Lori Bagazzoli, general manager of Ledvance Canada, received EFC’s Trailblazer Award.
• Patrick Marion, president of Desdowd, was recognized for a second time as CEMRA Person of the Year.

Several EFC members were also singled out for high engagement with the association: Leviton, Rexel Canada, and Sales Outsource Solutions.

This PHOTO FEATURE includes shots from the AD Canada and EFC welcome receptions at the EFC conference.

— Anthony Capkun, editor-publisher, acapkun@ebmag.com … and find me on LinkedIn.

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