Foundation Contributes to Players

Werklund Foundation Contributes to Players

The Red Willow Players Association has just received a generous donation of $40,000 from the Werklund Foundation, Calgary.

The Werklund Foundation's $40,000 contribution will be specifically used to construct the new stage which will bear the name of the benefactor.

The stage will be housed in the recently donated Burnside Performing Arts Centre, (former Bargain Shop!) which is currently being renovated and will become the ‘Home of the Red Willow Players!' The Players' current building will also receive minor renovations and will be transformed into a stage/makeup/costume area.

Dave Werklund, founder and chairman of Werklund Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Werklund Family Office was instrumental in the Players receiving the money. "I was born and raised in Valleyview. My roots are there and I feel it is important to give back to a community that gave me so much," noted the founder and chairman.

Werklund went on to say he learned a lot while he was growing up in the area, particularly from growing up on a farm. "My dad farmed and it gave me the opportunity to learn about the fundamentals, how to overcome the challenges and there were lots, and how it took discipline to accomplish this."

His interaction with people, coupled with a strong desire not to give up, nor be negatively influenced by naysayers, helped lay the foundation for his future successes.

Although Werklund feels it is important to give back there is more to it than that. People are important as well. "There are a significant number of Concord and CCS employees living in Valleyview and the availability of live theatre serves to add another dimension to their community."

"The generous donation by the Werklund Foundation is greatly appreciated, and the Werklund Stage will be an integral part of the new Performing Arts Centre, which will be available for use by the entire community. Mr. Werklund's support, in addition to the support of the community as well as community members, is making the dream of a new ‘home' become a realty!" said Fran Pedersen, president of the Red Willow Players Association.

David P. Werklund began his industrious career in 1965 at Shell Canada as a production operator. From this modest beginning, his rise in the oilfield industry has progressed to this day as he relishes challenges, and is driven to create organizations that reflect his own principles. Through his wealth of experience and expertise, he has become a trusted industry partner and one of Canada's most compelling leaders.

Throughout his career, Werklund has built organizations with the principle of "empowering our people", and where integrity, respect and teamwork were at the core of every action.

However, he is much more than the co-founder of Concord Well Servicing, founder of CCS Corporation, and chairman of the board of directors of CCS Corporation. He is the entrepreneurial spirit and passion behind these organizations and the newly christened Werklund Family Office where he is currently the founder and executive chairman.

Werklund's sound business sense, extensive industry experience, and commitment to his employees have been the key to his various organizations' long-term growth and sustainability. And his success speaks for itself: from a one-rig operation in 1979, Concord Well Servicing is now the third largest well service company in Canada; similarly, an initial investment of $50,000 in 1984 in a small oilfield service company in northern Alberta grew into CCS Corporation and, by 2007, had been built into a $3.7 billion multifaceted corporation, internationally recognized and trusted as an industry leader providing integrated and environmentally responsible services to upstream and downstream oil and gas companies across North America and around the world.

Upon handing over the CCS reins in July 2010 to new president and CEO, John Gibson, Werklund has continued his entrepreneurial endeavours as founder and executive chairman of Werklund Capital, one of Canada's largest family owned investment companies with over $2.5 billion of assets under management, and founder and chairman of Werklund Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Werklund Family Office dedicated to his lifelong commitment to excellence in leadership training and preparing today's youth to become tomorrow's leaders.

On June 17, 2011, amid a crowd of 300 close friends and associates, founder and executive chairman David Werklund hosted a celebration of the grand opening of the Werklund Family Office. A ribbon cutting ceremony held in their new offices made the opening official.

The newly christened Werklund Family Office encompasses both the wealth management entity of Werklund Capital, managed by president and CEO Blake Lyon and the philanthropic activity of the Werklund Foundation, directed by President Deanna Werklund.

Among his many accolades, David Werklund was awarded Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005, and Industry Legend as Inspiration in 2007. He has also been featured in numerous publications including the Globe & Mail, the Financial Post, the Calgary Herald, Calgary Inc., and Alberta Venture where he was listed as one of Alberta's 50 most influential people.

Werklund's lifelong success is attributed to his commitment to great leadership principles, his enthusiasm for lifelong learning, and his dedication to strong values, steadfast ethics, and excellence.