b"MEMBER MILESTONESLONG-STANDING WCA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT In the first of a series of features celebrating WCAs long-standing members, were shining a light on three companies that have been loyal members of the association for more than 75 years. WCA is proud to acknowledge Gillis Quarries, Carlson Commercial & Industrial Services and Bird Construction for their tremendous support of the association and the construction industry.By Twila DriedgerGILLIS QUARRIES LTD.WCA MEMBER SINCE 1920In the 102 years that Gillis Quarries Ltd. has been a WCA member, theyve gone from a small building on the corner of McDermot Ave. and McPhillips St. to a large company, supplying natural stone to prominent building projects all over the world. We sat down with fourth generation owner and president Keith Gillis to talk about where theyve come from to where they are now, and how WCA has been part of it all.WHAT IS ONE COMPANY ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOUARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF?Weve got a lot of feathers in our cap: working on the Manitoba Legislative BuildingCanadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebecthe Canadian Museum of Human Rightsweve done a residence in Australia, the Canadian Embassy in Berlin [and] universities across the United States.ANY SIGNIFICANT WCA STORIES?There was one project that tendered in 1930the Calgary Public Building. I guess my grandfather had apparently gotten hold of a piece of equipment to help do the big columns on it so much easier. He worked on his bid and his proposalthis was back in the day when everyone would come and put their bids in an envelope. And WHY DID YOUR COMPANYHOW HAS YOUR COMPANYapparently my grandfather drove up to ORIGINALLY BECOME A CHANGED, GROWN OR EVOLVEDthe Winnipeg Construction Association MEMBER OF WCA? SINCE BECOMING A WCA MEMBER? on his motorcycle 15 minutes before Well, if you wanted to be a mover andWeve gone from one tiny little buildingclosing and just casually flipped his shaker in the industry, and if you wereon leased land to owning pretty muchbid on to the table. When they opened going to bid on projects, you wentall the quarries carrying Tyndall stonethem all, grandpa was the low bid. through the Manitoba Bid Depositoryin the area. Weve changed the wayThey asked, Charles, do you want to and the Winnipeg Constructionwe process thingsfrom having 100take your bid back, because youre Association. If you wanted to grow,to 200 people working manual labourquite a bit lower. And he was so build connections and meet people,in the quarry pits to having six to eightconfident and said, Im good. They you're doing it through an association,employees with equipment. The plantdidnt know what he knew as far as which of course helps feed backhas 20-30 people depending on thearranging equipment and how it to the city and builds on itself. Wetime of year, with CNC machines andmade it much more cost effective to wanted to be part of it. The Winnipegdo all the big columns. And so that Construction Association was the placeflow-through production lines. There'sproject apparently earned the company to bethats where projects were[been] such a change in technology about $100,000 in profit, which is what being tendered. It was the hub the equipment we use [now] is carried Gillis Quarries through the of information.much different. depression and kept us afloat.Keep it locked to our Member Milestones section as we celebrate long-standing member companies and members that reach significant milestones.Issue 4 | Winter Edition | 2022 BUILD MANITOBA 23"