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BUILD MANITOBA     winnipegconstruction.ca
IMPACT BUILDERS
I started in corporate sales, and 
within six months he offered me a 
position to run Advance Pro – the 
predecessor to PSB Integration. I was 
under his mentorship and guidance. 
Almost 30 years later, here I am. We 
eventually bought the company, and 
later I separated and established PSB 
Integration, which is essentially an 
offshoot of Advance Pro. In hindsight, 
it was probably the best decision I ever 
made. I’ve had nothing but fun.
BM: What excites you most about the 
work you do now?
PB: The diversity. In many trades, the 
work can be repetitive in the sense 
that you’re doing very similar work. 
In technology – especially now – 
everything we do is custom. There’s 
no cookie-cutter solution. Everything 
is micro-processed, software-driven, 
computer-driven. The ability to have 
multiple systems talk to one another 
and integrate as one working system is 
technically challenging, but it results in 
an application-driven solution.
BM: What’s a project that captures that 
“unique twist”?
PB: The Leaf. We were asked to work 
with an engineering company in 
Toronto to synchronize a video – aurora 
borealis, lightning, sunrise, sunset – and 
program the lights to emulate it inside 
the biodome. There are hundreds 
of programmable lights. We had 
someone there for almost three weeks 
programming those effects. It’s  
probably the most unique thing that 
comes to mind.
BM: You touched on AI – does it 
concern you, or does it energize you?
PB: For what our company does, it 
doesn’t scare me at all. If anything, it 
will help us become more efficient with 
certain tasks. For our customers, using 
AI smartly and judiciously will help them 
run buildings more efficiently. Building 
operators can’t monitor every system in 
a 30-storey tower at all hours, but AI can 
spot bad trends – like pressure getting 
too high in water pipes – and take action 
to prevent a burst, then notify the real 
people who need to fix it. That can save 
massive expense and damage. At the 
same time, there are examples where AI 
can go too far.
BM: What’s one misconception  
people outside the industry still have 
about construction?
PB: People hear “construction” and 
think jackhammers, concrete, road signs. 
They don’t think of new buildings, office 
renovations and the breadth of roles 
involved. There are designers, interior 
designers, specialized companies like 
ours – highly technical work, strong soft 
skills. I want to help move the needle 
so people understand how attractive 
the trades are and how many avenues 
and opportunities there are. There’s 
something for everyone.
BM: How would you describe your 
leadership style, and how has it evolved?
PB: My motto is, don’t fill the clock at 40 
hours – just get the job done. I’m lenient 
and empathetic. I foster collaboration 
and good fellowship. Over time, as the 
company grows, you learn you need 
to delegate and surround yourself with 
strong people who can do the work. I’ve 
never been a micromanager, but I’ve 
always leaned towards having my finger 
in things. That’s something I’ve had  
to improve.
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