Independent Contractors board elects new chair

The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association have elected a new chair to its board. Jim Laurence, the president of Vanbots Construction Inc, takes the place of Peter Krause, the last chair of the ICBA. Laurence joined Vanbots in 1999, a few years after the company first opened offices in the Lower Mainland. His beginnings in the industry were with PCL in Calgary as a mechanical contractor, before moving to Ellis Don as a project manager and eventually area manager. One of Laurence’s current projects is the $25 million energy centre at Vancouver General Hospital for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. He said his newest project ties in with his previous experiences. “Interestingly, we built the Jim Pattison Pavilion for Vancouver General Hospital in the early 1990’s when I was with Ellis Don, and then we completed the interior, along with seismic upgrading, in 2000/2001 with Vanbots,” Laurence said. While Laurence credits some of his business to the work generated by the upcoming Vancouver Olympics in 2010, he said his work is built around knowing and working with the client repeatedly. “We chase work where we can develop long-term relationships. In fact, I’m proud to say 100 per cent of our current clients are repeat clients,” he said. Other individuals elected to the board include vice chair Bob Fairbank, from Rempel Bros Concrete Ltd,. secretary Kurt Krampl, of Airstream Heating and A/C Inc., and treasurer Steve Lornie, of Stonecroft Management The new directors are Mike Braacx, of Tritan Construction, Doug Peters, of All-West Glass, Ron Nalawajek, of Ledcor Industries, Bob Vincent, of Brighter Mechanical, and Darcy Kray of Durwest Construction Management. Also elected to the board were Roger Lockwood of GT Holdings, Paul Manning of Western Versatile Construction Group, Bill Reedman, of Steelform Contracting 2003, and Doug Scott, of Wale McLelland Construction Co. ICBA’s president is Phillip Hochstein, and the vice president is Gord Stewart.

Laurence joined Vanbots in 1999, a few years after the company first opened offices in the Lower Mainland. His beginnings in the industry were with PCL in Calgary as a mechanical contractor, before moving to Ellis Don as a project manager and eventually area manager.

One of Laurence’s current projects is the $25 million energy centre at Vancouver General Hospital for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. He said his newest project ties in with his previous experiences.

“Interestingly, we built the Jim Pattison Pavilion for Vancouver General Hospital in the early 1990’s when I was with Ellis Don, and then we completed the interior, along with seismic upgrading, in 2000/2001 with Vanbots,” Laurence said.

While Laurence credits some of his business to the work generated by the upcoming Vancouver Olympics in 2010, he said his work is built around knowing and working with the client repeatedly.

“We chase work where we can develop long-term relationships. In fact, I’m proud to say 100 per cent of our current clients are repeat clients,” he said.

Other individuals elected to the board include vice chair Bob Fairbank, from Rempel Bros Concrete Ltd,. secretary Kurt Krampl, of Airstream Heating and A/C Inc., and treasurer Steve Lornie, of Stonecroft Management The new directors are Mike Braacx, of Tritan Construction, Doug Peters, of All-West Glass, Ron Nalawajek, of Ledcor Industries, Bob Vincent, of Brighter Mechanical, and Darcy Kray of Durwest Construction Management. Also elected to the board were Roger Lockwood of GT Holdings, Paul Manning of Western Versatile Construction Group, Bill Reedman, of Steelform Contracting 2003, and Doug Scott, of Wale McLelland Construction Co. ICBA’s president is Phillip Hochstein, and the vice president is Gord Stewart.