Niagara businessman and construction icon Tom Rankin received the 2018 CCA Person of the Year Award during the national association’s annual conference in Bermuda in March.
These awards recognize the important contributions of individuals, companies and associations that promote and enhance the Canadian construction industry.
A nomination package was assembled by various Niagara Construction Association (NCA) and other ICI construction industry members, including Stephen Coote, Jason Ball and past NCA president Emilio Raimondo of Ramondo + Associates Architects Inc.
“We were attending last year’s CCA Conference and Awards when we mentioned to each other that we have an award winner right here inn Niagara, Torn Rankin,” Raimondo said.
“He exemplifies the characteristics and qualities of this nomination. A man of Tom’s caliber is well-deserving of this prestigious, national recognition in shaping the physical environment around us in Niagara, and also through his philanthropy, his selflessness and giving to various organizations not the least of which is the Rankin Run for cancer (raising and donating back to the community over $7,000,000 since 2010).”
Rankin has been an active and successful leader in the construction industry for decades.
In 1978, he partnered with Dave Stephens to co-found Stephens and Rankin Inc., a heavy civi construction company, which later became Rankin Construction Ltd. He also created Rankin Renewable Power Inc. (RRPI) which was involved in the development of policy for wind power that balances the enablement of green technology with minimized impact on the local community.
Rankin has been an active donor to various organizations, such as Goodwill Industries Niagara, Jericho House, Pathstone Mental Health, Wellspring Niagara, and St. Martin Elementary School, to name a few. His numerous awards include an Outstanding Engineering Award, the Outstanding Business Award from the City of St. Catharines and a Niagara lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame Award, among many others.
“Tom epitomizes what it means to be the CCA’s Person of the Year. Tom’s leadership and commitment to the community are an inspiration to all of us in the construction industry,” said NCA past-president and CCA executive director Stephen Coote of Group 92 Mechanical Inc.
Jason Ball of Ball Construction says: “We are proud to work and partner with him. Toms’ leadership and dedication to excellence in the construction industry have always impressed us. He has created an organization based on his ethics and integrity. He is a true champion for community improvement, who has the highest standards and principles and is most deserving of these awards.
“It is not just the dollar value that he considered when building his company,” Ball said. “He considered the impact on people and places.”
NCA general manager Karin Sheldrick said Rankin’s company carries out more than $100,000,000 in heavy civil construction projects a year, making Rankin Construction one of the largest contractors in the Niagara Region. “Tom’s ambitions, inspirational leadership skills, and accomplishments exceed the expectations for this award and his community efforts complement and make him highly deserving of (this) honour.”‘
NCA president Carol Danis also congratulated Rankin, saying “we are proud to see a valued NCA member recognized for this well-deserved, prestigious national CCA Award.”‘
Mary-Anne Bowcott from Westcom Plumbing in BC was also recognized with a CCA Person of the Year award.