For those of you who are starting out in the business world, read on – you may find some words of inspiration to keep you going. And for those of you who aren’t – read on anyway – this is a story that will have you appreciating how dedication and hard work can help anyone climb that ladder of success.
It was back in the year of 1975 when Bruce Halow finally started seeing his dream come to fruition. For ten years he had worked for Powell Equipment, selling, demonstrating and repairing Caterpillar Tractors, and it was time to move on and become his own boss.
He had proven to himself, and to others, that he had a good head on his shoulders, and observed and taken notes on what various contractors were doing, and now he was confident that it was time to put all his savings to work.
First thing he did was purchase a piece of property at 22 Wing Road. A shop was built and several pieces of equipment were purchased, including a used loader and three used trucks, which, Bruce remembers, with only a small amount of fondness, had to be repaired almost daily. Bruce also built a bulldozer, using the parts and pieces from four old bulldozers. With the basic machinery taken care of, BJ Halow & Son Constructors Ltd. was born. Bruce hasn’t looked back.
“We do about $20 million worth of business a year,” he says almost matter of factly. “We’ve built dams, bridges, including the Slate River and Current River bridges, highways – such as the section from twin city to the U.S. border, and rebuilt shorelines. I’ve even gone into mining and removed tonnes of rock to get to valuable minerals below ground level,” he says with a grin.
In 2014, after nearly 40 years since he started his business, Bruce thought about retirement, so he sold off much of his equipment. When the idea of not working hit him, he realized that he had made a big mistake and decided to start all over again.
“I couldn’t see myself not working. It was a big part of me, and I still enjoy it,” Bruce says. “I’d be a fool not to have something to wake up and look forward to.”
So instead of slowing down he just kept on going.
He started doing work for Gull Bay and White Sand First Nations, and taking on more work for the MTO including installing culverts, bridges, and the contracting of roads and highways including the road from Stanley to Hymers and Highway 17 from the Twin City Crossroads to Ignace.
Bruce’s biggest and most memorable accomplishment was his work on the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “I was the first one to put the shovel in the ground,” he says with
a certain amount of pride. “I enjoyed working alongside Tom Jones Corporation and Ellis Don Construction and loved every day of going to work and seeing the progress of such a major undertaking.”
At the age of 91, he’s still going strong. He oversees the bidding on jobs, checking up on take offs, keeping an eye on the office, and overseeing the repairing of the equipment.
And the secret for his success?
“I like being busy. Busy all over the place. And I’m never bored. I’ve found my niche – so to speak,” Bruce says. “I just can’t stop.”
When asked for any advice that he would like to pass onto anyone considering going into business, Bruce tells it like it is. “First thing you need to do is pay attention to every detail, no matter how small it is and make sure everything is done right. It may not be easy, and you may have to work long nights, but it will all work out. I started small, figuring out how to do repairs on machinery that I had little experience with, but I persevered. A little bit of confidence can go a long way.”
Bruce is also known for his fair treatment of his employees. “I treat people like how I want to be treated,” he says. “Whether it’s a pat on the back for a job well done or putting it out in front and dealing with the problem right there and then, people like it.”
With fifty years of contributing to Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario’s infrastructure, Bruce’s work ethic and words of advice have a great deal of merit. So, if you want to talk to Bruce about his accomplishments over a cup of coffee, drink fast.
There’s no time for sitting and chatting when there’s important work to be done.
