Shantel Lipp
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS A T SHCA
By Craig Slater, Martin Charlton Communications
It was over before it started.
FEATURE
At least that is what Shantel Lipp thought to be the case when she interviewed to fill
the role of president of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association.
One key part of her application process was to take the SHCA’s existing strategic plan, poke
holes in it and make recommendations on how to take it forward. She was allotted 20 minutes
during the interview to deliver her new plan.
“I think I went on for at least 35 minutes and nobody cut me off,” Lipp recalled of that pro-cess.
“And there were these three big roadbuilder gentlemen sitting across from me and staring
at me and I thought they were going to eat me alive. They were looking at me like I was nuts.
“I figured I blew it.”
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Lipp was told that it wasn’t until that moment that the Association had any idea what they
were supposed to do with their existing strategic plan.
Finally, they had a direction.
This past year marked Lipp’s 10th year as SHCA president. Over the past decade, the
Association has experienced growth in its membership – from approximately 140 members to
more than 200 – and has taken on major projects like the Martensville-Warman interchange
and the Regina Bypass, the largest infrastructure undertaking in Saskatchewan history.
Government relations, too, have improved over the years.
“When we hired Shantel, our main focus was to make some inroads for our Association with
the government,” noted Allan Barilla, long time SHCA board chairman. “We relied mostly on
another association to be our voice with the government and we needed to take control of that.
Well, as you can see, as well as what our members can see, we have the ear of the government
probably better than any other association in Western Canada; maybe all of Canada.
“Shantel has exceeded our hopes of having access to our government officials. Not only has
she been able to make partnerships with the government, but many other associations respect
her advice and input.”
“Shantel has exceeded our hopes of having
access to our government officials. Not only
has she been able to make partnerships
with the government, but many other
associations respect her advice and input.”
– Allan Barilla, SHCA Board Chairman
CALVIN FEHR
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