N. Murray Edwards is owner and Chairman of Edco Financial Holdings Ltd., a merchant banker since 1988. He is a leading investor in, and managing director and chairman of, numerous publicly traded companies including Canadian Natural Resources Limited, and Ensign Energy Services Inc. Today, these companies employ over 25,000 individuals. He is also a chairman, director and co-owner of the Calgary Flames Hockey Club.
Mr. Edwards graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan with Great Distinction and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from the University of Toronto. After moving to Calgary in 1983, he became a lawyer and later a Partner with Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, a Calgary-based law firm.
Alvin G. Libin is a native Calgarian with business interests in real estate, oil and gas and financial services. Mr. Libin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Balmon Investments Ltd., a private management services and investment company. He has a strong commitment to the City of Calgary and to the Province of Alberta and has provided leadership in various volunteer positions.
In 2003, Mr. Libin and his wife Mona, through The Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation, established The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta in partnership with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. Its mission is to provide world-class cardiovascular health care, education and research for southern Alberta. He also serves as a director on several corporate and community boards. Mr. Libin is an Officer of the Order of Canada and holds an Honorary Doctors of Laws degree from the University of Calgary. He was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2004.
Allan Markin is a native Calgarian and longtime philanthropist. He is a 1968 graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering. He became an owner of the Calgary Flames hockey club in 1994. In 1989, together with Murray Edwards, Allan founded Canadian Natural Resources Limited. As Chairman, Allan was instrumental in growing the company from a small operation of six employees with limited capital to the largest oil and gas producer in Canada and one of the most successful operators in the world. Allan supported Canadian Natural's progressive and innovative corporate commitment to a health and wellness system for employees, which later evolved into the Pure North S'Energy Foundation.
A passionate advocate for better health, Allan stepped down as Chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Limited in 2012 to focus his energy on the wellness program he had founded at Pure North. Pure North is an innovative wellness program focused on the prevention of chronic disease, offering an individualized program that provides nutritional supplements, education and lifestyle advice to optimize nutrition and reduce the likelihood of illness in the future. Pure North puts in place the foundation for living a long and healthy life. To date, Pure North has engaged over 46,000 participants from all over western Canada with a special focus on vulnerable populations including seniors, fire and flood victims, homeless individuals and Aboriginal populations.
Pure North bases their practice and recommendations on the best available research. As such, research is a cornerstone of the Foundation both within the program and externally. Pure North prides itself on collaboration with many international experts. Pure North provides their data to researchers at the School of Public Policy and the Bone and Joint Institute at the University of Calgary, the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, Harvard School of Public Health, and the Schools of Medicine at Boston University and Creighton University. Together they strive to educate the population on the importance of optimized nutrition and prevention.
Mr. Markin is a major supporter of the Alberta Project Promoting active Living & healthy Eating in Schools (APPLE Schools) program. The project has expanded since inception, and is now running in 62 Northern Alberta schools, both urban and rural and including First Nations populations. Under Mr. Markin's leadership The APPLE Schools Foundation, was established as a charitable organization, which supports Healthy Kids in Healthy Schools. APPLE Schools has scientifically proven they can increase student leadership skills and physical activity levels, improve healthy eating habits and reduce obesity and chronic disease in a cost effective manner. Mr. Markin's leadership has also helped the project expand its funding base to include government and corporate contributions.
In recognition of his tremendous support of education, Allan has received honorary degrees from the Universities of Alberta, Calgary, Lethbridge and St. Francis Xavier. Mr. Markin is a Founder of St. Mary's University and was bestowed an honorary fellowship from St. Mary's University in 2004. In accepting The Fraser Institute's T. Patrick Boyle Founder Award in 2010, Allan spoke of individual value and personal responsibility.
The Mayor of the City of Calgary bestowed him with the Citizen of the Year award for 2004 and he received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. In July 2008, Mr. Markin was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor General. He received The Alberta Order of Excellence in October 2008. In the fall of 2009, he was inducted into the Calgary Business Hall of Fame. In March 2012, Allan was recognized as the Canadian Business Leader of the Year Award by the Alberta School of Business of the University of Alberta. In the summer of 2012 Allan was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Although diversified, his main philanthropic objective is to enhance education tied to health and wellness.
Jeffrey J. McCaig is Chairman of the Trimac Transportation group of companies. Trimac is one of the largest providers of bulk trucking services in North America and also provides complementary logistics services, including transload facility operations, distribution management, and freight brokerage.
Jeff has been with the Trimac Group of Companies since August 1983. He became President of Trimac Corporation in 1990 and was Chief Executive Officer from 1994 to 2015. Prior to joining Trimac in 1983, Mr. McCaig practiced law in Calgary, first as an associate of MacKimmie Matthews, then through Jeffrey J. McCaig Professional Corporation, focusing on corporate financing and securities. He continues to be a member of the Law Society of Alberta.
In addition to being a Director and chairing the Boards of the Trimac group of companies, Mr. McCaig is a Director and Chairman of MEG Energy, a Canadian oil sands company. He is also a Director and Chairman of Bantrel Company, an engineering, procurement and construction company in the energy sector and a Director and Co-owner of the Calgary Flames Hockey Club. He also serves as Chairman of the Flames Foundation For Life.
He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard; his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada; and his Master of Science in Management degree from the Sloan Program, Stanford University.
Jeff is married with three grown children and resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
