INTERVIEWS
GREAT people
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Interviewer: Pierre G. Boissé

 

Date:                        June, 2010

 

Interviewee:            Jim Wiste Owner: The Campus Lounge, Wiste Enter Inc. & Ex- professional ice hockey player.

 

Where is your place of birth?

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada

Describe your family growing up.
My father worked for the railroad as a conductor in Moose Jaw. My mother was a housewife. We had a normal, modest, but happy family unity. I had one brother.

What are/were your favorite activities/hobbies?
I enjoyed hockey and golf.


What are your fondest memories?
My fondest memories are celebrating holidays, especially Christmas.

What are your favorite foods?
Everything! Turkey, Chinese, Steaks…


Where did you attend school?
I attended Central High M.J. and the University of Denver.

How did you meet your wife?
Playing hockey.

Do you have children?
I have one daughter, Courtney, who is an interior designer and housewife.


Describe your professional career history.
I played professional hockey for approximately ten years.

 

Tell me about your company.
Wiste Enter Inc. is involved in rental properties, investments and owns and operates a sports bar.

 

What is your proudest accomplishment?
NCAA Champion College, College All American Pro Career.

What do you miss most about Canada?
The people.


What are you looking for in the future?
Good health and happiness… and growing up with my grand daughter!

 

How long have you been with the CCA?

Too many years to count.

What do you like most about the CCA?
I like to be a part of the Canadian heritage, meet fellow Canadians and keep in touch with old friends from Canada.

 

Short Bio: James Andrew Wiste(born February 18, 1946) is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent many seasons in the National Hockey League. He was an original member of the Vancouver Canucks upon their entry into the NHL in 1970.

 

Wiste was a college hockey star at the University of Denver, where he was named a Western Collegiate Hockey AssociationFirst-Team All-Star and NCAA First-Team All-Americanin both 1966–67 and 1967–68. He would also lead Denver to a memorable triumph over the University of North Dakota in the 1968 NCAA Championship game.

 

Following his graduation, Wiste was signed by the NHL Chicago Black Hawks in 1968, one of three University of Denver teammates to join Chicago along with Keith Magnuson and Cliff Koroll. He would establish himself as a quality scorer in minor-pro. Unfortunately, in his starting year in Chicago, he broke an arm. So Wiste’s beginning with the NHL was difficult because of his injury. He found it hard to get ice time on a deep Black Hawk team.

 

Then came the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft and Wiste was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks. He was a member of the inaugural Vancouver Canuck squad in 1970–71, but again unfortunately… he literally broke a leg.

 

Wiste was one of many NHL players to jump to the rival upstart World Hockey Association for the 1972–73 campaign, signing with the Cleveland Crusaders. In Cleveland, he would experience the most successful portion of his career, recording totals of 71 and 58 points in his two years there.

 

Wiste moved to the Indianapolis Racers for the 1974–75season with a total of 13 goals and 41 points.

 

Even with multiple injuries, Wiste recorded 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 52 NHL games and added 64 goals and 108 assists for 172 points in 228 WHA contests.

 

It's all in the stories that go around in the Campus Lounge (which he now owns), a great hanging place for all Denverites, hockey players and DU students. Stop by and say hi! He will also be playing in the Third Annual (Almost On) Canada Day Golf Classic… Good Luck!

 

Date:                        May 4, 2010

Interviewer:  Pierre G Boissé

Featured:       Alfred E. (Al) Troppmann

                   President, US Buildings
                   PCL Construction Services, Inc.
                   Denver, CO.

                       

Where is your place of birth?

Bremen, Germany

Describe your family growing up.
Our family immigrated to Canada in October 1949, settling into Camrose, Alberta.  I arrived as a babe-in-arms.  My father, a farmer, was already over 65 years old and basically retired.  My mother was a homemaker.  Prior to arrival in Canada, mother was the village school teacher.  In Canada, my brothers and sisters worked to support the family.  Since I was the last born, I was the beneficiary of my siblings’ hard work.

What are/were your favorite activities/hobbies?
I generally enjoy all sorts of spectator sports; especially basketball, hockey, and football.  I enjoy skiing but I really do need a hobby!


What are your fondest memories?
There are many fond memories over all these years.  Family memories include the university graduation of my children and the birth of our grandchild, Walter.

Professionally:

Working in China.  Three years prior to arriving in Denver, I lead our company’s quest to build the Shanghai stock exchange headquarters.  After fourteen months of effort and many trips to Shanghai we were unsuccessful in securing the project, which was ultimately constructed by a local contractor.  The beautiful building was designed by Canadian Architect WZMH.

Another unique experience was an audience with the founder of Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.  As manager of our Toronto district, we were negotiating with his development group to build a Vedic University and Relaxation Facility in Niagara Falls, Ontario region.  To facilitate the contract signing we traveled to Vlodrop, Netherlands to meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at his new facility.  Ultimately the project did not proceed.

The last interesting memory was experiencing working in four different provinces in Canada.  Each Province offered different challenges.

What are your family traditions?
Not many traditions, with the exception of celebrating Christmas together with our family.

What are your favorite foods?
A great rib eye steak…medium rare with a wonderful red wine!  Also enjoy Chinese food.

Where did you attend school?
Grade school and high school was in Camrose, Alberta.  Attended Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alberta; graduated in Architectural Technology.

How did you meet your wife?
I met my wife, Frances, in the 8th grade at St. Patrick High School in Camrose, Alberta.  She just moved into the “city” from her farm in Duhamel, just 20 miles away.  My attraction was her interest in sports and the fact that she was the smartest in our class.  Our first date was arranged by my best friend.  The result was obvious – she mentored me through school and our partnership has lasted over 45 years!

Do you have children?
We have two adult children, Leticia and Joseph.  They are married and live in Ottawa and Toronto, respectfully.  They endured relocating with their parents eight times to four different provinces in their childhood years.  They lived in Vancouver, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto.

Tish is now a medical doctor and Joe is an architect.

Describe your professional career history.
Following graduation from NAIT it took me three years to find Poole Construction, which is now PCL Construction Services, Inc.  I’ve been with my company for 37 years; fifteen of these years stationed at our US Head Office in Denver.  Our company has 23 business units across North America.  PCL is Canada’s largest contracting company and the 7th largest in USA.  We operate in civil, industrial, and commercial building market sectors having annual billings in excess of $5 billion. 

My proudest accomplishment was being promoted to president of PCL Services (buildings) and becoming a member of our Board in 1996. 

What is/was your biggest adaptation to the U.S.?
Doing business in the US is much more complex and tougher, mainly because of the high level of competition and owners wishing to create unique contracts vs. using industry standards.  Owners have many more options for our construction services.  Our cultures although similar are different in many ways, which we must respect.  People are very friendly but still somewhat provincial; certainly in the world of business.  US is much more litigious than Canada.

What do you miss most about Canada?
I miss St. Lawrence Farmers Market in Toronto – the best food (Peameal bacon bun) and the best place to watch both people and the world pass by on a Saturday morning.  I of course miss our friends and family.

What are you looking for in the future?
Now that retirement is nearing, it’s time to accelerate our personal lifestyle planning.  The obvious is hoping for great health allowing us the ability to tour the world.

 

How long have you been with the CCA?

Well, I’m uncertain, at least ten years I believe.  Once I heard about the organization, my wife Frances (who is now on the board) and I joined and have thoroughly enjoyed being a member.  Through CCA we have developed many new friendships.

What do you like most about the CCA?
Meeting and partying with fellow Canadians that have moved to Denver over the years.  In fact our grandson, Walter from Ottawa, already attended last year’s Steak & Lobster Party!  Most attendees know what the CFL is and some actually like the Toronto Maple Leafs!

 

Visit PCL

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Date:               April 16, 2010

Interviewer: Pierre G Boissé

 

Featured:      Dale Eisler

                        Consul General of Canada, Denver CO

                        at Department of Foreign Affairs, Government of Canada

 



Where is your place of birth?

Regina, Saskatchewan

Describe your family growing up.
When I was born, my father managed the local Co-Op store in the small town of Mankota, in southwest Saskatchewan. He briefly managed a hardware store in Shaunavon before buying a small, corner grocery store in Moose Jaw, Sask., which was where I grew up until my second year of high school. My mother was a mother/housewife who helped in the family store, which really was a family effort. My older sister and brother and I would help out, stocking shelves and making deliveries.

Did you have a particular lifestyle growing up?
We were a pretty typical family that sometimes had to struggle to make ends meet. I remember the first new car my parents got wasn't until I was 14 years old. As a family, we were regular churchgoers.

Do you have any siblings?
I was the youngest of three kids. My sister Marilyn is the oldest. My older brother Terry died three years ago.

What are/were your favorite activities/hobbies?
Growing up I was quite active in sports, playing hockey, baseball and football. Now, in terms of sports, I really enjoy playing golf and watching hockey and football whenever I get a chance. I also like to read and given the 24 years I spent in journalism before joining the Government of Canada, I still like to write. In fact, I've just finished a novel that I hope will be released this June. It's a novel, set in Russia from 1919-1925 that ends in Saskatchewan.

What is your fondest memory?
I would say the birth of my daughter Paula and my two granddaughters, Madeline and Genevieve. Nothing can match it.

What are your family traditions?
Birthdays are important, especially now with grandkids. So my wife Louise and I make it a point to be there for their birthdays. We always spend Christmas together as a family.

What are your favorite foods?
I hate to admit it because I eat too much of it, but thick-crust pizza is likely my favorite. I also like Thai food.

Where did you attend school?
I went to St. Agnes elementary school in Moose Jaw, then one year at St. Louis College High School before finishing the last three years of high school at Campion College in Regina. I then went to the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus (now University of Regina), the University of Toronto and Vermont College, Union Institute and University.

How did you meet your wife?
Louise and I met on a blind date in high school. I was in Grade 12 and she was in Grade 10, my high school sweetheart.

Do you have children?
Yes, one daughter, Paula. She grew up in Regina and lives there now. After finishing university she married.

Describe your professional career history.
I spent 24 years in journalism, mostly in Saskatchewan, with daily newspapers and Maclean's Magazine. I was briefly in Calgary for Maclean's before joining the federal government in 1998 as Assistant Deputy Minister of Communications at the Department of Finance. I later became Assistant Secretary to Cabinet in the Privy Council Office before coming to Denver as Consul General in late 2007.

Tell me about the Consulate.
The Consulate General in Denver was established in 2004 and covers the four-state region of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. We have a staff of 21.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
In order, my marriage, birth of our daughter, birth of our granddaughters and the release of my last book in 2006.

What is/was your biggest adaptation to the U.S.?
There really hasn't been any major adjustment. As Consul General the personal transition has been pretty smooth and Louise and I have been warmly welcomed, especially by the folks at the Canada-Colorado Association.

What do you miss most about Canada?
Tim Horton's, family and friends.

What are you looking for in the future?
I guess like most people, health and happiness.

What do you like most about the CCA?
The people. They are truly great to be with. When we get together it makes you feel like you're back home in Canada.

 

Official Gov Bio:

Dale Eisler (BA in Political Science, the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus; MA in Political Science, Vermont College, Union Institute & University).

Prior to joining the Canadian Federal Government, Mr. Eisler had an extensive career in journalism, including daily newspapers, weekly newsmagazines, syndicated opinion columns, radio and television. He was also a sessional lecturer in journalism at the University of Regina.

In addition, Mr. Eisler was involved, at an ownership level, in private business for 13 years.

In 1998, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister for Consultations and Communications with the Department of Finance in the Government of Canada. In 2004, he was appointed Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Communications and Consultations) at the Privy Council Office, which was the most senior communications position in the Canadian Government.

In 2006, Mr. Eisler was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Commemorative Medal in recognition of his contributions to the province and society. He is the author of two books, most recently False Expectations: Politics and the Pursuit of the Saskatchewan Myth, published by the University of Regina in 2006. In 2007, he was awarded the University of Regina's distinguished alumni award for professional achievement

Dale and his wife Louise took up residence in Denver in November 2007. They have one daughter and one granddaughter.

 

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/denver/offices-bureaux/dale_eisler.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=252&menu=L

 

 

Biographie (Français):

Dale Eisler est diplomé en sciences politiques de l'université de Saskatchewan, campus de Regina; il possède une maîtrise en sciences politiques de l'université du Vermont, Union Institute & University.

Avant de joindre le gouvernement fédéral canadien, Mr Eisler a fait carrière dans le journalisme. Il a travaillé pour la presse écrite quotidienne et hebdomadaire; il a été éditorialiste et à également œuvré pour la radio et la télévision.

Il a été chargé d'enseignement en journalisme à l'Université de Régina.

Mr Eisler a travaillé pour son propre compte durant 13 années dans le secteur privé.

En 1998, il fut nommé sous-ministre de la communication et des consultations au sein du ministère des finances dans le gouvernement canadien. En 2004, il devint secrétaire adjoint du Cabinet, chargé de la communication et des consultations au Conseil privé en occupant la fonction la plus importante en termes de communication au sein du gouvernement canadien.

En 2006, Mr Eisler a reçu la médaille commémorative de Saskatchewan en reconnaissance de sa contribution à la province et pour ses activités sociales.

Il est l'auteur de deux livres, dont le plus récent est False Expectations : Politics and the Pursuit of the Saskatchewan Myth publié par l'Université de Regina en 2006.

En 2007, Dale Eisler a reçu le prix du lauréat remarquable de l`université de Régina pour sa réussite professionnelle.

Dale et son épouse Louise ont éli domicile à Denver en novembre 2007. Ils ont une fille et une petite-fille.

 

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/denver/offices-bureaux/dale_eisler.aspx?lang=fra&menu_id=263&menu=L