When adversity strikes, some people crumble under the pressure while others stand tall to see what’s coming next. Kim Johnson was the latter. In 1985, he was a partner in a general contracting firm that was folding but he had forged strong relationships with his clients over the years and didn’t want to abandon them. Instead, he decided to start a company of his own to continue to serve these clients. The first order of business: a name. Kim wanted a name that started with ‘A’ so it was toward the front of the Yellow Pages, and as a fan of big dogs, The Jungle Book and the Cub Scouts, he landed on Akela Construction. It connotes leadership, whether in reference to a wolf pack or a Scout troop, and over the years, Kim’s company established itself as a leader in the industry as well.
With little more than a pick-up truck, some tools, a brick cell phone and a strong work ethic, Kim tackled small commercial construction projects for his clients. As he proved himself a reliable, valuable partner to these clients, the business slowly picked up steam.
“For the first 20 years, it was just himself and a labourer or two. Then, as the years went on, his clients started to need more and more, and Dad started to see a bit more of a need to hire people to help do the work,” says Chad Johnson, owner and project manager at Akela Construction Ltd.
Kim looked close to home for staff, and by the early 2000s, Akela had become a true family business – something neither of Kim’s sons saw coming. Kade and Chad Johnson were both working for large general contractors when a flood changed the trajectory of their careers. Their parents’ acreage near Millarville was in a flood zone and after heavy rain, the river rose and overtook their home and property. The Johnsons were devastated, both personally with the destruction of their home and professionally with the loss of equipment stored in the yard, preventing Kim from completing his projects. When he sent out a desperate call for help, Chad answered. He took leave from his job and focussed on helping his dad honour his commitment to Akela’s clients.
“I said: ‘I’ll help you out, get through a job or two, get you back on your feet and then we’ll see where it goes’,” Chad says. “Here we are, 20 years later, still seeing where it’ll go.”
One job turned into two, then four, and Chad used his contacts and industry experience to help grow the company. Within a few years, they needed to hire more help and Kade left his job and joined the company. The Johnsons worked together to establish Akela Construction as a highly respected construction contractor across Western Canada.
The client list grew and the brothers had the expertise to handle virtually anything clients needed. Word of mouth brought more and more business to Akela and they soon started recruiting likeminded professionals to join them as they built the company larger and stronger. That three-man crew has grown to a team of between 20 and 25 employees today, with half of the team coordinating projects from the office and the other half working in the field alongside a roster of longtime elite trades subcontractors. When Kim decided to retire in 2012, he knew the company was in great hands and he was confident that his sons would continue to do great work for clients.
He was right. The brothers combined their experience and contacts to create a network of amazing repeat clients who appreciate the individual attention they receive from the Akela team. Kade and Chad had worked in a large contractor setting and while it was a great way to get exposure to big projects and gain experience, they knew they wanted to run a different kind of company.
“We wanted something a little more low key, more simple, more down to earth where you can get your hands dirty. It’s worked out really well,” Chad says. “We both have families that we love to spend time with and that’s been part of what we do with all the staff, too. Everybody has families, so the work-life balance is super important here.”
This philosophy not only attracts quality people to the company but also keeps them over the long term. The staff is a close-knit group that works well with and for one another, and they mirror the example set at the top. Chad and Kade are involved in every project Akela takes on, working closely with the team, their trades teams and their clients to ensure an unparalleled final result. To make this system work seamlessly, the Johnsons are selective about who they work with and work for, seeking out positive, trustworthy, salt-of-the-earth people on both sides of the interaction. These internal and external relationships are the backbone of Akela Construction and are responsible for the low turnover and high repeat business the company enjoys.
After all, the company may operate in commercial and light industrial construction but it is a business of people. The Akela team gets to know clients well and provides friendly, personable service that leaves a lasting impression. Clients aren’t just lines on a ledger; they are partners, and Akela and its clients are invested in each other’s success. Whether the team is stepping in to do a $100,000 building renovation or constructing a $50-million building from the ground up, Akela has the expertise to complete small- and large-scale projects that exceed expectations. The team has taken pride in delivering a high-quality product in their 200 construction projects in and around Calgary over the past 20 years, and whether giving a building an exterior facelift or building something new, clients know that this general contractor can handle anything thrown its way.
“We have a pretty wide range of what we do, but I would say what we are good at, though, are the complicated projects. The additions and the renovations where there’s a lot of challenges that need to be addressed,” he says.
The team is particularly proud of its work on a 350,000 square-foot Canadian Tire distribution centre that incorporated net-zero innovation into the design and construction. Akela assembled a skilled team of professionals to build out everything from geothermal heating to solar panel arrays on the roof to achieve this highly efficient, environmental design that is among the first of its kind in the city.
“A lot of the technology and what we were doing was new to this industry and new to this part of the world. It’s a real feather in our cap and we’re pretty proud of how it turned out,” he says.
From innovative design elements to tight schedules to managing the public while renovating a client’s space, Akela is staffed by outside-the-box thinkers who pride themselves on delivering quality solutions. It is a full-service shop that offers general contracting from bid to build, cost control including budgeting, value engineering and constructability analysis, and project management services involving high levels of collaboration with clients’ consultants, engineers and architects for design management and project coordination. The Akela team is there for clients from start to finish whether they are building down the street or expanding their corporate footprint across Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba.
The team is there for youth in the community as well. The Johnsons are happy to promote active and engaged kids by sponsoring hockey teams and supporting Scouts Canada. It has been important and personal for them to support these causes since the second generation took over the company; it’s one small way they can give back for all that Calgary has given them. Celebrating 40 years in business has presented an opportunity to do just that: reflect on what Akela Construction has achieved and look ahead to what’s in store in the decades to come.
“Being in business for 40 years under the same name, run by the same family is pretty amazing. My dad, my brother and I are proud of it as a family for sure, but not necessarily because of all the projects that we’ve done. It’s more the people we’ve come to know and work with and the amazing relationships we have in this industry,” Chad says.
The strong relationships Akela Construction has built over the years continue to propel the company forward through good times and bad. Chad and Kade Johnson and their talented team are proud to grow organically alongside their clients, always with a promise to remain as small as necessary to safeguard the family’s high standards of service and quality. Kim Johnson passed down his dedication to client satisfaction and his strong work ethic to his sons and grandchildren, all of whom worked at the company in some capacity over the years. While none of the six grandkids have yet circled back to join the family business as Chad and Kade did, the foundation of family values and commitment to excellence ensures that the founder’s legacy will continue to thrive.
As Akela Construction celebrates four decades in business, the milestone is more than a measure of time. It’s a testament to the hard work, resilience and dedication it took to build a successful company from the ground up. With strong relationships and stronger roots, it’s clear that Akela Construction is ready for the next 40 years.
33, 9151 – 44 St SE, Calgary, AB T2C 2P7
info@akelaconstruction.com
Office: 403-720-8405