Crafting Our Legacy
Where it all began
Established in 1923 as Fowler & Young Contracting Engineers, our story began with a vision to build Manitoba into a thriving home through improved infrastructure. The name GIP Prairie Ltd. was born from a casual gathering among the founders, a testimony to the camaraderie and visionary spirit that define us. In the 1940s, we set up our Main Office and Repair Facility on Dawson Road, a location which still serves as a crucial hub for maintaining our expanding fleet. Our head office, now located at 730 Taylor Avenue, continues our legacy of longevity in heavy construction.
Growing and innovating
Over the years, we’ve grown to operate in Manitoba and beyond, mastering aggregate processing, concrete and asphalt paving, tunneling, site servicing, and lift stations. Today, our team of hundreds of skilled professionals deliver thousands of projects, earning the trust of our community.
Core values
As a leading heavy construction contractor in Canada, we uphold the highest standards of quality. Our organization is built on trust, respect, and teamwork, valuing the contributions of the people with whom we lay the foundation for success.
Rooted in community
If there’s one thing we know, it’s good foundations and how to build them. By strengthening infrastructure, we shape landscapes that will resonate for generations and enhance the daily lives of Manitobans. Our commitment to our city remains steadfast as we drive growth and ensure quality in every project.
Awards
We are honoured to be recognized by our industry peers and regulators through a collection of awards. These accolades reflect the dedication and craftsmanship of our team who share our belief that every challenge is an opportunity to break new ground.
Leadership team
Our success is driven by thought leadership, strategic thinking, and transparency that positions us for continued growth. We focus on developing our people, seizing opportunities for improvement, and making foundational decisions to ensure a better future for our community.
Gord Lee, P.Eng., GSC
Regional Vice President – Manitoba East
Gord Lee, P. Eng., GSC
President & CEO
Gord has been with the company since 1985 and has served in several different capacities during his career. He was appointed President and CEO in 2002. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at University of Manitoba in 1985, his Professional Engineer designation in 1987 and his Gold Seal Certificate in Project Management from the Canadian Construction Association in 1999.
Gord is an active member of the Winnipeg construction community and has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Western Canada Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Construction Association. He has served as Chair of the Manitoba Construction Sector Council since 2011 and has represented the Heavy Construction Industry on the Construction Industry Wages Act Review Panel since 2009. He is a Director on the Board of the Health Sciences Center Foundation.
John Hudohmet, CPA,CMA
Director, Finance
John Hudohmet, CPA,CMA
CFO
John has been with the Company since 2016, serving as CFO. John received his designation in 2001 and has held several senior accounting/finance related positions prior to joining NRC.
John oversees the day-to-day operations of NRC’s corporate services which includes accounting/finance, administration, human resources/payroll and information technology.
With his diverse background and experience, John also has significant involvement in both insurance and legal matters related to the Company.
Mike Huard, P.Eng
Director, Underground
Mike Huard, P.Eng
Underground Manager
Mike Huard has been with the company since 2014. Mike graduated from University of Manitoba engineering faculty in 2004 and received his P. Eng. designation in 2012.
Mike oversees estimators, project managers and superintendents in the bidding and execution of all underground projects in all areas of urban and rural infrastructure, including new construction and rehabilitation of land drainage and wastewater sewers, watermains, pump stations and site grading. He specializes in trenchless construction methods, including pipe jacking, slip lining and CIPP.
Mike has more than 17 years of experience in construction and contract management of municipal engineering projects.
Marcel Machado, B.Sc. C.E.
Director, Asphalt
Marcel Machado, B.Sc. C.E.
Asphalt Manager
Marcel oversees the day-to-day operations of the asphalt paving division at Nelson River including the estimating, tendering, project management, and construction of various infrastructure projects. Marcel has overseen the successful completion of numerous projects including highways, roads, airports, and parking lots for a wide variety of government and private sector clients under both traditional and design-build construction models. With nearly 30 years of experience in the roadbuilding and paving industry, Marcel brings a wealth of knowledge to each project he is involved with.
Steve Kosmac, C.E.T., GSC
Director, Concrete
Steve Kosmac, C.E.T., GSC
Concrete Manager
Steve is the Manager of the Concrete Division for Nelson River Construction. He has over 20 years’ experience in the management of City and Highway roadway projects, Airport projects and a variety of structural concrete rehabilitation projects some of which include bridge modification work. His experience in the planning, organizing and coordination of the multiple Subtrades related to Utilities, Landscaping, and Electrical infrastructure is meticulous by nature. His extensive experience on roadway related projects makes him an integral contributor to the management of our projects
Robert Boyechko
Director, Aggregate
Robert Boyechko
Aggregates Manager
Robert is our Aggregate Manger responsible for the planning, organizing, directing and control of raw material production at our various quarry holdings throughout the province. With over twenty-five years of experience, Robert identifies opportunities and develops strategies for improved efficiency and production. Addressing the needs of our internal divisions and our Customers is a major responsibility. Robert ensures environmental compliance, rehabilitation and permit obligations are maintained. He also provides research and testing of new and existing quarries.
Ray Bissonnette, CRSP, CHSC
Manager, HSE
Ray Bissonnette, CRSP, CHSC
Safety Health & Loss Prevention
Ray has over a decade of experience in the Safety and Health field and is our Manager of Safety, Health & Loss Prevention. Ray has played a key role in the ongoing development and expansion of the company Safety, Health & Loss Prevention program, with the goal to minimize worker injuries and company losses. Ray’s experience includes policy and procedure development, coordinating training, conducting company safety audits, accident prevention, team building, and incident tracking and investigations, managing insurance loss claims, and identifying company risk.
Fred Zayik, CIM
Director, Fleet
Fred Zayik, CIM
Equipment Manager
Fred has been with the company since 1995. He has his C.I.M. degree from the University of Manitoba and moved into the role of Equipment Manager in 2018, prior to which he served as NRC’s Equipment Supervisor for over 20 years.
Fred serves on the Manitoba Heavy Equipment rate committee and provides advice to the committee.
Fred oversees the day-to-day operations of the Equipment Division, and is responsible for ensuring the fleet is well-maintained and meets the needs of every division. He also oversees the capital expenditure program and sources the equipment purchases using his extensive knowledge and relationships.