MOOSE JAW - In a celebration of employee dedication and in recognition of outstanding performance behind the wheel over the past year, KAG Canada (formerly Westcan Bulk Transport Ltd.) held its annual awards ceremony to honour 14 local truck drivers for their commitment to safety. The event also saw six long-serving employees receive their years of service award.
The ceremony took place at the Sportsman Centre on June 8 and was attended by company representatives, KAG Canada employees, and their families.
The 14 attending drivers recognized for their exemplary performance with the Driver of the Year Award included:
- Eric Astrologo
- Darrel Babcock
- Hector Blackwin
- Michael Boniface
- Dewayne Brown
- Norbert Busta
- Edward Eichholz
- Leopold Grant
- Brett Heltman
- Renato Manalo
- Reynante Meremilla
- Kerry Mulligan
- Duane Schultz
- Robin Swain
Each professional driver truly earned their spot because of the daily vigilance required to remain qualified for the Driver of the Year Award.
“It’s amazing what (each driver) had to do to achieve what they did,” explained Reg Dyck, Moose Jaw’s KAG Canada terminal manager. This includes each driver going a full calendar year without speeding tickets, rolling stops, losing equipment, spilling product, and similar violations a 1A driver may face on the road.
“We like to recognize (our driver’s hard work) just to show that we’re thankful for what they do to make us look as professional as we are,” he said. “It shows our professionalism, and we like to recognize that.”
Dyck said that both he and the company offer the awards to show their ongoing dedication to the drivers and noted that, although 14 employees were in attendance, 24 – just over half of the 45 drivers currently employed at Moose Jaw’s terminal – had earned the recognition.
The evening’s ceremony also honoured six KAG Canada employees for their years of service and dedication. These employees included:
- Reynante Meremilla (five years and two months; driver)
- Kerry Mulligan (five years and two months; driver)
- Dewayne Brown (five years and two months; driver)
- Henry Chow (20 years and one month; driver)
- Nelson Ratkey (20 years; shop mechanic)
- Norbert Busta (40 years and two months; driver)
Each employee recognized for their years of service receives a company ring with three rubies beginning at their five-year mark. These rubies get replaced one by one with diamonds for every additional five years of service until they display three diamonds after 20 years of service.
Norbert Busta is the company’s longest-serving local driver, a recipient of the Driver of the Year Award, and donned his 40-year service ring as he expressed gratitude for KAG Canada's recognition of his years of dedication.
“I really want to thank the company, and (say that) they do just super for their employees,” Busta said.
“They’re a good bunch of people to work with – fellow drivers, the mechanics, everyone. We’re like a family.”
The ceremony concluded with a random draw to allocate 14 door prize gifts – one per driver who was recognized – in further celebration of their achievements and to usher them forward to another year of safe and successful driving.
To learn more about KAG Canada or to join the team, visit KAGCanada.ca. Moose Jaw’s terminal is located at 850 Manitoba Street East and can be reached at 306-692-6478.
