Magna Electric Senior Executives Honored with SIAST President’s Alumni Partnership Award

REGINA, Saskatchewan - April 29, 2014 - PRLog -- REGINA, SK – On Saturday, April 26 at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology President’s Gala, four senior executives of Magna Electric Corporation, all graduates of SIAST’s Electrical Engineering Technology program, were honored with the SIAST President’s Alumni Partnership Award.

Held at SIAST Kelsey Campus, the inaugural black-tie gala was established to recognize key SIAST supporters.  Funds raised by the event will benefit the SIAST Aboriginal Student Achievement Plan (ASAP).   At the gala Dr. Larry Rosia, president and CEO of SIAST, presented the President’s Alumni Partnership Award to MEC CEO Kerry Heid and Kerwin Boser, Curtis Brandt and Jarret Solberg - MEC executive vice-presidents.  All four are former owners and remain as senior executives after the recent acquisition of MECby Shermco Industries.

MEC has successfully grown to over 500 employees who provide electrical testing, maintenance construction and engineering support for many industries and utilities in western Canada.  These former graduates have provided both the technical basis for this growth as well as the organizational skills obtained through the programs at SIAST.  They have also benefited the electrical industry at large by their contributions to the development of both safety and technical standards used across Canada and the US.

“Magna Electric is a Saskatchewan success story. Its four founders – all SIAST alumni – exemplify the axiom that with corporate success comes corporate social responsibility,” says Dr. Larry Rosia, SIAST president and CEO. “They have shared industry expertise with SIAST to ensure the continued success of enterprise in Saskatchewan and of SIAST students. They are role models and are truly deserving recipients of the first SIAST President’s Alumni Partnership Award.” Magna’s leadership team has credited a good deal of their success to having access to top-level people, and they believe that access begins with SIAST.

The sentiment was echoed in MEC CEO Kerry Heid’s remarks after receiving the award. He announced that MEC will be making a gift of $100,000 to support the Electrical Engineering Technology program at the SIAST Palliser Campus in Moose Jaw, SK.

“We are so very honored by this award and feel strongly about raising awareness and support for SIAST. Our leadership team believes the continued success of our company requires strategic hiring and that is why we have partnered with SIAST to develop and sponsor this program at the Palliser campus. It is good for our industry and good for those individuals seeking a top notch education in an area that is currently in high demand,” said Heid.

ABOUT MAGNA ELECTRIC

Based in Saskatchewan, Magna Electric Corporation is a leading Canadian electrical power system engineering, testing, construction, manufacturing and commissioning service company. MEC is a division of Shermco Industries, North America’s leading independent provider of electrical services to energy, utility, infrastructure and industrial companies. With service centers located throughout North America, certified technicians and engineers focus on servicing both scheduled and unexpected projects for large commercial, industrial and utility customers.  MEC and Shermco, lead in electrical safety and technical training as well as industrial electrical contracting, utility, wind turbine maintenance and disaster recovery services. Both are members in good standing with governing and standards entities such as the CSA, Electrical Apparatus Service Association, American Wind Energy Association, Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League, and the InterNational Electrical Testing Association. For more information, visit www.magnaelectric.com or www.shermco.com