Skills Canada Nunavut 2021 Territorial Skills Competition Award Winners

Lisa MacDonald

Lisa has been working and living in the North for over 38 years. Lisa has formal training in travel consulting, assisting organizations with their staff travel needs. Prior to joining NCC, Lisa served as the Office Manager at Narwhal Plumbing and Heating Ltd. in Iqaluit for 10 years. Lisa joined the NCC Development team as Office Manager in May 2012. As Office Manager, Lisa is responsible for ensuring that the various important administrative matters for NCC’s construction operations are completed in a timely and accurate manner. Lisa takes the lead on many critical activities including customer invoicing, vendor payments, overseeing staff timesheets, staff travel and accommodations, other employee matters, and permit and other municipal applications. Lisa is also an active member of the Iqaluit community, volunteering on the boards of many local organizations such the Iqaluit Royal Purple Elks and Joamie Afterschool Program, and previously volunteered for other organizations.

Mike McPherson

Originally from Nova Scotia, Mike has resided in Nunavut since 2006. Mike initially moved to Kinngait, and then transferred to Iqaluit. Mike has held both management and senior management positions at the Nunavut Housing Corporation since relocating to Nunavut, where he has acquired extensive experience and knowledge of property management. Mike joined NCC as Director of Properties in April 2022. As Director of Properties, Mike is responsible for overseeing NCC’s large portfolio of residential and commercial properties throughout the territory and is the lead on property management matters. Mike is also heavily involved in assessing potential property acquisitions, dispositions and developments.

Mike is a dedicated volunteer with youth hockey in Nunavut and was a past President of Iqaluit Minor Hockey, past President of Hockey Nunavut, and past Vice President of Hockey North. Mike and his wife Angela have a daughter named Ryleigh.

Lena Akavak

Lena Akavak joined NCC Investment Group as Corporate Services Coordinator in May 2022. Lena helps to manage our training, development and apprenticeship programs, as well as other Human Resources matters, in conjunction with the Corporate Services Manager.

Prior to joining NCC, Lena worked for the Federal Government since 2016. She also previously held positions in the Government of Nunavut and the City of Iqaluit in the Human Resources department. In her spare time, Lena enjoys being outdoors, camping, and riding her snow machine with her family in the winter/spring months and boating in the summer. She was a competitive volleyball player and has participated in tournaments in several communities. Lena is passionate both personally and professionally about speaking, reading, and writing Inuktitut. Lena currently lives in Iqaluit with her family.

Sarah Korgak

Sarah was born and raised in Iqaluit and has also lived in Grise Fiord. During her time in Grise Fiord, she worked with the Hamlet of Grise Fiord, the Grise Fiord Housing Association, Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the Hunters and Trappers Association. While in Iqaluit, she worked at the Qikiqtani General Hospital for 8 years with Diagnostic Imaging. Sarah joined NCC Investment Group as Finance and Administration Clerk in May 2022 to help manage our increasing work volumes.

Sarah has 2 older daughters and 1 adopted infant daughter. When Sarah is not working, she enjoys baking and cooking for large family gatherings, reading books, going out on the Land during summer for clam digging and berry picking in the fall.

Clarence Synard

Clarence has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for NCC Investment Group Inc. since 2019. He first moved to the North in 1995 and began working for NCC in 2005, where he progressed from construction superintendent to his current role. Clarence is an active volunteer in Iqaluit, Nunavut, where he lives. Currently, he is President of the board for the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the board for Skills Canada Nunavut. He was formerly Vice Chair of the board for Habitat for Humanity in Iqaluit. Clarence is also on the Iqaluit Mayor’s Task Force for Affordable Housing, Vice chair of the building advisory committee for the Government of Nunavut, a safety advisory committee member for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) and a board member for Qulliq Energy Corporation. He has very much enjoyed his first 25 years in the North and looks forward to many more.

Naomi Grandahl

Naomi started working in property management in 1989 in Alberta and was given the opportunity to move to Iqaluit in 1998. Naomi joined the NCC team in 2004 as the Property Manager for the Inuksugait Plaza complex. Today, Naomi oversees the day-to-day operations and leasing administration for the entire NCC Properties Limited portfolio comprised of residential, commercial and warehouse space. Naomi strives to provide a high level of service to NCC’s tenants and assists in meeting the company’s corporate objectives. In her down time, she enjoys doing volunteer work, camping, boating and fishing.

Barb Heming

Barb holds the designation of Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and has practiced as a safety professional in several jurisdictions across Canada including Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. She has worked in a variety of industries including residential and commercial construction, oil and gas, retail, agriculture and municipal and territorial government. After arriving in Nunavut with her family in 2017, she worked in a regulatory capacity before re-joining the private sector in Iqaluit in a safety leadership role. Barb took on the role of Health and Safety Officer for NCC Investment Group Inc. and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation in 2021.

Barb is passionate about Occupational Health and Safety and believes that by working together and implementing solid safety strategies, we can collectively reduce workplace injuries and incidents and ensure that every worker makes it home to their families at the end of each shift.

Lilly Hayman

Lilly has been living and working in Iqaluit for 9 years and has over 10 years of Human Resources experience working in a broad range of industries, including retail, public service, and the private sector.

Throughout her time here in the North, she has worked in property management as the Regional Manager for Northview REIT, as well as Human Resources Specialist with the City of Iqaluit. She most recently served as the Human Resources Manager for the Department of Education.

Lilly joined the NCC Investment Group team in 2021 as the Corporate Services Manager. She is responsible for Training and Development and Human Resources support for our team and has a continued focus on hiring Nunavut Inuit. She helps to navigate NCC through our business growth by ensuring our staff needs are aligned with our strategic plans.

Gordon Campbell

Gord moved to Iqaluit in September 2009 and joined NCC Development, where he worked as a carpenter for 4 years. He then became NCC Development’s Superintendent for various smaller-scale jobs and maintenance projects throughout Iqaluit. As Superintendent, Gord is responsible for coordinating and managing multiple jobs concurrently and plays an instrumental role in ensuring that projects are completed on time and on budget.

Gerald Manning

Gerald has been living and working in Iqaluit for the last 9 years. Gerald started working in the North with a mid-size maintenance and construction company as a Superintendent/Project Manager. Gerald has also worked with the Nunavut Housing Corporation as a Procurement Officer and the Government of Nunavut Asset Management Division as a Facility Manager.

Gerald joined NCC Development Limited in 2019 as a Project Manager. Gerald manages the day-to-day operations of large scale construction and development projects across Nunavut. Gerald’s role is to take the project from design, to tender and then to completion, with a focus on providing clients with high quality and cost-effective building solutions that will prove the test of time in the North.

Gerald is currently the Secretary of the Skills Canada Nunavut board of directors and serves as a Director on the Skills Competence Canada National Board. Gerald is a Red Seal Certified carpenter and is the Nunavut Carpentry representative for the National Technical Committee and the yearly Skills Canada National Competition. Gerald’s goal for being involved with this organization is to reach as many youth as possible and provided encouragement to getting involved in the skilled trades and technologies sectors as a career.

David Kakuktinniq

David Kakuktinniq is the President and CEO of Sakku Investments Corporation, the Inuit birthright organization of the Kivalliq Inuit Association. David, who grew up in Rankin Inlet, came to Sakku with a wealth of experience from the Private Sector, Inuit Organizations and Government along with a series of board appointments that span over 28 years of direct work and professional experience. Mr. Kakuktinniq has been an important member of Sakku since September 2012, first serving as the Director of Operations (2012-2015), then as Vice President (2015-2016). David was promoted to President and CEO in March 2016.

Olayuk Akesuk

Originally from Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Olayuk Akesuk is the President of Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA). Akesuk was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the electoral district of South Baffin from 1999 to 2008, having won the seat in the 1999 Nunavut election. He served as the minister of the environment, the minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Board, and the minister responsible for Nunavut housing.

Pat Chiarello, CPA, CA

Pat received his Honours Bachelor of Commerce with Specialization in Accounting from the University of Ottawa in 2014. He earned his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 2016. Before joining NCC in January 2021, Pat worked as an auditor at the Ottawa offices of KPMG LLP since 2014, advancing from Staff Accountant to Senior Manager in just 6 years. Throughout his career at KPMG, Pat served many small, mid-sized and large clients in a variety of industries, including property management, real estate and development, construction, technology, not-for-profit organizations, civil aviation navigation and biological manufacturing. Pat led the audits of some large Nunavut-based clients, including NCC Investment Group Inc. and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation.

As Chief Financial Officer, Pat is responsible for monitoring the financial performance of the NCC group of companies and preparing financial statements and other reports in a timely manner. Pat also prepares financial projections and budgets and provides strategic advice with respect to business opportunities to the CEO and other members of management.

Mary Hanson-Akavak

Mary Hanson-Akavak was born and raised in Frobisher Bay, NWT (now Iqaluit, Nunavut). Mary has been a notable and outstanding employee with NCC since 1998.

Mary started her career with the Government of the Northwest Territories in Iqaluit, within the Department of Health and Social Services as a Receptionist/Senior Secretary/Account Payable Clerk. From there, her husband and family transferred to Yellowknife, NWT from 1994-1997 where Mary worked for the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. She then took on a position with the Finance Department as a Finance Officer Trainee for a two-year term with the Indian/Inuit Recruitment Development Canada Program.

Returning back to Iqaluit in 1997, Mary worked for Qikiqtaaluk Corporation to assist the start-up of the Remediation of the Resolution Island Cleanup Project on a 6-month term in 1998 as the Recruitment & Procurement Officer. After her term ended with Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, she went to work for Nunavut Construction Corporation, now known as NCC Investment Group Inc., on October 05, 1998.

Mary’s career with NCC started off with her working as the Accounts Payable Clerk. She was promoted to Finance Officer and then Finance Manager, a position which she still holds today.

Mary is happily married to her husband Jimmy, a retired Sargent with the RCMP. Together they have 3 adult daughters and one granddaughter. With hard work and determination, Mary’s goal is to work for the betterment of all Nunavummiut and for the future generations.

Mary loves to spend time at her cabin and enjoys fishing & hunting.

Harry Flaherty

Harry has served as Qikiqtaaluk Corporation’s President and CEO since 2009. Harry is the recipient of many awards and accolades acknowledging his contributions to Nunavut and its people. Most recently, Harry was awarded the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award as the First Indigenous Inuit to receive this award in its 20-year history. He is one of only six CEOs in Canada to be named among the world’s best CEOs by CEO Today magazine.

Aaron Pedersen

Aaron grew up and resides in Cambridge Bay. After high school, Aaron attended heavy equipment school at the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario, where he attained tickets to operate various pieces of heavy machinery. Aaron then attended flight school at Okanagan Mountain Helicopters where he attained his commercial helicopter pilots license. Aaron has also served as a member of council for the Municipality of Cambridge Bay, where he was Chair of the Municipal Works Committee as well as Chair of the Lands Committee from 2017-2019. Aaron was the Residence Manager for the Nunavut Arctic College from 2017 up until he joined NCC Properties as the Facilities Manager in May 2021.

As the Facilities Manager, Aaron is responsible for ensuring functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency of facilities. Aaron also works with multiple vendors throughout the community to carry out various projects from renovations in homes to boiler system overhauls. Aaron also engages daily with tenants, ensuring that there is a clear line of communication, which is key in his position as Facilities Manager.

Mylena Idlout-Mullin

Mylena was born and raised in Nunavut’s capital city, Iqaluit. After gaining 4 years of administrative and managerial experience from a local Inuit owned business, Carvings Nunavut, Mylena joined NCC Development in January 2020 as a causal employee, and then joined full-time in November 2020 as an Administrative Assistant.

Helping the company manage its increasing work volumes, Mylena plays a critical role in ensuring that the various administrative matter’s for NCC’s construction operations are completed in a timely and accurate manner.

Mylena aspires to grow along side NCC Development in the upcoming future in favour of Nunavut.

Outside of work, Mylena enjoys playing hockey, spending time with loved ones, and sewing.

Dale Skidgmore

Dale has been living and working in the North since 2006 and began working with NCC Properties Limited in 2018. He is a Licensed Oil Burner Technician, Fourth Class Engineer and Gas Technician. These licenses and previous experience with Maintenance Management has given him the appropriate knowledge to succeed in his current role as Maintenance Projects Manager. Dale strives to maintain our infrastructure to the level of quality expected by NCC’s tenants.

David Omilgoitok

David is originally from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut and has served as the President and CEO of Kitikmeot Corporation (KC), the business development arm of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, since 2012. David was formerly Chair of the Board for Qulliq Energy Corporation, and prior to that, he spent many years in government positions, including Secretary to Cabinet and Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.