In his 31 years with Syncrude, Les Diachinsky has seen his fair share of change. But none is more compelling than the difference he has helped Syncrude create in the area of Aboriginal business development: $107 million in contracts with Aboriginal firms were struck in 2004 alone, bringing Syncrude’s total since 1992 to more than $750 million.

Toward this achievement, Les coaches local Aboriginal entrepreneurs so they can identify and develop business niches that help Syncrude meet its procurement needs. He believes the Aboriginal community can and should benefit from opportunities in the oil sands, which is why he networks extensively and treats his business contacts with honesty and respect. And while Syncrude’s Aboriginal business volume makes it a national leader in this area, it is not his prime motivator. Says Les, "I measure success in the longevity of the relationship." Indeed, most of Syncrude’s Aboriginal suppliers have been with us since the early 1990s.