Angela Richards, president of Heartland Industrial Services, has a unique outlook on the heartland. By introducing more inclusive, safer, diverse practices and people, she has helped the company grow and thrive. It is now poised on the brink of an exciting new chapter with its new training centre.

The first iteration of the company, Carey Industrial Services, was launched in 1992 by Lyle Carey. Angela joined in 2002. In 2010, Mike Richards took over after 30+ years of working with Lyle; Mike would go on to retire in 2016. In 2023, Angela, who had been heavily involved in the company for more than 20 years, decided to rebrand the business. It was renamed Heartland at that time. The name change has meaning on multiple levels. Not only does it encapsulate the focus on Alberta’s heartland region, it pulls the focus to the heart of the matter – Angela’s emphasis on people – inside the organization, the clients they serve and the community they help protect.

She explains, “At Heartland Industrial Services, we provide qualified people and leadership to help optimize industrial plant performance. We excel in turnaround logistics, guaranteeing timely and cost-effective project completion. Our leadership team coordinates and collaborates with clients closely to oversee every stage of the process, aiming to reduce downtime and enhance productivity significantly.”

“However,” Angela continues, “back in the day the focus was just on getting things done and doing them well – that tradition of excellence continues but the rebrand is about so much more. As a woman in a very masculine industry – yet an industry that grows more diverse with the times – I wanted to inject something new and bring something fresh to the table. I also wanted a stronger team-focused corporate culture.”

With more than two decades of seeing procedures and technology change in the industry, for Angela, the driving factor behind her leadership style is safety.

“I have a passion for safety and that translates across the entire team,” she shares. “This is based on what I have seen and experienced in the field. We want our clients, their teams and our own people to go home safely to their families every night. Each decision and every focus is based around this passion. Our clients are very supportive and are happy to work with us thanks to collaborative, like-minded values.”

Another change Angela brought to the brand was to focus on diversity and inclusion.

“I support women in industry. In the past, there were not as many women in the industry because the opportunities for them were lacking. The focus at Heartland is to pick the right person for the job, regardless of gender or culture. I pick whoever is simply the most suited and supports our company’s core values; safety first, client focused and diversity, equity and inclusion.

“In 2023, our staff was at 49 per cent visible minorities. Our diversity runs across age, gender, culture and orientation. We have young people, older people, immigrants, men, women, Indigenous persons and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. Again, it is not about choosing one person over another or filling a ‘quota.’ Our diversity is about choosing the most qualified person for each role. The world is full of diverse people – our company simply reflects this.”

Another key change is something Angela is very excited about. Heartland Industrial Services has opened its own local training centre.

“We were utilizing third parties for a lot of the training,” Angela explains, “because nothing in Fort Saskatchewan was right for our culture and standards. Now we have a facility that not only trains our own people but is also certified by Energy Safety Canada, St. John Ambulance and The Canadian Safety Council, to name a few. We train members of the public as well.”

That passion for safety is behind this next step for the company.

“We are passionate about getting the message out to people about safety and providing a high quality of training,” Angela confirms. “What sets us apart? Our instructors! Our instructors have more than 10 years of experience each and are inspirational, vibrant and fun. The feedback we get after sessions is that they made the training interesting and the instructors were great. That is very important to us.” The training centre features the ongoing commitment of having the best people fill the necessary roles.

“The training centre is staffed by people I know I can trust to deliver on quality. Our trainers are collaborative and share our message, passion and overarching desire for everyone on every job site to make it home to their family every night.”

The building itself is designed to feel welcoming and comfortable.

“The training centre is not large,” smiles Angela, “but nothing is overlooked. We have top-of-the-line equipment and tools to ensure everyone is properly trained no matter what they are working with on their company’s job site. We also have a mini store for those that want to purchase lunch. The centre is clean, friendly and comfortable.”

The mission and purpose of Heartland Industrial Services extends into the community.

“We have supported Fort Saskatchewan through every iteration of the company,” says Angela. “In particular, we have supported the local food bank for more than 30 years. We also support local sports and community clubs along with causes important to our clients and employees. Healthy and happy people make for healthier communities.”

As she reflects on the journey, Angela says, “What I love the most about what we do is how much we help people in so many different ways. From the day Lyle Carey opened the doors to now, we have provided employment and services for more than 10,000 people. Our job is to coordinate and manage teams of both skilled and unskilled labour in the industry. I’m proud of how we have been able to pivot with the times through changing attitudes, technology and recognition of the benefits of diversity inside and outside of our organization.”

She says a heartfelt thank you to the clients.

“We have many long-term clients that have been with us for 20-30 years. We are thankful for them. They put a high level of trust in us, as we are there on site actively managing our teams. With our collaborative style and having our people on site to ensure safety and other obligations are fulfilled, we appreciate the many clients that we are able to integrate and work with in such a close, personal manner.”

Angela also extends thanks to the team.

“I am deeply grateful for my leadership team. I cannot do half of what I do without them! They bring so much to Heartland and care just as passionately about safety and the employees and clients as I do. Our employees are the heart of Heartland Industrial – they support our vision for safety.”

With more than 30 foundational years, a new training centre and a bright future, where will Heartland Industrial Services go from here?

Angela concludes, “We will continue to grow and support the heartland area, providing a local option for training and employment – an option that is purposely designed and highly focused on safety. We will continue to ensure that people feel like people inside and outside of our organization. Heartland worked a turnaround with more than 350 people and I knew every one of their names. Why? Because people are not just a number or a cog in a machine. They have value, they bring value and we respect that. Heartland Industrial Services is a force in the community with a drive to change and improve lives. The impact of the company is tangible in this regard and quite frankly, I cannot picture my life without continuing to be a part of this impact.”

Learn more at heartlandindustrialservices.com.