Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 72
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CANADA'S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2025)
Trust is built on a long legacy at Smith Bros. & Wilson
W
hen Jeff Musialek
was brought on as
president of Smith
Bros. & Wilson
(SBW), he was given a 127-year-old
journal that had been kept by everyone who had held the position
prior. As he pored over it, a theme
jumped off of the pages: resilience.
“There were so many nuggets
of wisdom, but resilience was
such a key part of the company,”
says the president and co-CEO
of the Surrey-based contracting
company.
Through over a century of global uncertainty including world
wars, the Great Depression and a
pandemic, the company has stood
strong. “Resilience is important
to understand in the philosophy
of our business, its structure and
the kind of work we do,” Musialek
says.
Beyond resilience, keeping
SBW’s legacy close at hand has
been key to maintaining its open
door work culture.
It’s that kind of authenticity
that stood out to Daniel Metry
when he first interviewed with the
company.
“The conversation was very
warm and transparent,” the project manager recalls. It was a stark
contrast to bigger companies he
had met with. “SBW had a more
family-oriented feeling that really
stood out to me.”
Metry’s first impression proved
correct, and nine years later he’s
still with SBW, tackling new
challenges every day. He says the
opportunities for growth have felt
endless.
“In a company whose culture
is about growth, it’s important to
take on new challenges all the
time,” he says. “It’s one of the big
things that keeps me motivated
and makes me really proud of
my work.”
Whenever Metry has wanted
to pursue a career development
opportunity, it has never been denied, thanks in part to that culture
of trust.
“Trust is a big one. Nobody is
micromanaging you,” he says.
“They trust you to get the job done
and it builds confidence.”
Being proud of the work isn’t
something employees keep to
themselves, either. The open
culture at SBW includes walkthroughs for colleagues at different job sites, an experience that
promotes knowledge-sharing and
is extended externally to partner
firms or learning institutions.
It’s an invaluable opportunity
for young students, says Metry,
who is also active in presentations
and career fairs with the British
Columbia Institute of Technology.
“I did five years of schooling
without ever setting foot on a
job site,” he says. “Encouraging
students to come here and learn in
a safe environment is hugely beneficial for them.”
Metry also gets to live out
his passion for mentorship on
SBW’s engineering committee,
which provides guidance and
opportunity for engineersin-training and professional
development hours.
“I see young engineers and it
reminds me of my younger self.
That excites me,” says Metry. “I
“I SEE YOUNG ENGINEERS AND IT REMINDS ME OF MY
YOUNGER SELF. THAT EXCITES ME. I LIKE GIVING BACK TO
THE COMMUNITY, SO IF I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP
YOUNG, ASPIRING STUDENTS, I ABSOLUTELY WILL.”
— Daniel Metry, Project Manager
Smith Bros. & Wilson promotes knowledge-sharing by providing employees, partners and students with walkthroughs and tours on active SBW projects.
