Connecting North America: Keith Creel of CPKC

01/25/24 • 45 min

When the last spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway track on November 7th, 1885 in British Columbia, CP became the first transcontinental railway to connect Canada from east to west.

Last April, the iconic Canadian company marked another first, when – in Kansas City, Missouri – a ceremonial final spike connected Canadian Pacific with Kansas City Southern. The new railway, now named CPKC, became the first and only single-line railway connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico. It stretches across more than 32,000 kilometers of track and employs 20,000 people.

“This company is not new to change,” says Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We're ready for it and we're going to embrace it and unlock some unique opportunities that our network has created for us.”

In an interview with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Creel discusses the benefits of the new North American line and delves into some of the challenges of operating across three countries.

“We're going to celebrate the things that are similar, we're going to recognize the differences, we're going to never compromise our principles and we're going to create a common culture that I call a constant pursuit of safety and operational excellence," he says.

Listen to the full interview, including what military service taught him about leadership, on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/

When the last spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway track on November 7th, 1885 in British Columbia, CP became the first transcontinental railway to connect Canada from east to west.

Listen to the full interview, including what military service taught him about leadership, on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/

Previous Episode

Leading the way in nuclear energy: Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power

It was a summer job that sparked Mike Rencheck’s lifelong career in the energy industry. He started out as an intern at the Beaver Valley Power Station in Pennsylvania in the 1980’s, and never looked back. “It really opened my eyes to what was possible in nuclear energy,” he says.

Skip ahead a few decades and Rencheck is now the President and CEO of Bruce Power. The nuclear plant on the shores of Lake Huron produces 30 per cent of Ontario's electricity – that’s half of all the province’s nuclear power.

Rencheck recognizes the important role nuclear will play as Canada transitions to lower emissions energy sources. “We really need to progress forward if we're going to have a clean energy transition and have abundant energy that's reliable, clean, and affordable,” he tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast. It’s why Bruce Power is looking at adding more production capacity at its site – an additional 4,800 megawatts of electricity (Bruce Power currently produces 6,550 megawatts).

And Bruce Power doesn’t stop there. The company is, in Rencheck’s words, a “superpower” in the production of medical isotopes. The life-saving products are used to sterilize medical equipment worldwide and to treat some forms of cancer.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Mike Rencheck and Goldy Hyder also discuss Indigenous reconciliation, the value of asking questions, and how to unleash Canada’s “get ‘er done” mentality.

“We have great people in Canada. We have great people here at Bruce Power. And when we choose to work together, we simply get things done.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/

Next Episode

From shop floor to CEO: Jennifer Wong of Aritzia

When Jennifer Wong was an economics student at the University of British Columbia, she walked into an Aritzia store with her resumé. The company at the time was only three years old and operated two locations. She landed a part-time job, which led to other Aritzia jobs as the company grew.

Three decades later, she became Chief Executive Officer of the clothing retail giant that now boasts 117 stores in two countries, plus a global online presence.

“My journey has really been about figuring things out, learning new things and overcoming problems,” she tells Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Businesspodcast.

It helps that she knows the business from the shop floor up, an experience that gives her a unique approach to dealing with the ups and downs of the marketplace. “I like to seek to understand,” she says.

That problem-solving approach helped Aritzia weather the COVID-19 pandemic. When retail stores were closed, employees pivoted to working for the company’s online business, resulting in no layoffs.

Wong says the staff felt they were part of a bigger common goal, which was to keep Aritzia going during the pandemic. “That's another thing that I love about Aritzia,” she says, “we have a lot of heart.”

Listen to the full conversation – including how Aritzia expanded to the United States, and why it makes a point of supporting women throughout its supply chain – on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/