Mel Grandjamb was elected chief of Fort McKay First Nation (FMFN) on April 5, 2019. In this role, Chief Grandjamb will also serve as the Board Chairman for Fort McKay Group of Companies (FMGOC) – which operates 3 limited companies, 100% owned and controlled by the Fort McKay First Nation.
With designations in Building Construction Engineering Technology and Project Management from NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology), Chief Grandjamb has 30 years of construction and industry experience. Previously, he has held roles as Project Manager of Capital Projects with Frog Lake First Nation and Construction Specialist at Syncrude Canada. Within Fort McKay First Nation he has held a variety of leadership positions such as Chief, Project Officer, Director of Capital Projects Department, along with Board of Director of Fort McKay Group of Companies.
Chief Grandjamb is extremely passionate about his community and makes it his goal to be actively involved. Chief Grandjamb founded the AWAKE Cultural Camp Series, which provides guided camps at no cost to community members, allowing them to learn traditional hunting, fishing and trapping skills through hands-on- training. He is also a Native Provincials Hockey coach for various levels and donates resources to a variety of functions and events within the community.
As the Fort McKay First Nations Fire Chief, he has led the firefighting team to the provincial-wide level Aboriginal Firefighting Competition and won four provincial championships and one national championship. In 2016, Chief Grandjamb also received the Council Commendation Wildfire Metal, an award that recognized major contributors during the first 100 hours of the Horse River Wildfire. On top of his amazing work for the community, he is a proud father of four children and has one grandchild.
Contact
Email: chiefmel@Fortmckay.com
David Bouchier, also a previous Fort McKay First Nation councillor during the 2011 – 2015 term, co-owns the Bouchier Group, established in 1998 and has grown to be a leading provider in the interested site services to the Athabasca Oil Sands region and has become the premier Aboriginal construction company of the region. He has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Fort McKay Entrepreneur Award and Ernst & Young’s Oil and Gas Entrepreneur of the Year Award. David demonstrates a true commitment and caring for his community.
Born and raised in Fort Mckay.
He leads the contracting, construction, and site services company that grew from a business operating one piece of heavy equipment to one of the largest enterprises in the region.
The Bouchier Group is one of the largest Aboriginal-owned and operated companies in the Athabasca Oil Sands region, providing contracting, construction, and general site services, while inspiring and supporting the culture of local communities.
Contact
Email: david.bouchier@Fortmckay.com
Crystal McDonald was raised in Fort McKay her entire life and is a very proud and dedicated band member. This is Crystal’s second term as she was first elected as a Fort McKay First Nation Councillor in the 2015 elections. Before becoming a Councillor, Crystal worked at the Mothers of McKay Daycare facility for ten years. While working at the daycare she was also on the Fort McKay Group of Companies Board of directors for six years.
Crystal is very involved in the community and each year her family host the Lawrence Bull Powder SLO Pitch Memorial Tournament during the Fort McKay Treaty Days.
Contact
Email: cmcdonald@fortmckay.com
Melinda was born and raised in Fort McKay and started as a part-time employee with the Sustainability Department in 2014, helping to coordinate and organize community meetings and other community-related activities. Melinda feels that by being a community member who works for the Sustainability Department she can help spread the knowledge and information to the community and she can connect with community members on a different level because of the relationships she has developed over time. She became the Manager of Community Engagement in 2015 and is participating in a career development program within the FMSD.
Melinda is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Enhancement Society, an important organization funded by Industry with the objective to promote and fund important social programs in the community.
Contact
Email: mstewart@fortmckay.com
A proud member of the Fort McKay First Nation, Raymond attended post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan and Alberta including religious studies at Briercrest Bible College, Business Administration at Keyano College and attended Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. (SAIT). In recent years, he has furthered his education completing a certificate of Aboriginal Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence at the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta.
Raymond has always felt a strong duty to give back to the First Nation in appreciation for all the support he received in terms of his education and career. Raymond has devoted himself to promoting and enhancing the opportunities for his First Nation.
Raymond cites working with the people of Fort McKay, and his opportunity to make a difference one step at a time is what he values the most. What makes him proudest about the community is knowing that Fort McKay is making significant strides in creating a better life for the Nation and its people.
During his spare time, Raymond enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, watching hockey, keeping physically and spiritually fit, and enjoys time with friends and family.
Contact
Email: rpowder@fortmckay.com
