BONNYVILLE – The MD of Bonnyville recently hired Ben Berlinguette as their Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and after a short time on the job, he describes the position as a welcome return to the Lakeland.
Originally from St. Paul, Berlinguette said it was an opportunity that came full circle after spending much of his life collecting the travel, life, and technical experience that helped land him the CAO position.
“Franchere Bay, that’s where my grandfather landed from the Ukraine . . . So I am second generation Canadian on my mother's side, who were the Philipchuks. They created a homestead in Franchere Bay, and then life happened, and they moved to Glendon, and later landed in St. Paul [where] I grew up on a small farm.”
Berlinguette reminisced about playing hockey in Glendon, and how pleased he was to see the arena was being upgraded. He reports that he still looks for the local Babas who he believes make the best perogies and cabbage rolls.
After graduating from St. Paul High School, Berlinguette went off in search of adventure, and ended up doing a lot of travelling before returning to Canada to work in both the energy sector and in government jobs, including his former position as CAO of the Town of Valleyview.
Despite the travel and prior job experiences, Berlinguette remains grounded to his roots, and feels his small-town upbringing has had a lasting impact on who he is as a person.
“A farm boy is always a farm boy no matter what journey he may have in life - what mountain he may climb or not climb. You always come home when you feel it’s home.”
Berlinguette lived in several places, but wanted to return to a rural lifestyle, and through a series of life circumstances, he found himself in a position to apply for the CAO position with the MD of Bonnyville, and he leapt at the opportunity.
Working on the oil rigs “throwing chain” and getting an education as a civil engineer technologist gave Berlinguette the advantage of having technical experience and an understanding of aging infrastructure, but he credits his love of the people and the land in this area that really made him a good fit for the position.
“What [council is] doing, is bringing back somebody with a bit of technical experience, a bit of life experience, but mostly a person that cares about where he is and where he's coming back to.”
When asked about the breadth of his experience, Berlinguette remained modest, and spoke instead of how important it is to him to be part of a cohesive and supportive team. Berlinguette commented on how great it’s been collaborating with the MD staff and working in a cooperative environment.
“This job is much easier when you have talented people internally like Tracy [Wasylow]. You've got to have a team. Independent, creative, and excited thinkers. It makes my job much easier . . . You look at this council and they are funny, they are inquisitive, and they’re together – that's what makes me want to be here, because this council is aligned. They make me feel as if I’m a part of it.”
Berlinguette commented on the “open and honest conversation” that took place during his interview, and how pleased he was when he first arrived on the job and Reeve Barry Kalinski was the same welcoming person that first interviewed him. The warm welcome he received from council reminded him of the friendly and genuine nature of rural folk who made him want to return to the area.
“It makes me feel that this is the same community I left when I was young – that I’m returning to the same beautiful names and locations. This is what makes Bonnyville so welcoming. That’s why so many people land here and end up staying.”
Berlinguette spoke about the heart and soul of a community, and how it’s the people who make it special.
He described the area as a beautiful location where people are easy to talk to and where ideas and adventures are shared.
“Things just really aligned with this opportunity . . . I’m a returning farm boy who’s bringing back a bit of life experience and some knowledge – and I care about the ratepayers, I care about the land. I’ve played football on the land and played hockey and swam in the lakes.”
When Berlinguette first arrived, Kalinski asked what he wanted when settling in, and Berlinguette requested the office near the front doors of the MD building.
“I told Barry that I wanted to be where people could come in and wave at me, where everyone can get to know me. I asked for the office off to the right [of the front doors], which turned out to be his office - and he gave it to me. So I’ll tell you, it’s a great council and it’s great to be here.”
