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J U N E 2 0 2 1 | 59 Eastern Construction Company That realization carried over into subsequent projects, especially in the health care and education realms. "We had always maintained high standards, but now I saw the bigger picture in what we were doing," DeCaria says. "I strongly believed if you built the best buildings you would attract the best people, and I tried to instill that belief in others." Like DeCaria, Arnold joined Eastern in 1978: ini- tially he was turned down as site superintendent for Roy Thomson Hall and got hired for a Bank of Montreal computer complex job, only to be trans- ferred to Roy Thomson shortly afterwards, where he stayed for three years and three months. Although he has a wealth of memories about job sites and challenges (he spent another three years helping to build the CBC Canadian Broadcasting Centre at a cost of what would be $615 million today), some of Arnold's strongest career memories per- tain to loyalty. "A major strike occurred two years into my employment, and I figured I would be laid off because I was low on the company totem pole," he says. "But the Odettes told me in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't be let go and would continue to be paid, because they needed me." Arnold adds, "Many decades later, when the COVID lockdowns began, it was my distinct privilege to send the same clear message to my staff: nobody would be laid off, even if they had to sit at home for months." Arnold is compelled to share another memory, not of a game-changing project or a construction chal- lenge, but of Bud Odette asking him to help install an air conditioning system in a local school for students with disabilities. "Later I talked to the principal and learned that Bud had visited the school, found out it didn't have proper air conditioning, and quietly went out and bought all the necessary equipment him- self," he says. Today, Eastern continues the tradition of giving back to the community, in the same quiet fashion of the Odettes that so impressed Arnold. The loyalty, generosity, and camaraderie val- ued so highly by Eastern veterans such as Arnold and DeCaria is equally valued by 'newer' talent like Walker as well as Heather Anne Popovich, who is Eastern's director operations. Popovich, who joined the company in 2005, recalls, "Even when I was being interviewed for the job I got a strong sense that this was an organization with a family ambiance full of long-term employees, and that made me feel secure." However, Popovich left Eastern six years ago to work on a hospital project as a client representa- tive. "And almost immediately I realized I had made a huge mistake," she recalls. "I admitted this to Frank DeCaria, and he was very gracious and took me back." Today, Popovich loves nothing better than applying her skills to landmark projects, of which the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital is a personal favourite. As Eastern celebrates its 70th anniversary, it's not surprising that the goal moving forward is to maintain the values that the Odettes brought to the company and ensure that new generations of build- ers and engineers get every opportunity to develop their skills. "We're about midway through a succes- sion plan that will see excellent people at all levels of the company," says Walker. "Plus, our newcom- ers have loads of talent, which makes me confident about our ongoing success." That sentiment is shared by Arnold. "I'll remain here as long as I stay healthy and continue to bring value, but I won't stand in Dean's way when he's ready to lead Eastern," he says. "Instead, I'll be happy to assist him." As for future growth, Arnold says there's room and opportunities for expansion. "But that's not impor- tant. Retaining who we are is, especially considering 75 percent of our work comes from repeat clients." Arnold's retrospective of Eastern draws to a close as matters pertaining to current projects come to his attention. But he offers a parting comment about Eastern's anniversary that also encapsulates the mindset that has driven his colleagues for so long, "Companies don't survive after 70 years by just look- ing at the bottom line," he says. "And I'm so thankful none of us had that exclusive focus." A Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON. TTC McNicoll Bus Garage, Scarborough, ON. Queen Richmond Centre, Toronto, ON. T3 Bayside, Toronto, ON. 8:17 AM 9:49 AM