Senior Management Team

Paul Gruner, MBA, CPA, ICD.D

Chief Executive Officer

Paul is a senior executive leader with 15 years of experience delivering business results in partnership with Indigenous stakeholders. He has a dynamic range of experience in strategic leadership, mergers and acquisitions, business development, strategic partnerships, financial management, project management, corporate governance, contract negotiations, capacity building and job creation for citizens, and environmental, social and corporate governance. Paul is skilled in transformation strategy that strengthens organizations and builds them into sustainable, profitable entities with the leadership and resiliency to operate for generations.

Paul’s career has been focussed in the North and includes positions in Northern Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska and Northwest Territories, and spans several diverse industries including oil and gas, civil construction, telecommunications and manufacturing. Prior to TNDC, Paul was President and CEO of Det’on Cho Management LP, the economic arm of Yellowknives Dene First Nation in Northwest Territories for five years.  He has previously served as General Manager of Dakwakada Capital Investments, CEO of Castle Rock Enterprises and President of RAB Energy. 

Complementing his extensive business acumen, Paul holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Northern British Columbia and several designations, including Chartered Professional Accounting, Project Management Professional from the PMI Institute, and Institute of Corporate Directors.

Board Experience

  • Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
  • Future Skills Centre Advisory Board
  • NWT / Nunavut Chamber of Mines
  • Dadan Sunivut (Subsidiary of APTN)
  • Da Daguay Development Corporation

Rob McPhee

VP Partnerships and Growth

Rob is an accomplished Indigenous economist and is a member of the Tahltan Nation. Since 2009, he has negotiated over $3 billion worth of agreements on behalf of First Nations clients. The agreements Rob negotiates set the standards in the areas of socio-cultural strategy, impact benefits, environmental oversight, and co-management of major resource projects. Prior to his consulting career, he worked for the Province of British Columbia as a Director of Research and Senior Economist. His career experience includes working for the Province of British Columbia as a Director of Research and Senior Economist and teaching Economics at Camosun College. Along with his extensive experience, Rob has an Undergraduate Degree in Economics from Queen’s University and a Master of Economics from the University of Victoria.

Anna-May St. Amand CPA, CA, CFE

Chief Financial Officer

Anna-May is a financial executive and business leader with more than 10 years of professional experience in financial management, business leadership and corporate strategy, in private, public and government practice within large scale financial environments.

Her extensive experience has fostered a vast understanding of working in the Northern environment and within the Indigenous businesses space. She has earned a reputation for building bridges and fostering effective relationships with all levels of stakeholders.

Prior to TNDC, Anna-May spent several years in financial management and leadership positions, most recently with the Government of Northwest Territories as Executive Director. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer with Det’on Cho Management LP and Controller and Financial Planning Manager with Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Embracing a strong commitment to life-long learning and education, Anna-May is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).

As Chief Financial Officer and senior executive, Anna-May is responsible for planning, implementing, managing and reporting on TNDC’s financial activities, including financial budgeting, forecasting, and management, and leading the finance and accounting team.

Board Experience:

  • Vice-Chair of Chartered Professional Accountant of the Northwest Territories/Nunavut Governing Board

Awards/Recognitions:

  • Early Achievement Award from Chartered Professional Accountants of the Northwest Territories/Nunavut

 

Colleen Cashin

Vice President of People and Corporate Culture

Colleen is a human resources professional with more than 15 years of experience and expertise in labour relations, employment relations, and disability claims management, working with the construction and energy industries, labour unions, Indigenous governments and communities, and crown corporations. She is passionate about building relationships and embracing diversity.

Prior to TNDC, Colleen spent seven years with BBE Hydro Constructors at the Keeyask Generation Project (a partnership between Manitoba Hydro and four Manitoba First Nations) as a labour relations specialist working with unions, employees and managers managing contracts, communications, compensation, performance and policy implementation. She previously spent a decade in claims management, including as a Case Manager at Workers Compensation Board Alberta assisting injured workers in their recovery and successful return to employment.

Colleen holds a Certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations from Athabasca University as well as National Construction Safety Officer designation from Alberta Construction Safety Association and certification from the Disability Management Institute (DMI).

Committed to working respectfully and effectively with Indigenous people and communities, Colleen has obtained several certificates from Indigenous Awareness Canada, including Indigenous Awareness, Peoples & Cultures, Communications & Consultation, and Employment Outreach, Recruit, Retain.

As Human Resources Director, Colleen oversees all aspects of TNDC’s human resources (HR), including recruitment and retention, employee relations, regulatory compliance, budgeting, training, compensation, and leading the HR team.

Bruce Gordichuk MBA, CCMP

Vice President of Construction

As Vice President of Construction, Bruce manages TNDC’s construction field teams to deliver on client commitments. Overseeing TNDC’s Heavy Construction division, Bruce is responsible for ensuring operational health, safety and environment compliance, operational excellence and project delivery, and construction team training and development. In this leadership role, Bruce will oversee project execution and division operations, provide technical guidance to project teams, and deliver project briefings to client.   

Bruce has a long history of leadership in the construction space in a multitude of industries, integrating business administration, construction management and industrial trade experience and education. His passion for safety, value based leadership, and development of team members is a perfect fit for TNDC.

Bruce is a senior executive leader with 30 years of progressive experience leading various business units and divisions. He has a dynamic range of experience in developing high performance teams, quality, safety and continuous improvements, systems, profit and loss optimization, contract management and change management.

He has held senior roles with several organizations, including Senior Vice President of Industrial with Carlson Construction Group, President of Quinn Contracting Group of Companies, Chief Operating Officer of Pacer Promec Energy Corporation, and senior leadership consulting roles with SRB Consulting.

Bruce’s professional experience is enhanced by comprehensive academic qualifications. He holds an Advanced Graduate Degree – Business Administration and Master of Business Administration (MBA), both from Athabasca University. Bruce has obtained Commercial & Contract Manager (CCM) Advanced Practitioner Certification from World Commerce and Contracting Management. His trade certifications include Red Seal Steamfitter/Pipefitter, Class A Gasfitter (Alberta & BC), and 4th Class Power Engineering Certificate.

Rhonda Quock-Williams

Manager, Finance Accounting and Administration

Rhonda oversees finance, accounting and administration for TNDC, including management of the accounting and administrative teams. Rhonda has taken several business administration and financing courses.

Jamie Gleason

Advisor

Jamie Gleason is a Certified Civil Engineering Technologist and has a Certificate in Business Administration. He is President of CMS Construction Management Services, and has been providing project and construction management and quality control services for civil, environmental and building projects for more than 30 years. Jamie previously worked for private contractors in the road construction and building industries and the Yukon and Federal  governments as a project inspector and project manager. Jamie was also a Principal with Colliers Project Leaders, a national project management services company. Jamie was born, raised and resides in Whitehorse, Yukon. He served on the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation board of directors from 2014 to 2022 and held Vice Chair and Chair roles, and most recently served as TNDC's Managing Director in 2021. He is a member of the Callbreath (Stikine-Claw) family.