Company Started In 2019 Captures 11-39 Employee Category
The “pod” at award winning Orca Masonry, from left: Conner Eastman – Sr Mason, Crew Chief; Elnore Andrews – Operations & Projects Director; Jesse Dares – Waterproofing Specialist, Project Manager; Cory Brune – Owner, Sr Project Consultant; Sid Branch – Sr Mason, Project Manager; Josh McLaughlin – Project Consultant
VICTORIA – Orca Masonry is helping build Greater Victoria, brick by brick and stone by stone.
In recognition of that, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has named Orca Masonry as its 2021 Business of the Year for companies between 11-39 employees.
Cory Brune with the Business of the Year Award from the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Cory Brune started the company in June, 2019, which also serves Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley, two years ago, following nearly a decade at another construction company where he was also a partner.
“I saw a demand for quality, small to medium-sized projects and decided to strike out on my own,” states Brune, the company Principle and Senior Project Consultant, adding that Orca specializes in concrete, brick, block, stone and waterproofing solutions for residential and commercial customers.
Not bad, considering they started the business less than a year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, just after he had moved from his home office to commercial space at 4085 Quadra Street, and purchased two new work trucks.
“The timing couldn’t have been any worse as this was right when the pandemic fully set into Canada,” he recalls. “People were nervous, potential clients didn’t want to commit to a project based on so many uncertainties surrounding COVID, and our existing clients started postponing their projects.”
“I was left in my empty office literally spinning in my chair. I couldn’t afford to wait to see what was going to happen, so instead, I had to make it happen. Rather than reducing advertising I increased it via mailouts and radio ads, I hired office staff and more installers, and we went to work.”
As a result, the business has grown exponentially, and with 15 people on staff, they are projected to more than double again by the end of 2021.
Chimneys are the most popular service offered by Orca Masonry, Brune notes.
Waterproofing services are also offered by Orca Masonry
“Increasingly, concrete and waterproofing solutions are being requested as we grow in visibility in the marketplace,” he adds. “We want people to know that we offer waterproofing solutions which includes complete perimeter drainage replacements, and concrete crack injections that stop water ingress.”
Orca donates 1% of its chimney sales each quarter to Surrounded by Cedar Child & Family Services, an organization that supports urban Indigenous youth in care.
Brune, son of a talented aboriginal artist of Metis heritage, has also established the Orca Masonry Award for Indigenous Trades Students at Camosun College, and the first award was given out in 2021.
Brune believes a quality work environment and great team members have been the key to the company’s success.
Chimneys are an Orca Masonry specialty, and they donate proceeds to a program that supports Indigenous youth in care
“I wanted to build an inclusive culture, one where everyone lived the values of having a strong work ethic, being honest and having integrity, treating others with kindness, and where we are able to provide a work/life balance,” he states. “We all have families and lives outside work, and we didn’t want to build a place where you felt like if you didn’t work 90 hours a week or come in on your days off that you wouldn’t be able to succeed.
We work hard during the week, but we also recognize that we all need a bit of flexibility at times to spend time with loved ones and to deal with other issues at hand.”
The company mission statement confirms that: “Our mission is to provide top quality concrete & masonry services to members of our community who need a problem solved or a dream fulfilled by extraordinary people.”
To which Brune adds: “I really believe that the key to our success is the extraordinary people we have working at Orca Masonry.”
