| Born in Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan, Mr. Cal Nichols started his career in oil and gas as a commission agent for Esso. He has spent most of his life in petroleum marketing and related industries as well as real estate development. In 1984, as a result of deregulation, Cal was a founding partner in Northridge Petroleum Marketing Inc. which was the first privately owned company in crude oil and gas marketing in Canada. He created Gasland Oil Ltd. in 1985, which grew to over 50 branded independent petroleum outlets in Western Canada.Mr. Nichols is best known for spearheading a group of local investors in 1998 to purchase the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club and prevent them from leaving the City. Cal went on to serve as Chairman and NHL Governor for ten years. Cal has been inducted into the Alberta Business Hall of Fame and has been recognized by many other organizations for his continued efforts in his community.In 2014, he was named to the Order of Canada which was established in 1967 to acknowledge citizens who have “… outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.”Mr. Nichols summed up his own life view as reciprocity, “I believe in being rewarded for superior effort, harder work, … you should benefit from that, but in the process of benefiting, you should never forget where you came from, and how can I use my good fortune to help those who are less fortunate. I think it’s about living life in balance. |
