Erin Binks doesn’t mind being treated like one of the guys. In fact, she prefers it when it comes to her new role as director of business development for Terlin Construction, a multimillion-dollar, family run business based in Ottawa.
“I’m very excited,” she says a few days into a job that – let’s be honest – isn’t easy to do when a contagious virus goes global and throws a wrench into building and maintaining strong business partnerships.
Terlin Construction was founded in 1989 by businessman Terry McLaughlin. The full-service construction company has a clientele that includes restaurants and retail stores, medical and dental centres, health and wellness spaces, and schools and foreign embassies. During the pandemic, Terlin repurposed its millwork production facility to produce plexiglass service desk shields to help businesses protect their staff and customers against COVID-19.
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For Ginger Bertrand, some of her earliest childhood memories in Ottawa are centred around healthcare. “I grew up across the street from what was originally the General Hospital,” she explains,
“They have a really good reputation in the city,” says Binks, who conducted some preliminary word-of-mouth research. “I asked around my trusted network first to make sure I got the real story, and they checked out on all fronts.”
Terlin is in the process of opening a satellite office in Calgary as it expands into Western Canada. As well, it sees a lot of potential business growth in Ottawa.
“I think I’m going to have the opportunity to help contribute to that,” says Binks, 40, who was born and raised here. “I’ve always been a big fan of Ottawa. We have a great work-life balance. It’s not only such a beautiful place to raise a family but also to form meaningful business relationships.”
Binks didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in business development, but it’s a strategic role that certainly suits her leadership skills and personality.
“I’m naturally curious. I love hearing people’s stories. I love figuring how I can help them, how I can connect people – personal benefit is secondary.”
You don’t have to be a gregarious, social-butterfly type to work in the field, she’s learned.
“I like to ask open-ended questions to see where they choose to take it. I’m not trying to be the centre of attention or dominate the conversation. I want to know about you.”
The mother of two, ages 11 and nine, expects to fit into the construction industry just fine.
“I notice that men speak candidly around me. Maybe it’s because I’m six feet tall, or because of the relaxed nature of the conversations I tend to have with people,” she says. Boys clubs are certainly fading with younger generations, she notes.
Prior to joining Terlin, Binks worked in business development for nearly three years at Ottawa-based Grade A, an IT managed services provider.
“I really loved my time there,” says Binks, who describes the workplace environment as “very supportive.” It recently merged with Portland, Ore.-based Convergence Networks.
She was also Ottawa managing director with the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (now known as Family Enterprise Xchange).
“I understand the complexities of family businesses very well,” says Binks, who put herself through school at Carleton University by working full-time at her father’s commercial insurance brokerage. She majored in psychology.
Binks is “absolutely” looking forward to when the business community can gather again at events.
“I miss the organic conversations that can spring out of them – that magic, if you will, when you just happen to be in the right place at the right time and you’ve discovered a problem you can solve for someone, or when you land a chance introduction.
“I’m really looking forward to continuing to develop relationships in this community and seeing what we can build together.”
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Wanda Costen has joined Queen’s University as dean of the Smith School of Business. An academic leader who champions inclusive excellence and leads with integrity, Costen eliminates barriers to sustainable change by reimaging how to prepare students for the 21st-century life of work and purpose. Her collaborative approach synthesizes experiences from the military, private industry and higher education in the U.S. and Canada.
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People on the move across Ottawa
Richard Getz has decided that retirement can wait, after all. The veteran of the local real estate industry has joined Koble Commercial Real Estate & Brokerage as a senior advisor. Getz, who announced his retirement this past January, says he’s happy to help the company as it navigates today’s world of commercial real estate, particularly in his area of specialty: retail and shopping centres.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada has appointed Michel Rodrigue as its new president and chief executive officer. Rodrigue served as the MHCC’s vice-president of organizational performance and public affairs for the last five years, working closely with his predecessor, Louise Bradley, to spearhead progress toward reshaping Canada’s mental health landscape.
Seasoned cloud and data expert Paul Lewis has joined Ottawa-based Pythian Services as its chief technology officer. Lewis is a well-known leader in the IT industry and is expected to be a driving force behind the company’s technical innovations.
Ottawa-based realtor David Oikle is the new board president of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA). Oikle, who’s a broker with Royal LePage Team Realty, will be representing Ontario’s 80,000 realtors in his new capacity.
And, Brett Merriman has left RBR Ltd. to join Inside Edge Properties as its new chief operating officer.
People on the Move is a monthly feature highlighting Ottawa-based professionals, managers and executives starting new positions. Want to see your appointment featured? Share your news with caroline@obj.ca.
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