About Dave Werklund

Rooted in Values, Driven by Vision

David (Dave) P. Werklund is the visionary force behind every venture he champions. A respected Canadian entrepreneur, energy sector leader, and devoted philanthropist, Dave’s enduring commitment to integrity, innovation, and people has shaped a remarkable legacy of business excellence and community impact.

Raised on a rural Alberta farm, Dave’s early life instilled a deep appreciation for hard work, respect for the environment, and the importance of core values. These principles laid the foundation for his personal philosophy and remain central to the operations of the Werklund Family Office, which he established to align every transaction and relationship with purpose, discipline, and values.

“Success depends on timely execution, financial discipline, and alignment between our people and our mission, vision and core values. At the Werklund Family Office, every action reflects that commitment.”

Trailblazing in the Energy Industry

Dave launched his career in 1965 as a Production Manager at Shell Canada, where he recognized the environmental challenges posed by oil and gas operations. This insight led him to found Dave’s Oilfield Services in 1970, a company he ran successfully until 1984 when a combination of staffing difficulties and the National Energy Program made it impossible for that business model to continue. Dave also co-founded Concord Well Servicing in 1979, where he grew the company from a single rig into one of Canada’s largest well service operations. In 1982 Dave also started a small company called Little Goose Resources and while he decided to close it a few months later, it led him to found Canadian Crude Separators.

In 1984, Dave founded Canadian Crude Separators (CCS), which would evolve into the industry giant Tervita. Under his leadership, CCS expanded into a $3.7 billion company by 2007, driven by innovative solutions such as the Gravity Compression System for emulsion waste treatment and the development of Canada’s first underground salt cavern storage facility at Hardisty.

CCS also redefined industry standards in environmental stewardship, founded in its belief that waste products should never touch the earth. CCS also introduced the concept of a growth trust, diverging from the prevailing model of trusts that simply distributed cash flow. Through acquisitions like Pro Drill (2003) and Hazco (2004), CCS extended its reach into drilling services and engineered landfills, creating one of the most comprehensive waste management platforms in North America.

As CEO and later Chair of the Board, Dave led the 2012 formation of Tervita Corporation, uniting CCS and 12 related divisions. At its peak, Tervita employed over 4,600 people and reported $5.8 billion in sales in 2013. His leadership fostered a culture of innovation and empowerment, cementing Tervita as an industry benchmark.

Expanding His Impact: Ventures and Legacy Building

In 2006, Dave redirected his entrepreneurial endeavors with the establishment of the Werklund Family Office, an organization dedicated to preserving family values and providing integrated wealth and personal management. He later launched Werklund Ventures Ltd., investing in breakthrough private enterprises. Among his many ventures, Dave serves as Chairman of Pure Environmental LLP and has previously held director roles in RS Technologies Inc., Intelligent Wellhead Systems Inc., and Payload Technologies Inc.

Leadership with Heart

Despite his high-profile success, Dave remains a reflective and grounded leader who credits his achievements to continuous learning, principled leadership, and the people around him. He has consistently built organizations that mirror his values: teamwork, empowerment, and lasting impact.

“Caring about your employees is essential. Success happens when people are empowered to bring a vision to life.”

He continues to lead with quiet determination, unwavering purpose, and a steadfast belief in people as the greatest resource.

Empowering Communities Through Philanthropy

Dave’s passion for giving back is exemplified through the Werklund Foundation, founded in 2006 to empower youth through leadership development. The Foundation launched Empowering Minds™, a seminal program that reached thousands of Alberta students. The Foundation continues to fulfil its mission to transform communities by inspiring youth to achieve their full potential through its broad support and meaningful partnerships with dynamic organizations, including the Calgary Arts Academy, Umoja Community Mosaic, Spirit North, the University of Calgary, Junior Achievement, Kids Help Phone, and more.

In 2013, Dave donated $25M to the University of Calgary, a gift that resulted in the naming of the Werklund School of Education. At the time, it was the largest single contribution ever made to a Canadian faculty of education. This landmark donation has since empowered generations of students and faculty, advancing research and practice in educational identity, transformative teaching, and social change throughout Alberta and beyond.

In 2017, Dave donated $16M to Olds College, the largest personal gift ever made to an Alberta college or technical institution. This redefining investment led to the creation of the Werklund Agriculture and Technology Centre, envisioned as the world’s leading destination for smart agriculture. It serves as a hub for students, researchers, and industry partners, focusing on sustainable agri-business solutions, leadership development, and educational excellence, solidifying Western Canada’s role as a global leader in food and agriculture innovation.

In 2024, Dave made a transformative gift of $75M to the Arts Commons Transformation Project, marking the single largest philanthropic donation to the performing arts sector in Canadian history. This commitment, emblematic of Dave’s dedication to education and community engagement, elevated secured funding for the $660M redevelopment to over 75% of its goal. In addition to contributing to capital construction, the donation will fund the creation of the Dave Werklund Education Wing and establish four sustainability-focused endowments supporting education, accessibility, operations, and long-term growth. As a lasting testament to his legacy, the facility was renamed the Werklund Centre.

Other significant philanthropic initiatives include a $3M gift to STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service) in 2025 to support the Werklund STARS Academy providing outreach education programs to rural and urban emergency service providers in air medical care, critical care transport, and system access, and a $3.5M contribution to the Glenbow Museum in 2022 to fuel its Glenbow Reimagined redevelopment project.

Honours and Recognition

Dave’s extraordinary contributions have been widely recognized:

2026: Lifetime Achievement Award, Chamber of Commerce
2025: Awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal
2023: Book of the Year, Petroleum History Society – Unconventional: The Story of an Entrepreneurial Environmentalist Inside Alberta’s Oil & Gas Industry
2022: Awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta)
2018: Appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada
2017: Inducted as a Member, Alberta Order of Excellence
2015: Received the Calgary Community Achievement Award – Education
2013: Inducted into the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame
2013: Inducted as a Laureate into the Alberta Business Hall of Fame – Southern Alberta
2013: EY Entrepreneur of the Year Legends Award – Prairie Region
2012: Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Calgary
2010: Received an Honorary Degree in Applied Technology from SAIT Polytechnic
2007: Received Energy TV’s Industry Legend Award
2005: Ernst & Young Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year
2005: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Prairies Region
And numerous other national and industry awards

Dave has been featured in top media publications including The Globe and Mail, Financial Post, Canadian Business Magazine, and Alberta Venture, which named him one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People.

A Life Well-Lived

Outside the boardroom, Dave enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, hosting friends and family at his retreat on British Columbia’s Shuswap Lake. Dave is a classic car enthusiast and takes pleasure in exploring the world through travel.