The title is very true when my boss finally put me on a “Project Team” where I was to experience the challenges of teamwork in a successful project administration.

The project was $7 million in 1964 dollars which is about 3 times that now. It had multiple components and involved a Power House, Bleach Plant and constructing a 16″ steam that had to connect the Bleach Plant and Powerhouse with a 100′ difference in elevation. This was my training session for a future in construction that would include responsibility for a new pulp mill. This all took place at Watson Island, 11 miles South of Prince Rupert, B.C.

My team was a Project Cost Accountant and a Senior Design Engineer. The drawings were by H.A. Simons Engineering, a well established Pulp Mill Consultant. Tendering for Contractors was by Head office in Vancouver. Our mission was to ensure construction took place as per design and all tie-ins to the existing operation were ready. Then there was the Pulp Mill Operating Union to coordinate with the Construction Unions.

I realized quickly that there was no love lost between the two unions and so that was Problem number 1.

Organizing office space within a crowded Engineering Office was problem #2.

Building a construction camp within an operating pulp mill with a guard house was definitely problem #3.

To my surprise, I never anticipated problem #4 which was how to work with my “Team”

1. My Cost Accountant, Bryan Debruyn was a British Veteran who had intercepted a German Pillbox during the Second World War and had his stomach ripped apart by 40 bullets. He hated Germans and advised me immediately that he would not talk to the Design Engineer
2. My Design Engineer, Adolph Steigleder, had served in the World War as a Senior Design Engineer whose function was to design manufacturing plants for planes, tanks, etc. The objective was to conduct all designs in secret, then manufacture the equipment in three blocks at three different locations. The equipment would then be loaded on rail cars and shipped to a secret site for erection, in modules, by a crew who knew nothing about what they were building and were taken away before manufacturing started. No one in the three sites knew what they were manufacturing nor where it would be assembled to a production Plant. No one knew where the location of that Plant would be. But there was a tight schedule. He was a subdued man and understood the feelings of Bryan.
3. So I had to site between the two and what one said have to be transmitted through me.

So that was the scene.

What I can say is that my boss could not have delegated two better men for the project as I learned quickly from their extended expertise that went back into the War.

I must say the project was very exciting for me as was in charge and had to make report to my boss that went on to senior management. It was completed successfully but there were stories that would entertain this reader many times over but that will take place next time.

Elmer Verigin, March 01, 2018 1715 hours