MacEwen began as a small operation serving customers in rural Eastern Ontario. For years, it supplied Maxville, Ontario, and the surrounding areas with heating oil, diesel, and, most importantly, reliable service. Almost 50 years later, it is recognized as a leading Canadian independent petroleum and convenience store company.
MacEwen Petroleum Inc. is a Canadian-owned and operated fuel and convenience provider that has built its business on customer relationships. In 1979, it opened its first service station in Moose Creek, Ontario. MacEwen’s emphasis on a personalized approach to business and their mantra of ‘local people serving local people’ allowed the business to blossom. This quickly led to the opening of service stations across Ontario and parts of Quebec, as well as, the expansion of its residential and commercial business.
Brian Boucher, Vice-President of Commercial and Residential Fuels at MacEwen Petroleum Inc., has been part of MacEwen’s team since 2020. Through MacEwen’s private fleet, the company supplies a wide variety of customers with delivered diesel, gasoline, propane, lubricants, DEF, and home heating oil across Ontario and Quebec, as well as, providing access to its convenient cardlock network.
“Private fleets help ‘move’ our country forward, and the transportation industry is a major employer and economic enabler in Canada,” says Boucher, “I feel a strong sense of purpose and gain a lot of satisfaction in this career. With MacEwen, I was drawn to the values of this family-owned business, specifically how they value employees, respect customers, and invest in the long term. Culture is set from the top, and the MacEwen family is a driving force behind our positive culture.”
Boucher started in the forestry industry, followed by omni-channel retailing and warehousing experience, eventually leading to MacEwen. He says it didn’t take long to feel connected to the company.
“We have amazing employees and customers, and I love the industry,” says Boucher. “We continue to grow organically and through acquisitions, and every day brings about a new challenge for our team. I’m surrounded by very experienced people, and I’m grateful for their patience and support in making me a better leader.”
One of the most important aspects of the MacEwen culture is the dedication to safety. Boucher says MacEwen does an excellent job at this thanks to its maintenance and safety employees and safe practices from the drivers themselves. As experienced drivers begin to retire, it is imperative to maintain the high level of safety MacEwen has established as a standard for itself.
“Safety and compliance are not an option at our company; they are a mandatory requirement to work on our team. Our leaders are actively engaged with ensuring our people have the support to keep themselves and the public safe. When hiring, we use a rigorous screening process involving psychometric testing and test driving with an experienced driver trainer. From there, we do a fairly lengthy onboarding process to ensure the personality and skills fit the role and our culture,” says Boucher.
Part of building a culture of safety is engaging in open communication across the organization. Boucher says feedback is encouraged to create a safer and more productive operation. It is also foundational for his leadership style.
“I’m a direct communicator and very transparent leader, which, once trust is established, has allowed folks to feel safe speaking their mind about our operations, equipment specifications, and where we can improve. Our team owes this to each other and our customers,” says Boucher.
Being a successful business for as long as MacEwen has requires adaptability and innovation. With the continued emergence of technology in the world of transportation, Boucher and his team ensure they are taking advantage of new industry trends and developments for their fleet. This includes a new state-of-the-art dispatching software for both over-the-highway and regional deliveries.
“In addition to dispatching software, we introduced a new telematics system that leverages AI to detect hazards and alerts the driver for a corrective action. Even the best of us can become mentally distracted, given our busy lives, and that friendly reminder about following a vehicle too closely likely makes the difference in preventing an accident. Our new business intelligence tools automatically send performance reports to managers for review with a one-click drill-down ability versus having to search for information. We believe ‘what is measured gets done,’ and our new reporting tools ensure minimal time behind a desk and maximum time spent in the field with drivers and customers,” says Boucher. “We consistently meet with our supplier partners to learn about new industry advancements and attend conferences. We are also active within professional industry organizations. The best learning comes from interacting with industry professionals, and the PMTC is a leader in enabling industry knowledge transfer.”
Looking ahead, MacEwen Petroleum and its private fleet plan to keep growing, ensuring its capacity keeps pace with company growth. Boucher believes this is done by attracting and retaining top driving talent.
“We are confident we can do so by having a fair pay structure, investing in fleet renewal/technology, and being sure our people feel respected and valued,” says Boucher, “I believe being a family-owned business allows us to do these things just a little bit easier.”
