Paul Charette is the Chair of the Board of Bird Construction Inc. with 50 years of experience in construction and engineering.
Paul graduated with a diploma in Civil Technology from Red River College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in June 1967. Upon graduation, Mr. Charette joined Crippen Acres Engineering as an Engineering Technologist, where he spent 9 years on the Manitoba Hydro development of the Nelson River and the Manitoba Rolling Mills expansion projects. In 1976, he joined Bird Construction Company Limited as a Project Coordinator and progressed to President and Chief Operating Officer in 1988, as well as Chief Executive Officer in 1991, and Chair of the Board in 2001. He led the Company through a period of substantial growth in 20 years with revenues increasing from $90 million in 1988 to over $1 billion in 2008. He was also responsible for the transfer of ownership from the Bird family to the senior management of the company, which was the main catalyst for the company’s substantial growth and recognition as one of the top 10 General Contractors in Canada. In September 2008, Mr. Charette retired from his position as Chief Executive Officer of Bird Construction Company Limited and continues in his role as a director and Chair of the Board.
In addition to Mr. Charette’s direct construction experience, he gained considerable experience relating to the construction industry’s legal, financial and contracting procedures during his tenure as Chair of Ontario General Contractors’ Association, Chair of Toronto Construction Association Advisory Committee, and Chair of the Canadian Construction Association. In 2010, Mr. Charette retired from the board of the Canadian Construction Association and was made a Honourary Life Member. Mr. Charette is also a past director of the Construction Sector Council, a past director of Colleges and Institutes Canada, the past Chair of the Employees’ Coalition for Advanced Skills, a national coalition aimed at seeking continued and expanded federal support for increasing the capacity of colleges and institutes across Canada, a past director of the Junior Achievement of Canada Foundation, and a past director of Bridgepoint Hospital.
In 2002, Mr. Charette was bestowed with the honour of Distinguished Alumnus of Red River College, in 2004 was named the Ontario Entrepreneur of the year in Real Estate / Construction by Ernst & Young LPP, in 2012 received an honourary degree for the Bachelor of Applied Technology (Construction Science and Management) from George Brown College, in 2012 Mr. Charette received the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2016 received an honourary diploma in Technology Studies from Niagara College. In 2017 Mr. Charette received the Outstanding Partner Award from Colleges and Institutes Canada, an honourary diploma in Business Administration from Bow Valley College, and an honourary Bachelor of Technology, Construction Management Degree from Red River College. In addition, Mr. Charette has received many construction industry awards, such as the 2001 Ontario General Contractors Chairman’s Award of Recognition, the 2006 Canadian Construction Association’s General Contractors Award of Excellence, and the 2013 Toronto Construction Association’s Donald P. Giffin Construction Industry Achievement Award. In 2010 Mr. Charette was named the Canadian Construction Association’s Person of the Year.