Chief to Chief
One of Canada’s most accomplished former Chiefs, Mel is in demand as an advisor to First Nation governance and executive leadership teams to consult on agreements and initiatives. As Chief of a high-profile First Nation on one of the world’s largest oil reserves, Mel regularly dealt with top executives and led the Fort McKay Group of Companies' diversification strategy, which included an extensive housing development.
He improved corporate structures, safeguarded the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, lobbied governments for the protection of traditional territories, built mega Nation-owned businesses that provide sustainable revenues, and was instrumental in three pipeline deals that have become models for industrial development on traditional lands across Alberta. Mel also has more than three decades of experience in project management, business development and construction engineering, and is president of Fort McKay Alcor, a company with more than 600 employees. From emergency preparedness to economic development, diversification and capital projects, Mel’s experience and understanding of socioeconomics help Indigenous communities maintain tradition while successfully navigating the changes of the modern world.
