Can’t beat the view from this office window

Rick O’Neill’s business is based in Calgary, but when he looks out the window of his office every morning he doesn’t see traffic jams and tall buildings. He runs LMC Transportation from the office above his garage in Cranbrook’s newest neighbourhood, River’s Crossing, and the views couldn’t be better.

“Every morning I look out the window and I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” said Rick. “I tell my clients in Houston and Calgary about the mountains and the golf course and they can’t get over it.”

LMC specializes in the logistics of moving massive, traffic-stopping pieces of mining and oil field equipment from port to work site, and also organizes smaller shipments between Canada and the United States or within Canada.

LMC is expert in the logistics of moving massive, traffic stopping pieces of mining and oil field equipment from port to work site. — Photo courtesy LMC

Zoning on the east and west sides of River’s Crossing allows for home-based businesses and residential offices, so all Rick needed to run his business from Cranbrook was his extensive contacts list and high tech phone and internet connections courtesy of Telus Optik. Easy access to flights at Canadian Rockies International Airport was another factor in favour of a move to River’s Crossing.

LMC currently has four employees working from its Calgary office and one in Dallas. Rick wants to hire a third to work in the Cranbrook location.

“It gets crazy around here sometimes,” he said. “I could use another hard worker in the office so I can fit in more rounds at Shadow Mountain. It can be hard to concentrate when you’re staring out your window at the fairway.”

When the O’Neill’s made the decision to relocate to Cranbrook their Calgary friends bugged them about how bored they would be living in a small town. That hasn’t been the case at all.

“They call to see how things are and I rattle off a long list of what we’ve been up to. Potlucks, bonspiels, skating on the pond—there’s always something going on around here,” said Rick. “Even if it’s just shared drinks on the deck.”

Along with running LMC, Rick is busy launching Treadstone Eco Solutions, a new business selling an innovative, all-natural alternative to pavement or concrete. He is also the president of the Cranbrook Curling Club, while Lynn organizes the Rotary Park market for Sam Steele Days.