Andrea Markey
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 02/05) - The success of M&T Enterprises has earned Hamish Tatty a national business award. His community involvement was also a deciding factor.

Tatty was presented with the Young Entrepreneur Award for the Rankin Inlet-based business in Calgary last week. The award from the Business Development Bank of Canada is bestowed on one person from each territory and province annually.

In addition to delivering fuel to most of Rankin Inlet, off-loading barges and aircraft, hauling gravel and removing snow, the company is involved in expediting for exploration companies as well as hauling materials overland in the winter via Bombardier from Churchill to the Kivalliq.

"Just about everybody in Rankin is our customer with the fuel delivery," he said. "When people go to the store to get their groceries, we are the ones who bring the items there."

Tatty was chosen by a selection committee based on his operating success, innovation, involvement in the new economy and ongoing community support.

"I couldn't be any prouder - I'm speechless, really," said Peter Tatty, Hamish's father and founder of the company. "The hardest part was not telling anyone because we knew he won for about a month before it was announced."

When Peter retires in May, he plans to stay away from the company and relax, having full confidence in Hamish's abilities to continue to run the company as he has done to past number of years. Hamish, now age 30, grew up with the company.

"He's the one who has made major additions to the company," Peter said.

Having started M&T Enterprises in 1979 with four employees and two trucks, the company has grown to 45 full-time employees, with 60 employees in the busy winter months, and more than 45 trucks.

"We are trying to plan for the future," said Hamish. "Hopefully there will be a mine development somewhere in the region. We figure we have ourselves strategically placed for that."

The 100 per cent Inuit-owned company has about 85 per cent Inuit employees and hire almost all employees locally, he said.

"The Inuit of Rankin have really helped push us along and supported us through the years," he said.

"We're trying to help our young people through employment.

The firm also gets involved in community events doing carnival-type games for kids in the summer and handing out turkeys at Christmas time.