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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The president of the Yellowknife-based company that employs many of the city's private sector security guards -- Twilite Security Ltd. -- is now owner of the company, after buying out its Winnipeg and Regina-based owners.

Twilite Security Ltd. operations manager Raymond Seegerts, left, congratulates Twilite president Patrick Doyle for purchasing the company from its previous owners based in the south. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

Patrick Doyle, who was part-owner of Twilite Security and manager of the security company for 10 years, officially took ownership of the business, located in the Northway Building on 49 St., on Oct. 6, along with Steve Matthews, a Calgary-based entrepreneur who is now also part-owner of the security company.

"It's great to be the president, but I wanted to fully be able to steer the ship," Doyle said, following the finalization of the deal, which took months to reach. "It's pretty gratifying to finally have the majority ownership. My confidence in our current clients, our service, our people and partners made me willing to take on such a large commitment."

Over the past few years Twilite Security has employed more than 100 people in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and now has nearly 200 employees during the peak winter season, Doyle said, including more than 50 in Yellowknife, contracted as security guards at locations such as the Centre Square Mall, Stanton Territorial Hospital, and the Yellowknife Airport.

All personnel in Yellowknife have continued in their current positions under the new ownership.

Doyle takes over both Twilite Security and its remote services division, Scarlet Security, which provides security services for remote projects, including mines, and the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road, which the company has provided security for with a joint venture partner.

Twilite Security has seen growth through joint venture partnerships in the North, through its service and quality control, Doyle said.

Doyle, who as a past chamber president supported local business and local ownership, had sought full ownership of Twilite Security in the past, but negotiations over the company did not start until last April, when he agreed to continue serving as president of the company, as discussions began over price and financing.

While the majority of Twilite Security operations have been conducted in Yellowknife and the North, many aspects of the business were being done in Winnipeg and Regina, where the previous owners lived, Doyle said.

"Because the majority owners were in the south, a lot of things were done in the south. But I did run it from Yellowknife as far as operations go," Doyle said. "Now, we'll be moving everything to the North," he said, adding Twilite is now officially a Northern business.

New Twilite partner Steve Matthews said in a written statement that partnering with Doyle to buy out the previous owners of Twilite was an easy decision because of the company's staff, joint venture partners, and growing opportunities in the North.

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