MWDBE SPOTLIGHT: Meet Stephen Callender and Natasha Callender-Wilson
Meet Stephen Callender & Natasha Callender-Wilson
Stephen Callender
President, Bass Installation
Natasha Callender-Wilson
Vice President, Bass Installation
Tell us about your company.
Steve: Bass Installation is a glazing company who supplies and installs curtainwall, window wall, windows, and entrance systems. Coming to Canada from Barbados in 1976, my first job was in a glass factory in Scarborough, on Barbados Boulevard, of all places! By 1983, I changed focus and became an ironworker, working for a curtainwall company. During the recession of the 1990s, I was laid off. So, with a colleague, I started my own glass and curtainwall installation company. There were a few bumps starting a business at that time, but by 2003 it officially became Bass Installation. We were unionized, which gave us the ability to scale employee numbers up or down depending on the needs of the jobs. A year or so later, my partner retired and I decided to expand and go after bigger jobs.
Natasha: By 2004, I joined the organization while still in school. I managed payroll for the company while also pursuing a bachelor of administration degree. As the business grew, I wore many hats as the health and safety manager, bookkeeper, HR manager, project coordinator, and owner, to name a few. This demand led to the need to build a strong team of experienced and qualified people who have been by our sides to help build this company.
What achievements are you most proud of?
Natasha: One of the most rewarding things is to drive downtown and see the way the skyline has changed over the years, knowing that we have contributed to that.
Steve: I agree. Also, in 2019 I got involved with a nonprofit organization that focuses on getting community benefit agreements into construction contracts, and getting Black, racialized, and disadvantaged persons into the construction industry. In 2021, that organization became the Afro Canadian Contractors Association (ACCA). I took on the role of president because I thought my experiences might help other Black immigrants to Canada who want to start a business. ACCA wants its presence in every province across the country and currently includes more than 160 contractors.
Bass Installation worked with Govan Brown on the CIBC SQUARE tower
What else could the industry do to help promote MWDBE-certified businesses?
Steve: First, help us tell our stories! We’ve all been faced with adversity, and we are still standing. For example, while I was fortunate not to have experienced (extreme) racism throughout my career, early on I still avoided posting my photo on the company website. Others need to hear these stories and how we’ve overcome the challenges. Second, I encourage companies to utilize organizations like ACCA to help fill the gaps of labor shortages and skilled tradespeople.
Natasha: Another action that could help is to assess and update company policies so that they are more inclusive to other cultures and genders.
Do you have any advice for someone starting their own business in our industry and beginning the MWDBE process?
Steve: Be true to your roots. Often it attracts like-minded individuals who will be the foundation of your business. People are your best asset. Treat them with care.
Natasha: Listen to other people’s stories on how they got to where they are. Take some of their good, listen but do not repeat the bad, and find your own recipe on how you want your business to run.
Bass Installation worked with Govan Brown on the CIBC SQUARE tower
QUICK FACTS
- Year established: 2003
- Location: Head office in Mississauga; projects primarily in Toronto
- Number of employees: 75–100
- Notable projects: The Well Canopy, First Canadian Place, CIBC SQUARE
- Years of partnership with Govan Brown: 5+ years