Don Lenny: Sharing a Lifetime of Experience

Ask Edmonton’s Don Lenny about the beginning of his career and he’ll tell you what he remembers most is wanting to be the best welder in the area. “You know,” he says, “the guy with the prettiest weld.”

But that wasn’t all Don wanted. It was the early 1960s and he was a young man, anxious to make his mark on the world. He wanted a steady job, one in which he would always be productive. He also wanted a job where he knew he could be financially compensated while improving his skills, travelling, and leading a full and rewarding life. Above all, he wanted a job that challenged him, and would continue to challenge him for years to come.

“I guess I got pretty well everything I wanted when I decided to become a boilermaker,” Don says today. “As a boilermaker, I can be productive, earn a good living and challenge myself on an almost daily basis.”

After obtaining his journeyperson welder ticket through the provincial apprenticeship program, his second important challenge came in 1965 when Don enrolled at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to upgrade (to “B” welder), training he required to become a boilermaker. For the next 10 years he practised his chosen trade in Edmonton and other areas in Western Canada. Then, eager to take on new challenges, Don pursued other trade-related training. “That really expanded my knowledge of the industry,” he recalls. “As a result, I became a supervisor eight years later.”

Don’s been in supervisory positions ever since, most recently at Edmonton Exchanger. That all changed in January 2004, when, after more than 29 years at Edmonton Exchanger and four decades as a boilermaker, Don decided it was time to retire. “Time to spend more time with my family, to travel and to take on some new projects,” he says simply.

“I’ve seen a lot of positive changes over the years. The industry has become more safety-conscious and boilermakers as a whole are more educated, trained, and competent. It’s a good time to get in,” says the man who is preparing to get out—although not entirely as it turns out.

“I’d like to share some of my experiences, maybe do a little consulting,” says the lifelong boilermaker. Certainly, the people Don has helped over the years hope he’s around to help others for years to come.