TESC Contracting celebrates 50 years and the power of visibility, credibility, and opportunity
For 50 years, TESC Contracting Company Ltd. has been helping clients deliver complex industrial projects across Canada’s mining, energy, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. Today, under the leadership of President and CEO Julie Zulich, the company is entering its next chapter with the same focus on performance, safety, strong relationships and the people behind the work.
TESC became WBE Canada Certified in 2024, adding another dimension to its long-standing reputation as a high-performing industrial contractor.
Julie joined TESC in 1999 and spent nearly three decades learning the business from many different perspectives. She worked alongside operational teams, supported clients, and spent time in the field, developing a deep appreciation for what it takes to successfully deliver work in complex industrial environments.
She also had to find her own path to leadership.
“Construction has traditionally been a male-populated industry, particularly at senior leadership and ownership levels. Early in my career, I sometimes questioned whether I fit the expected profile of a leader. I didn’t come from a trades or engineering background, and at the time, I viewed that as a limitation.”
Over time, Julie came to understand that her path did not have to look like everyone else’s.
“Leadership is not about being the technical expert in every discipline. It’s about building strong teams, earning trust, making difficult decisions and creating an environment where people can perform at their best.”
Becoming President and CEO was not a single defining moment, but the result of years of experience, continuous learning, and a deep commitment to TESC, its clients, and its people.
For TESC, WBE Canada Certification has helped increase visibility and create opportunities to connect with organizations intentionally looking to broaden their supply chains.
But Julie is clear that certification creates an opportunity. It does not replace performance.
“We want to be recognized first as a high-performing industrial contractor that also happens to be women-owned. Certification is important, but our reputation is built on execution.”
For Julie, that distinction is at the heart of meaningful supplier inclusion.
“The goal shouldn’t be to award work simply because a company is women-owned. The goal should be to make sure qualified women-owned businesses have the opportunity to get to the table and compete. That’s where meaningful inclusion happens.”
By broadening the pool of businesses competing for work, organizations can introduce different perspectives, create opportunities for innovative companies, and strengthen Canadian supply chains.
For TESC, certification provides another platform to demonstrate that a women-owned company can compete and perform at scale in industrial construction.
“Certification is another differentiator that can help open the door. What we do once that door opens is up to us.”
Fifty Years of Building Credibility
That focus on credibility carries particular significance as TESC celebrates its 50th anniversary.
For Julie, the milestone is about much more than the number.
“Companies don’t endure for five decades because of a logo or a building. They endure because generations of people build relationships, solve problems, create value for clients and take pride in their work.”
Rather than marking the anniversary with one large celebration, TESC chose to bring its 50th anniversary directly to its employees, including crews working at active project sites.
It is a reflection of how Julie views both the company’s history and its future: TESC’s reputation has been built over time by the people who show up every day and deliver.
Leading the company into its 50th year is both an honour and a responsibility for Julie: respecting the legacy built by previous generations while ensuring TESC continues creating opportunities for the generations that follow.
As Canada sees significant investment in critical minerals, energy, infrastructure and industrial development, Julie believes there is a generational opportunity to strengthen domestic capacity and build the infrastructure required for Canada to remain globally competitive.
TESC intends to be part of that future.
The company is focused on disciplined growth across its core markets while continuing to invest in its workforce, leadership capabilities, operational excellence and strategic client relationships.
Julie’s longer-term vision is to build TESC into one of Canada’s premier industrial project and construction services companies while remaining true to the values that have sustained the business for 50 years.
Success, she says, means leaving the company stronger, more resilient and better positioned for the next generation.
And for other women entrepreneurs considering certification or pursuing opportunities in industries where they may not fit the traditional profile, Julie’s advice reflects her own career journey.
“Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Most leaders grow into opportunities rather than feeling fully prepared for them. Get in the room. Learn the business. Build relationships. Ask questions. Deliver when you are given the opportunity.”
Because certification can create visibility and opportunity, but what happens next comes down to the business behind it.
“Credibility is built over time through experience, consistency and how you show up.”
Julie Zulich, President & CEO
TESC Contracting Company Ltd.
