About

Now one of the most robust contracting companies in northern Alberta, Cox Contractors was tiny when Kevin Cox started in 1976. He was 18 years old and his equipment fleet consisted of a little gravel truck and an old loader. Minor excavation work and hauling were his bread-and-butter at first. “I began to realize that that was a hard game to play,” says Kevin. “I started reaching out further for something bigger.” He got a contract hauling aggregate for a company doing sewer and water work. “It opened the door to thinking I should be in sand and gravel,” he says. Kevin acquired a permit to explore for gravel. It was the start of a successful move into aggregate.

From one pit he soon had two, then another. He invested in more equipment. Eventually he had four different pits and an entire fleet of equipment. “It was interesting, it was exciting,” he says, of the early days, building a business from the ground up. “Sometimes it was tough. You’d look at people going to relax at the lake and you were going to work.” Kevin credits his wife Mickey Cox and Martha Nygaard, the company’s first office administrators, for their hard work keeping the business organized and well-functioning. “They were so important,” says Kevin. “You needed people you could trust and those were two that you could trust very much.”

His and Mickey’s sons, Ryan and Dustin, were also involved as soon as they were old enough to join in. “Ryan took a huge interest in equipment and he enjoyed the challenges that it brought,” Kevin says. By age 18, Ryan was a project foreman. “He never looked back,” Kevin says. Today Ryan is the company’s Construction Manager. Dustin has taken on the role of Contract Administrator. “He’s a huge asset,” says Kevin.

“I don’t remember ever having to go back to do a repair on work we’ve done”

Kevin Cox
President

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Cox Contractors believes in building community at home. The company is a major supporter of the greater High Prairie area, contributing funds – and often materials and equipment – to a great breadth of deserving groups and individuals, including:

• High Prairie and District Aquatic Centre
• Gordon Buchanan Recreation Centre
• STARS Charity Golf
• High Prairie and District Children’s Council
• High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo
• East District 4H Club
• Pioneer Threshermen’s Association
• High Prairie Oilmen’s Association Golf Tournment
• Big Lakes Invitational Golf Tournment
• EW Pratt High School
• Valleyview High School Rodeo
• High Prairie High School Rodeo
• High Prairie Agriculture Society