CARLYLE - Owned and operated by Mark and Tracy Slykhuis, Integrity Maintenance recently received a Diamonds in the Snow Award from the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association for their efforts in maintaining and grooming the snowmobile trails at Moose Mountain Provincial Park.
Mark Slykhuis was employed by Carson Welding and Maintenance for 17 years and in 2007, decided to go into business for himself. He owned a single oilfield service truck and together with his brother Nathan, started working for Talisman Energy.
He and Tracy have two children. Cody, 27, is the current owner of Allison Stores, the resort store located at the park. Trinity, 22, lives in Stoughton with her partner David Charles and Trinity’s daughter Oaklyn. She owns and operates Rising Moon Collective and Allure Attitude Aesthetics. Trinity also specializes in lashes.
Mark and Tracy steadily built up their business and with local work obtained from several large oil companies, notably Crescent Point Energy and Pemoco, quickly expanded.
“We are the plumbers of the oil patch,” he said.
Integrity Maintenance is an oilfield management business that specializes in battery installations, vessel and tank installation, and inspections. It also does flow line installations and repairs, pump jack services and pipeline work.
In just 14 years, Integrity has expanded at a breathtaking pace and now employs 54 people, including two full-time heavy-duty mechanics and three office staff. While it also has a field office in Weyburn, most of their employees live and work in the Carlyle area.
Their main operation is located just a few kilometers north and west of Carlyle. It is there where Mark and Tracy reside along with their many oilfield buildings and offices.
Mark and Tracy are a modest couple, but they and their company are well known in the oilpatch and very well respected. They are very hard workers and in fact Mark is still in charge of all dispatching duties.
Both Mark and Tracy are avid snowmobilers and love riding the trails at Kenosee Lake. This winter, Integrity was nominated by the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club for their efforts.
“Integrity and its owners, Mark and Tracy Slykhuis, have been supporters of the snowmobile trails in the Moose Mountain region for the past 14 years. In addition to helping with the storage of equipment and using their shop for repairs, Integrity completed extensive repairs on the groomer and used two tracked skid steers to open trail in the forest around Hewitt Lake to allow for safe passage without having ice crossings.
“They filled in ruts on the trail base and cleared down trees on many miles of trails. They did this at no cost to the club and to add to their generosity, they also mowed bush on the Bear Claw Casino Trail and others. Then, Integrity donated all of the costs back saving their local club in excess of $10,000.
“We, the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club, nominated Integrity as they have allowed for the continuation of the snowmobile trails in their community and surrounding area. They have helped to ensure the economic sustainability in town during the winter months.”
Mark and Tracy are good corporate citizens and donate to many worthwhile causes in Carlyle and area. Concluded Tracy, “Mark and I are happy to be in business and have great customers and great employees, many of which have been with us for years. Our employees are like family, we respect and appreciate them completely. Without them and our clients we wouldn’t exist as a company.”
