Steve Myrer, Western Surety's Atlantic Region Branch Manager, can't help but be optimistic.

Since he began his position 11 years ago, the Atlantic economy has grown and promises to grow even more – and so has Western Surety.

"Newfoundland and Labrador have seen the biggest growth," says Steve. "And now there's the recently announced $25 billion shipbuilding contract for Nova Scotia that we hope will start in 2013 and continue for 30 years.

"The premier says it's like hosting the Olympics every year for 30 years.

"There'll be a huge inflow of dollars into Nova Scotia and much of that will find its way into infrastructure and other construction. The benefits are also expected to extend to the other Atlantic provinces."

Steve has also overseen rapid growth at the Western Surety office in Dartmouth.

"When I joined, some brokers told me they saw us as a small-account surety market. That perception has changed. Now we're writing bigger, more diversified and complex accounts with greater activity and higher profiles.

"Our business is now four times larger than when I started, and that will soon be five times."

He says the company is well placed to take advantage of the new economic growth in the future.

"We have the staff, the experience and the capabilities."

Steve is a personal example of that himself, with 23 years' surety experience, all of it in Atlantic Canada.

"For all of us, what we try to do is build on our in-depth knowledge of our marketplace to see opportunities – and to parlay that into writing more business.

"We're working on our five-year strategic plan right now and customer service is always the number one item for us. That's how we set ourselves apart from competitors.

"That includes fast responses and strong relationships. Brokers know us and what we're good at. They know we're consistent and predictable in our underwriting approach.

"We're unique because surety is all we do, and the company gives us all the tools, the authority and the flexibility we need to do surety better than anyone else. We can focus on our clients and their projects, with no one looking over our shoulder."

What about Steve's personal life over the last 11 years?

"I guess I'm like the company – stable and consistent. My wife and I have seen our boys grow to 19 and 15 years old", he says proudly. "So that means I'm not coaching basketball and soccer anymore, but guiding my children into adulthood."

Don't Miss Out:
RESP Awards June 30 Deadline

Make sure your family takes advantage of Western Surety's Registered Education Savings
Program awards:

• 5 awards – each will be $1,000 to be deposited directly to an RESP.
• 1 RESP per family; a family can apply for more than one child, but if an award is granted the $1,000 will be shared among the children in the family.
• The parent must be a surety division employee of a Western Surety Company contracted broker.
• Children for whom the RESP applies must be under 18 years of age.
• 1 award in Atlantic Canada; 1 in Ontario; 2 in Western Canada and 1 from the country at large.
• Applications:
• Must be received by June 30, 2012
• There's no application form – To apply just send child's and parents' names, and the brokerage name, by email to jcampbell@westernsurety.ca