Determined to make a difference
As a young child, Allan Markin watched the television show The Millionaire, which saw money given to people in need.
“According to my mother, I would tromp around saying ‘I want to be a millionaire so I can help people.’” He has done exactly that. While Markin grew up poor in Calgary’s Bowness neighbourhood — son of a mechanic father and a seamstress mother who “kept us afloat” — the importance of hard work and fair play were instilled in the boy who grew to be one of the giants of Calgary’s oil industry, and one of its largest philanthropists.
“When I sense an injustice, I want to conquer that,” says the man who led the province’s flood mitigation task force this fall.
While he initially thought of becoming a dentist, Markin instead joined the energy industry.
“I never followed the crowd. ... I still don’t.”
A chemical engineer, Markin has accomplished much in his professional life, including board chair of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) for more than 20 years. The 68-yearold is currently president/CEO of AMP Financial Inc.
An owner of the Calgary Flames and part of the group that brought Shaw Charity Classic, a stop on the PGA’s Champions Tour, to Calgary last summer, Markin has also spent half his fortune in “a short period of time” pursuing that childhood desire to help.
While he has given time and money to a long list of organizations and charities, his biggest goal now is transforming the education and health-care systems.
That includes his foundation Pure North S’Energy, offering preventive health care, mainly to vulnerable citizens such as the homeless, with an emphasis on vitamin supplements and good nutrition.
Markin believes if the preventive program — now accessed by about 33,000 people — was adopted by the Alberta government, it could save billions in healthcare costs.
His education focus includes APPLE Schools (Alberta Project Promoting active Living & healthy Eating in Schools) linking healthy lifestyle and learning. The program currently reaches about 20,000 kids in 40 schools.
Many awards have recognized his business acumen and his generosity including: City of Calgary Citizen of the Year (2004); Officer of the Order of Canada (2008); Alberta Order of Excellence (2008); Calgary Business Hall of Fame (2009); Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
Markin says his mantra for business and for his community work is “get the facts, focus, work hard and make it happen.”
And like his mother, who preached discipline and hard work, Markin believes problems are just there to be solved. “I never take no for an answer.”