In 1980, Wayne Chiu graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in mechanical engineering and returned home to Hong Kong to begin his professional career. By 1982, he was newly married and immigrating to Canada with his wife Eleanor.

The next four decades would be filled with hard work, wild success, countless acts of philanthropy and many well-deserved accolades—including Chiu being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2015.

This past summer, he was recognized by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce with a 2022 Distinguished Business Leader Award, for demonstrating ethical leadership.

“I have always looked at how a business is able to impact the community and society as a whole,” says Chiu. “That is part of my drive. To be engaged. To see how we tie business and social good together. To make sure we are there to help our communities.”

Building communities and a better Alberta

As the founder and CEO of the Trico Group of Companies, Chiu is also celebrating another milestone this year: 30 years as one of Calgary’s largest residential developers.

The early and sustained success of Trico Homes was a catalyst for everything that Wayne and Eleanor Chiu have been able to do since. The couple is well-known for their generous contributions to local educational institutions and health organizations.

According to Chiu, building community takes more than creating award-winning developments—it requires investing in and supporting society.
“The primary goal of any business is to make money,” he says. “But after making money, how can the business do good?”

It’s a philosophy that led to the creation of both the Trico Charitable Foundation and the Trico Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Centre at the Haskayne School of Business.

ATB Financial’s President and CEO, Curtis Stange, shared his praise for Chiu’s accomplishments.

“We're thrilled to see Wayne and the Trico Group recognized with this Distinguished Business Leader Award,” says Stange. “At ATB Financial, we talk a lot about the role of business in society, and the Trico Group exemplifies what we believe that role is. They lead with compassion and purpose, contributing in a meaningful way to our Alberta economy.”

"While Wayne and his team at Trico have achieved incredible financial success, his relentless commitment to people over profit is what sets him apart,” adds Myron Feser, Senior Vice-President ATB Business Banking and co-head of ATB Business. “He has and will continue to do great things for his community.”

As an ATB client, Chiu expressed an appreciation for having the support of a like-minded organization.

“When I look at the values of ATB, I see they are similar to our company’s values,” he said. “They are local, they care about their clients and care about business in Alberta. And while ATB offers what a Big Five charter bank does, its focus on Alberta creates a bigger impact.”