Bridging the generations

Greg Bendall is a true Edmontonian. He’s the fourth generation of his family to live in the capital… the great-grandson of James MacDonald—a City alderman from 1914 to 1917—the historical figure after whom one of our major bridges is named.

Greg also has the distinction of being the youngest person to ever become a partner at SVS Group Chartered Accounts (Accountants?), a process that traditionally takes many years of practice. It’s an accomplishment that attests to his professionalism and ability, and an indication that he is clearly ahead of the curve relative to his peers.

The 27-year old attributes a lot of his success to his understanding wife, Rowena. “She has put up with me putting in some long hours over the years,” admits Greg.

After earning a B.Comm from the University of Alberta in 2001, he articled with SVS for a year, and obtained his CA designation shortly after.

While tax season sees accountants putting in hundreds of hours, throughout the rest of the year there are plenty of opportunities for Greg to keep active and involved.

“After attaining my CA designation, I wanted to give back to the program which I felt really helped me, so I became an on-line facilitator. As facilitators, we aren’t there to mark student assignments; instead, we are there to help guide students through the 10-week modules.”

In addition, Greg serves on the special projects committee of the City of Edmonton’s NextGen group, whose mandate is to identify and recommend ways to attract and retain residents between the ages of 18 and 40. He’s also an advisor to the board of the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation, which is a coalition of 40 volunteer sector organizations that include Engineers without Borders, HIV Edmonton, UNICEF and the YMCA.

One the home front, there’s no shortage of projects for Greg. “My wife and I have a house that is nearly 100 years old, so it seems like there are always things to do.”

He may never have a landmark named after him. But, through commitment to his profession and his community—traits shared with great-grandfather MacDonald—Greg will leave his own mark on the city he calls home. √

Photo by Terry Bourque