Once, Dan Laplante nursed a burning ambition. He wanted to be Canada’s energy minister by the time he was 30.

Then he came to his senses.

Today, the 38-year-old president of Continental Oilfield Supply Canada sticks to business as leader of a flourishing private company that supplies the Canadian oilpatch with the nuts and bolts of exploration and drilling – casings, castings, tubing, hollow carriers for perforating gun completions, etc.

Though only six years old, Continental has already negotiated an exclusive Canadian distribution deal with U.S. Steel, while solidifying partnerships with international players such as Benteler Steel/Tube and Sumitomo Corporation.

Dave Olecko photo, Business Edge
Dan Laplante is committed to social and educational issues.

Laplante says his sales target is $50 million for the current fiscal year. Not shabby for an 11-member team. Clearly, there’s plenty on his plate. But the idealism of a born crusader dies hard. Though his eye remains on the corporate ledger, Laplante’s heart is committed to certain social and educational issues that he believes hold a key to this country’s future.

“My political aspirations died years ago. I think I can help more from behind the scenes,” smiled Laplante, who never did make energy minister. However, he was recently listed by TD Bank, Caldwell Partners, et al, among young Canadian business leaders honoured as the Top 40 Under 40.

Laplante was one of a precious few Albertans who cracked the list, a fact that didn’t particularly please him (though he’s too tactful to comment publicly). Besides, he was grateful to be recognized as the leader of a corporate up-’n’-comer, as well as for his community contributions.

A hockey nut who once played junior for Mark Messier’s dad Doug in St. Albert, Laplante was in his teens when he realized he lacked the talent for a pro career. He compensated with academics, ultimately becoming student president at the University of Lethbridge.

As such, he sat on the U of L’s board of governors. Not long after his graduation, former U of L president Howard Tennant tapped Laplante to return to the board, where he has remained for 11 years.

In Laplante, Tennant saw a conscientious alumnus with important connections to the Calgary business community. But he got more – a serious entrepreneur with a finely tuned social conscience. (Through his years with the board, Laplante has also come to regard board chair Terry Royer as his most influential mentor.)

Not surprisingly, post- secondary education is among Laplante’s pet issues. Aboriginal issues are similarly high on his list.

“I agree with the Conference Board of Canada that education is our fundamental priority in Canada,” Laplante said.

“We have to convince the decision-makers of today that we cannot invest enough in post-secondary education. It pays dividends, over and over again.”

It did in his case, certainly.

Continental Oilfield Supply Canada was born in 1997 after an associate based in Houston, Tex., urged Laplante to consider a North American partnership.

Laplante subsequently forged an affiliation with Dan Benditz of Continental Casing Corporation, as well as with associated corporations in Scotland and the U.K. With Benditz’s financial support, Laplante set out to exploit what he and his U.S. partner perceived as a shift within the Canadian energy industry.

“As a result of depleting petroleum reserves in Western Canada, we saw wells starting to go deeper – being drilled in much more caustic, corrosive and hostile environments than in the past,” he explained.

In response, Laplante resolved to import and market seamless steel tubing – including a variety produced exclusively by U.S. Steel – which he says is ideally suited for hostile and corrosive drilling applications.

“We bought and promoted their product during a downturn in 1998. So, U.S. Steel rewarded us with the exclusive Canadian rights in fall 1999,” Laplante said.

Gratitude notwithstanding, it took audacity and perseverance for a young company to sell itself to the largest fully integrated steel producer in the U.S.

“It didn’t happen overnight,” Laplante admitted. “We had to convince them we could represent them in a responsible way. Our team had to prove itself.”

Though proud of such a bright feather in the company cap, Laplante acknowledged there’s still much work to be done.

Continental currently sits at No. 3 in the pecking order among Alberta suppliers of seamless tubular steel. Summit Tubulars Corp. and Hallmark Tubulars Ltd., both of Calgary, represent 75 per cent of the market share.

“But we love coming in under the radar. We’re just getting started,” Laplante grinned.

Now that he’s cracked the Top 40, Laplante’s determined not to be a one-hit wonder.