Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 128
128
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
Techtronic has the tools to create work-life balance
S
ince he was a child,
Craig Baxter, group
president of Techtronic
Industries Canada Inc.
(TTI), says “I’ve always
loved woodworking and renovating.” That’s why, after a degree
in food science and a successful
start to a marketing career in
packaged goods, Baxter seized his
first chance to work with his true
passion: power tools. “When the
recruiter called, I thought I’d won
the lottery,” he recalls.
Leadership and culture trump business
strategy all day long,
because it’s people who
infuse the energy into
the strategy that leads
to the great result.
— Craig Baxter
Group President
Techtronic Industries Canada encourages employees to get involved in the local community, offering paid
time off to volunteer.
It was still a step or two before
he joined the Canadian arm of
Hong Kong-based TTI, but after
Baxter arrived there in 2007, his
passion — and his dedication
to TTI employees — made the
company Canada’s cordless power
tools powerhouse. “Leadership
and culture trump business
strategy all day long, because it’s
people who infuse the energy into
the strategy that leads to the great
result,” Baxter says.
“I have found that if I focus on
energizing and inspiring people
the impact is far greater than
spending my time on business
details. I want people to feel
valued and appreciated, so they
can bring their best every single
day. That’s what drives the growth
that drives the opportunities
to provide career paths for
everybody in the organization,”
says Baxter. “And it’s my essential
task, absolutely.”
Amanda Wippler, regional
account manager and another
TTI person with a childhood full
of power tools (her father was a
carpenter and cabinet maker) can
attest to the opportunities. After
10 years at TTI, she’s in her sixth
position. “This company really
cares about the well-being of its
employees and that has meant
growth, from about 300 employees
when I began to over 750 now,
because that care feeds a strong
sense of belonging,” Wippler says.
“Autonomy is a large part of
well-being,” she says, “and it’s a
real testament to TTI’s integrity
and commitment to employees.”
Baxter unhesitantly describes
TTI benefits as “our biggest
differentiator as a company.” But
beyond such matters as robust
wellness, mental-health and
parental leave support or paid
time off for volunteer work (often
with Habitat for Humanity), the
emphasis on autonomy is key, he
says.
“While we are an in-office company because great people like to
be around other great people, and
learn and grow from it, we want
our people to do the things that
they need to do — whether it’s
going to their kids’ games or anything else required to keep their
families in great working order.
That is a priority,” says Baxter.
“At the end of the day, you need
to prioritize your health and the
important relationships in your
life, because you’re never going
to be able to bring it to work
every day if you’re not healthy
as an individual and you’re
not surrounded with healthy
