BC's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 18
18
BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
Passion keeps Armstrong Collective on the right track
F
ernanda Foschi was en
route between Jasper
and Kamloops on
Armstrong Collective’s
luxury train journey,
Rocky Mountaineer, when the talent acquisition specialist popped
the question to her now-husband.
It’s rare to include an employer
in a big life moment, but Foschi,
whose team feels like family,
says her managers made the
moment extra special. “That was
so exciting,” she says. “It became a
big thing on the rail car.”
Foschi, who started as a seasonal
employee in 2018 with the leading
rail tour company, says she felt at
home from day one thanks to the
supportive leadership style.
The relationships that
we build are real. The
life-changing experiences
all come from within my
team and being able to
fully include each other in
everything that we do.
— Fernanda Foschi
Talent Acquisition Specialist,
People & Culture
In the following years, she
progressed to leadership roles
in front-line operations before
transitioning to a full-time talent
acquisition position at the head
office in Vancouver. Today, she
applies her experience and
enthusiasm to bringing new team
members aboard Armstrong
Collective.
Every step of Foschi’s career
journey was supported through
An onboard host at Armstrong Collective shares stories with guests during their trip.
formal and informal training
programs and mentorship with
the company, she says.
While she had extensive
hospitality experience, this
was her first time working in
transportation. Her employer
softened the learning curve
by providing professional
development including university
courses, soft skills training
in conflict management and
emotional intelligence, and
thorough safety training.
Bolstered by that formal
support, Foschi’s confidence also
grew through encouragement,
feedback and guidance from her
managers.
“They allow you to explore
other departments or areas you
might be interested in, and help
you grow into the role,” she says.
Armstrong Collective’s growth
culture is created by fostering
meaningful connections for both
guests and employees, as well
as by operating as a family-run
company since its founding in
1990.
“The family presence represents
stability, safety and stewardship,”
says CEO Tristan Armstrong, who
took the reins from his father,
Peter Armstrong.
Being privately owned also
allows Rocky Mountaineer to
focus on the future rather than
quarterly results. That kind of
long-term thinking is “a luxury
and a privilege,” says Armstrong.
Not just for products, but, more
importantly, for employees.
“You’re able to develop your
team,” he says. “That’s a rich and
rewarding place to be.”
From the age of five, Armstrong
remembers chasing luggage with
his father before cleaning trains
and answering guest experience
calls when he became working
age.
Being embedded in the
company before pursuing other
career paths gave Armstrong
“formative” experiences and
a unique perspective when he
returned to helm the business.
Having taken the train
frequently as a child, he can look
