Atlantic Canada's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 32
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ATLANTIC CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
Employees can fuel their ambitions at North Atlantic
W
hen the
opportunity
arose for
Brad Hollett
to join North
Atlantic as chief operating officer
in May 2024, the established
mid-career professional says he
knew it was the right move.
“A former boss once told me
that when people change
jobs, they’re running from
something or they’re running
to something,” Hollett says. “In
my case, it’s definitely the
latter.
We are creating terrific
opportunities for people
— real, meaningful
careers with great growth
potential.
— Brad Hollett
Chief Operating Officer
“I was attracted by the
opportunity to work with an
organization just about to take
off in a big way. I could see North
Atlantic was poised to do some
very special things.”
Indeed, as well as significantly
expanding established operations,
St. John’s-based North Atlantic is
working on ambitious, longterm plans for developing a
Green Energy Hub that will add
renewable energy to its fuel mix.
The vertically-integrated energy
company is the largest importer
of fuel in Newfoundland and
Labrador. Through its retail,
commercial and wholesale
entities, North Atlantic serves
North Atlantic is committed to attracting and retaining top talent as the company experiences continued
growth.
clients in sectors as diverse as
mining, aviation and shipping.
What’s more, its network of gas
stations and Orangestores is the
market leader in the province’s
retail gas and convenience sector.
In 2023, North Atlantic partnered
with Suncor to form North Sun
Energy and expand into Nova
Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
By early 2026, North Sun Energy
was operating 110 sites under the
North Atlantic and Petro-Canada
brands with plans for further
growth.
Hollett says it’s an exciting time
to work for a company doing big
things. “We are creating terrific
opportunities for people — real,
meaningful careers with great
growth potential,” he says.
Even as North Atlantic branches
out, crucial company attributes
endure. Chief among them is
a deep-rooted commitment
to health and safety. In fact,
WorkplaceNL, the province’s
workplace health, safety and
compensation commission,
presented its 2025 Safety
Leadership Award to North
Atlantic.
It has become a maxim that
health and safety in the workplace
is everybody’s responsibility. But
for people like Jillian Coombs, it’s
their job — and their passion.
Coombs discovered this when
she worked as a store manager.
Feeling compelled to point out
things that seemed unsafe set
her on a career path that led in
due course to North Atlantic and
her current position as health,
safety and environment (HSE)
coordinator.
Coombs is part of the fourperson HSE team that brings a
collaborative approach to ensuring
a safety mindset throughout the
organization. As the generalist
on the team, she keeps her own
training up to date on numerous
matters.
“I love learning new things and
I love being kept on my toes,”
Coombs says. “I’m never bored.”
In early 2026, she was among
the first employees to move into
the company’s spacious new head
office. Built to accommodate
future growth, it features ample
workstations and collaboration
spaces.
As her HSE teammates joined
her, Coombs took them on tours
of their new workspace. Designed
with employee well-being in
mind, the head office includes
