• About ME

     

     

    Glen McKay has an entrepreneurial and business career that spans more than four decades. After beginning as a deckhand in the Newfoundland fishery, Glen began working in business development and as a branch manager at Minpaco in St. John’s.

     

    In 1978, Glen founded his first company, MRO Supplies Ltd., which provided specialized equipment for several industries, including mining, quarrying, heavy construction, pulp and paper, forestry and fisheries.

     

     

    Glen grew MRO Supplies Ltd. as its president for over 10 years before selling it to Stellar Industrial in 1989. As he was growing MRO Supplies Ltd., Glen also founded Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc. in 1985. This new endeavor was an explosives manufacturer, that now has two manufacturing plants on the Island of Newfoundland that offers drilling and blasting services to the mining, quarrying and heavy construction industries. Glen continues as the chair of Newfoundland Hard-Rok’s board of directors and manages the firm’s finances and administration on a day-to-day basis.

     

     

    In 2004, Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc., formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Dyno Nobel Labrador Inc which was awarded a contract from Vale (formerly INCO’s Voisey's Bay Nickel Company) in 2005 to design, build, and operate a bulk emulsion manufacturing plant supplying the needs of the open pit mine at Voisey’s Bay. Recently that contract was extended to supply the underground mining requirements. That included enlarging the emulsion plant and supplying underground carriers and loaders. Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc. also founded another wholly owned subsidiary, Dyno Nobel Baffin Island Inc., in 2013 which has been awarded a multi-year contract to design, build, and operate a bulk emulsion manufacturing plant and to supply explosives for the construction and mining phases of the Baffinland Iron Mines, Mary River Project.

     

     

    In 1987, Glen provided start up capital for Apex Construction Specialties Inc., a Newfoundland based specialized construction supply company, and also served as the Chairman of the board for the firm. Glen remained as a major shareholder until Apex Construction Specialties Inc. was sold to a Quebec investment group in 2017.

     

    Glen McKay is also the co-founder of Cornerstone Capital Resources, a mining company that found fame with the acquisition of the Cascabel gold and copper project in Ecuador. During his tenure as President, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair, Cornerstone’s resource exploration was expanded beyond Newfoundland and Labrador to Ecuador and Chile, with Glen earning recognition for helping to lead the company’s growth.

     

  • IN THE NEWS

    It’s rare enough for a mining executive to find success with just one project, let alone two. But that’s the story behind the career of Newfoundland entrepreneur, Glen McKay, who established a thriving blasting and explosives company in his home province, then went on to co-found Cornerstone...
    Business leader and entrepreneur Glen Mckay believes hard work and success go hand-in-hand. As the founder of Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc., a Canadian explosives manufacturer providing drilling and blasting services to the mining, quarry and heavy construction industries, McKay brings four decades...
  • GLEN MCKAY'S EXPERIENCE

    • Chair of the Board of Directors, Co-Founder at Newfoundland Hard -Rok Inc

      August 1985 - Present | Newfoundland & Labrador, Baffin Island

      In 1985 Glen McKay was appointed the NL distributor for DuPont Explosives. The explosives business was operated under the umbrella of the then existing Newfoundland Hard-Rok division of McKay’s company, MRO Supplies Ltd. Then in 1987 Newfoundland Hard-Rok Inc was incorporated as a separate entity by Glen McKay who sold part of it to MRO employees Carl Foss and Keith Phelan, who were heading up the explosives division of MRO. It’s been a booming success. Keith and Carl take care of operations and McKay takes care of finance and administration. Our operating premise is that if you really value your people, they in turn will increase the value of your business. Simple but very effective. http://www.hardrok.ca

    • President, Founder at Sealan Capital Corporation Inc.

      January 1979 - Present | Newfoundland And Labrador, Alberta

      Consulting services, private and public equity investments. Residential and commercial property leasing.

    • Board of Member, Co Founder at Apex Construction Specialities Inc.

      June 1987 - June 2017 | Newfoundland and Labrador

      Glen McKay provided the start up capital in 1987 and remained a significant shareholder and Board Member until Apex was sold to a Quebec investment group in June 2017. A classic example of investing in great people with great ideas who have the motivation to succeed.

    • President, CEO, Vice Chair, Co-Founder at Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc.

      July 1997 - May 2012 | Canada, Ecuador, Chile

      During Glen McKay’s tenure Cornerstone expanded resource exploration beyond NL to Ecuador and Chile, and became recognized internationally for its technical and business acumen. It was during that time that Cornerstone acquired the Cascabel project in Ecuador. Ongoing drilling indicates that Cascabel is a huge mineable porphyry copper gold deposit. Glen McKay continues to hold a large number of shares in Cornerstone. http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/cornerstone-acquires-new-gold-silver-copper-projects-in-ecuador-tsx-venture-cgp-1397604.htm

    • President, Founder at MRO Supplies, LTD

      August 1978 - May 1989 | Newfoundland and Labrador

      MRO sold specialized equipment and supplies for Mining, Pulp and Paper, Forestry, Fishery, Marine, Quarries, Water and Sewer and Roadbuilding, from branches in Mount Pearl and Corner Brook, NL. MRO was sold to Stellar Industrial from Nova Scotia in May 1989.

    • Business Development Executive and Branch Manager, Minpaco St. John's at Hewlett Group

      November 1973 - August 1978 | Newfoundland and Labrador

    • Assistant Manager, Home Hardware Store at Hewlett Group

      February 1971 - October 1973 | Newfoundland and Labrador

    • Warehouse Worker at Hewitt Equipment Ltee., Caterpillar

      September 1969 - January 1971 | Churchill Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

    • Sales Clerk, Home Hardware Store at Hewlett Group

      June 1967 - August 1969 | Newfoundland and Labrador

    • Deck Hand, Fish Collector Boats at S.T Jones and Sons

      June 1965 - August 1966 | Little Bay Islands, Newfoundland and Labrador

      Collected cod and turbot from the fishermen in Green Bay from Nippers Harbour to Shoe Cove and delivered it to the fresh fish processing plant in La Scie.