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2023’s Top 10 Under 40: Ian Edwards, MAJOR

Ian Edwards has only been with MAJOR since 2019, but has moved quickly up the ranks of the company’s sales force. Despite the speed with which he’s achieved his position, Edwards says his nomination for the “Top 10 Under 40” came as a surprise.

“It is quite humbling. It’s very kind,” he said.

Edwards says that kind of recognition is just one example of what it’s like to work for MAJOR, with colleagues recognizing one another’s achievements, being supportive and proud of the group.

“There’s a lot of energy within the organization. People really want to foster growth, not just as an organization, but for each individual within the building, we want everyone to do better, to be better to grow to have multiple opportunities in their careers in their lives, professionally and personally,” he said.

Before taking the job at MAJOR, Edwards was director of sales for a multinational company in the electronics industry. He says he made the switch to aggregates because he recognized the potential for growth and the potential of the people here.

“A lot of people, you know, tend to say, ‘the aggregate industry, the mining industry, it’s not that sexy. It’s not that appealing,’” he said. “That may be true to some, but it’s not true to everyone. I’m very much intrigued by this industry. I saw an opportunity here.”

Edwards says he’s lucky to have landed at MAJOR and is excited to learn from the company’s president, Bernard Betts.

“I have much to learn; I’m not someone who tries to pretend that I know more than I know,” he said. “You learn something new every day and I have a great mentor in Bernard Betts. I want to spend the next five to 10 years learning from him and continuing to grow.”

Edwards credits some of his success to Betts and the company fostering a culture of learning and growth, especially as the world changes. Shortly after he joined MAJOR, Covid-19 hit causing many to adopt a new remote work lifestyle, something Edwards says he’s had to adapt his leadership style around.

“There’s investment in education in programs and there are a lot of different entities we can use to further our education, whether it be through mineral processing, mining, aggregate, or understanding, leadership functions. The world is changing and a lot of people work at home. So, how do you manage and lead a team that is less seen every day and more at home?” he said. “So, there’s a lot of investment on our side in terms of that growth and that leadership, to make sure we feel like we’re continuing to grow and work together.”

Learning is a theme in Edwards’ career, something he says is key to moving up and is a crucial piece of advice he’d like to pass on to other young people in the industry.

“I know it may sound silly, but be curious. I really came into this industry with curiosity, I wanted to learn, I wanted to understand and I really pushed myself to learn as many different things as I could about the industry,” he said.

“So, really be curious about what you can learn. And I still am four years later, I’m still in that same situation. I continue to learn; there’s a magnitude of things to learn.”