People who work in community service share many qualities. Of those qualities, passion and dedication to helping others rank among the most important. For Craig Walker, this passion has always ran thick in his veins. Not only can it be attributed to his parents, who started their family business serving the Cole Harbour community over 30 years ago, but also to the police officers, fire fighters, and customer service representatives that fill his family tree.

For Craig’s father, Dale, what started as a quick source of income 35 years ago developed into the successful, family-run business that it is today. As a young police officer in-the-making, Dale was forced to withdraw from training due to a knee injury. With a newborn son at home, he found a new way to provide for his family by selling animal feed from the back of his pick-up truck. It didn’t take long for Dale to be inspired to take this small idea and grow it into something bigger. After all, as the saying goes, life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.

Dale approached a number of banks, asking for approval on a $5,000 line of credit and was quickly dismissed. That’s when he turned to CUA, who happily said yes. Over three decades later – with help from his wife, Michelle and his retired parents – Craig is now the proud owner and operator of Walker’s Livestock Feed and Supplies. “We sell everything from animal feed and landscaping supplies year-round, to Christmas trees around the holidays,” says Craig, who began working for his parents at the age of 15. “I’m proud of my parents and am proud to carry on this legacy.”

Craig is quick to thank CUA for their belief in his father’s business idea years ago, but admits he is reminded day-to-day about the value of loyalty and service through his interactions with the CUA team. “When it comes to banking with CUA, I love how I can call and talk to someone and put a face to the name,” he says. "I have no interest in banking anywhere else.” In fact, early in their relationship, Craig encouraged Michelle to seek employment at CUA, who later became a valued member of the CUA team.

Craig and the rest of the Walker family are proud to continue running a family business that involves serving a community they proudly call home. “We’re big on community, and we’re big on our company,” he says. When it comes to carrying on the family legacy, Craig admits, he wouldn’t want to do anything else.

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