Trevor Jones
Bachelor of Business Administration, Class of 2000
(First BBA graduating class)
What have you been up to since you left Crandall University?
After graduation (how can that be 21 years ago?), I’ve gained valuable experience working in a variety of business roles. I worked as a financial advisor with Sun Life Financial for five years. I then decided to take a job with Irving Group Moncton as a Commodities/Contract Analyst and worked closely with the purchasing teams. I was in that role for two years before taking a job with ExxonMobil here in Moncton where I worked for 12 years and held various positions across multiple departments and worked with many wonderful people.
All the while, I continued to grow and expand my video production business. I started Video Ace back in 1994 (known then as Trevor Jones Videography). I filmed everything from weddings to graduations and worked closely with SSI Audio for many years doing multi camera/I-Mag events. Video Ace has evolved over the years and now serves primarily as a media transfer outlet. I have transferred thousands of VHS and 8mm tapes as well as old 8mm silent reels. It is interesting to see older footage from the 1950s and 1960s of parades and popular local tourist spots such as Magnetic Hill, Fundy National Park, downtown Moncton, and Prince Edward Island.
In 2014, I teamed up with Mark Moore, and we started Red Lama Media. Together we have worked on many film projects, including many promotional videos for Crandall, Acadia, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, and the MacRae Centre. We are currently working on a television series we call Hook & Paddle, a kayak fishing show. We are very excited that the first season will air on the Sportsman Channel later this fall! Working on this passion project is very exciting and rewarding. I have the privilege of working with a great crew and cast who continue to go above and beyond!
In 2019, I took a big leap of faith when I decided to leave ExxonMobil after 12 years and purchase a holding in Locations Equifilm Rentals Inc. Equifilm is a film equipment rental business located in Moncton, NB. It provides cameras, lenses, grip, lighting, and unit rental equipment to film production companies throughout Atlantic Canada. The company was founded around the same time as Red Lama Media, and we’ve developed a close working relationship. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we have been able to pivot and adjust to the new normal, and we continue to see steady growth in our region. We opened a second location in Dartmouth, NS last fall, and our clients have been very receptive and supportive.
Real Estate is another passion that I fell into during my time at Crandall, having purchased a house across the street while in my first year and rented to many students over the years. That led to many other real estate ventures and it is something I very much enjoy. Oh, the stories I could tell about that first little rental house on Gorge. Perhaps one day I’ll write a book, or better yet, teach a course as part of Crandall’s Bachelor of Business Administration program.
My wife Wanda (Emke) and I met during our time at Crandall (ABU) and we were good friends from the start. It was not until after she graduated and moved back to Toronto that I figured out I missed not having her around. What was supposed to be a quick phone call in the summer of 2002, turned into a whirlwind long-distance relationship. I was on a first-name basis with the florist located down the street from her office (you can ask Chancellor Don Simmonds about the frequent flower delivery disruptions to the office, as she worked for his company at the time). We were married in 2003, and we now have two children. Our son Wesley was born in January 2009, and our daughter Tayvia was born in March of 2012. Wanda has stood beside me every step of the way. She has cheered me on with my various business endeavors and personal ambitions. Without her support and encouragement, I definitely would not be where I am today. (For the record, I hold the privilege of standing in the shadow of her continued success as well!) We continue to be a great team and God has richly blessed us!
How did Crandall prepare you for the future?
I always had a passion for business and knew I would land in that space; I just wasn’t exactly sure in what capacity at the time. Accounting, marketing, economics were all things that I knew I needed to learn if I wanted to be successful in business. Crandall’s Bachelor of Business Administration program offered courses in each of these areas and gave me the skills and knowledge I needed to enter the business world.
The professors had a lasting influence on my life. I have many fond memories of Dr. Sam Reimer’s perspective during Organizational Behavior, Dr. Barry Smith’s Star Trek references in New Testament, Dr. Stephen Dempster’s passion as he delivered his Old Testament lectures (and my gripping fear of his exams), and Dr. Jon Ohlhauser’s frequent class disruptions with the news that his wife had delivered another healthy baby! I also connected well with the late Dr. Peter Humby as we learned Managerial Accounting and other Business courses. His knowledge and experience were inspiring, and I always enjoyed our conversations. I very much enjoyed Dr. Ralph Richardson’s Religious Studies lectures as well, but it was ultimately my initial interactions with Dr. Seth Crowell that led to my decision to transfer to ABU from UNBSJ. Who doesn’t love Seth?
Mostly it was the people I met at Crandall who had the largest impact on my life. I made many friendships that will last a lifetime. I love to follow the success of my fellow classmates and friends and think back with fond memories of where we all started. It is fascinating to see how my initial vision and ambitions for the business world (and life in general) now drastically differ from the realities of my accomplishments (and failures). Thank you, Crandall, for setting the groundwork for this epic journey I continue to ride, and thank you Jesus for remaining at the helm!
