PTI Group, a North American leader in the provision of modular workforce accommodations and catering services, has been selected as the winner of the 2012 Aboriginal Relations – Best Practice Award of Distinction by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.  The award was presented at the Chambers' annual gala by Nicole Ladouceur, Director General of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Branch.

"We are truly honoured to have been recognized," says Stephen Crocker, Manager of Aboriginal Relations for PTI Group. "Together with our partners, we've made great strides in the past three years in the area of Aboriginal relations.  It's rewarding to see that programs we've developed in the area of Aboriginal employment, training, and contracting are making an impact in the community."

The Aboriginal Relations – Best Practice Award of Distinction is awarded annually to a non-Aboriginal business that demonstrates outstanding achievement in Aboriginal relations, including economic development, employment and training, and Aboriginal community support.

PTI's nomination was supported in part by its ongoing commitment to employment and training.  PTI has worked proactively with local Aboriginal Human Resources Departments to develop sustainable recruitment partnerships.  PTI also operates its Camp Cook Program, a collaborative partnership between the Government of Alberta, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the Rupertsland Institute to provide hands-on culinary training for Aboriginal youth.  As a result of these efforts, PTI has created employment opportunities for over 250 Aboriginal people in Alberta.

PTI's properties operate in regions that often neighbour Aboriginal communities.  Companies operating in these regions understand the importance of supporting the local communities, often contracting support services to companies that will provide tangible economic and social returns to the area.  PTI has formed several successful joint ventures and alliances with Aboriginal communities in Alberta and across Canada, taking a principled approach to ensuring the relationships meet the needs of all involved.

PTI Group is one of North America's largest fully integrated suppliers of remote site services providing temporary and permanent workforce accommodations, food services, facility management, and water and wastewater services to resource industries worldwide. PTI Group is a subsidiary of Houston-based Oil States International Inc., a diversified oilfield services company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol OIS.