A legacy can be measured by decades in business, square feet of brick and stone laid, or the simple confidence of a community that knows exactly whom to call when masonry matters. For Don Cullen, all three measures tell the same story. Born into a lineage of stonemasons stretching back five generations, Don grew up in Brandon, Manitoba, learning the trade one summer holiday at a time. At 14 years old, he was the designated mud mixer and gopher on his father’s jobs; by the time most teenagers were filling out college applications, Don had already decided school could wait – his future was set in mortar. In 1997 he assumed ownership of Cullen Masonry, the firm his family established in 1950. He renamed the business Don Cullen Masonry and Tile, and has since spent nearly three more decades turning the respected local business into a touchstone of Brandon’s built environment. “Brandon’s home,” Don says plainly. “I could have taken bigger jobs in other cities over the years, but this is where I know the people, the trades, the buildings – and I like being close enough to see every job through.” That proximity has shaped how Don Cullen Masonry and Tile operates. Whether restoring a century-old chimney or laying block for a large institutional project, the approach remains consistent: precision, pride, and no shortcuts. One of the company’s most notable contracts was the $1 million Westoba Credit Union main office in Brandon – a milestone that demonstrated a small crew’s ability to handle six-figure, high-visibility work. Yet just as often, the team is found on oneoff jobs – repairing a crumbling brick kennel for a local family or replacing a few thousand dollars’ worth of damaged stone on a heritage chalet. “We do jobs ranging from about $1,000 up to a million JUNE 2025
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=