Leading off.

Without question this issue, which of course contains the Top 100 Companies in Saskatchewan listing, is a favourite issue for many of us--not only from within our office's four walls, but within our provincial business community as well.

From a publishing perspective, we take great pride in the fact that this listing is the latest version of an ingenious and highly ambitious endeavour originated by Saskatchewan Business Magazine's founding publisher some 22 editions ago. In the years hence, it has become a highly anticipated, widely read and respected benchmark that our provincial business community--and those beyond our borders--have come to appreciate and applaud.

From a personal perspective, I continue to marvel at the companies who readily answer our call, but furthermore, generate the business to qualify as a Top 100 company. Many of them set new heights for themselves year after year; a testament to their leadership and dedicated workforce.

Despite its allure, however, compiling this list is not without its share of challenges. For instance, as it's a survey, companies are not compelled to comply with our requests. And unfortunately as a result, there are some obvious omissions.

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Examples include several from within our world-class farm machinery manufacturing sector, paving and road building companies, as well as property developers. There's also a noticeable absence of professional services, such as the province's larger law firms and accounting offices. Heck, the number of automobile dealerships which generate more than $25 million in revenue (our highest-ever qualifying watermark for a Top 100 designation) would probably take up a quarter of the spots themselves, if they ever were to comply with our requests.

That's precisely why we in our office have come to appreciate those who do participate in our survey though, because we know that they see it in its 'bigger-picture' context. They realize that the more the world knows that Saskatchewan is home to world-class enterprise in a wide variety of industries, the better off we'll be as a result.

Therefore, it's no coincidence that many of our Top 100 participants are led by people who currently are, or have spent some time serving on organizations such as local, provincial or even national levels of chambers of commerce, regional economic development authorities, mentorship programs, or have fulfilled angel investor roles. Like us, they subscribe to the theory that a rising tide raises all ships (where have you heard that one before?).

Plus, their involvement brings us one step closer to our goal of someday providing a listing of Top 100 private companies. Because for as proud as we are of this year's (and every year's) compilation, I already know that our biggest criticism will be our inclusion of Crown corporations and other government-funded agencies. This criticism is as much an annual ritual as is harvesting in this province. But until we get more people onside to the realization that wealth creation is not only a good thing, but something to be share, acknowledged, and commended, we'll carry on status quo.

Without further adieu, I offer our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to the Top 100 of 2005.

Keith Moen, Editor