Who decided you would be known by your initials and what does P.J. stand for?

It’s actually P.J.J., short for Paul James, Jr. I think it was my mother who decided. As it worked out, you can’t ask for two Pauls in the same office. It doesn’t work.

Are you carrying on the initial tradition with your kids?

No. They both have real names. Josh would be J.P., Josh Paul.

What can Chamber members expect to hear from their incoming president when you present your plans and goals for 2010-11?

Being an election year, it’s going to take up a lot of our time for the first six months. We’ll be working a lot with the candidates and listening to their campaigns and maybe in the last half of the year we’ll be holding them to their campaign promises. Brandon’s going to be hosting the annual meeting for the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce next year. That will draw a few people to the city. And new stuff comes up every week.

What value does the Chamber bring to its members?

Just a good business voice to help out the community. Keep everybody in check. Make sure taxes don’t go through the roof.

For the record, what is your involvement with Crane Steel Structures?

I’m general manager of Brandon. We build commercial, industrial projects. Complete turnkey design projects as well as small renovations.

How big a staff?

On the crews, in the field, about 35. And in the office between Brandon and Winnipeg, we have probably 16.

What’s your favourite golf course?

Gotta be Clear Lake.

Time to brag: Tell me about the best round of golf you’ve played.

Tell you what, I can tell you the best nine holes I ever had. It was in the Grey Owl in 2007. I shot a 29 on the first nine of the Grey Owl qualifying, and then I gave them all back on the back nine to play an even-par round.

Starting with one, give me a hole-by-hole account.

I’ve got the card right here on a plaque, to be honest. Hole 1 was birdie; hole 2 was par; hole 3 was par; hole 4 was birdie; hole 5 was eagle; six was par; seven was birdie; eight was eagle and nine, I left it two inches short and got a par.

So you had a par on nine for (seven-under-par) 29. Wow!

Yeah, that was the best round. Then it got in my head and I said, ‘Wow, what just happened’ (and shot 43 on the back nine).

When the Crane boys get together to golf, how does it play out?

It usually plays out with me losing, but if I can find the beer cart with my brother (Jared), I usually keep up pretty close. He’s very good.

And your dad (Paul) plays pretty well, too, doesn’t he?

We played down south with Dad this year and he’s still playing like he’s 40.

What other sports do you participate in?

Hockey, senior men’s rec hockey. They call it the beer league. That’s basically about it. Waterskiing, too, I guess. We’re taking that up again with going to the lake every summer.

What’s your stock answer when people say, ‘You should run for city council.’

No, thanks. I want to be in the public a little bit, but not as much as council. I have a lot of respect for them, because it takes a special person to do that.

What’s one thing city council could do to really make things hum in the city?

Just keep the ‘open for business’ sign lit up and make development easier.

What’s your favourite family activity?

In 2000s, it would be going to the lake. We’re usually busy either golfing with the kids or being out on the boat.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?

Our honeymoon was spent in Arizona.

How would you rate your handiness in the kitchen as opposed to the workshop?

I’d get kicked out of the kitchen. My wife’s a great cook. She rules the roost there.

What project of Crane Steel Structures makes you proudest?

The Keystone Centre stands out. We’ve done a lot of work over there. You look around and pretty much every dealership we’ve worked on, too, so it’s nice to see something everywhere we go.

Have you received any words of advice from outgoing Chamber president Chris Griffin about moving into his chair?

I have. We had our past-presidents’ dinner last week and I got a lot of advice from our past presidents. Chris was a bull in a china shop, and he didn’t leave any messes to clean up and he started a lot of good campaigns. His advice was just ‘keep it going, steady as it goes.’