Coming from a poor family in Wilkie, Saskatchewan where they gathered cattle manure to burn as fuel, Ray Frahlick has waded his way through plenty of mud and is now the President of Prairie Mud Service. Incorporated in Estevan in 1976 by founder Ray Frahlick, Prairie Mud and Chemical Services Ltd. supplies and services salt and fresh water based, polymer and oil based systems. The company also assist customers in developing completions and CO2 kill systems. In 1999, Prairie Mud added an Environmental Division whose primary goal is to undertake an environmentally safe and responsible course of management for drilling fluids and their associated wastes.
According to Ray, the secret to his success as President of Prairie Mud is hard work: “You have to work twenty hours a day; to be competitive you must have honesty and integrity and look after customers’ needs and complaints.” He further advised that “Being in business is like being born- you first have to crawl, then walk and eventually run.”
Prairie Mud has been and continues to be involved and contributing to the community of Estevan making financial and other tangible contributions to many local facilities and institutions.
Ray feels that in order for Estevan to meet future challenges as a community, technology and diversification would have to be its main focus. At age 81, Ray looks forward to continuing to help Estevan meet these future challenges.