Shannon Friesen

Shannon Friesen is the first President and CEO of the Construction Association of Saskatchewan, formed by unifying five commercial construction associations in 2025 the construction association have served the province’s ICI construction industry since 1932.

In 2022, Shannon was promoted as the Co-CEO of the Saskatchewan Construction Associations, overseeing the five construction associations in the province (PACA, MJCA, RCA, SCA, and SKCA). Previously, she served as CEO of the Saskatoon Construction Association since January 2020 and played a key role in leading the collaborative effort that ultimately unified the associations under one organization.

Before transitioning to the construction sector, Shannon held senior leadership positions in various associations. She was the CEO of YWCA Saskatoon, as well as the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs and Autism Services of Saskatoon. After nearly 22 years in the charitable sector, she sought a new challenge—one that would allow her to leverage her leadership skills in a different capacity.

Shannon describes herself as a “reluctant leader”, initially not envisioning herself in executive roles. However, with the guidance of a career mentor during her time at Autism Services, she embraced leadership and developed the confidence and skills necessary for executive management. She believes that leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility, offering the opportunity to drive meaningful change from the top. Her leadership philosophy is relationship-based, with reciprocal communication as its foundation.

Beyond her professional commitments, Shannon serves on the Board of Directors for YMCA Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Housing Authority. She is also a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee for the Government of Saskatchewan. In her leisure time, she enjoys running, weightlifting, outdoor activities, reading, playing the piano and spending time with her family.