Former oil executive brings Shaunavon to life in new novel

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Shaunavon Standard

For much of his career, Scott Saxberg was focused on building companies and working in the oil patch.

While he has continued his connection to the industry, these days Saxberg is also exploring a different type of venture.

Saxberg, the former CEO and co-founder of Crescent Point Energy, has released Cadillac Wheels, a novel that follows Tanner Banks, a young musician whose life is changed by tragedy and an encounter with a dangerous man.

The story opens in Shaunavon, where Tanner grows up with his family. His father is the local mayor, and Tanner is deeply connected to the community.

That life changes when a car accident claims the life of his girlfriend.

Tanner leaves Saskatchewan for Calgary to pursue a musical career and supports himself by performing as a street busker.

In Calgary, Tanner meets Jack Strong, a wealthy man whose own son died in circumstances similar to Tanner’s tragedy.

“Basically, the story came from an idea I had about what might happen if a CEO stopped and helped a homeless busker,” said Saxberg, during an interview The Standard last week. “Everything just sort of evolved from there around the story.”

Their meeting sets the story on a darker path, exploring the ways people respond to loss.

While Cadillac Wheels is fiction, the novel draws heavily on places, experiences and themes familiar to Saxberg.

The story moves between Shaunavon, Calgary and Nashville, bringing together small-town Saskatchewan, the music industry and the darker elements of grief and trauma.

For Saxberg, Shaunavon was a natural choice for one of the novel’s settings.

During his years with Crescent Point, he spent time in Shaunavon and the surrounding oil patch. The company had a significant presence in the community, employing local residents and supporting a range of community initiatives.

Crescent Point was also an early supporter of Shaunavon’s recreational facility, contributing to the project and helping lead to the facility being named the Crescent Point Wickenheiser Centre for more than a decade of its existence. (While Crescent Point no longer operates in the area – its local assets have changed hands in recent years – the sign actually remained on the building until earlier this spring. The facility is now known as the LSB Legacy Wickenheiser Centre.) Cadillac Wheels, meanwhile, includes references to Hayley Wickenheiser, local hangouts and other regional locations that will be recognizable to area residents.

It reflects the kind of small-town experiences Saxberg wanted to capture.

“It’s these kids growing up and leaving Shaunavon, but then always wanting the comfort of coming home and being in that small town,”

explained Saxberg.

That idea – leaving home while remaining connected to it – is one of the themes running throughout the novel.

Music also plays a central role in Cadillac Wheels, both within the story and in a project that developed alongside the book.

Saxberg initially envisioned connecting each chapter to a song. When copyright restrictions prevented him from using lyrics from existing songs, he decided to write his own.

The songs became a companion to the book. A playlist appears near the beginning of the novel, while many chapters feature song titles connected to the story.

Saxberg also released an album under the name of the novel’s main character, Tanner Banks.

“Stacy Hogan, an award-winning producer/songwriter out of Nashville, put music and vocals to my lyrics,” Saxberg said.

Hogan, who has worked on music for films and has been involved with multiple hit songs, provided the deep country voice Saxberg had imagined for Tanner.

The music is available through Apple Music and Spotify.

The recording draws on influences ranging from Johnny Cash to contemporary country performers.

One of the songs, “Boomtown,” is specifically about Shaunavon and the experience of growing up in a small Saskatchewan community.

Saxberg said he researched Shaunavon extensively while writing the song, incorporating references to local people, places and experiences.

“Those songs were easier to write when you’ve already written the story and you can use the character’s backgrounds to write the songs,” offered Saxberg.

Tanner’s fictional struggles also have personal elements for Saxberg, reflecting his experience with a family member who faced serious concussion and the resulting mental-health challenges.

The novel also reflects Saxberg’s long-standing connection to STARS.

Proceeds from the book are being donated to STARS and Mental Health Alberta.

Saxberg’s connection to STARS dates back to his years in the energy industry, when Crescent Point was involved in efforts to expand helicopter emergency medical service in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The company contributed $6 million toward establishing the first Saskatchewan helicopter.

The decision to support the service was influenced by an accident involving a contract worker at one of Crescent Point’s sites in southeastern Saskatchewan.

Saxberg recalled that the man became trapped in the machinery of a truck while working outside. By the time he was discovered, an ambulance was still a considerable distance away.

He was eventually transported to Regina but died in hospital shortly after his pregnant wife gave birth to their first child.

The incident stayed with Saxberg.

“We couldn’t understand why we didn’t have helicopter service,” he said.

“It might have saved his life.”

Crescent Point grew from a startup into one of Canada’s largest oil and gas producers.

While he left the company about eight years ago, Saxberg continues to work in the energy and investment sectors and is the founder and CEO of Cache Island Corp., a private Calgary-based energy company.

He is also president of Icebook Investments Corp., which invests in early-stage companies across several industries.

In addition, Saxberg serves as chief mentor with Endless Frontiers Lab at NYU Stern School of Business and is a fellow at Creative Destruction Lab Rockies.

Meanwhile, Saxberg’s writing career has unfolded alongside his business interests.

His first novel, published nearly two years ago, was historical fiction based on the experiences of his great-uncles during the Second World War. He is now working on another historical novel, this one set in New York during the First World War and based on a true story.

He is also working on a follow-up to Cadillac Wheels.

Writing is a relatively new professional pursuit for Saxberg, but not a new interest.

“I’ve always had an interest in writing, since back when I was a kid and started reading books,” said Saxberg. “I really enjoy it and I write every day.”

He compares writing a novel to launching a startup – a significant investment of time and effort without any guarantee of financial reward.

“It’s interesting because every book is almost like doing a startup,” he chuckled. “You spend a lot of time on it and maybe have no reward. It’s a lot of hours that you don’t get paid for.”

Cadillac Wheels is available through Amazon.