Walter Leek Sr. was the senior engineer and head of Leek and Co. Limited, an engineering firm founded in 1808 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England and later re-established in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The company was known for prefabricated piping and was made up of heating and power plant engineers and contractors. In addition to drawing the engineering plans for many of the original buildings at the University of British Columbia, Leek also served as President of the Vancouver Exhibition Association and the Pacific National Exhibition for many years. As a result of his work in these positions, he was made Chief Sookalmgett ("Clear Skies") of the Ktunaxa Nation in 1927.