Each year, the Building Service Contractors Association International’s (BSCAI’s) CLEAN Awards program recognizes building service contractors and those companies that have demonstrated excellence in a number of categories ranging from image and education to safety and community service. As we anticipate this year’s honors, we caught up with some of last year’s recipients and asked them to share their memories of winning and what their award has meant to them.
One such industry pro is Alexander “Alex” Blum, Vice President of Operations at JaniTech Services. He was the 2022 recipient of the Walter L. Cook Award for Distinguished Service. How did it feel when he first heard he had won? “I honestly was taken completely off guard. After witnessing many award sessions at conferences, I would ask myself ‘How did they get selected?’ When our owner, Dawn Terrill, told me of the nomination and being selected, I discovered she had made the submission. This announcement was at one of our office meetings, and I was in that category of me being ‘the last to know.’ Happy it was great news in this case. Further learning that the nominees are then vetted by the Board, many of whom I know and have worked for, was amazing! It has meant a tremendous amount to me – that hard work and dedication can be recognized on such a scale as BSCAI.”
Also honored last year was Sheila Hamilton, a team lead for Cleveland Corporate Cleaning in Ohio. She was the recipient of the 2022 Building Service Employee of the Year. “It felt great to win,” she exclaimed. “For lack of a better word, it just gives you this warm and fuzzy feeling. Too bad it’s only once a year! [laughing] It also gave my career a boost. Upper management has definitely given me more to do since! Maybe that’s not good news for some people, but I have taken it as a big challenge.”
Of course, not just individuals win CLEAN Awards. Companies do, as well. One such firm was Keepers Commercial Cleaning, honored with the 2022 Image Award in the Mid-Size Company category. Started in 2008, Keepers has grown to over 700 customers and services all the metro cities of Arizona. Marci Hernandez, co-owner and CEO, stated, “We are very proud of the success of our team. So, to be able to have an award that showcases their efforts has been very rewarding. When we display our reward, it is a physical reminder that their hard work is being noticed. Also, sharing the CLEAN award on our social media platforms and with our customers gave us recognition and credibility. This, in turn, has led to more opportunities for business and growth.”
Another past winner was Pursuant LLC, an investment banking, financial, and management consulting firm that specializes in supporting and executing middle-market, M&A-related initiatives and helping business owners grow enterprise value. The firm was named the 2022 winner of the Industry Service Award, which is presented annually in recognition of long-term service to BSCAI by a company not engaged in building service contracting.
Pursuant works on dozens of transactions each year, with many in the BSC sector. As a result, founder and CEO Mark Herbick and his team have developed deep insights into the world of strategic transactions in the BSC sector. He remarks, “With a history of being a BSC for nearly two decades in one of my past lives, it’s an honor to be recognized as someone who has given back award-winning value to an industry that rewarded me so well during my time as an operator.”
Moving forward, the question was posed to each interviewee: “Did winning the award invigorate your love for the work and the industry, in general?” Blum, who has been attending BSCAI events and conferences since 2001, was quick to answer: “It did! Knowing that at the end of each conference, the work begins. Taking tips, ideas, and conversations and shaping them into policies or a whole new approach to a problem you have is worth so much. From teaching our management team new approaches or a floor tech applying wax . . . yes, this award reaffirms the notion to enjoy what you do, stay the course, and it will be recognized.”
Hernandez, who co-founded Keepers Commercial Cleaning with her husband, Carlos, is still touched nearly one year later. She recalls, “When we joined BSCAI 10 years ago, I couldn’t believe how many people freely shared their vast knowledge with us and were willing to help at any time. Winning a CLEAN award reminded me of the wonderful people in our industry. I was humbled by how many congratulated us on our award and were truly happy for our success.”
For Hamilton, winning Building Service Employee of the Year has given her further pride in her work. “Some people just don’t respect the job,” she lamented. “But you still have to continue on. Smile through it, sing through it, get through it in a professional manner. Winning gave me the initiative to do things a little bit differently when I came back to work. I’ve approached things with a different, more positive mindset.”
Herbick perhaps summed it up best, stating, “Winning this award has set the bar higher for us, motivating us to deliver even more value for our BSC clients.”