Bego Begins His Career In The Building Service Industry

Anyone who believes Bego is anti-union is dead wrong, he says. In fact, Bego spent much of his early career working for unionized companies without vexation.

After college, Bego was a research specialist at Central Soya, a soy and agricultural feed company. Soon, he was climbing the company ladder, working as a supervisor and later as a plant manager at various locations around the country. He not only oversaw staff, but also determined a course of action to return the manufacturing plants where he was stationed back to clean, safe and productive workplaces.

After one-too-many moves, Bego left the company to become a consultant, which allowed him to spend more time with his wife Barb and their growing family.

Eventually Bego accepted a more stable, management opportunity at a building service firm. It was the first time he got his feet wet in the commercial cleaning business.

On His Own

Each time Bego switched gears, he jokes he would rehearse the lines he would give to his supportive wife explaining why he had left another position. Then he would gather himself up again and get back to work.

In 1989, Bego decided to go to work for himself. Using his savings, Bego started Executive Management Services, a multi-service facility maintenance firm.

Money was tight, and EMS was first located in a rough part of town. In the early days of the business, Bego personally cleaned restrooms and small offices.

Eventually, he landed a contract for a 15-branch bank and won a bid for the Pyramids buildings, which provided more than 300,000 square feet of opportunity (and the funds to move to a better part of town).

Over the past 24 years, the company has spread its wings to include commercial cleaning, janitorial supply and security services in more than 33 states.

The company prides itself on its GS-42 and CIMS-GB certifications, and its green cleaning program, which helps EMS customers earn credits toward LEED or ISO 14001 statuses, as well as improve their overall health and image.

Throughout his career, Bego says he’s maintained a simple mandate — the Golden Rule — to  develop mutually rewarding relationship with customers and more than 5,000 employees. So when the SEIU came along and threatened everything Bego had worked for, Bego saw it as an “indiscriminate attack,” on his business and staff.