
Since the association was started in 1965, Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) has been governed by a Board of Directors. Their goal has always been to ensure the association’s long-term viability. This can include determining organizational direction, establishing association policy, maintaining overall fiduciary responsibility, and managing the organization’s affairs, among other responsibilities.
Each president has had different experiences — some good and some bad. But they’ve all had takeaways that positively impacted their individual businesses, the businesses of other members, and the association as a whole.
To recognize the last 60 years, BSCAI's official media partner, Contracting Profits, reached out to 20 past presidents going back almost 40 years. Each shared what they considered to be some of the biggest accomplishments of their presidency, as well as some fun stories that made their experience memorable.
Q: What notable accomplishments were you proud of during your presidency?
When I accepted the position of president of BSCAI, I established two primary goals for my tenure: To strengthen the financial foundation of our organization; and to enhance the involvement of the Government Affairs Committee. I’m proud of what we accomplished because there was momentum to carry BSCAI into stronger future.
— Lillian Lincoln Lambert, LilCo Enterprises, 1995 President
Being the first president to not own a company (at the time), or be the relative of an owner, I believe my grassroots efforts showed that the association was for everyone and inspired others to join and participate.
— LeRoy Dock, Bolana Enterprises, Inc., 2004 President
This is a loaded question because we accomplished a lot the year I was president. Working in cooperation with past and future presidents, as well as the board, we terminated the staff in Virginia and hired Smithbucklin. It was also the year we negotiated with ISSA to co-locate our Annual Conference. We developed a consistent strategy that we all committed to, and the results speak for themselves.
— John S. Ezzo, Global Facility Advisors, 2007 President
I was heavily involved with the formation of the Turnaround Task Force that we assembled to improve the short- and long-term overall condition of BSCAI. This included the Smithbucklin team, Founders Circle donors, and fellow officers of BSCAI who volunteered and donated selflessly for an organization we all believe in. It wasn’t easy, and we should all be proud of the transformation we led BSCAI through.
— Ernest Clark, Jr., Mister Kleen Maintenance Co., 2008 President
One thing I’m most proud of was strengthening BSCAI’s educational offerings.We launched a new series of leadership-focused webinars and online modules that emphasized sustainable business practices and personal growth.
— Janelle Bruland, Management Services Northwest LLC, 2016 President
I am proud of diversifying the board to better reflect our membership. This was not just from an ethnicity, race, or gender point of view but also geographic and company size diversity.
— Tom Kruse, Marsden Holding, LLC, 2017 President
The one major accomplishment was keeping the train on the tracks, sticking to a plan, and executing it to move forward. We were also able to have BSCAI invest in reserve funds through a managed low-risk investment plan.
— Jim Harris, Jr., Janitronics, Inc., 2018 President
I am proud to say that it was during my presidency that we partnered with Spartan Chemical Company to introduce the Stephen H. Swigart Scholarship for Higher Education.
— Michael Diamond, AffinEco, LLC, 2019 President
I consider it a major accomplishment that I was able to lead the association through the 2020 COVID pandemic while protecting unity. We launched weekly virtual Town Hall meetings for members to discuss challenges, which have since become very valuable, quarterly discussions.
— Todd Hopkins, Office Pride, 2020 President
Although we were still being impacted by the pandemic, we produced four brand-new virtual summits featuring expert insights in areas of our business including sales, human resources, operations, and finance. We also produced BSCAI’s first hybrid events, allowing in-person and virtual attendees to participate simultaneously in events together.
— Eric Luke, MG Capital Maintenance, 2021 President
I was the first president to present a budget that reinvested our reserves to resource. We modernized the mentor program, updated the CBSE designation, relaunched Plateaus of Growth, and expanded our reach in the industry through events like Clean Buildings, Cleaning & Cocktails, and the Clean Advocacy Summit.
— Philippe Mack, Bee-Clean Building Maintenance, 2024 President
BSCAI Presidents Share Memorable Moments