older man in sunglasses standing next to an older woman and a boat

Chris Bidmead, a United States Air Force veteran and career safety professional, has launched Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services of The Villages-Leesburg, an independently owned and operated commercial cleaning franchise in Florida.

Office Pride of The Villages-Leesburg provides a full range of routine janitorial and commercial cleaning services to commercial facilities in Lake, Marion and Sumter counties, including The Villages, Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg, Ocala, Mount Dora and Clermont. The franchise also offers specialty services such as floor stripping, carpet cleaning and electrostatic spray treatment, which disinfects common areas, personal spaces and hard-to-reach corners and crevices. Office Pride believes electrostatic sprayers are vital in the fight against COVID-19, flu and other respiratory illnesses.

After Bidmead retired from the Air Force as a senior master sergeant, he worked as a regional safety, health and environmental manager for Jacobs, a global engineering corporation. He earned the highest certification in the safety profession, certified safety professional (CSP), and is an authorized Occupational Safety and Health Administration instructor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in technical trade and industrial education and a Master of Science in occupational safety, health and environmental management. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

“As a safety professional, I have a deep understanding of the regulatory requirements of the CDC, OSHA, EPA and others," says Bidmead. “I have been in the business of developing and delivering safety and health plans, processes and training for more than 25 years. Most recently, this included COVID-19-related plans for keeping essential workers on the job, protecting customers and returning to work after a shutdown through proper sanitization, disinfection and safe work habits.”

During Bidmead’s military service, he and his wife, Cindy, raised three children as they traveled the world together. They now live in Fruitland Park. Cindy Bidmead also will work at the business.