Scandinavian Building Services

Russell Hay has always been passionate about business so when his father was looking for a partner to expand his company, Hay knew it was what he was meant to do. 

“I remember it was a really profound moment for me,” said Hay, president and CEO of Scandinavian Building Services, a full-service, Edmonton-based janitorial and maintenance solutions company spanning across all industries. “I felt that it was my calling.”

Scandinavian Building Services started as a small janitorial company in Edmonton in 1956 before being bought by the Hay’s in 1982. After quickly expanding across Western Canada, the company grew further East; it now has sights set on opportunities in the Northwestern United States. 

The company will be recognized for its success as a second-generation family business at the Alberta Business Family Institute (ABFI) Signature Event later this year. The signature event is ABFI's annual celebration of the history and success of outstanding multi-generational business families.

“ABFI has been influential in our succession planning as a family business so it’s a major honour,” said Hay, who attributes much of the company’s success to his father, Terry Hay, who prioritized the people behind the business (he passed away in 2018).

A father and role model

Growing up, Hay and his sisters worked alongside their father; they spent time working in all roles — as maintenance managers, janitorial staff and mechanics  — to learn important life skills while better understanding the fundamentals of the business. They viewed their father's work ethic, dedication and respect for others closely.

Hay and his sisters drew on those values when the pandemic first hit in March 2020. In addition to the global uncertainty, it was the first significant challenge they had to navigate without their father by their side. 

During the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scandinavian Building Services was constantly pivoting to customer needs. With non-essential facilities closing temporarily, this had an extremely significant financial impact on Scandinavian; job security became a concern for company staff as the pandemic evolved daily.

By taking to heart one of their father’s philosophies — in adversity, take care of the people; in doing so, you take care of the business — the company didn’t lay off one employee. 

“The message we wanted everyone to understand every single day was that we’re going to come out the other side stronger and better together,” said Hay, who said that ultimate trust and loyalty is the number one gift of working with family. 

“When we go through something like a pandemic, my sisters, mother and I know we’ll always be there for each other, and that’s the most incredible gift you can possibly get from a family business.” 

Giving back

Scandinavian Building Services was first introduced to ABFI through a course the institute offered on succession planning. According to Hay, the relationship with ABFI was instrumental in helping the Hay family understand their roles in succession planning — how they could benefit personally and how they could contribute to the family business. 

A gift to help ABFI continue its work to support small businesses makes sense, said Hay. The company is also doing its part to promote small businesses with its Owner Operator Program, which helps people start and scale up their own businesses. 

“We want to give back to ABFI because it was just so impactful and influential for our success as a family business,” said Hay.

“If we can impact a family business in even the smallest way, that’s a win for us.”