Headquarters:
695 90 Avenue Lasalle, Montreal, QC H8R 3A4
Year founded:
1926
Number of employees:
30,000
Phone:
514 368 1504
Email:
info@gdi.com
Website:
gdi.com
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/gdi-integrated-facility-services
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
GDI INTEGRATED FACILITY SERVICES
Rennie Kissoonsingh
Vice President, Safety and Regional Operations (GTA)
Mike Cadotte
Vice President, Safety and Quality
Claude Bigras
Director, President and CEO
Leadership
Rennie Kissoonsingh is GDI Canada’s vice president of safety, responsible for regional operations in the greater Toronto region. Rennie has been with GDI for 15 years and has progressively introduced standards and procedures to elevate GDI’s internal safety culture across Canada. Rennie is a Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and holds an honours degree in applied science (BASc) as well as an Executive Masters of Business Administration. Rennie is based in GDI’s Toronto office.
Vice President, Safety and Regional Operations (GTA)
Rennie Kissoonsingh
bio to follow
Vice President, Safety and Quality
Mike Cadotte
Since 1982, Claud Bigras has spent his career in the construction, janitorial and facility maintenance industry. He joined GDI in 1994 and later became a major shareholder in 1998. Over the years, he has held many positions, and became president and CEO of GDI in December 2004. In this role, he has overseen GDI’s significant organic and acquisition-based growth, leading GDI to become the largest janitorial services company in Canada, and one of the largest in North America.
Through his leadership, perspective and experience, Bigras has driven the development of the company’s key financial strategic planning, and brings with him an exceptional track record of disciplined capital allocation and strategic acquisitions. He holds certificates in Finance and Management from École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Montréal.
Director, President and CEO
Claud Bigras
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Read on
Award Winner
Leadership
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Read on
Award Winner
Leadership
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Stephane Lavigne
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Stephane Lavigne joined GDI in September 2016 after a year with IPL, where he was the executive vice president and CFO from July 2014 to July 2015 and president and CEO following the sale of the company from August 2015 to October 2015. Prior to his tenure at IPL, Lavigne held the position of senior vice-president, corporate business development and M&A from January 2014 to June 2014 and vice president, strategic initiatives, finance and IT from June 2012 to December 2013 with Superior Energy Group, a subsidiary of Superior Plus Corp. He joined Supremex in 1991 and occupied various positions, including vice president and CFO from January 1996 to May 2012. Lavigne started his career with KPMG in 1988. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal and is a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (CPA).
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Stephane Lavigne
Avi Steinberg
President, Janitorial Quebec and
President, Modern Cleaning Concept
Avi Steinberg is president (Québec region) for the janitorial business segment and his responsibilities include managing GDI’s cleaning operations in the Québec market. He is also responsible for the management and expansion of the GDI’s Franchise Group, which includes Modern Cleaning Concept LP. Prior to joining GDI, Steinberg developed long-term growth strategies and led large M&A initiatives for Iron Mountain. He also worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., helping retailers improve their profitability through banner optimization, and working with financial institutions to negotiate information technology purchases and facilitating implementation.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from McGill University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
President, Janitorial Quebec and
President, Modern Cleaning Concept
Avi Steinberg
The culture of GDI Integrated Facility Services is an extension of its mission, vision, and values. One core philosophy that unites the collective vision can be summarized with its acronym S.A.F.E. (Safety is Always First for Everyone). GDI’s identity is a collective product of the people, in all positions, that work for the organization. The team at GDB believes in an established principle of frontline accountability where staff are empowered and educated to identify unsafe conditions and practice a safe course of action in everything they do.
“By far our most important asset is our people, the staff that tirelessly attend to the service needs of our clients in a safe manner,” says Rennie Kissoonsingh, vice president of safety. “Our distinction in the industry stems from our diverse offering of service and facility needs ranging from janitorial, HVAC, plumbing, building automation, electrical, chemical manufacturing, and a myriad of other integrated facility service offerings.”
Their vision and voice for safety comes from the highest-ranking individual of the organization, the president and chief executive, Claude Bigras. Each year, Bigras acknowledges and reaffirms GDI's safety policy, which is the foundation of the company’s health and safety program. Supporting the president is the executive committee, followed by leaders for health and safety. GDI has a diverse team of in-house health and safety professionals led by Kissoonsingh. Along with national and regional health and safety leads, GDI also has a large volume of formal health and safety committee members who ensure that the goals and objectives, with respect to safety, permeate throughout the organization.
“Our most important strategy is the investment in internal resources,” says Kissoonsingh. “We rely heavily on subject matter experts to elevate our health and safety program. In addition, we have engaged heavily in certifications and programs that validate our systems and processes such as Certificate of Excellence, WSIB Health and Safety excellence program, ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications, BOMA Plus Accredited Vendor certification, CIMS GB, and numerous contractor certifications that provide peace of mind to clients that hire us. These all work in tandem to continuously improve our health and safety system.”
Clients can expect service excellence without compromising the health and safety of the staff that work with GDI. They can expect partnerships that support their established goals and objectives for their facilities along with an unrelenting push for continuous improvement.
“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”
Erica Kofie, QBE
Fred Edwards
Chief Marketing Officer
Kevin Padley
Executive Vice President, Integrated Facility Services and Janitorial Canada Sales
Mike Boomrod
President, Janitorial USA
Evelyn Peng
Chief Risk Officer
Fred Edwards joined the GDI team in 2013 as president, Western Canada, and during the period from 2013 to 2018, GDI became the largest cleaning services provider in the Western Canada region. In 2019, he moved on from his previous role to become the chief marketing officer for the GDI group of companies. He has over 35 years of experience in the cleaning services industry.
Prior to joining GDI, he was the president and CEO of Servpro Cleaning (Calgary), which he grew to become one of the largest cleaning services providers in Alberta. He has served as a board member for BOMA Calgary and is currently a board member for the BOMA Calgary Foundation. He is an active member of the Calgary community and supports multiple charities around the city.
Chief Marketing Officer
Fred Edwards
Kevin Padley joined GDI in February 2021 as senior vice president of Integrated Facility Services, responsible for leading, managing and growing GDI’s integrated facility services. He is a key member of the senior management team and is based in the Toronto office. Prior to joining GDI, he spent the last 10 years with JLL, where he was responsible for supporting and developing integrated facility management solutions in North America. He excels in providing client solutions, management, team building and strategic planning. He has over 25 years of experience in the commercial real estate and facility management industries.
Executive Vice President, Integrated Facility Services and Janitorial Canada Sales
Kevin Padley
Mike Boomrod has served as the president of the GDI’s janitorial USA business segment since July 2020. From 2013 to 2020, he occupied successive roles as president, Midwest and regional president for the company’s US operating subsidiary. Prior to joining GDI, Boomrod started his career in the facility services industry as director of operations at Omni Facility Services, working alongside his father, Ahmed, prior to Omni’s merger with the company’s US entity in 2014. Boomrod is based in the Southfield, Michigan office. He received his BA in Business Management from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
President, Janitorial USA
Mike Boomrod
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
Sarah M Stewart
Associate Vice President,
Leasing and Call Centre Operations
Karen Bannister, CM
Vice President, Marketing
Dave Longbottom
Chief Technology Officer
Alex Ventura
Head of Marketing
Damian Palovick
Senior Vice President of Underwriting
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Dr. Mary Lavoie
Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Mark Bernacki
Chief Underwriting Officer
Ryan Armijo
Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division
Bob Petrilli
President, Underwriting Division
“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.”
Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
IB Top Brokerages
Award Winner
Award Winner
Earlene Huntley
Group Chief Financial Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Melissa Abramowitz
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Earlene Huntley
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Management liability
Arch Insurance’s management liability team is dedicated to addressing the needs of our partners. Our underwriting approach is to recognize and address exposures particular to each insured and offer creative solutions for our customers including complex risk and hard-to-place industries.
Know more here: insurance.archgroup.com/north-america/canada/offering/management-liability
Cyber
Arch Insurance’s experienced underwriting team takes a forward-looking approach to writing network security, privacy and media liability for mid-to-large accounts.
Professional liability
Arch Insurance’s professional liability team is positioned to offer professional liability programs for financial service firms.