News

This year marked a milestone for our company. 50 years in business, started by my father Ron Fawcett in 1974. (Watch the Commemorative Video Here.) Building a strong company, much like raising kids, takes time, intention, and a vision for the future. In both scenarios, there is an exciting and optimistic hope for what the future may hold, and in the years to come, you will need to hold on tight to that vision through the inevitable good times and the challenging ones. Ideally, the outcome is you get closer to reaching that vision you had in mind, or maybe things turn out a little different than you first thought. Either way, you can have the greatest concept of a product or service with a vision to create change, but without the team who catches your vision and helps you deliver on it, it is a much longer and more tiring journey.

I’ve enjoyed looking back at the stories we have shared over the past year, commemorating those special moments and people who really pull things together for this 50-year-old, family owned and managed company. We have had the good fortune of celebrating people like our own Edmonton Building Manager Jenalyn Soriano who received her Canadian citizenship recently after originally coming to Canada 17 years ago. We caught up with Kamloops Building Manager Val Wouters who celebrated 46 years with our company this year – our longest serving team member who could write a book of stories on the ups and downs of property management. Val, like many others on our team, captured the vision of Kelson Group early on to provide apartments to help people live better and has been consistent in helping move toward that vision for decades.

We have also had the opportunity to hear from our Alberta Property Manager Denise Cave on what makes her so proud to work at Kelson Group. As you would hope, she finds the work fulfilling but it is the team that makes the difference and makes work fun! I have also enjoyed seeing the Kelson Group spirit of our team to take on many fundraising efforts throughout B.C. and Alberta to make life better for those in the 10 communities in which we own and operate apartment buildings. And finally, what is being in business without a new pursuit or challenge, which is what our property development side of the business has brought. We have been developing Foothills Crossing Apartments in Prince George where we are building three new apartment buildings, and City Gardens in Kamloops, where we just “topped off” the 24^th storey of the Trillium residential tower, one of six buildings planned in this downtown city block.

It has been quite the adventure for myself, my brother Kelly, our company’s Vice President, and our team. Early on, we caught the vision of our father, founder and Executive Director of Kelson Group, Ron Fawcett, and we continue to grow and keep going. We like to think that we’re just catching our stride and look forward to the next 50.

Thanking all of you for your trust and support of Kelson Group.