Across The Street, Across The Country

It’s one thing to hear a college administrator extol the virtues of a new course for those looking to enter the restoration industry, or upgrade their existing industry skills. And we did in Episode 6 this season, via John McNeil of Humber College, as well as DKI’s VP of Business Development Adam Tzarik – the latter, along with David Goetz, DKI VP Essential Services, played no small role in helping develop the innovative course. 

But...what would an actual student, who completed the 14-week course, say? Josh DeFoa  provides us with a first-hand, student-perspective review.

Your Team is a new feature that introduces you to the some of the DKI head office people who make DKI the champion of the industry. We meet members of Team RED. 

And Neil Thomas provides us with a tip for homeowners bracing themselves for – brrrr – the winter season. 

Music for this episode is Coming Up by Close Kicks and Medicine by Cassie Noble

Food as Fuel. It takes the right kind, and the right amount, for DKI’s teams to do the hard work of property restoration – which often demands long hours. Matt, Kyle and Ryan Douglas know this, and live by it. (Hey, when the brothers and owner/operators of DKI  - CRCS aren’t on the job, there’s a good chance they’re participating in, or leading, a cycling tour for charity). And they want to ensure their teams also have the tools and knowledge to stay fit, and eat right. We sit in on a wellness seminar they hosted, which included a presentation by professional nutritionist Hilary Askew, at their brand new state-of-the-arts headquarters – which, yup, also includes a state-of-the-art gym for its staff. 

Music for this episode is “You’ll Find Me” and “Hard Truth” by Close Kicks.  

Hey, who among us isn’t carrying a few extra pounds? That's why Matt Holmwood knew he’d have plenty of participants (including himself) when he set up a workplace weight loss challenge. To make it even more motivating, Matt, the president and general manager of DKI – Miller, turned it into a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada. He tells us how the challenge works – and how the two weight-loss winners will be determined in December.

You’d think he’d want a bit of a breather between assuming ownership of DKI locations, but when an opportunity arose in Mississauga for Nathan Hughes to expand – only a few short months after her took ownership of DKI – Al-Care in Waterdown – he seized it. He explains what went into the decision for a quick expansion. 

We're also introducing a new segment. “Your Team” is about your DKI teammates, who you may not know all that well, but whose roles are integral to DKI being Canada’s champion in property restoration. 

Music for this episode is “Move On Grow,” by Cassie Noble, and “Dance With Ya,” by Close Kicks. 

Chris Nordyke has spent his career in sales, training, coaching, and consulting – most of it with an emphasis on the property restoration industry, where he also worked. The Oregon-based entrepreneur and his Floodlight Consulting Group co-founder and podcast co-host, Brandon Reece, will be the featured speakers at DKI Inspire in November.

In this special episode, Chris joins us for a one-on-one conversation about all things restoration: what he’s learned, what he teaches, where the industry is headed, and why it's a great business - no matter which side of the border you’re on.

Dwayne Harpell of DKI - RCCN tells us what home means to him, especially since settling down in his new province.

Music for this episode is “Build a Home” by Cassie Noble, along with “This is Everything” and “Fix it For You” by Close Kicks. 

DKI - Rocky Cross Construction owner, Jason Daniels, doesn’t have aspirations of hob-knobbing with Hollywood’s glitterati, but he was more than willing to lend his on-camera skills for a professional video that will do much to help homeowners mitigate the effects of the next major weather disaster. Jason tells us why he travelled to Toronto from his home base in Alberta for the project, and why the insurer that’s producing the video recruited him. 

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction shares the insurance company's (and Jason’s) goal. The non-profit organization does this by dealing directly with home builders, introducing them to ways to lessen the impact of major winds, hail, floods and fires. The ICLR’s Glenn McGillivray tells us of his organization’s challenges – and successes.

And DKI Canada’s Director of Human Resources, Alex Defoa, shares what home means to her.

Music for this episode is "Long Way From Home" and "Running Wild" by Close Kicks. 

October is Fire Prevention Month and we’re honouring the job that is so much more than simply holding hoses, climbing ladders and entering burning buildings.

We sit down for a candid, wide-ranging conversation with Bryan Burbidge, Fire Chief for the City of Richmond Hill, Ontario. The 35-year veteran of fire service tells us how the job of fire fighting – and those who do it – have evolved over the years. One constant, though: it’s always been a career fraught with the prospect of trauma and hardship, which the chief discusses with open honesty. But also, he offers hope and promise! (The chief shares some great take-away tips on fire prevention, too!).

Kate Battler is one of DKI Canada’s new and welcome recruits. How did the Director of Performance and Compliance get here? She tells how in the return of our feature, “How I came to DKI.”

And we’ve got another tip for you, courtesy of John Soto of DKI - Pro Pacific.

Them music for this episode is "Ghost Stories" by Looking For Heather and "Brave" by Cassie Noble. 

A teaser for Episode 17 of Season 3

Ryan Thelwell spent more than 10 years catching hundreds of passes, running thousands of yards and scoring dozens of touchdowns.

Today, the former CFL star is channelling many of those skills that come from a storied pro football career and two Grey Cups – the perseverance, hard-work, and team-first attitude – as a leader in the property restoration industry.

Thelwell’s new playing field is in Hawkesbury as president of DKI - Thelwell. 

We head to the Eastern Ontario town to meet up with the former wide receiver with the wide (and totally disarming) smile. Ryan tells us how transitioning to his new role from a successful career with the team at DKI - RCCN in Calgary required some close studying of the playbook. But the touchdowns are already coming quickly for the London, Ontario native – (and member of that city’s Sports Hall of Fame) – who’ll tell you his favourite teammates have always been his wife and four children. 

Music for this episode is “The House We Built” and “You Made it Home” by Close Kicks. 

Jeanne McGregor is, by all accounts, a veteran of the restoration industry, and a nurturing leader who’s revered – and not just within her ranks of DKI - Con-tech, but across the country. It’s why she was recently honoured with DKI Canada’s first-ever “EmpowerHer” Leadership Award. Jeanne tells us what that climb, over several decades, to such esteemed status was like. It wasn’t always easy, she admits, in an industry that was – and still is, though to a much lesser degree – dominated by men.

In so many ways, Jasper, Alberta is Canada’s town, beloved by the millions of people nationwide who’ve visited it.  When recent wildfires destroyed a third of the buildings, the pain and sorrow was felt from coast to coast. Mike Howes, president of DKI - Sparklean, describes the impact of this devastation and how his team is working towards restoring the historic community. 

And in our continuing series, “What Home Means to Me” we hear from Lindsay Sereda of DKI - SDS in Saskatoon.

 Music for this episode is Medicine by Cassie Noble, and Ghost Stories by Looking For Heather.

Pretty much every industry of late has been struggling to find the best possible staff. It’s meant extending that search well beyond the local community – and the country, for that matter.

Recruiting foreign skilled workers, however, requires more than just hanging a “Help Wanted” sign in their country. DKI Canada’s Director of Human Resources, Alex DeFoa, tells us what’s involved in attracting staff from beyond our borders – and creating a work culture where they feel welcomed. 

Canada’s biggest city isn’t immune to the impact of a weather catastrophe. And when record rains hit the Greater Toronto Area, Mike Foley of DKI - Foley Restoration was called on for a major – a BIG major – restoration. He tells us what’s involved in a bringing a business back to, well, business – all million square feet of it.

We’ve also got another instalment in our “How I Define Home” series. This one is courtesy of DKI VP of Business Development, Adam Tzarik. 

Music for this episode is “I Cracked,” “Always Be Alright” and “Small Town, Big Dreams” by Close Kicks.