Success for Firm Management has been based on satisfied clients spreading the word of the quality of services offered, and value provided. A strong work ethic and outstanding personnel have made, and continue to make, Firm Management what it is today. A family company through and through, Firm Management strives to keep the personal touch while dealing with all its clients and other stakeholders.
History:
Firm Management’s story begins on the plains of Northern Alberta, with Rod and Kathy Fimrite. Rod and Kathy first met at Peace River High School, where fellow classmates voted Rod as their valedictorian in 1957. In 1960, Rod and Kathy married, beginning a life together that would go on to span four children, three provinces, and nineteen different homes.
Rod’s early career saw him working in finance with CIBC, until an opportunity came for him to manage a company out on Vancouver Island. There was much to love about the island, including its gentle pace of life and what Rod loves to call the best weather in Canada. This move eventually led to the family settling down. Of their nineteen different homes, Rod and Kathy have lived longer in this last one than the previous eighteen combined.
Relocating to Vancouver Island also led to Rod’s first foray into property management. At age 55, Rod and Kathy saw an opportunity to use Rod’s recent experience managing commercial properties to start a small business that could serve as a semi-retirement project. At first, ambitions were small, with Kathy setting up the office inside the basement of their Saanich home. Always one with an eye for detail, Kathy took on the office operations, designing the technical procedures that would govern the company for years to come.
It also was Kathy who selected the company’s name. “Firm” is an anagram of Rod’s first initial and the first three letters of “Fimrite.” It also spoke to the character they envisioned for their company – steadfast, reliable and above all, grounded on integrity. Honesty has always been at the centre of Rod and Kathy’s lives, and has likewise been at the centre of Firm Management, since it was first incorporated on May 5th, 1993.
While those values have lasted, the small “semi-retirement” aspect of the company certainly didn’t. With their involvement with commercial properties, Rod and Kathy became acquainted with several developers working on new condo developments. The Victoria condo market was young and booming, with limited options for newly created strata looking for a good property manager. As more and more developers asked Firm Management to take on their new strata, it became clear the company needed to bring in some expert help.
In 1995, Rod and Kathy invited their son Dennis to join the company. An Edmonton commercial realtor for many years, Dennis helped shepherd the company through its rapid growth. Despite never advertising, word of mouth drove more and more clients towards Firm Management’s services. Gradually, the Fimrites recruited a full team of skilled property managers, supported by a talented accounting and administration department. In 2000, Firm Management moved into its current offices at Mt. Newton Cross Road, where it has continued to grow and thrive as a fixture in the local community.
Today, Firm Management is one of the largest strata management companies on Vancouver Island, with a diverse portfolio representing everyone from residential strata owners to commercial properties. With long time employees Kyle McGregor, Daryl Jackson & Peter Tanner now the owners of Firm, it continues to be based on a bedrock of integrity & finding the best possible people to serve its clients. Through all its changes, Firm Management has strived to hold onto the personal touch.