Transition Earns Long-Time Firm Family Business of the Year Title
Travis, Roxy and Brian Butler were honoured with the Family Business of the Year award
VICTORIA – Family businesses are the backbone of every economy.
Working closely with siblings and parents has its unique rewards and challenges, and succession plans that transfer company ownership from one generation to another can be complicated.
The Butler family, a long-time, successful Victoria-area operation, has done both well, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed, as they’ve been named Family Business of the Year by the Family Business Association.
Travis Butler says the family is grateful for the recognition.
“Ultimately, we as a family were in a unique position considering the structural changes that we needed to go through,” he explains. “We’ve moved from the founding company, Butler Brothers, to where after succession we now have three companies: Butler Properties, run by my sister, Roxy Butler, Butler Brothers Supplies run by our father Brian Butler, and Butler Concrete and Aggregate run by myself.”
Butler Concrete and Aggregate purchased the assets of the operating company, including the concrete production and delivery, aggregate operation and equipment and the book of business, and they have over 90 employees. Another 10 are split between Butler Properties and Butler Brothers Supplies.
Roxy explains that Butler Properties was created “from something that existed as simple side projects for the parent company, so it required a large learning curve to create, modernize and bring to life.
“In its initial couple of years we have seen great growth and achieved 100 per cent occupancy of our available leased property. We are looking forward to other new and exciting adventures in the coming years.”
Travis states that the transition “Was not an easy task and presented all sorts of challenges. The process is one where you need to approach it with a level head and look at the big picture for everybody involved, including our family members and employees.”
The serious process of succession started sometime in 2016 and the launch date became December of 2018.
“It took years, but we are on a good path now,” Travis adds. “Things have been going well for all three companies, and each individual is left with a good portfolio with plenty of responsibility and we’re all achieving good success.”
Along the way, he states there have been some really big wins for the family operation.
“This year will definitely be the largest production year in the company’s history,” he observes. “The pandemic has had minimal impact on the construction industry as we are an essential service, and are pushing forward to try and meet the demands of our growing population that are facing housing and affordability issues.”
Butler Concrete and Aggregate has achieved one of the lowest Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) values in North America, which makes it one of the best in terms of emitting low carbon dioxide during production on the continent.
“It means we are one of the most environmentally friendly concrete producers in North America,” Travis states, adding the company is also working with Empire Hydrogen of Sidney to further reduce fuel consumption and reliance on fossil fuels for the delivery of Butler products.
Butler has locations in Victoria, Sooke and Duncan, along with their central, key location at Keating Crossroads in Saanich, which has become more of a focus for the Butler Brothers Supplies operation.
“Our Keating Cross Road mine has been operating for some 75-plus years, but will see its end within the next 5 years or so,” says Travis. “Decisions on its future will be made by the Butler Brothers group being led by the Board of Directors Brian, Roxy and Travis Butler.
Decisions on its future will be made by the Butler Brothers group being led by the Board of Directors Brian, Roxy and Travis Butler.
“We’ve had a very strong first couple of years in our new organization, and the company continues on a very strong trajectory for planning its next 25-50 years in local business,” Travis adds.
