Midwest’s leading custodial service business celebrates a golden milestone.
This year marks a special milestone for Woodley Building Maintenance (WBM) as the company celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding. Today, the company unveiled a new anniversary logo and video highlighting its history to support a series of events it is planning throughout the year.
What started as an entrepreneur with a dream in 1969, has become one of the largest custodial service companies in the Midwest. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., with branch offices in St. Louis and Columbia, Mo., the company employs more than 850 people supporting a wide range of commercial cleaning and building maintenance services for over 800 businesses across Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana. WBM’s customer base includes commercial offices, medical and industrial facilities.
WBM also owns a majority share of a joint venture, Tier One Property Services, LLC based in Houston, Texas. Tier One employs more than 800 employees in 15 states and its customer base includes oil refineries, automotive manufacturing plants, and commercial offices.
“It is humbling to take a step back and reflect on our history and the journey that led us to where we are today,” said Terry Woodley, President & Chief Operating Officer for WBM. “It is a notable accomplishment for our team, our partners, and our family. While a lot has changed over the last 50 years, one thing that has not is our unwavering dedication to the quality and reliability of our work.”
Company History
WBM was founded by the late Jimmy Woodley, who passed away in 2013. Jimmy was raised on a farm in Tunica, Miss. by his brother after both of his parents died at a very young age. He came to Kansas City in 1967, enrolled at Penn Valley Community College, and went to work for Vendo Corp. where he became friends with the company’s leader Elmer Pierson. In addition to working in the plant, Jimmy worked weekends at Pierson’s home, bartending parties or doing yard work for extra money, building a personal relationship with Pierson. After overhearing conversations among other business owners at the parties, Jimmy decided he wanted to start his own janitorial service business. He left Vendo Corp. and started selling door-to-door on his own. He secured his first big contract with AT&T in 1969, which marked the official start of WBM. Pierson personally loaned Jimmy the money to finance payroll and equipment needed to start the business.
WBM eventually became a family-owned business run by Jimmy, his wife Robery, and their two children Terry and Tiffany Woodley. Today, Robery remains active in the business as its Chairwoman, along with Terry who oversees Operations, Human Resources, and Marketing as its President & Chief Operating Officer; and Tiffany, who is the company’s Chief Financial Officer.
“Jimmy was a likeable businessman who never took no for an answer and always had a way of making things work,” said Robery Woodley, CEO of WBM. “We celebrate this special anniversary in honor of his legacy. He would be so proud of our team and what we’ve done to continue growing and expanding the business he loved.”
Innovation
Built on a strong history and tradition of excellence, WBM continues to innovate as a leader in the commercial cleaning industry. The company was one of the first commercial cleaning providers to go completely ‘green’ using environmentally-friendly low toxicity cleaning solutions to support enhanced health and sustainability. Its unique management process and dedication to Green Building Standards earned the highest distinction award by Cleaning Industry Management Standards.
WBM’s Green Clean program focuses on reducing waste by helping implement effective recycling programs for its partners, including collection bins and containers for paper, cans, cardboard, pallets, and restroom products, as well as composting of wet trash such as food scraps and containers. The company also offers programs specifically designed for effectively managing e-waste by retrofitting lighting and recycling bulbs, metals, plastics, computer monitors, and other industrial products that may contain hazardous materials.
Awards and Community Service
WBM has been recognized with various prestigious awards over the years, including an award from former President Ronald Regan in 1987 as a Small Business Administration Regional 8(a) Graduate for its success as a small business. Jimmy and Robery Woodley were named among the 100 Most Influential African Americans in Kansas City and, in 2002, WBM was recognized as the Minority Supplier Council’s ‘Supplier of the Year.’ WBM was also selected as one of 15 honorees for the 2019 Champions of Business Award by the Kansas City Business Journal.
Robery served a six-year term on the Jackson County Sports Authority and Tiffany was also a finalist for the Kansas City Business Journal’s CFO of the year award in 2008.
The company is an active member of the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), where Terry previously served as an officer on the Board of Directors, as well as the Greater Kansas City Area Chamber of Commerce, several local city Chambers of Commerce, the National Service Alliance (NSA) and the local chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA).
“Community and corporate responsibility have always been a key focus for our family and our team at WBM,” said Robery. “The relationships and support we’ve received over the years have played a huge part in our growth and we look forward to continue staying involved and finding ways to give back.”
For more information about WBM and its commercial cleaning and building maintenance services, visit www.wbmservices.com.