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THE KEITH
BEEDIE STORY
Th e reception area at the
new Beedie Group offi ces.
SANCTUARY
PART 2: BUILT TO LAST
CHAPTER 17: AN EYE ON THE HORIZON
“Although Dad was resistant to moving into a bigger offi ce, the one
thing we never disagreed on was the new location. We both knew it
was an ideal property. Even once we’d started work on the renovation,
though, Dad was still having second thoughts. Once we moved in,
however, he came around. He emailed me saying that we should have
made the move years before. It was good to know he liked it.”
—RYAN BEEDIE, KEITH’S SON
Keith missed the fi nal move into the new location in March 2007 as he
was in Hawaii at the time. “Probably a good thing,” says Keith. “I think
it would have been hard. We were in the Kingsway building for 52
years.” In the end, he had to acknowledge that Ryan had done a good
job with the offi ce, which was a big improvement over their previous
space. “I saw in the end that it was quite nice,” he says. “I am glad we
moved, but I sure didn’t want to … We now have 47 parking spots.”
“Renovations at the Beedie Group offi ces are always done when Keith’s
not there. Otherwise, he’s in there asking why they need a new door
when there’s nothing wrong with the old door.”
—AXEL GRINGMUTH, ETS ELECTRIC LTD.
In 2007, Keith was approached to fi nance a TV show called Sanctuary.
The star was Amanda Tapping, who had a leading role for 10 years in
Stargate SG1. Keith was an ardent fan of that program, and thought he
would give the fi nancing a whirl. Due to some miscommunications, the
investors experienced a loss for the fi rst year. So, in an eff ort to recoup
their investment, for the 2008 season Keith and the other stakeholders
agreed to a diff erent format. Encouraged by the interest in Sanctuary
expressed by the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States, they decided to
proceed with a 13-episode season. The new season was a big success
with the viewing audience, so the group produced another 13-episode
season for 2009. With positive audience growth, Sci-Fi then requested
a 20-episode season for 2010.
”Meeting Amanda, who by the way is a very personable and neat person,
has been a pleasure for Bett y and me,” says Keith. “I must say, being
a producer of a television series such as Sanctuary is a real eye opener.
While the experience has not been all positive, we are hopeful that this
investment will turn out to be a profi table one.”
Amanda Tapping (second from right) with cast members of the popular
TV series Sanctuary, (l-r) Agam Darshi, Robin Dunne, Ryan Robbins.
Photo courtesy of Sanctuary 2 Production.
MOVING FORWARD
Despite the transition to having Ryan as president of The
Beedie Group, Keith as CEO is still involved in the decision
making and policy setting of the company. Keith and Ryan
occupy adjacent offi ces in the new building, each with
his own area of expertise and control. Ryan sits with the
knowledge that his father had the wisdom, tenacity and
drive to take the company to where it is today.
“It is important for the company to have the constructive criticism that
fl ows between me and my dad. If I am going in the wrong direction,
I have him there to challenge me. And vice versa. It’s a good system.”
—RYAN BEEDIE, KEITH’S SON
“Keith is fascinating. In a nutshell, he has an amazing capacity
to assess information and fi nd solutions. He is the most eff ective
chairman I have reported to in the course of my career. His knowledge,
not just what he’s gained through experience, but what he is able to
rapidly understand, is incredible. Contrary to other patriarchs at the
head of family businesses, Keith is able to trust and delegate. You don’t
have to have the last name Beedie to be successful here. Working here,
you are part of the family.”
—JIM BOGUSZ, CFO
Th ough Keith was named Business Person of the Year by the Burnaby
Board of Trade in 2008, he knows that Ryan is the man who will
steer Th e Beedie Group into the future. At the time of writing, Th e
Beedie Group is working on Project #892, a long way from Project
#1, the concrete block workshop on Selkirk Street. Another feather
in the next generation’s cap was Ryan’s being named the 2009 Pacifi c
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Fred Withers, the director
of the award, says, “It’s important we recognize these exemplary
entrepreneurs like Ryan Beedie who are driving our economy forward.
Ryan has built his family’s thriving business into a modern leader in
real estate development.” Th e award indicates that both the company
and Ryan are headed in the right direction.
“For me, Keith Beedie is not a business. He is a human being,
an absolutely top-notch human being.”
—VICTORIA ROBINSON, DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Ryan and Keith, 2009.
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