Perma-Seal founder receives Better Business Bureau award
Roy Spencer, president and founder of Perma-Seal Basement Systems in Downers Grove, received the James E. Baumhart Lifetime Achievement Award from the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois board of directors.
The award was presented at the 91st Annual Dinner Meeting at the Swissotel Chicago. The James E. Baumhart Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a business person who has made an outstanding lifetime contribution in support of the Better Business Bureau's mission of holding businesses accountable to their customers and being a business consumers can trust.
The locally-owned business was started through humble beginnings in 1979 after Spencer grew unhappy with the unethical businesses practices of several waterproofing companies he worked for, specifically the "patch" em now, service "em later" approach. Rather than complying to the status quo, Spencer embarked on a journey to set a new standard by starting his own company, with just one employee and a red pickup truck.
Today, Perma-Seal has grown to over 80 trucks with nearly 200 employees, and has proudly served more than 350,000 homeowners in the greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana areas. Nearly 40 years later, Perma-Seal continues to seek to improve efficiency, profitability, and customer experience with founder Roy Spencer and his wife and company Chief Operating Officer, Laura Ann Spencer at the helm, leading the "Perma-Seal Tribe."
"Roy Spencer has been one of the strongest supporters of the BBB. His guidance as Chairman of our board of directors allowed BBB to grow and expand services to both consumers and businesses," said Steve Bernas, president & CEO of BBB serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "More importantly, his involvement has gone beyond simple support. He shows true personal interest in the organization, it's people and activities. I, and my staff, would not have been as successful in our actions without Roy Spencer's advice and guidance," said Bernas. "The BBB is exceptionally fortunate to have such a successful business leader to volunteer, and give of his time and talent to our organization."
Former Chicago Bear Dan Hampton was the keynote speaker for the evening that consisted of an audience of nearly 800 people. Spencer graciously accepted the award at the dinner recounting the moment when he found out he was receiving the award. "I launched into all the reasons why I'm not worthy … I really haven't done that much compared to what I've received and there's plenty of people more deserving," Spencer said.
"I have always been and always will be a big supporter of the Better Business Bureau," he said. We are so fortunate in this country to have the Better Business Bureau and it dawned on me that the rest of the world doesn't, and without it, it's not a pretty picture."