One of our best, Tom Felts
By HERB LAGOIS
Sometimes there’s a quiet guy on the team who doesn’t say much, but when he does, everybody listens.
At Lagois, that guy is Tom Felts, Lagois Site Supervisor.
I first met Tom 24 years ago, when he had just graduated as an architectural technologist. I had been in business for about 18 years at that point. I hired him as a draftsperson, and what struck me about him was that he was very thorough and accurate. It has been one of his traits throughout his entire career.
When I was interviewing him for the job, we connected. I liked his portfolio. I liked the way he came across. It was always important to me to hire someone who fit the team, and Tom did. The team really liked him. Everyone is very fond of him.
What I didn’t know then was that Tom would also teach me a few things about running a company. I must have been a bit wishy-washy about something ‒ working hours, maybe. Tom asked me to be very clear on what my expectations were.
It was a gentle but direct question, and it taught me a lesson: it’s important to focus and to have clarity. That lesson sticks to me to this day.
Tom’s attention to detail has always been incredible. From day one, I never had to worry about the work he produced.
At one point I decided to start a mechanical company specializing in geothermal heating as well as plumbing. It seemed like a natural fit with my renovation business. We tried to make it work, and I asked Tom to help run it.
After much time and money investment, I learned an important lesson: that it’s critical to be focused on what you do and the services you offer. Tom’s young words came back to me: Be very clear about expectations.
I realized then that we needed to be the absolute best at what we do. We had to provide a five-star experience for homeowners. It was a frustrating experience for me and for Tom for awhile, but the outcome was exceptional, because it helped us to focus.
We became Lagois Design·Build·Renovate, Ottawa’s Renovation Specialists. That allowed us to have absolute clarity about what we were doing, and it allowed our whole team to focus on our mission. It enabled us to shine as experts in our field.
Tom was definitely along for that journey! By now he was doing some estimating, but he helped out with design and drawings as well.
He wanted a bit of a change, so I gave him a “little” job. It was a porch construction. But ‒ another misstep of mine ‒ I threw him out there without proper training or mentoring. It was a huge learning curve for Tom (and for me). You can’t just expect somebody to do something if they’re not trained properly.
But, Tom being Tom, he got it done, and he got it done exceptionally well. He handled that, and he just kept getting better and better. Today he is a superb expert in the business with deep experience.
One of Tom’s best traits is being our homeowners’ advocate. He takes it personally, perhaps sometimes too personally, to make sure everything is done well. Homeowners he works with feel that, see that, experience that. The reviews and accolades he gets are proof.
We figured that, with his success, the next progression would be to make him production manager, someone who oversees everything. But Tom wasn’t so keen on it.
He enjoyed being on site with the day-to-day operations. That’s where he belongs, where he thrives, where he shines, and the results show it.
Tom is a perfect example of why people like him are so important in this business. They’re not just an employee. They’re part of a team that works together seamlessly, working towards a common goal for our homeowners.
We are all so grateful to have Tom in our lives.
Herb Lagois is the founder of Lagois Design·Build·Renovate.
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