JEFFREY W. CLARKE

President & CEO INFLECTOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

BIO: Jeffrey Clarke began his career in environmental remediation as a teenager, working as a summer labourer at Inflector. It was a tough entry into the workforce. His father was the company founder and Jeff felt he had to work twice as hard to gain the respect of his colleagues – most of whom were 20 years his senior. Throughout university, Jeff continued to work at Inflector during the summer. Just as he was finishing his degree, his father died. With a desire to ‘keep the dream alive’, he stepped in to take leadership of the organization. That was six years ago. Since that time, Inflector has grown from a single office with 20 employees and annual revenue of $7 million, to five offices spread across the country, approximately 500 employees, and $110 million in revenue. As President & CEO Jeff develops the high-level strategies, strategic client relationships, and operational directives that have helped realize that growth. As a leader in environmental contracting, Inflector has executed some of the largest remediation projects in Canada’s history. Jeff’s passion goes beyond Inflector and reaches into the community. He is a board member with The Ottawa Hospital and supports a variety of charitable causes, including the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. His ability to lead, impact, and inspire others is widely recognized by key stakeholders and organizations across the industry. Jeff is humble in his achievements, however. He attributes his success to his mother for teaching him to have heart and his father for developing his mental fortitude, the mentors he has had along the way, and Inflector’s team of driven and dedicated employees.

BEST/MOST-VALUED CAREER LESSON IN THE PAST YEAR: Be patient. Whether it is closing a deal, growing a business or creating a culture, patience is key. Young entrepreneurs and managers are eager to prove themselves and are often willing to take risks in order bring value to organizations. Sometimes the best deal is not the first deal, it’s the third or fourth. Sometimes cultures within the organization are changing positively on their own and just need more time. Often growth can come organically if you are bringing value to your clients, avoiding unnecessary risks and unhealthy debt.

BEST CAREER ADVICE: I have been fortunate enough to have received so much amazing advice over the course of my career. If I am speaking on what paid the most dividends for me personally, it would be to always bet on myself. A close friend and mentor of mine told me this one of my first years in business. I often think of it when I am evaluating my toughest organizational decisions.