Founder/CEO

Jay Hennick is the Founder and CEO of FirstService Corporation, a global diversified leader in the real estate service sector with three market leading service lines, more then US1.7 billion in annualized revenues and more then 17,000 employees worldwide. The Firstservice lines of business include commercial real estate services, residential property management and property services.

Before establishing FirstService, Jay completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree at the University of Ottawa and began his career as a corporate lawyer with Fogler, Rubinoff LLP. He worked closely with Lloyd Fogler, the lead partner, and with some of Canada's leading entrepreneurs as clients.

During the late 1980's, Jay sought to establish a company of his own to create wealth for his family. As a teenager, he showed his entrepreneurial spirit by founding Superior Pools - a company that provides lifeguards and services swimming pools for apartments, hotels and residential communities. His investment in and leadership of Superior Pools created the foundation to fund his education and career as a lawyer.

After raising money from family and friends, Jay established FirstService in 1989, with Superior Pools becoming the first service of the company. Superior is now part of American Pools, a subsidiary of FirstService's property improvement platform and the largest swimming pool management company in North America. In 1998, at the age of forty-one, Jay received Ontario's Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Consumer Services and Canada's coveted Entrepreneur of the Year award for creative service integration. In December 2001, Jay was named Canada's CEO of the year by Canadian Business Magazine.

Married with three children, Jay is a Director and Treasurer of The Mount Sinai Hospital and is an active supporter to several charitable organizations. Together with his wife Barbara, he is also founder of The Barbara & Jay Hennick Endowment Fund which contributes monies annually to a variety of causes. Jay is also the founder and inspiration behind the combined Jay Hennick LL.B.-MBA Program at the University of Ottawa Law School, his alma mater.