Tightening the bonds that unite us

With roots dating back to 1985, Classic Fire + Life Safety has grown into one of Canada’s largest fire protection companies. In recent years, our team has expanded rapidly, building a national presence and increasing our capacity in almost every area of our business. Under the leadership of Mike Farren, appointed in January 2025, the company is continuing to embrace growth, but with a stronger focus on bringing people together.

Nearing the end of his first year on the job, Mike has visited nearly every location in our network and met most of our company’s employees. Through his travels, he has noticed strong engagement from staff, but with seven acquisitions in three years, a major rebranding, and leadership changes, including his own appointment, there were signs that cultural and operational integration had perhaps not kept pace with growth.

“We’ve put people together but haven’t fully brought people together,” he said. “You still see emails signed off as ‘formerly FCFP’ or ‘formerly Classic.’ That tells me we still have some important work to do.”

Mike returned from his travels and committed himself to leading the development of a five-year strategic plan. The plan prioritizes alignment across business units, clearer communications, and accountability.

“The goals I had when I first started have already shifted,” said Farren. “Through my travels, I saw the potential of uniting our offices, departments and teams – truly aligning our people. This has become a top priority and one that will affect everything we do.”

A cross-functional Integration Committee was established to unite acquired companies by placing people at the heart of the process. Through thoughtful pre-merger conversations and planning, to full unification and ongoing support, the team prioritizes the well-being and voices of every individual. This process is intended to build trust, foster a sense of belonging, and create a stronger, more connected company where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive.

“We’re taking a closer look at what it takes to build something people want to be part of,” he said.

According to Mike, our growth will continue, but with a focus on culture.

“We’ve put some clear goalposts around our acquisition plans,” he said. “We’re still looking at successful fire alarm and sprinkler companies – but now we’re going even deeper than that. We’re taking a closer look at geographic considerations and cultural fit. If a company doesn’t align with our five-year plan, it just won’t make the cut.”

Another key pillar of our strategy moving forward is a stronger focus on recurring revenue. He cited inspections, service calls, and long-term maintenance contracts as essential to building financial stability and weathering economic shifts.

“In today’s world, we need to double down on what’s recurring,” he said. “It’s how we maintain the business through good times and bad.”

Classic’s installation division will remain active, particularly in large-scale industrial projects, but he emphasized the importance of discipline.

“We need to stay focused on the work we’re good at,” he said. “We have an excellent installation group, but we don’t need to take on every opportunity.”

Mike aims to raise standards across the company and build a more unified identity. He uses a simple exercise to communicate this vision.

“Imagine you’re walking through a hotel with your family,” he often says. “You see a fire extinguisher with a Classic inspection tag. You should feel proud of that. And when our technician comes around the corner to inspect it, their uniform and the way conduct themselves should reflect who we are and what we stand for.”

He believes this kind of cultural clarity will help elevate expectations across all levels of the company and create a sense of shared ownership.

“It lifts the low watermark,” he said. “It sets the tone for what we expect internally from each other and what our clients can expect from us.”

Mike credits the previous leadership team for laying the groundwork that has brought Classic to its current position. He says his job now is to help the company mature and operate with the mindset of the people-first organization it wants to become.

“If we think like a 300-million-dollar company, that’s where we’ll stay,” he said. “But if we start thinking like a billion-dollar company, we begin making the bold decisions that get us there.”

What comes next for Classic Fire + Life Safety is not about changing course but building structure around what already exists. Like me, he is confident our company has the people and experience to take that step.

“The team’s done a lot, and Classic has come a long way. Now we need to start thinking and operating like the company we want to become.”

Newsroom

CEO Mike Farren welcomes growth, but only if it comes with people-first integration