Dear Friends,

I am honored to write this introduction to "The History of ABM Industries," which is an important part of my history as well.  You see, I was born a few months after the birth of our company, which began in 1909 as my father's one-man window-washing business on the streets of San Francisco.  So, I am proud to say that both ABM and I are now celebrating our 95th year!  "The History of ABM Industries" is also a great American story about one man, his family and the company that they built alongside many dedicated employees and loyal customers.  My late brother, Sydney, and I were fortunate enough to follow in our father's footsteps after his untimely death in 1935.  As you will read below, it has been an exciting and rewarding 95 years for ABM and the Rosenbergs, and for this we thank all of our customers, employees, shareholders, directors, suppliers, and the communities that we serve.  We couldn't have done it without you - and thanks for visiting our Website!

Theodore Rosenberg Member of the Board of Directors and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee

1909
The company that in 1994 will become ABM Industries Incorporated is founded in San Francisco as a one-man window washing business by Morris Rosenberg at 31 years of age. Among Morris Rosenberg's first customers are the St. Francis Hotel, the Phelan Building, and the Bank of Italy (which, in 1933, changed its name to Bank of America). Morris Rosenberg calls his business "Chicago Window Cleaning" after buying out a competitor with that name.

1913
To mark its expansion from window washing into complete janitorial services, Morris Rosenberg changes the name of his business to American Building Maintenance. 

1920
On the strength of Morris Rosenberg's strong customer relationships with several prominent owners of office buildings and movie theaters on the Pacific Coast, the Company opens offices in Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle. 

1921
In contracting to clean Stanford University, the Company becomes the first janitorial contractor in America to clean a major college campus. 

1927
By acquiring Easterday Janitorial Supply Company of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, the Company provides both janitorial services and supplies to its customers. 

1929
The Company grows and prospers even during the Great Depression. 

1935
Morris Rosenberg the founder of the Company, dies at age 57.  Theodore "Ted" Rosenberg, the elder of Morris Rosenberg's two sons, is named President of the Company at age 26. Ted joined the company as a Management Trainee in 1928.  The younger son, Sydney, is a senior at Stanford University. 

1936
A division of the Company wires the lighting system on both the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay Bridges. Morris Rosenberg's widow, Gussie, turns on the Bay Bridge lights for the very first time. 

1937
At age 22, Sydney Rosenberg returns from the Harvard Graduate School of Business to join the Company as Regional Vice President for Southern California, based in Los Angeles. 

1941
The Company helps fight World War II by cleaning thousands of Navy ships docked in San Francisco harbor and many other West Coast ports. The Company also assembles and installs the wiring on hundreds of amphibious vehicles called "Water Buffaloes" that were built in Seattle during the War. 

1945
By the end of World War II, the Company is operating 17 offices in the United States and Canada. 

1955
The company accelerates its expansion both geographically and in terms of the services that it provides to customers. 

1962
American Building Maintenance and Easterday Janitorial Supply Company become subsidiaries of American Building Maintenance Industries, the corporation formed to become a publicly-held company. Ted Rosenberg is named the first Chairman of the Board, and Sydney Rosenberg becomes the first President and Chief Executive Officer of American Building Maintenance Industries. Ted and Sydney Rosenberg sell about 70% of their stock in the Company to the general public at $16 per share (a price equivalent to about $1.20 per share in 1997 after interim stock-splits. The stock is traded over the counter. The Company's sales in 1962 were $31.1 million. 

1964
Company establishes Security as a full-fledged subsidiary, American Commercial Security Services and ABM Security Services. Prior to this date, other subsidiaries of the company were performing security operations.

1965
The stock of the Company is listed on the American Stock Exchange. The Company's sales in 1965 were $41.0 million. The company also pays its first dividend, a trend that continues to this day.

1967
Ampco Auto Parks, which will become Ampco System Parking in 1993, becomes the newest Division of the Company. 

1968
The Company adds a Mechanical Services Division by acquiring Commercial Air Conditioning of Northern California and American Air Conditioning of Los Angeles. The combination of these two companies was at first called Commercial American Air Conditioning but was soon shortened to CommAir Mechanical.

1968
The Company surpasses $50 million in annual sales ($56.1 million)

1969
The acquisition of General Elevator Corporation of California (which will become Amtech Elevator Services in 1995) established the Elevator Services Division of the Company.

1972
The stock of the Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company surpasses $100 million in annual sales ($101.3 million)! With the acquisition of Sign Maintenance Incorporated (which will become Amtech Lighting Services in 1993), the Company adds a Lighting Division to its growing Family of Services.

1981
The Company surpasses $250 million in annual sales ($272.8 million).

1984
Sydney Rosenberg is named Chairman of the Board.  Theodore Rosenberg continues to serve as Chairman of the Company's Executive Committee. R. David Anacker is appointed President and CEO.

1987
The Company surpasses $500 million in annual sales ($528.4 million). 

1991
The Company establishes ABM Engineering Services as a full-fledged Division.

1992
Sydney Rosenberg remains Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Bill Steele is promoted to President & Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Prior to his promotion, he was Executive Vice President. The Company surpasses $750 million in annual sales ($760.1 million)! 

1993
The Parking Services Division of the Company acquires System Parking West, which is then merged with Ampco Auto Parks to form Ampco System Parking. 

1994
To reflect the diversification of American Building Maintenance Industries into facility services other than building maintenance (such as parking and security services) the Company's name is changed to ABM Industries Incorporated, which is abbreviated to ABM - ABM Industries - or ABM Industries, Inc. Bill Steele remains President of ABM Industries and is promoted to Chief Executive Officer as well. Former CEO Sydney Rosenberg continues to serve as the Company's Chairman of the Board.

1996
ABM Industries surpasses $1 billion in annual sales ($1,086,925,000)

1997
ABM Industries acquires the Janitorial and Engineering Services from Ogden Corporation. Martinn Mandles remains Chief Administrative Officer of ABM Industries and is promoted to Chairman of the Board as well, succeeding Sydney Rosenberg who becomes Chairman Emeritus and an Honorary Director of the Company. The Company surpasses $1.25 billion in annual sales ($1,252,472,000).

1998
ABM Industries exceeds $1.5 billion in annual revenues.

1999
Amtech Lighting Services is named "Green Lights Ally of the Year" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for outstanding energy efficiency initiatives, and ABM Engineering Services receives ISO 9002 certification, which is the most prestigious recognition of quality assurance worldwide. 

2000
Henrik Slipsager joins the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and succeeds William Steele as President & Chief Executive Officer of ABM Industries. Previously, Slipsager was Executive Vice President of ABM and President of ABM's Janitorial Services Division. Consolidated revenues exceed $1.75 billion.

2001
Seventeen employees of the ABM Family of Services are fatally injured in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11th. ABM divests the operations of its Easterday Janitorial Supply subsidiary to AmSan West, Inc. The company surpasses $2 billion in annual sales.

2002
ABM aquires Lakeside Building Maintenance Inc, of Chicago, the largest acquisition in ABM history.

2003
ABM divests the operations of Amtech Elevator Services to Otis Elevator company.

2004
ABM acquires Los Angeles based Sentinel Guard Systems.

ABM acquires Colin Service System, Inc., a facility services company based in New York.

ABM acquires northeastern U.S. janitorial operations of Initial Cleaning Services.

ABM acquires Security Services of America.

2005
ABM subsidiary, Security Services of America (SSA), acquires Amguard Security and Patrol Services, based in Germantown, Maryland.

ABM sells substantially all of the operating assets of its wholly owned subsidiary, CommAir Mechanical Services, to Carrier Corporation

ABM acquires the commercial janitorial cleaning operations in Baltimore, Maryland of the Northeast U.S. Division of Initial Contract Services, Inc.

ABM acquires the customer contracts of Brandywine Building Services, Inc., of Wilmington, Delware

2006 - Please refer to Press Releases

Have ABM Contact You

An ABM representative can assist you by providing the exact information you need to make an informed decision to make your business run smoothly and economically. Please click Request Form below, fill in the fields and select Submit. An ABM representative will contact you shortly. ABM respects your personal contact information and will keep it confidential.