Best of the best

Carl Bolm, above, owner of BSR Services in St. Louis, started BSR in 1984 with a pick-up truck and a used snow plow as a way to make ends meet during seasonal layoffs from his job as an airline baggage handler. "Over the years, I fell in love with the industry, and with building a little enterprise," Bolm says.

With a fleet of 25 Missouri DOT-type trucks and another 575 owned by contractors, BSR manages the logistics of snow and ice removal for a collection of corporate accounts that reads like a Who's Who list of the St. Louis business community.

Early on, Bolm realized he couldn't personally own or manage all the necessary equipment to grow a viable business, so he wrote a business plan to involve strategic partners and seasonal help. His knack for recruiting people he can trust – and building relationships – helped BSR grow a brand reputation and a corporate culture known for excellence.

Photos by Vicki Jeromos-Blayney