ROOTS MVP OF THE MONTH
He’s not called Mr. Clean for nothing. Toni Bettencourt keeps things spic and span at Roots.
August 2005

When Toni Bettencourt is at Roots, he has a one-track mind. He thinks cleanliness. He thinks neatness and order. He takes pride in keeping the home offices at 1400 Castlefield and the Distribution Center (DC) at 75 Tycos looking good. To that end, he vacuums the entire premises every day, dusts off desks, empties the garbage and generally ensures that both places are tidy and pleasant to work in.

But Toni does far more than just that. He’s also responsible for keeping a high sanitary standard in the washrooms, he looks after minor repairs, assists in shipping and receiving, and makes sure that the Roots offices have enough supplies for smooth day-to-day operations. In addition, Toni is a pivotal point person at the DC in terms of maintenance and repairs.

Toni is a popular figure at Roots, and not just because he keeps it clean. On any given day, he roams the office with his cart stopping at each person’s desk to look after the business at hand. With his ready smile and personable nature, people appreciate his warm presence. He’s never imposing, always ready to help whatever the situation and has a kind word for everyone.

“I’ve always enjoyed working at Roots,” says Toni, 56.  “This is a special place because good people run Roots and good people work here. I’ve always been amazed by how nice everybody is and how well they treat me.”

Toni joined Roots in 1997, and until the big move to the Castlefield headquarters last winter, he worked exclusively at 75 Tycos looking after the cleaning and maintenance of the Greenbud building. Previously, he worked at several other clothing manufacturers in Toronto.

Toni, who reports to Howard Pollack, Director of Purchasing and Facilities, has a good eye for detail and is forever vigilant in maintaining a clean working environment. “Toni is always responsive to the day-to-day needs of the offices and any emergencies that occur,” says Howard. “Whether it be a roof leaking or a water flood or something that needs to be fixed, Toni is there help. On top of everything else, there’s never been one day at 1400 Castlefield when there’s been a lack of paper towels in the dispensers, toilet paper in the stalls or soap in the dispensers. Toni is constantly on the case.”

Toni can’t stand a mess. He cleans up and maintains the Roots premises like they were his own private property. He is as professional as they come, and deserving of this month’s MVP award.

“Toni is a very valuable person to the Roots organization,” says Roots Co-Founder Don Green. “I’ve known him since his first day at Greenbud and I’ve always ranked him as a 10 on a 10-point scale. He has initiative, is a self-starter, and has a tremendous work ethic. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. He’s a real pleasure to have in the different buildings.”

Toni has strong feelings for Roots, especially those he comes into contact with in the course of his work. “I feel honoured to be chosen as the MVP for August,” says Toni, who moved to Canada from his native Portugal in 1972. “It makes me happy to know people appreciate the work I do here. I want everybody to know how much I enjoy being part of Roots and working with such nice people.”

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