Franco was an industry titan – a strong leader, a brilliant visionary, and above all else, a kind and principled person. Franco took the time to listen and really get to know people. This helped him truly understand the needs of our clients which enabled him to design and create solutions that made a difference. He often encouraged everyone to take a step back and look at the big picture or the “10,000 foot view.” He challenged us all to look beyond the immediate needs and consider how each project has a responsibility and opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the community around us.
Despite his incredible success, Franco remained humble and always sought to mentor and build up those around him. He encouraged ideas from others and took the time to share his vast experience with our team. He often said “we need an exceptional team if we want to win the Stanley cup!” Franco, together with the current shareholders helped build IDEA Inc. (most recently known as EPOH) from a company of 3 back when he joined in 1994 to a 40+ multidisciplinary, two office firm that’s now working on projects of all types across the country.
Prior to his passing, Franco began a gradual retirement from IDEA Inc. in 2021, before fully stepping back daily company operations as of January 1, 2025, after 31 years of dedicated practice.