Scot Young was born Ronald Alexander William Wallace Young in Glasgow, Scotland in 1935. From a very early age he was never content to follow the path that was expected of him, leaving school and starting his own farming and scrap iron business when he was only 15 years old. His entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop here though – it carried him all the way to Toronto, Canada where at the age of just 19, he started a company that would grow to become a multinational industry leader.
As the founder of SYR, Scot Young was a pioneer in the cleaning industry. A true inventor at heart, Mr Young started his career in 1954 with one goal in mind: to revolutionise the professional cleaning market, and this is a mission he surely achieved. His tireless dedication to his work took him all around the world, from the UK to Canada, from cleaning floors himself for 74 cents an hour, to the honour of being awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2002.
Scot Young will be remembered for his commitment not only to his job but to the people around him. Mr Young believed that ordinary people can achieve great success. He created a culture at SYR of teamwork and open communication, valuing the contributions of each person. His enduring legacy lives on in SYR’s success today, and he is leaving at the reins a new generation: his daughter, Lee Ann Young, SYR’s current Global CEO, 2 granddaughters and great grandchild, who carry on his passion and dedication to the business.
If you would like to write a message in Scot Young's online condolence book please find the link below.
