By Mary O’KEEFE

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” ­– Winston Churchill

J’s Maintenance celebrated being in business 55 years at an event on May 30 at its far north Glendale offices in the 3500 block of Foothill Boulevard.

Chris Waldheim is the CEO of J’s Maintenance, a commercial janitorial service that is family-owned and operated.    

J’s Maintenance began 55 years ago when Ed Waldheim and his wife Linda established the business working alongside their children Chris and Michelle. In the early days, J’s had the maintenance contract for Levitz Furniture stores. They had the contract for all Levitz stores, which meant a lot of traveling. So Chris and Ed boarded a motorhome and went from store-to-store to supervise their employees, making certain everything was just right.

Chris Waldheim was actually born in Argentina. The family moved to the Eagle Rock/Glendale area in 1971, La Crescenta in 1987, Sunland in 1991 and then to Glendale in 2005. The Waldheim family knew this community well because they have been part of it since coming to the U.S.

He graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Though he has been on the payroll with J’s since 1980, this company has been in his heart since birth.

J’s Maintenance started as a commercial janitorial company but expanded into home care with its J’s Maids service.

“Congratulations to Chris Waldheim on the 55^th anniversary of J’s Maintenance,” said Adam Franko at the May 30 celebration. “This incredible milestone is a testament to decades of exceptional service, dedication and visionary leadership.”

Franko was speaking as the president of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce (MVCOC).

“Under Chris’ guidance, J’s Maintenance has become a benchmark for quality and reliability in the commercial janitorial industry by offering customized service plans, 24/7 availability and employing high trained, insured and bonded professionals. The company has set industry standards and earned the trust and loyalty of its clients,” Franko said.

Waldheim’s successful business extends to a commitment and support for his community. In fact, J’s Maintenance is much more than a business – it is community. Waldheim is known for his philanthropic work that extends from the local area to beyond. He has a member of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce (MVCOC) for over two decades and, according to Franko, quickly became a key figure in local events and initiatives. Waldheim has been on the food committee for the MVCOC Oktoberfest event, and chaired the committee every year since 1999 except for the two years that it was not held due to the pandemic.

“Leading to an impressive 24 Oktoberfests under his belt,” Franko said.

Waldheim is also on the board of several other organizations and events including the Montrose Christmas Parade and CV Fireworks. He has been recognized with several awards including the Frank Roberts Award.

“We celebrate this milestone with immense gratitude and admiration for your incredible contributions,” Franko said.

Waldheim also supports local non-profits by purchasing ad space in CV Weekly every week to highlight local organizations including bingos held at the American Legion Post 288, Prom Plus and many more worthwhile organizations. He opens his office conference room to many of these organizations, giving them a place to meet. He has also been a long time supporter of the Mary Pinola Educational Fund.

Waldheim said he is grateful for all of the support he receives from his employees that allows him the ability to volunteer and to travel.

Waldheim is well known as a lover of travel, hiking and just being out in nature.

“I feel like I have the perfect life thanks to J’s [employees/family],” he said.

At the May 30 event, he thanked his family saying they have “put up with a lot through the years” as he was out and about volunteering and helping the community.

There are some businesses that are philanthropic but with Waldheim it is obvious that “paying it forward” is something that comes from his heart. During his anniversary event, he made sure to remind anyone in the audience who had a non-profit event coming up to reach out to CV Weekly.

“We’re always looking for more people to [feature in] the ad, so I know we have helped VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), we helped the Bailey Center Food Bank and we have helped a lot of different groups but I know there are more groups out there that need help,” he said. “We are happy to do that. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be such an integral part of the community. We’re going to keep doing it as long as we can.”