My experiences in the Home Improvement industry now span some 40-plus years, all the way from stock boy to radio and TV shows, dispensing advice and know-how to you, the home owner. A lot of water has gone under the bridge (so to speak) over those years and I am often asked just where I have been in this industry.

I started to work for Beaver Lumber in Owen Sound, Ontario when I was 18 years old. This relationship would last for the following 15 years. I began my career with Beaver Lumber like most others at that time by unloading box cars, piling lumber, doing deliveries and eventually working into a sales desk position. In 1965 I began the first of a series of moves within Beaver Lumber by becoming the assistant manager at the store in Barrie, Ontario.

I was married to my wife Frankie that spring and we spent one year living in Barrie and then transferred to Orangeville, Ontario where I received my first position as a store manager.

We spent an enjoyable two years in Orangeville and were then transferred to Northern Ontario where we would spend the next three years. In 1970 we left Sault Ste. Marie with our then 18-month old daughter Kyna and moved back to Barrie, Ontario. I managed the Beaver store there for one year and we were then on our way to Windsor, Ontario. This was again to be only a one year stay, during which our second daughter Monica was born.
When we left Windsor in 1973 it was to go back to the regional office in Toronto and into a position of regional supervisor making regular calls to the stores in my territory. A year later I was asked to make a move that would shape our future. I was offered a position in British Columbia supervising the then Saveway stores. This was a much bigger move than just one area of Ontario to another, but being somewhat gypsy at heart we decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

So began our life in British Columbia, it was and continues to be a good decision twenty some years later.

Between 1974 and 1977 I used my marketing and merchandising skills with Beaver Lumber, the Irly Bird Distribution Centre and for a short period, the Surrey Co-op. During this time I also travelled to Whitehorse to set up the first Beaver Lumber franchise in the Yukon.

Throughout the years I always had a yen to have my own Building Supply store and so in 1977 we purchased a Windsor Plywood franchise in North Delta. This was later converted to the Build-It Centre and associated with the Tim-Br-Mart buying group. This proved to be successful, but by 1987 I had ventured into other interests and decided to sell the store. During this ten year time frame we had also owned a second Windsor Plywood store and opened a complete hardware store.

During the early 80’s two new ventures came my way. One was to be approached to run for council in the municipality of Delta. I accepted this unique challenge and was successful in being elected and served two terms as an Alderman until 1990 when my schedule would no longer permit the time needed to perform the task properly.

The other venture that happened would have a profound effect on my future and still does to this day. In 1983, CJOR radio station approached Windsor Plywood to have someone guest on a talk show to discuss Building Supplies and Home Improvement.
For some reason it was deemed that that person would be Shell Busey. Little did I know what that one day would bring. I guess it must have been well accepted, as I was soon approached and asked to host my own talk show on Home Improvement. I was to continue to host my own talk show on CJOR except for a short stint with CKO until CJOR changed their format in 1988 and discontinued talk radio.

The BC Hydro Home Ideas show was broadcast from CKNW and on the Western Information Networks 56 affiliated stations throughout BC from 1990 to 2000. From 1991 to 2000 I travelled throughout the province of BC as BC Hydro's Power Smart consultant providing information to homeowners at Home shows. Beginning in the year 2000 the BC radio show became the Home Discovery show sponsored by Cloverdale Paint broadcast by CKNW and throughout BC on the CORUS Radio Network.

The expansion of the radio shows out of British Columbia began with the Home Discovery show from CHQR Calgary in 1992. Since then CHED Edmonton, CJOB Winnipeg and CHOG Toronto have added the Home Discovery show to their programming.

This expansion of radio has led to my involvement in Home Shows and appearances throughout the Western provinces.

My first foray into television was for the BCTV Saturday morning news hour. BCTV produced and aired Shell Busey Home Improvement segments as a regular feature on the Saturday morning news hour. CBC also featured Home Improvement tips with Shell Busey on their 50 Up program for a period of time.

In 1995 I was approached by CHEK TV to consider hosting a Home Improvement series. Thus the Home Check series was born. Produced by Chek TV, Victoria and BCTV, Vancouver, Home Check is a renovation and home repair series now shown across Canada weekly. As host and co-producer of Home Check, I endeavour to bring information on new products and how-to information for home owners.
My involvement in radio and TV has given me an opportunity to do something I really enjoy, have a lot of fun and hopefully help you, the homeowner with the needs and projects around your home.

I hope to continue to bring you tips and information for many years to come.

Shell Busey