GMS Sécurité is, above all, a story of family, passion and entrepreneurial daring. Founded in 1981, the company took root in the determination of a young technologist, Richard Gauthier, then an employee at 3M Innovation. At the time, Richard was the youngest technician on his team, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a deep desire to make his mark.
One day, following a disagreement with his supervisor, he made a decision that would change his life: he left 3M and went into business, driven by the conviction that he could serve his clients differently, with more closeness and integrity. So GMS was born, with its first services devoted to microfilm systems (a cutting-edge field at the time) and one of its very first clients being none other than Parliament Hill.
Young, determined and bold, Richard went back into the field and managed to win back a large part of the clientele he had once served at 3M. It was another era: one where work was earned with a handshake and where every client represented a story to build.
With a friend who shared the same spirit of initiative, Richard began working on security systems, first as a subcontractor, in the evenings and on weekends. He quickly realized that demand was exploding. Protection needs were evolving, technologies were advancing and the market was transforming before his eyes. A visionary, he then decided to broaden his offering to include the sale and installation of alarm systems. With the arrival of digital technology and the gradual disappearance of microfilm devices, Richard chose to focus GMS’s expertise exclusively in the security field. This shift proved decisive: GMS became a regional reference.
After a career in the Canadian Football League (CFL), his son Phillip officially joined the family business. At that point, GMS had about a dozen employees, all driven by the same spirit of service and the same rigour that Richard had instilled over the years.
A graduate in business administration from Université Laval, Phillip took over the management of the company in 2013. Under his leadership, GMS began a new phase of growth: modernization, diversification of services, structuring of teams. In 2015, his sister Charlène joined the company as administrative director, further consolidating the deeply family and human character of GMS.
Today, GMS Sécurité has more than 30 employees, including 13 specialized technicians, 6 representatives and a solid administrative team. The company, still true to its founding values, now stands as one of the most important players in the security sector in the Gatineau-Ottawa region.
It’s a family story.
A story of vision.
And above all, a story of trust built since 1981.