First cousins Sam Fuller and Jen Arbuckle, who recently continued a family tradition by becoming presidents of their fathers’ respective companies, celebrated the milestone this past Monday with a picturesque garden party along the Ottawa River.

Fuller, 37, has succeeded his father Bill Fuller as head of Thomas Fuller Construction while 35-year-old Arbuckle leads Metcalfe Realty, taking over the role from her father Antony Fuller.

The event took place at the Fuller family’s sprawling compound, Britannia-on-the-Bay. Originally a cottage in Britannia Village, the property is near the Britannia Yacht Club, which has played a central role in the family’s life.

The President’s Garden Party, to celebrate the Fullers’ family business succession, was held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Fuller and Arbuckle are now part of the third generation of leaders in the family group of businesses, which remains firmly rooted in Ottawa.

Their gathering was a way for the pair to honour existing relationships and, at the same time, build new ones. “I find with every event I attend, someone has a connection or history with us,” said Fuller in a joint interview with Arbuckle. “This is a way to capture all of that and introduce ourselves to people we may not have known before.”

Fuller Construction provides general contracting and construction management services for industrial, commercial, institutional, multi-use, and residential projects, with additional expertise in water and wastewater infrastructure, serving areas as far away as Trenton and North Bay.

Metcalfe Realty owns and manages 1.5 million square feet of commercial real estate in Ottawa, most of it built by Fuller Construction.

Together, the two companies employ close to 100 people.

Fuller said he feels fortunate to have found his calling in the family business. As a kid, he was always building things and, by his teens, he knew he wanted a career in the industry. After a short stint with PCL Construction, he joined Fuller in 2010.

“The first step is having the passion for it; the next is having the aptitude,” said Fuller. “We feel very honoured and privileged. Now it’s about beating the odds. The number of family-owned businesses that make it to the third generation is extremely low.”

Research suggests that 30 per cent of family-owned businesses make it to the second generation, 12 per cent to the third, and only three per cent to the fourth generation and beyond.

Jen Arbuckle,  Antony Fuller, Sam Fuller and Bill Fuller at the President’s Garden Party, to celebrate the Fullers’ family business succession, held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Arbuckle said she first got a taste for the family business as a summer student in the accounting department, while studying kinesiology at university. “I didn’t set out to go into real estate, but after working in the office and getting to know everyone, I liked it. So I stayed.”

The cousins’ partnership at work is a natural extension of their upbringing, shaped by shared friends, interests and experiences, including competitive sailing. “I’m very fortunate to be on this ride with Sam,” said Arbuckle, who is a mother of two, while Sam has four kids.

Both Fuller and Arbuckle stressed that they’d never have made it without the support and mentorship of the senior staff.

“We got in the door because of our dads, but I know what I know today because of the team that’s helped me,” Arbuckle said.

Fuller recalled how his first job with the company was as a junior surveyor, working under a long-standing employee who’s still with the company. “I’m his boss now, but he started as mine.

“He taught me everything I needed to know about the Fuller process and how things go,” he continued. “It was never about, ‘You’re just going to get there with time.’ It was, ‘Hey, if you’re going to run the show, you have to show up and do a good job’.”

The Fullers’ roots in Ottawa are deep, going back to the mid-1800s. The first of several Thomas Fullers was a British-born architect who played a role in the design and construction of major federal buildings, including the original Centre Block and Library of Canada.

His son (also named Thomas) followed in his professional footsteps.

Then came Thomas G. Fuller, a naval war hero captain and founder of the eponymous construction company that built many Ottawa institutions. He and his wife Jeanne, who was the family matriarch, were well-known figures both in business and in philanthropy. He died in 1994 at 85 while Jeanne, who served as chair of the Fuller Group of Companies, passed away in 2017. She was 87.

Fuller and Arbuckle do feel like they have big shoes to fill.

“It’s certainly always in the back of my mind,” said Fuller of his family’s sterling reputation.

Added Arbuckle:  “We definitely feel the pressure and expectations, but I think what helps with that is Sam and my commitment to that family legacy.”

(Talk about pressure, Arbuckle is stepping into the boxing ring next month in front of a massive crowd to fight her female opponent, Shauna Bradley, in Fight for the Cure, a major fundraiser for The Ottawa Cancer Foundation).

Arbuckle continued: “We’re not trying to replace our dads in any way; we’re trying to carry on the values that they and our grandfather set out by putting our own energy into our respective companies, and in the group of companies as a whole.”

She shared how she felt “incredibly nervous” about speaking at a real estate forum last year, and turned to Shawn Hamilton, principal of Proveras Commercial Realty, for advice.

“He said, ‘What are you so scared about?’ And I said, ‘I just want to make my dad proud.’ And he’s, like, ‘Yeah, doesn’t everybody?’”

Continued Arbuckle: “Sam and I want to make our dads proud, and they and their brothers devoted their entire lives to making their dad proud.”

Senior commercial real estate executive Shawn Hamilton (Proveras Commercial Realty) and Jen Arbuckle, the new president of Metcalfe Realty,  at the President’s Garden Party held Monay, Sept. 8, 2025, to celebrate the Fullers’ family business succession. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Cheryl Kardish-Levitan, who works in commercial sales and leasing for CLV Group; Ashley Hopkins, president and CEO of Paradigm Commercial Group of Companies; and Sheila McKeen, sales representative at Colliers at the President’s Garden Party held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, David Glick-Stal, senior sales associate at CBRE; Martin Aass, managing principal at CRESA; Meerkat Marketing CEO Kyle Turk; and Matt Jacques, commercial realtor with Royal LePage Performance Realty at the President’s Garden Party held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The President’s Garden Party, to celebrate the Fullers’ family business succession, was held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 in Ottawa’s Britannia Village. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Kevin McHale, executive director at The Downtown BIA, BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) board member Christian Witt Baquero, director of business development at Mansteel Rebar, and BOMA executive director Dean Karakasis at the President’s Garden Party  held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Miguel Tremblay and Brian Casagrande, partners at Fotenn Planning + Design, with Andy Shelp, president and partner of land surveying company AOV at the President’s Garden Party held Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.

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