Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CAR-UN-T) has added the title of president to Mark Kenney’s current position as chief operating officer.

Mark Kenney is the president and COO of CAPREIT. (Image courtesy CAPREIT)

“Today’s announcement supports the board of trustees’ succession planning process and facilitates CAPREIT’s strategy to increase unitholder value,” said Michael Stein, chairman of the board, in a release. “Mark has nearly three decades of experience in the multi-family sector, as well as extensive financial and operating experience at the executive level. He is a proven leader with a deep understanding of our business operations and the evolving industry landscape.”

Kenney joined CAPREIT in 1998 and has been involved in creating and implementing REIT policies, directing the property management team, and overseeing the marketing, procurement, development and acquisitions departments. As COO, he oversees CAPREIT’s operations in Canada and Europe.

Prior to joining CAPREIT, Kenney held various leadership roles at Realstar Management Partnership, Greenwin Property Management and Tridel. Kenney is a board member of the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario and St. Hilda’s Towers, and a founding board member of the GTAA.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Carleton University.

CAPREIT owns interests in 50,458 residential units, comprised of 43,866 residential suites and 32 manufactured home communities in and near major urban centres across Canada and The Netherlands.

Crombie shifts senior management roles

Crombie REIT (CRR-UN-T) has made changes to its leadership structure to realign it with the trust’s strategic priorities, emphasizing national leadership roles.

Donald Clow remains president and chief executive officer, while Glenn Hynes takes the new role of executive vice-president and COO with national oversight of operations, leasing, development and construction. Cheryl Fraser is chief talent officer and vice-president of communications; John Barnoski the senior vice-president, corporate development.

Crombie still must appoint a chief financial officer and secretary.

Trevor Lee, senior vice-president Western Canada, takes the new position of senior vice-president development and construction. Scott MacLean, senior vice-president Eastern Canada, will retire in January 2019 after 25 years with the company.

Crombie is seeking its new CFO, as well as senior vice-president national leasing and operations. Until a new CFO is appointed, Hynes will continue in this capacity.

“Over the past two years, we implemented the changes that were necessary to enable Crombie to transition to a national structure with added analytical capacity, advanced systems, and stronger capital allocation skills, tools and talent,” said Clow in a release. “We continue to be strong operators, achieving record committed occupancy, while also focusing on our substantial major development opportunities.”

Crombie is one of the country’s leading national retail property landlords, owning, operating and developing grocery- and drug store-anchored shopping centres, freestanding stores and mixed-use developments primarily in Canada’s top urban and suburban markets.

Four new members of R2 board

R2 Capital & Investments has added four independent members to its advisory board; John Bartkiw, John Andrew, Sam Mizrahi and Marcus Gillam.

“These four individuals are not only leaders in their own fields, i.e. capital markets, construction management, property development and academia, but also bring tremendous value and synergies to R2,” said CEO Amar Nijjar in a release.

Bartkiw is managing director at Fengate Asset Management. He has 14 years of experience in corporate financial management and 25 years of business experience, most recently in real estate investment banking, and a history that includes several senior executive positions.

Andrew heads Queens University’s real estate program and is professor of urban and regional planning. He also consults the commercial real estate sector, primarily on strategic planning, financial analysis, environmental issues and conflict resolution. He holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario.

Mizrahi has more than 25 years of leadership experience in identifying and developing residential, retail and community projects across North America, including “The One” – the tallest condo tower in Canada under construction at Bloor and Yonge in Toronto. Mizrahi Developments has built iconic luxury condo towers such as 128/133 Hazelton, 181 Davenport and 1451 Wellington.

Gillam is president of Toronto-based construction manager Gillam Group Inc., which specializes in the industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors. In 2017, Canadian Business Magazine named Gillam Group Canada’s fastest-growing company with a five-year growth rate exceeding 29,000 per cent.

Harrison joins Horizon North

Horizon North Logistics of Calgary has hired former Vancouver Area Housing Authority CEO Luke Harrison as its vice-president of business development. The move is part of Horizon’s expansion of its modular solutions business, and comes in the wake of other recent appointments including Howard Phillips as vice-president of projects, and Sloan Challand as vice-president of sales.

Harrison will be responsible for growing the modular solutions portfolio, specifically focused on government and not-for-profit social housing, including First Nations, senior, student and affordable housing initiatives.

Prior to his executive role at VAHA, Harrison was its senior planner. He also held several real estate development roles for businesses in the Greater Vancouver area. Luke holds a MBA from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Strategy and Economics from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Horizon North provides industrial, commercial, and residential products and services, from modular solutions for commercial and residential offerings including offices, hotels, and retail buildings, as well as single detached dwellings and multi-family residential structures. It also operates an industrial services division.

McMillan LLP adds to CRE team

McMillan LLP continues to build out its commercial real estate group in Montreal, hiring Sonia Rainville as a partner, and associates Émilie Therrien and Ève Lalancette.

Rainville brings more than 25 years of experience counselling companies and institutions with the acquisition, development and financing of real estate properties. She has advised clients in the creation of large condominium projects, including commercial and mixed-use; the development and financing of seniors housing, vacant sites and redevelopment.

Therrien has experience assisting local and international organizations in the purchasing, selling and financing of their real estate assets and projects. She is also involved with CREW Montréal and the Canada Green Building Council – Québec Chapter.

Lalancette specializes in real estate financing, leasing, sales and acquisitions projects.

McMillan serves a full range of organizations including financial institutions, investors, commercial and retail tenants, developers, property owners and managers.

GSNH expands Toronto CRE group

Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber LLP has grown its Toronto team by three lawyers, adding to its corporate / commercial, real estate, wills and estates and litigation practices.

Karen Ceifets advises individuals, family-owned and small businesses. She also represents and advises institutional and private lenders. Her practice is focused on commercial and residential real estate, and wills and estates.

Stephen Jackson is an experienced litigator and mediator, focusing on contract and commercial disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, mortgage enforcement, commercial lease disputes, real property disputes, construction liens, estate disputes and negligence litigation.

Michael Turner serves mid-market, entrepreneurial clients in corporate / commercial, real estate and wills & estates.

Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber has more than 40 years of experience assisting businesses and individual entrepreneurs in navigating corporate and commercial law.