Karen Sullivan is being promoted to president and COO at Chartwell. (Courtesy Chartwell)

When Vlad Volodarski takes over from Chartwell’s retiring CEO Brent Binions in March 2020, he will also be surrounded by new faces at the company’s senior executive table.

Chartwell (CSH-UN-T) Canada’s largest provider of seniors living options, announced the Volodarski-Binions succession a few weeks ago and has now filled out its new senior executive roles.

Karen Sullivan, Chartwell’s chief operating officer, will become president and COO. Sheri Harris moves from chief administrative officer to CFO, and Jonathan Boulakia adds the chief investment officer function to his current role of chief legal officer.

Sullivan joined Chartwell in 2008 as the senior vice-president people after a 21-year tenure with the Ontario Long Term Care Association, including six years as its executive director. In 2010, she assumed the responsibility for Chartwell’s Ontario long-term care business and in 2012 was appointed COO.

In her capacity, Sullivan will continue to be responsible for all aspects of operations, including oversight of Chartwell’s operating platforms, customer experience, sales, property management and supply chain management departments and will report to the CEO.

Harris joined Chartwell in 2007 as senior vice-president of finance and was promoted to CAO in 2013 with responsibility for strategic planning and analysis, property finance, information technology, online presence and the business project management office. She has 19 years of industry experience.

Harris will oversee Chartwell’s finance, strategic planning and analysis and information technology.

Boulakia joined Chartwell as its general counsel in 2008 and was promoted to CLO in 2014.

He has played a key role in a number of transformative transactions, including the $900-million acquisition of the Maestro portfolio in partnership with Welltower Inc. in 2012, and the sale of Chartwell’s U.S. portfolio in 2015 for $1 billion. He will assume oversight of Chartwell’s Real Estate Group.

Rayburn to succeed CEO Melton at Melcor

Darin Rayburn will become president and CEO of Melcor REIT, adding to his similar roles at Melcor Developments. (Courtesy Melcor)

Edmonton-based Melcor REIT (MR-UN-T) has announced that, as part of a planned succession, Andrew Melton will step down as president and CEO on Oct. 1. Melton will remain a member of the REIT’s board. Darin Rayburn will step into both roles, in addition to his duties as president and CEO of Melcor Developments Ltd. (MRD-T).

Rayburn has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate and was instrumental in the formation and IPO of the REIT. He served as its CEO until April 2017 when he was appointed president and CEO of Melcor Developments.

Melton has over three decades of experience in CRE. He was also instrumental in the formation of the REIT and was its chairman until being appointed president and CEO in April 2017.

“It has been a wonderful experience to work closely with the REIT team to drive the growth strategy,” said Melton in a release. “I am looking forward to my continued active involvement on the board of trustees, but it is time for me to give more focus to other opportunities to serve my community and Alberta, as well as to enjoy more time with my family.”

Melcor REIT owns, acquires, manages and leases retail, office and industrial income-generating properties in Western Canada. Its portfolio includes interests in 38 properties comprising 2.93 million square feet of gross leasable area in Alberta and in Regina, Saskatchewan and Kelowna, B.C. For more information, please visit www.melcorREIT.ca.

Rogers becomes CEO of UM Properties

Greg Rogers has been appointed the CEO of UM Properties Inc., the University of Manitoba’s internal property trust. The entity is mandated to develop UM’s Southwood Lands into a mixed-use residential and commercial development.

Rogers has served in increasingly senior positions within several real estate and development companies, including most recently spending three-and-a-half years as senior vice-president of development at Timbercreek.

Prior to that, Rogers was the executive vice-president of investments for Minto Developments, spending a decade in that role.

Management changes at Parkit

Parkit Enterprise Inc. (PKT-X) announced David Delaney will step down as executive chairman of the company in November. Delaney will continue to serve on the board of directors and retain his role as chairman.

Avi Geller will continue to act as chief executive officer of the company.

Parkit acquires, optimizes and manages income-producing parking facilities across the United States and Canada.

OHBA elects Schickedanz as president

Bob Schickedanz is the new president of the OHBA. (Courtesy OHBA)

Bob Schickedanz has been installed as the new president of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) for 2019-’20. He most recently served as the association’s first vice-president and has been a member of the executive committee since 2017.

A long-time active leader in Ontario’s development and building community, he also served as president of the Simcoe County Home Builders’ Association (SCHBA) from 2016-’18.

The Schickedanz family history of building extends back 75 years to his father Daniel in Lithuania. Daniel, along with his cousins Kurt, Gerhard and Gustav, formed Schickedanz Brothers Ltd. in 1951 with their first few projects in Oakville and then gradually expanded.  Bob, at the age of 16, and his brother Rick, followed in the footsteps of their father and uncles, and joined as apprentice framers.

He later graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Civil Engineering and began his career as a structural engineer with the Marshall Macklin Monaghan Group.

At age 24, Bob rejoined the family business in the role of property acquisitions, development planning and approvals. By 2000, with 35 years of experience under his belt, Bob joined his brother Rick the founder and president of Far Sight Homes.

OHBA is the voice of the residential construction industry in Ontario, representing 4,000 member companies organized into 29 local associations across the province.

Ashworth becomes CEO of REIC

The Real Estate Institute of Canada has a new CEO in Stephen Ashworth.

“After a rigorous search process, the REIC National Board is pleased to have selected the strongest individual to lead the Institute,” said Ken Loeppky, CPM, REIC’s national president.

“Stephen brings a breadth of experience in education, association leadership, professional designation management, and marketing. This makes him uniquely qualified to lead REIC successfully into the future.”

Ashworth holds a master’s degree in education and has led such organizations as Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, International Institute of Business Analysis, and Junior Achievement Canada. He has also served in management roles with the Halton District Catholic School Board.

REIC is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to advancing education and professionalism in the real estate industry.

Shapack becomes CEO at Pine Trail

Sean Nakamoto and David Luu have resigned from their respective positions as the chief executive officer and chief financial officer at Pine Trail Real Estate Investment Trust (PT-UN-X) to pursue other business interests, the REIT says.

Nakamoto will remain as a trustee of the REIT, which is registered in Alberta.

Andrew Shapack, a trustee of the REIT, has been appointed as the chief executive officer and will also assume the position of interim chief financial officer until a suitable replacement can be found.

In addition, Morgan Taylor has been appointed corporate secretary of the REIT, a role previously held by Luu.