Date
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Reception
6:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
7:15 PM
UJA is excited to present Leaders Lounge 2025.
Join us at Leaders Lounge 2025, the city’s premier real estate networking event, where you’ll meet the visionaries who continuously shape Toronto into a world-class city. Hear from top industry trailblazers, partake in intimate conversations, and connect with the experts redefining real estate in Toronto.
Don't miss your chance to connect with Toronto's most prominent and successful real estate leaders!
Thursday, April 3, 2025 | 6:00 PM
Location: Downtown Toronto
Address to be shared prior to event with registered guests.
Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to be served | Kashrut observed
Ticket price: $85
Limited tickets are available. Please register by Thursday March 20.
Please note that we will do our best to accommodate speaker requests.
Thank you for your interest in UJA 2025 Leaders Lounge. This event is now sold out. If you would like to join the wait list, please contact Polina at pchukanova@ujafed.org.
Event Chairs:
Michelle Ackerman, Consultant, Kilmer Group
Joseph Feldman, Executive VP and COO, Camrost Felcorp Inc.
Jacob Iftah, Managing Partner, KIN Capital
Corey Pacht, Partner and Executive VP, Operations, Fitzrovia
Event Committee:
Max Goyzman, Vice President, Financing, Peakhill Capital
Elliot Medoff, Director, Real Estate Brokerage, TD Securities
Avery Shopsowitz, Managing Partner, REACH Developments
Peter Tanenbaum, President, Peter Holdings Inc.
2025 Annual Campaign Co-Chairs:
Ron Baruch & Karen Diamond
2025 Community Campaign Co–Chairs:
David Goodman & Adina Bloom Somer
If you have any questions, please contact Polina at pchukanova@ujafed.org.
2025 Featured Speakers
BENJAMIN BAKST, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Baz Group
Mr. Bakst is the CEO and Co-Founder of Baz Group of Companies, establishing the firm as a leader in the real estate industry, with a portfolio of over 16 million square feet and a completion value exceeding $10 billion.
Mr. Bakst earned his CPA designation in New Jersey in 2005 and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).
RON BARUCH, Principal & Executive Vice President, Paradise Developments
Ron is a Principal and Executive Vice President of Paradise Developments, established in 1972 as one of the GTA's leading residential building and development companies. He completed his B.A. at the University of Toronto and his LL.B. at the University of Western Ontario.
After nearly a decade of volunteering at various organizations, Ron turned his volunteer leadership experience and energies to North York General Hospital in 2011 and was appointed to the NYGH Foundation Board of Governors.
Ron served as Chair of the Foundation Board of Governors from 2014-2018 as well as a member of the NYGH Hospital Board’s Governance Committee and was the Chair of the Hospital’s Capital Development Advisory Committee from 2016-2018. During North York General Foundation’s $180 million campaign, Ron was the Foundation Campaign Chair from 2018-2020 which concluded ahead of schedule and exceeded its goal.
Ron currently serves on the Executive of the NYGH Foundation Board and a member of the Governance Committee in addition to sitting on the Hospital’s Capital Development Advisory Committee.
As a longtime supporter of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, Ron and his wife Sharon, Co Chaired the organization’s flagship event Spirit of Hope in 2021. In 2022, Ron was appointed to the Board of Directors and is currently on the FSWC’s Executive Fundraising as well as the Governance Committees.
Together with Karen Diamond, Ron is co-chairing the 2025 UJA’s Annual Campaign.
LINDSAY BRAND, Chief Investment Officer, Concert Properties
Lindsay joined Concert Properties in April 2024 as Chief Investment Officer (CIO). She brings a diverse perspective and a depth of development and investment experience across a variety of asset classes within a high-growth environment.
Prior to joining the company, Lindsay held increasingly senior roles during her ten years at the Dream group of companies. As Chief Investment Officer of Dream Unlimited Corp. and Dream Impact Trust she led over $2 billion of acquisitions and structured over $3 billion of development partnerships. In addition, she led the acquisition, asset management and development teams across these assets. Throughout her tenure she participated in the strategic growth of five public companies. Previously, Lindsay financed development deals at the Real Estate Commercial Banking Group and Corporate Development Group of a major Canadian financial institution.
As CIO of Concert Properties, Lindsay leads the company’s experienced national team responsible for the income-producing property portfolio, including acquisitions, dispositions, asset and fund management, leasing and property management. Lindsay also oversees Concert Income Properties, an open-ended, limited partnership Canadian fund.
Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Arts and Honours Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario and a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University in New York.
Lindsay serves on the Board of Trustees for two public companies. In addition, she is also a trustee of the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, a member of the Finance Committee for Neuchatel Junior College.
JULIE DI LORENZO, President, Mirabella Development Corporation
Julie Di Lorenzo is the President of Mirabella Development Corporation, a Real Estate Development
company and General Construction Contractor in Ontario, and a legacy company of Diamante.
Ms. Di Lorenzo has been self- employed in the industry since 1982 as Contractor on such projects as Empire Plaza Condominiums and Terminal Three International Airport, as Developer/Builder of the following projects: 520 Kingston Rd., for Cityhome, LIUNA Social Housing Development in Ottawa, Developer/Builder of One Balmoral Avenue, 5-23 Balmoral Ave., The Royalton at 801 Bay Street, 2 Roxborough St. East, Domus in Yorkville, Phoebe on Queen, a joint venture with Wittington Properties, One City Hall, Condominium Development in joint venture with Hon Kwok Land Investment Co., Hong Kong, The Florian Condominium Development at Bay and Davenport - now considered one of the most prestigious buildings in Toronto - and more recently, The Diamond Project in North York, which was completed and registered in February 2022 and Mirabella Condominiums, which is comprised of two towers that registered in November/December 2022 and is targeting LEED Gold and TGS v2 Tier 2. Diamante projects won the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Project of the Year in 1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively. This had never been accomplished before.
DANIEL DRIMMER, Founder & CEO, Starlight Investments
Daniel Drimmer is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Starlight Investments, a Canadian real estate asset manager with over 360 employees and $30B in AUM encompassing more than 71,000 multi-family suites and 7M square feet of commercial property space.
In addition to the formation of Starlight Investments, Daniel is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of TSX-listed True North Commercial REIT; a director and Chief Executive Officer of the general partner of TSX V listed Starlight U.S. Multi-Family (No. 2) Core Plus Fund; a trustee and Chief Executive Officer of Starlight U.S. Residential Fund; Chief Executive Officer of Starlight Western Canada Multi-Family (No. 2) Fund and a trustee and Chairman of the Board of TSX-listed Northview Residential REIT.
Over the last ten years, Daniel has completed more than $50 billion worth of acquisitions and dispositions in residential and commercial real estate (including nine initial public offerings).
Daniel obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario and both a Master of Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Contemporary European Policy Making from European University in Geneva, Switzerland and is a third-generation real estate investor.
Daniel is the Vice Chair of Starlight’s Investment Committee.
SAMUEL FRUM, President, Metropia
Samuel Frum serves as President, guiding the leadership team with the innovation and strategic foresight that underpins Metropia’s unwavering dedication to development excellence. Throughout his tenure, Samuel has led major transactions in multiple product types, overseeing the firm's expansion, successfully launching eight projects, and doubling the size of the internal team. Prior to joining Metropia, Samuel worked in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at RBC Capital Markets where he focused on Canadian REIT mergers and acquisitions. He received his AB with a concentration in Economics from Harvard.
JONATHAN GITLIN, President & Chief Executive Officer, RioCan
Jonathan leads RioCan’s major market strategy to evolve Canada’s most adaptable portfolio and drive unitholder value. His focus is on delivering sustainable growth, supporting RioCan’s position as an industry leader in ESG practices, and fostering a results-driven corporate culture.
Since joining RioCan in 2005, Jonathan has been instrumental in reshaping the Trust’s portfolio, from managing its secondary market disposition program to launching RioCan’s residential portfolio, RioCan Living. He is a decisive and dynamic leader who works closely with the highly experienced senior management team to mobilize and empower RioCan’s expert talent.
Prior to joining RioCan, Jonathan was a real estate lawyer at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1998, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Western Ontario. He is an active member of the Toronto Community and proud to support non-profit organizations such as the Sinai Health Foundation, a founding member of the ILEO Initiative with the United Way, REALPAC and the Business Council of Canada.
GARY GOLDMAN, Chairman and CEO, Stafford Homes Ltd.
Gary has been a leader in the homebuilding and land development industry for over four decades. After beginning his career in brokerage, real estate advisory, and consulting services in the early 1980s, he founded his first homebuilding and development company. Since then, under his leadership and through strategic joint ventures, he has played a pivotal role in the construction of thousands of homes and countless commercial properties.
Today, Gary co-owns and operates Stafford alongside his son, Jonathan. As a fully diversified construction and land development firm, Stafford remains at the forefront of the industry, with a development pipeline exceeding $2 billion. Known for its innovative and self-directed approach, the company continues to navigate and shape the evolving Toronto and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) market with expertise and vision.
ANDREW HOFFMAN, Chief Executive Officer, CentreCourt Developments Inc.
Andrew Hoffman is founder and Chief Executive Officer of CentreCourt Developments Inc., a private development company focused on high-rise residential development in the Greater Toronto Area. Since its inception in 2010, CentreCourt has become one of the most active developers in the GTA with over 12,000 units completed or under development.
Andrew holds an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School and has over 35 years of experience in the development of residential, office, industrial and mixed-use real estate projects.
Andrew has also been active in numerous volunteer endeavors including as a Board member at Mount Sinai Hospital (currently Board Chair of the Hospital), Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Toronto. Andrew is also co-founder and board member of Hold'em for Life Charity Challenge, an organization that has raised over $40 million for cancer research. For his contributions to the community, he is the recipient of NAIOP’s Community Service Award.
ROB KUMER, Chief Executive Officer, KingSett
Rob Kumer is Chief Executive Officer at KingSett Capital, a Canadian private equity real estate investment business which creates and co-invests in real estate investment solutions to deliver sustainable premium risk weighted returns.
Founded in 2002, KingSett has raised $16.2 billion of equity for its Growth, Income, Urban, Mortgage and Affordable Housing strategies. KingSett has $17.5 billion of assets under management in a portfolio of $19.3 billion. KingSett continues to seek further opportunities to invest in a wide range of real estate properties, developments, joint ventures, and mortgage lending.
Rob is a graduate of Ivey Business School and holds an Honours Business Administration Business Degree. Rob is a member of the Ivey Business School's Advisory Board and sits on the Board of Directors for the Sinai Health System Foundation.
RAFI LAZER, Chief Executive Officer, Almadev
Mr. Lazer joined Almadev in 2011 and was appointed CEO in 2015, leading the company’s strategic growth and diverse business activity including acquisitions, investments, finance, and development strategy. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Mr. Lazer served as CFO of the company and was responsible for financial oversight and operations, equity and debt structuring, and capital markets. Prior to Almadev, Mr. Lazer served as regional CFO at ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, one of the top 20 global shipping and logistics carriers and as a CPA at Ernst & Young, Israel.
Almadev is a development, investment, and asset management company with over 10,000 units in various stages of planning and development and $2.85 billion in assets under management which include in addition to its diverse Canadian portfolio, a portfolio of 6.5 million square feet of industrial and commercial assets in the United States held through its subsidiary, Agellan. Almadev has built a reputation of excellence over two decades, skillfully creating best-in-class residential, commercial, retail, and rental properties across Canada and the United States.
Mr. Lazer holds a degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of Haifa, Israel; a certificate in Comptrollers and Financial Management from the University of Haifa; and a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from the University of Tel Aviv.
KEVIN LEON, President & CEO, Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd.
Kevin Leon is the President, CEO and Founder of Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd., an investment and advisory firm specializing in direct property investment in Canada. Crestpoint is part of the Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group, a multi boutique asset management firm whose affiliated companies collectively manage over $140 billion in assets on behalf of institutional and private clients.
Crestpoint manages an open-ended real estate fund and a selection of segregated accounts. It has been consistently ranked as one of the top performing funds in Canada. In 13 years, Crestpoint has accumulated almost $11 billion of assets under management consisting of over 300 properties across Canada in the office, retail, industrial and multifamily sectors. Crestpoint has also developed over 6 million square feet of industrial space across the country and has recently launched an open-ended mortgage fund and closed ended opportunity fund.
Crestpoint manages an open-ended real estate fund and a selection of segregated accounts. It has been consistently ranked as one of the top performing funds in Canada. In 13 years, Crestpoint has accumulated almost $11 billion of assets under management consisting of over 300 properties across Canada in the office, retail, industrial and multifamily sectors. Crestpoint has also developed over 6 million square feet of industrial space across the country and has recently launched an open-ended mortgage fund and closed ended opportunity fund.
MILES S. NADAL, Founder, Peerage Capital Group
Over his 40-year career as a respected entrepreneur, philanthropist, and thought-leader, Miles Nadal has refined his partnership principles for business building.
These principles, which provide proven entrepreneurs with the tools to add value and accelerate the growth of their companies, are at the heart of Peerage Capital, a privately-owned investment company based in Toronto.
In addition to North American luxury realtor, Peerage Realty Partners, Peerage Capital has forged successful long-term partnerships in the self-storage, wealth and asset management, and land assembly sectors. Peerage Realty Partners is the single largest franchisee of Sotheby’s International Realty, and it has also partnered with other prestigious realty brands.
Miles and his family support several local, national, and international organizations, including The Miles S. Nadal Jewish Community Centre in Toronto, The Miles Nadal Heart Centre at Sinai Health Network in Toronto, The Miles and Kelly Nadal Youth Centre for the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Clubs, York University’s Miles S. Nadal Management Centre, The Miles S. Nadal Institute for Technological Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Tel Aviv University. Miles is also a founder of the Milken Centre for Advancing the American Dream.
JEFF OLIN, President and CEO, Portfolio Manager, Vision Capital
Jeffrey Olin is a co-founder, CEO and has been a portfolio manager at Vision Capital Corporation for 17 years.
Vision is the Manager of the Vision Opportunity Funds which are real estate focused alternative investment funds seeking to outperform in all market environments with low volatility and uncorrelated returns. The Funds seek to buy real estate cheaper in the stock market than one can in the property market and target superior risk adjusted total returns with a focus on capital preservation as a core component of the Funds’ strategy. The Manager employs a value-based approach in a long-short strategy and selectively utilizes active investing strategies to improve returns. The Vision Funds have benefited from 21 takeovers in its portfolio holdings in the past 16 years.
Mr. Olin brings ten years of direct corporate real estate experience and fifteen years of senior level investment banking experience to Vision Capital Corporation.
Between 2003 and 2007, Mr. Olin served as the Head of Investment Banking and Managing Partner, Ontario with Desjardins Securities, part of the $400 billion Desjardins Group. Mr. Olin was previously a Managing Director with HSBC Securities and a Vice President with Canaccord Capital. As an investment banker, Mr. Olin was the Lead Manager and M&A advisor with direct responsibility for over 70 transactions. He has served as a key advisor to many of Canada’s leading corporate, institutional, and family-owned real estate enterprises on their global real estate investments.
Prior to his investment banking career, Mr. Olin has ten years of direct real estate industry experience. Between 1985 and 1991, Mr. Olin was Vice President with Bramalea Limited in Dallas, Texas and Toronto and with Olympia & York Developments Ltd. His experience in real estate includes acquisitions and dispositions, development, financing, leasing, operations, and planning and design.
Jeff has also extensive experience in other industries and in particular as an advisor and early stage investor in the technology arena including with a predecessor company of the United Health Group, PC Docs/Hummingbird/Open Text, Promis Systems, Tucows and Flipp Inc.
Mr. Olin has extensive corporate governance experience and expertise. He has served on the Board of Directors for numerous public companies as well as charitable and community boards. He has also acted as an expert witness on behalf of the Ontario Securities Commission and the Government of Canada Parliamentary Finance Committee. Mr. Olin is a graduate from the Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University in Chicago with an MBA. He received his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto.
ALLAN PEREZ, Co-Founder & Managing Director, CanFirst Capital Management
Allan Perez is a co-founder & Chief Executive Officer of CanFirst Capital Management, a private real estate equity firm. CanFirst invests on behalf of institutional and private high net worth investors and has raised in excess of $1 billion of equity capital since its inception. Allan's real estate career encompasses 40 years of senior executive positions with real estate organizations including The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Canderel Ltd., Dundee Realty Corporation and V&A Properties. His responsibilities included acquisition and disposition, development, marketing, leasing, e-commerce, and asset management.
Allan graduated from McGill University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree where he majored in Finance and Marketing.
PETER POLITIS, Chief Executive Officer, Greybrook Realty Partners
Peter is a partner at Greybrook and CEO of Greybrook Realty Partners. A private equity professional with extensive experience structuring, financing, and managing investments, he oversees the strategic growth of Greybrook Realty Partners, a leading Toronto-based real estate private equity firm.
He leads the firm’s deal origination and asset management practice and is the co-chair of Greybrook Realty’s Investment Committee, responsible for providing oversight and approval of the company’s investments. Greybrook has invested in over 110 developments in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region and South Florida markets that represent in aggregate over 75 million square feet of residential and commercial density with an estimated gross completion value exceeding $40 billion.
Peter also plays a critical role in the success of Greybrook Capital’s portfolio companies, serving on the boards of a number of Greybrook-affiliated companies. He also serves on the board of Blu Genes Foundation, a charity funding the advancement of gene therapy sciences for the treatment of various genetic disorders.
Peter was recognized in 2018 as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40®, a coveted award for young leaders celebrating the exceptional achievements of 40 outstanding Canadian leaders and innovators under the age of 40.
FELICIA POSLUNS, Managing Partner & Owner, State Building Group
Felica Posluns is a Managing Partner and Owner at State Building Group. The company is involved in land acquisition, development, construction, and property management of all real estate asset classes in the GTA, Southwestern Ontario and the USA. Felicia’s core role is to oversee the property management business. She received her MBA from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Felicia is married to David and they have 3 married children and 6 grandchildren. She is a longtime volunteer for UJA and other organizations.
HARRY ROSENBAUM, Co-Founder & Principal, Great Gulf Group of Companies
Harry Rosenbaum is Co-Founder and Principal of the Great Gulf Group of Companies (Great Gulf Homes, First Gulf Corporation, Ashton Woods Homes, Beacon Residential, Tucker HiRise and H+ME Technology), one of North America’s premier real estate conglomerates. Great Gulf Group covers the entire real estate spectrum across 20 cities in Canada and the United States, constructing over 100,000 homes, 10,000 high-rise units, over $7 billion in developed commercial real estate assets and iconic projects such as: The Globe and Mail Centre, La Clara, Forma, Quayside, Erin Mills and Killington Ski Resort (Vermont). Ashton Woods Homes is the largest privately held homebuilder in the United States and was named the “2023 Builder of the Year” by Builder Magazine.
Harry is a Director of Northview Residential REIT (NRR.UN), a Trustee of the Starlight U.S. Multi-Family Fund (SURF.A) and was a past Board Member of WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (WIR-UN.TO). He was Chair of the Real Estate and Properties Committee of UJA of Greater Toronto and was a Member of the Board of Directors of UJA of Greater Toronto. He is the Honourary Canadian Chair of Limmud FSU and was a director of the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation. Harry was the 2023 Tel Aviv University Co-Honouree with his son Shael, recognized for their industry leadership, community work and philanthropy.
SHAEL ROSENBAUM, Managing Director, Rosenbaum Family Office | Great Gulf Group
Shael Rosenbaum is Managing Director of the Rosenbaum Family Office and a notable philanthropic leader. The Rosenbaum Family are Principals of the Great Gulf Group of Companies, one of the most prolific privately held real estate conglomerates in North America. Shael presides over his family interests, including diverse investments in several alternative sectors.
Shael is a globally recognized figure in Holocaust Education and Remembrance and was instrumental in the founding of the Toronto Holocaust Museum. Shael served on the Council of the Shoah Foundation at the University of Southern California and was Chair of the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre. He was Chair of the International Young Adult March of the Living, a Member of the Board of UJA of Greater Toronto and was a Trustee of the Jewish Foundation. Shael is currently the Chairman of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, a Board Member of the Baycrest Hospital Foundation and a member of the Israel and Overseas Committee at UJA.
Shael is a past recipient of the UJA Leadership Development Award and was the 2023 Tel Aviv University Co-Honouree together with his father. He was the Associate Producer of the critically acclaimed documentary, “The Accountant of Auschwitz" and his commentaries have been published in an array of papers and journals. Shael is the descendant of four Holocaust survivors and his community work remains the most pivotal segment of his life.
HOWARD SOKOLOWSKI, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Metropia
Howard Sokolowski has been at the forefront of Canada’s development industry for over 30 years, leading the development of over 40,000 homes and receiving some of the industry’s highest honours. A commitment to quality construction and exceptional customer care, plus a natural ability to identify emerging market trends, has made Howard one of the most trusted and influential leaders in the industry, renowned for building iconic communities that residents are proud to call home.
Prior to founding Metropia, Howard was CEO and Co-Founder of Tribute Communities, one of the largest homebuilders in the country. His commitment to creating quality residential environments distinguished him within the marketplace, earning Tribute countless awards from J.D. Powers and Associates, the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, and the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) including Project of the Year, Community of the Year, and Builder of the Year. Howard is a leading benefactor of Sinai Health Foundation, the United Jewish Appeal, the Gardiner Museum, the Bishop Strachan School, the ArtGallery of Ontario, York University, Jewish National Federation (JNF), Rouge Valley Health System, The Ontario Institute of Technology, and many other notable institutions. His philanthropic spirit, coupled with his astute business skills, make him an inspiring leader, and foster a culture of excellence and socially-conscious development at Metropia.
In 2011, Howard was awarded Ontario’s highest honour, the Order of Ontario, in recognition of his contribution to philanthropy and community building in the province. Supported by the collective strength of the Metropia team, Howard continues to redefine Canada’s evolving residential landscape.
KENNETH M. TANENBAUM, Vice-Chair, Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited
Ken Tanenbaum is the Founder and Chairman of Kilmer Developments, which has had a leading role in the construction and operations of such transformational projects as the ONroute Highway Service Centres, the Pan Am Athletes’ Village, Brightwater at Port Credit, and the West Don Lands Rental Housing program; he is Chairman of Kilmer Brownfield, which is committed to creating value by remediating and repositioning contaminated land; he is the Executive Chairman of Coca-Cola Canada Bottling; and, he also serves as Vice Chairman of Kilmer Van Nostrand, a family holding company with interests in sports & media, private capital investments and real estate & infrastructure. He has a long history of volunteer leadership with many organizations. Ken is passionate about the promise of Canada and is committed to aligning Kilmer’s business interests with building healthy cities and vibrant communities. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Jennifer, and their four children.
AVI TESCIUBA, Senior Managing Director, Co-Country Head Canada, Hines
Avi Tesciuba is responsible for the overall Hines Canada platform and currently serves as the senior officer on a number of projects including CIBC Square – a three million sq. ft. twin-tower office development across from Union Station in Toronto, including a one-acre elevated park above the rail corridor; Bayside, a two million sq. ft., seven-building master-planned mixed-use development on the Toronto waterfront, including the tallest mass timber office building in North America; Park Central, a two-tower, 1000-unit high-rise multifamily development in the Calgary Beltline; and Eighth Avenue Place, a two million-square-foot twin tower office complex in Calgary. Avi joined Hines in 1998. After spending the first 10 years of his Hines career in Chicago, he moved with his family to Toronto to help build a Canadian platform for Hines.
He is passionate about assembling a high-performing team, that now numbers 150, and developing a strong culture. He has focused his development efforts on projects that have elevated the quality standard and service level existing in the current marketplace, created a sense of place, and improved the communities we live and work in.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles, a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Structural Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He also holds a Professional Engineering license in California.
FRED WAKS, President and Chief Executive Officer, Trinity Group
Mr. Fred Waks has been with Trinity for the past decade, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a reputation as one of the leading developers in the country. As a third-generation developer, Fred most recently held the position of President and Chief Operating Officer at RioCan, where he gained national recognition for being an integral part of the team who transformed the company into the largest Real Estate Trust in Canada. During his tenure, RioCan grew from $100 million to $15 billion in assets. His profile and expertise have made him a sought-after expert on real estate development with top tier Canadian business media. Previously Fred was Chairman of the European Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust and Vice-Chair of Extendicare.
Fred is an active community leader and is involved with a number of local and national charities; he sits as Chairman on the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre Board of Directors, he served as Past Chair of the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation, Chair of Sherman Campus Leadership Committee, Honorary Trustee of the ROM, Past Chair of the Jewish Foundation of Toronto, Negev Honoree 2012, Co-Chair of Israel at 60, Co-Chair of UJA Federation Annual Campaign in 2006 and Ontario Lubavitch 2019 Honoree. Fred is a recipient of the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to Canada and his community.
CECILIA WILLIAMS, President & Chief Executive Officer, Allied
Cecilia is Allied’s President and Chief Executive Officer. She joined Allied in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer assuming increasing responsibilities until becoming CEO in 2023. She began her career at Arthur Andersen, where she obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2001 while working in the assurance and valuation practices. Cecilia continued her career development through progressively more senior roles at Magna International, Canwest Broadcasting/Shaw Media and Dream Unlimited. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.
BLAIR WOLK, President & Chief Operating Officer, Orlando Corporation
Blair is a real estate professional with more than 25 years of experience in real estate planning and development, construction and strategic asset management.
Since joining Orlando Corporation in 2004, Blair has been involved in land acquisitions and development approvals of over 1500 acres of land and seen the company grow from 30 million square feet to over 45 million square feet of industrial and commercial properties. In his current role as President, Blair is responsible for the day to day management and operations of the company’s portfolio of industrial and commercial properties. Prior to his start with the company, Blair held various roles with Wittington Properties, Aecon Utilities and Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers. Blair has been a guest lecturer at the Schulich School of Business at York University and has also served on the board of the Building Industry & Land Development Association (BILD).
Blair is a Professional Engineer and has earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University.
BLAIR WOLK, President & Chief Operating Officer, Orlando Corporation
Blair is a real estate professional with more than 25 years of experience in real estate planning and development, construction and strategic asset management.
Since joining Orlando Corporation in 2004, Blair has been involved in land acquisitions and development approvals of over 1500 acres of land and seen the company grow from 30 million square feet to over 45 million square feet of industrial and commercial properties. In his current role as President, Blair is responsible for the day to day management and operations of the company’s portfolio of industrial and commercial properties. Prior to his start with the company, Blair held various roles with Wittington Properties, Aecon Utilities and Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers. Blair has been a guest lecturer at the Schulich School of Business at York University and has also served on the board of the Building Industry & Land Development Association (BILD).
Blair is a Professional Engineer and has earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University.