Student Connections List

Do you have questions about a career in real estate or are you looking to make a contact in a field you are already in?

Our Student Connections list is a contact list consisting of a select number of real estate professionals that are willing to answer questions from up and coming real estate students. This is a great way for students to be introduced to both the real estate industry and the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia on a more personal level.

Our professional RI's are waiting to hear from you! You can contact them at the emails provided. When doing so, make sure to include all the important information like your name, field of study and career interests. Tell them about yourself! Indicate any questions you have or if you would just like to chat about what they do. Our professionals will do their best to accomodate your requests.

Fraser Valley

Tom Garvey, RI, FRI
Associate Broker
Homelife Fleetwood

Tom has been an Associate Broker with Homelife Fleetwood for 8 years. A graduate of the Urban Land Economics program at UBC, he used his DULE background to sell both residential and commercial properties in the lower mainland. He established the Tom Garvey Prize in BUSI 101 - Capital Markets in Real Estate to acknowledge the value of UBC's DULE program and its benefit for people contemplating a career in real estate.

email: sold@tomgarvey.ca

Kootenay

Rick Turner, RI, AACI, P.App
Appraiser

Rick is an accredited appraiser and has been working in the West Kootenay area for the past 26 years. He provides a full array of residential & ICI services in the Rossland-Trail, Castlegar & Nelson areas.

email: rickturner@telus.net

Nanaimo

	Kelly Gesner, RI, MCIP Land use & Community Planner Landworks Consultants Inc. Kelly is a land-use and community planner with Landworks. Landworks prepares official community plans, zoning bylaws, subdivision servicing bylaws, parks and trails master plans, cycling plans, and development application reviews. They also manage the development approval process and do preliminary subdivision layouts. email: landworksconsultants@shaw.ca
	Ian Lindsay, RI Sales Associate Ian Lindsay & Associates Ian has been active in the real estate industry for 30 years. He has developed a successful track record in residential sales, project development and sales as well as Real Estate Company ownership. Ian has also been very active in many community endeavors and provides strategic planning to various charitable organizations. email: ian@ianlindsay.ca
	Drew Reidy, RI, SR/WA Property Representative 2 BC Hydro A Property Representative for BC Hydro, Drew reviews subdivision plans and compatible use requests, negotiates SRW agreements, determines compensation payable, and conducts property research. In the past, Drew worked for the Ministry of Transportation in Prince George, and was a property negotiator for the Ministry of Forests in Victoria. email: drew.reidy@bchydro.com
	Patrick Weber, RI, FRI Managing Broker/Owner RE/MAX Anchor Realty Patrick was licenced in 1975 as a Realtor with Block Bros. Realty in Nanaimo, BC and sold real estate until 1984. Later on he became a lands management and leasing officer with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and in 1992 he transferred to BC Hydro’s Property Division and eventually the Aboriginal Relations Department. In 1997 he returned to sales and is currently the Managing Broker/Owner of RE/Max Anchor Realty in Qualicum Beach, BC. email: patrick-weber@shaw.ca

North Fraser

Janet Compton, RI
Property Manager

Janet has been involved in brokerage and property management since 1979. From 1990 to 2006, She owned and operated a property management company that specialized in strata, rental, non-profit rental, cooperatives and commercial properties. She served for two years on the Complaints Committee of the Real Estate Council of British Columbia and is the Past Treasurer and one of the founding members of the Strata Property Agents of British Columbia (SPABC). She is currently employed as a Property Manager and is licensed as an Associate Broker for Trading, Rental and Strata Management.

email: comptonjanet@gmail.com

Mandy Hansen, RI
Senior Portfolio Analyst
BC Housing

Mandy is currently working as a Senior Portfolio Analyst with BC Housing assisting the implementation of an enterprise wide portfolio plan. She also held a real estate role with BC Housing doing a wide variety of functions, including acquisitions/dispositions and commercial asset management. Prior to this, she worked with BC Assessment for seven years doing complex valuation and defense assignments for commercial, industrial and development propetries.

email: mhansen@bchousing.org

Paul Wang, RI
Senior Property Agent
Translink

Paul's job involves the acquisition, disposition and management of real estate for Translink. This involves many and all aspects of real estate, leasing, granting and acquiring rights of way, licence agreements, purchase and sale, appraisal/highest and best use.

email: paul.wang@translink.ca

Northwest/Prince Rupert

Joe Barbosa, RI
Appraiser
BC Assessment

Joe was a realtor in Terrace, BC from 1989-1999 until he joined BC Assessment as a temp Appraiser. His position became permanent in 2000. Joe is still with BC Assessment where he enjoys the challenges of the appraisal field.

email: jb0033@telus.net

Dan McElheron, RI, FRI
Appraiser
BC Assessment

Dan actively sold real estate in the Lower Mainland from 1986 to 2001. He obtained an Agents licence in 1993 and spent over six years as a selling office manager in a large real estate office in Maple Ridge. For the past eight years he has been a residential appraiser for BC Assessment in the Northwest office.

email: daniel.mcelheron@bcassessment.ca

Vancouver

                                         Troy Abromaitis, RI
                                         Development Manager
                                         Wallmark Homes Ltd

                                         Troy is a Development Manager at Wallmark Homes Limited with over five years of industry experience.
                                         Troy's responsibilities include overseeing residential development projects including appraisals and feasibility
                                         studies, land acquisitions, rezoning, conceptual design, planning, unit design, approval processes, managing
                                         of consultants and liaison with government authorities to ensure the successful completion of these projects.

                                         email: troya@wallmark.ca

	Andrew Chan, RI Managing Broker/Owner Realtyline Andrew has been brokering residential and commercial real estate in Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley since 1989. He is President of Realtyline, a medium size full service boutique brokerage firm in Oakridge Centre, Vancouver. He currently specializes in commercial real estate brokerage services with a focus in retail and multi-family sector. He also works on project marketing, site development and hotel/hospitality brokerage. email: andrew.chan@realtyline.ca Dritan Beqo,RI Appraisser BC Assessment Dritan joined BC Assessment in 2005. He is an appraiser on IC&I and Major Industrial Properties with expertise in cost approach. Prior to joining BC Assessment, he worked nine years as a civil engineer (structural) in Europe. email: dritan.beqo@bcassessment.ca
	Larry Buttress, RI Deputy Executive Officer Real Estate Council Larry was originally licenced in 1980 and joined the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) in 1982 as Manager of MLS. He then served as Executive Officer of REBGV from 1988-1995. Larry joined the Real Estate Council in 1998 as Manager, Industry Practice and is now the Deputy Executive Officer of the Council. email: lbuttress@recbc.ca
	Daniel Chau, RI Residential Appraiser Canada Revenue Agency Daniel is a Residential Appraiser currently working for Canada Revenue Agency. Prior joining CRA Daniel worked as a a realtor, agent, and residential rental property manager. Daniel joined Canada Revenue Agency in 1999 working in Finance and Administration Division, transferred to the Real Estate Appraisal Section within the Audit Division in 2002, and eventually become a Residential Real Estate Appraiser. email: chauda@shaw.ca
	Ron Farrington, RI Senior Risk Manager, Commercial Real Estate Citizens Bank of Canada Most of Ron's career has been in commercial mortgage lending in the Vancouver market, with an emphasis on construction loans. His particular area of expertise involves resolving problem loans, including foreclosures and court ordered sales. He also has some experience in commercial real estate sales, having started (and ultimately sold) his own real estate company. email: ron_farrington@citizensbank.ca
	Richard Ho, RI Property Portfolio Manager BC Housing Management Commission Richard has been a property portfolio manager for BC Housing for the past five years. He has over 20 years experience in real estate, focused mainly on property management. He has managed commercial, residential, and strata properties and was licenced as an associate broker prior to his current position. email: riho@bchousing.org
	Brian Kennedy, RI Vice President & Regional Manager-BC Peoples Trust Company Peoples Trust is a major lender in CMHC insured muti-family products including apartment buildings and senior housing. It provides specialized single family lending for difficult deals and limited commercial lending. Brian runs the BC Region of the company and has been lending for 30 years. email: briank@peoplestrust.com
	Brian Meakin, RI, B.Comm, FRI(E) Turner Meakin Management Company Inc. Brian is the owner of Turner Meakin Management Company Inc. Turner Meakin is a small, boutique real estate management company specializing in management of commercially leased property and conducting commercial lease negotiations from small to large premises. Brian has nearly 30 years experience and has a thorough understanding of the various aspects involved not only in the property management and lease negotiation fields, but also in running a small business. email: brian@turnermeakin.com
	Gisele Sabourin, RI Regional Operations Manager - Fraser Region BC Housing Gisele has 20 years of experience working for BC Housing as a property manager and currently as a Regional Operations Manager. As a manager of the Fraser Region, she supervises 9 property managers who oversee 1700 units of Directly Managed residential family and adult (seniors and disabled) units with approximately 27 building managers and janitors, 88 group homes, and numerous non-profit societies and emerging projects such as emergency shelters and transitional housing. email: gsabourin@bchousing.org
	Samantha Sawyer, RI, B.A., DULE Valuation Consultant Research, Valuation & Consulting Altus Group Samantha is a Valuation Consultant at Altus Group Limited with over five years of industry experience. Work at Altus Group consists of preparing appraisal reports for various types of commercial real estate, including investment properties, development lands, and expropriations concerning partial takings. Experience has included financial modeling, formulating scope of work and proposals and liaising with market participants. email: samantha.sawyer@altusgroup.com
	Natalie Shaw , RI, D(ULE) Sales Associate Rennie & Associates Realty Ltd. Natalie has been selling real estate since 2004 and has been a part of the Rennie team since 2005. She has been involved in numerous development projects including Waterstone Pier by Legacy Park Lands, Water's Edge by Millenium Development Corporation and The Exchange by PCI. Natatlie graduated from UBC with a Diploma in Urban Land Economics and received a scholarship from the Appraisal Institute of Canada for high achievements in residential construction. email: nshaw@rennie.com
	Joshua Kitsul, RI, B.Com Senior Analyst Research, Valuation, Advisory Altus Group Josh has been working at Altus since graduating with a specialization in Real Estate from the Sauder School of Business, UBC in 2007. His work at Altus involves the preparation of appraisal and consulting reports for law and accounting firms, municipal and provincial governments, financial institutions and real estate investment and development companies. The focus of Josh’s work relates to expropriation valuations including a number of appraisals written for expert evidence in court. Josh’s work has taken him to different areas of B.C. including the Lower Mainland, FraserValley, Okanagan, Northern B.C. and Vancouver Island. email: joshua.kitsul@altusgroup.com Yvonne Thomson, RI Senior Course Specialist Real Estate Division, Sauder School of Business Yvonne spent over 25 years in senior management positions with a large financial institution, Her background encompasses general management, leasing, property management, asset management, development and project management of residential, industrial, retail and office properties. She is currently a Senior Course Specialist in the Real Estate Division of the Sauder School of Business at UBC. email: yvonne.thomson@sauder.ubc.ca

Victoria

Julie Caron-Gillanders , RI
Associate Broker & Manager
Duttons & Co. Ltd.

Julie has been licenced in the real estate industry for 40 years. She is currently the Associate Broker and Manager for the Property Management Division of Duttons and Co. Ltd. in Victoria. She has an extensive knowledge of the industry having worked as a realtor, managing broker, corporate executive with a franchise organization, mortgage broker, and strata/property manager.

email: juliecaron@shaw.ca

Out of Province

Neil Currie, RI, DULE
REALTOR®
RE/MAX RHC Realty

Neil has returned to his native Nelson, British Columbia and is now a licensed REALTOR® with RE/MAX RHC Realty since April of 2010.
He brings with him a Diploma in Urban Land Economics. He is the recipient of the 2009 Real Estate Institute of BC Award for his standing in the Diploma Program in Urban Land Economics.
Previously he was employed as an appraiser with Assessment Agencies in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
In addition, he brings construction experience through his participation as general contractor involved in renovation, home repair and new home construction.

email: ncurrie1@gmail.com

Geoffrey Dyson, RI, BSc(Hons), MRICS
Director of Property Development

Geoffrey originally qualified in the UK as a Chartered Surveyor and worked in a retail property development company in the UK before moving to BC. While in BC, Geoffrey worked in property management and appraisal, and in assessment appraisal, acquisition and disposal for the Provincial Government. He is now back in the UK working as the director of a property development company specializing in neighbourhood retail schemes.

email: geoffrey@malahat.co.uk

Rod Malcolm, RI, AACI, P.App
Regional Manager, Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program
Government of Canada

Rod's professional career spans 35 years, with approximately 28 years in the private sector (fee appraisal/valuation consulting) and 7 years in the public sector (Federal Government Program Delivery). Projects in the private sector focused on expropriation, litigation support, going-concern operations, conservation-oriented holdings, dispute resolution, railway & transportation corridors, and development land. Issues addressed in the public sector include: assessment challenge regarding unique & investment-oriented property portfolio, and delivery/management of federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program in Western Canada.

email: rod.malcolm@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca