Meet a Member

Whether you have years of experience or are new to the industry, REIBC is your key to career advancement and connection with the real estate industry.  Professional members have achieved the RI designation, which provide employers and clients with instant confirmation of advanced levels of education and experience.

Amber Pomeroy, RI

Amber started her career in Real Estate in 2016 working for real estate developer, Polygon Homes. She worked in the Sales and Development groups for the company and gained valuable insight into the depth and breadth of knowledge needed to be successful in the industry. Her current role is Property Negotiator for the City of Abbotsford. Her educational background includes business management, urban geography and urban land economics. Amber is always looking for ways to increase her knowledge base and strives to take on challenges and grow her career.

Amber enjoys spending time by the ocean and doesn’t take the beautiful place we call home for granted. She looks forward to meeting other members and hopes you will say hello if you see her!

Michelle Chen, RI

Michelle started her Real Estate Career in 2016 as a property information collector in BC Assessment and became an appraiser in 2018. She has worked as a residential appraiser in the past three years and worked on various portfolios.  She is grateful for working in BC Assessment, who provided her with the opportunities to progress in the Real Estate field and supported her in her career development. In the past few years, she has developed her skills and knowledge in customer inquiry, sales study and analysis and attended Property Assessment Review Panel and Property Assessment Review Board.

She moved to BC in 2015 with her family. Prior to BC Assessment, she worked as a consumer and sensory scientist in Gloucester, England. Coming to Canada not only gave her a new lifestyle, but also a new career!

Welcome Michelle.

Member News

Graham Wood, MBA, RI 

In February, Graham was appointed CEO of Sacred Waters Developments (SWD), the economic development partnership owned jointly by the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo Nations.

Graham’s role reports to a Board made up from councillors for each of the respective Nations and each Nation is an equal partner in the corporation. The general mandate is to foster sustainable economic growth through the establishment of working relationships with industry partners and local governments. SWD is particularly interested in developments on lands that make up much of the shared traditional and unceded territories and participating independently as business entities or in partnerships on projects that will benefit the Nations and the community-at-large.

Congratulations Graham! 

In Memory

John Phillips
April 19, 1951 – November 11, 2022

REIBC member John Phillips passed away from a short and courageous battle with cancer of the spine and other serious medical conditions. He passed away pain free and peacefully at 8:00 on November 11, 2022 with his wife by his side. John was a devoted member of REIBC, was on the board for three years and served as Secretary/Treasurer for one of those years.

John loved being a member of the Real Estate Institute and looked forward to all the webinars, in person meetings etc. and working in land development was his favourite part of all the years of his employment.  His other big love was beekeeping and aviation.  He got his pilot’s license in his early 20’s and was a beekeeper for over 30 years.

REIBC Grapevine

So long. . .

Written by Brenda Southam

"It has been a wonderful 16 years and I am honored to have met so many of you and been able to serve as the Executive Officer of this organization.  It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, although like everything else as I reflect back, the hard times are harder to remember.  We certainly hit some valleys, no roses and the sunshine was hard to see, although  I think the organization as a whole has climbed out on top and sunshine and roses are there.  The board that serves is committed to making the RI even more recognizable and stronger by acknowledging that education and experience together are the cornerstones and not to cut corners, no matter how tempting that may be.  The membership at this organization is absolutely the elite in real estate and should never be comprised.  So now off my soapbox. . .

Thank you all for your support, the conversations that weren’t always easy, but we got through them and always found a solution or agreed to disagree.  There have been many changes over the last 15 years and I have made a number of friends. . . I wish you all the best in the future and if you ever find yourself in Saskatoon, look me up, I’ll be there!

Thank you for the contributions to the polar bear excursion.  It is a bucket list for me, and you have made it even better by helping me realize that dream! 

I want to say all the best to Chris Hamade who takes the reins over now. He will be an amazing asset to the organization and will lead it to new levels I am sure. 

I will cherish these years, they have been some of the best, and I wish you and yours all the happiness, health and laughter you deserve."

Register for our April Webinars!

Homes Equipped with Gas – What We Need to Know

Thursday, April 6, 2023 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Join us on April 6th, 2023 to learn about homes equipped with gas. Michael will outline how to talk to your clients about homes equipped with gas, their benefits as well as low carbon solutions available to homebuyers.

Present Michael Liu (Fortis BC) will speak on the topic for half an hour before moving on to questions from the audience.

REGISTER NOW

Reconciliation Training - 4 Session Training Program

April 19, 20, 26, 27, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

This highly interactive training will help REIBC begin learning our shared Canadian history, how it affects us today and why it matters. It will also cover pre-colonial Indigenous History that aides in gaining a personal understanding of reconciliation. Each trainee will have action plans for personal, as well as organizational/community reconciliation. This session will be presented by Shelley Joseph (Ladders to Kindness Training).

Sessions will take place at 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the following days:

• April 19
• April 20
• April 26
• April 27

REGISTER NOW 

Industry News

Property tour at Tsawwassen for BCIT Students

Written by Aleksey Nekhoroshev, RI

“One of the advantages of BCIT School of Business + Media Professional Real Estate Program is the ability to get real market experience by meeting with market professionals. This is what makes education exciting and helps students to feel engaged, be involved in what they believe will become their future life path, career. Hence, I couldn't miss the opportunity to make something similar for BCIT class.

I’m excited to share that earlier this year, in February 16 along with my Central Walk colleagues, we organized the site visit to Tsawwassen Mills, sharing some insights of daily duties of real estate managers in leasing, operations, marketing. We discussed current market conditions, trends & tendencies, as well as touched some specifics of retail real estate, various retail centres concepts, their collaboration with target audience.

And, of course, we made an excursion around the mall, uncovering some magic, how “shell and core” transforms into spectacular shops and galleries.

I hope class enjoyed this event, whereas for us this is a bespoke opportunity to invest in the future by sharing real estate experience with a new generation of forthcoming market professionals.

Thank you to all the Tsawwassen Mills team helping to organize this event and for taking part in it. As well as to the Head of BCIT Professional Real Estate Program Daniel John, RI, ICD.D John who strives to bring the best experience to students and make them prepared for their journey in the real estate world.”

 

Did you attend the BC Land Summit Society inaugural webinar?

It was hosted by the member organization BC Landscape Architects.  The topic was “From Mall to Amazing – The Brentwood Story”  This webinar was presented by Ian Wasson, City of Burnaby and Darren Kwiatkowski, SHAPE.  Each member organization will be holding a webinar over the next year leading up to the Land Summit which will be held in Nanaimo, BC, May 8th – 10, 2024.

The members of BC Land Summit Society include:

The Appraisal Institute of Canada – BC

The British Columbia Institute of Agrologists

The British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects

The Planning Institute of British Columbia

The Real Estate Institute of British Columbia

The conference is held every 5 years and is the premier collaborative conference providing interdisciplinary education, professional development, training and networking opportunities for professional practitioners in filed related to land and land use in BC. 

Check out the website at https://www.bclandsummit.com/ for more information and watch your inboxes for the next webinar hosted by member organization The Appraisal Institute of Canada- BC.

Webinars

Bytes & Mortar – the Evolution of property technology in the real estate sector – March 2, 2023

On March 2, 2023 we were joined by Jon Burbee, RI, Ben Cooper and Namrata Sheth for a discussion about property technology.  There was great discussion and questions from the registrants.  Three things to consider as we move forward in this space:  1. PropTech is here to stay.  Pay attention to it, learn about it and partner with those that can assist you with it.  2.Prepare.  There will be an onslaught of technology as we must be prepared.  Do the assessments, ensure you know what to expect.  3.  Collaborate:  ensure all folks that will be impacted are involved in the preparing and that everyone is engaged from IT to operations to cybersecurity.

Thank you to Paul Richter, RI for moderating the session. 

The Workplace Implications of Drug Decriminalization – March 30, 2023

On March 30, 2023, Janna Crown and Maggie Campbell from Roper Greyell joined us in a webinar to discuss the topic of drug decriminalization in the workplace. The webinar focused on addressing common misconceptions around the issue, clarifying that the issue at hand is impairment from drugs or alcohol, and not the legal use of drugs or alcohol. They also discussed the parameters around the exemption of drugs, which is set to expire in 2026, and explored why employers may want to consider having a drug and alcohol policy. The webinar also provided insight into what such policies can entail, as well as what they cannot. The speakers also provided guidance on when testing for drugs or alcohol is reasonable and acceptable and highlighted the "Duty to Accommodate" and "Duty to Inquire" and when they would be triggered. Overall, the webinar provided valuable information to employers about navigating drug decriminalization in the workplace and the importance of having clear policies and procedures in place.

REIBC Events

Homes Equipped with Gas – What We Need to Know
Thursday, April 6, 2023, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Now

Reconciliation Training – 4 Session Training Program
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 20, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 27, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Now

Metro Vancouver Industrial Lands Program
Thursday, May 11, 2023 – 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Now

REIBC 2023 Awards Gala
Thursday, June 15, 2023 4:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Mark your calendars – Registration opens soon!

An Economic Update with BCREA's Brendon Ogmundson
Thursday, July 20, 2023 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Now

Career Postings

Managing Broker - Coldwell Banker Kamloops Realty

Board of Directors, Katzie Development Corporation - Katzie First Nation

Lease Analyst - Ministry of Citizens' Services

Property Negotiator I - Vancouver Parks Board

Property Valuator Negotiator 1 - City of Burnaby

Property Officer II - City of Kelowna

Senior Property Negotiator - Metro Vancouver

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