Hazelview Investments founder and executive chair Ugo Bizzarri was presented with the Rental Housing Canada Lifetime Achievement Award at RHC's national conference in Ottawa last week.

The award recognizes individuals who have made an enduring impact on the rental housing sector through leadership, advocacy and a commitment to building better communities across Canada.

Bizzarri co-founded what is now Hazelview Investments in 1999, growing the firm from a domestic real estate investor and operator into a global investment management firm with $11.2 billion in AUM.

Hazelview has owned and managed approximately 34,000 rental homes across six provinces and 21 cities in Canada over that time, actively expanding Canada's rental housing supply by delivering 1,442 new purpose-built rental homes, with more than 20,000 additional units in the development pipeline.

Beyond building Hazelview, Bizzarri has served as chairman of the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) and also founded and serves on the board of the Hazelview Cares Foundation – a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities in which Hazelview operates. 

Reflecting on the recognition, Bizzarri said: "I'm deeply honoured to receive this award, and I want to be clear, everything we've built has been a team effort. Canada's rental housing sector has never been more important, and I'm proud to have played a part in its growth."

Ward joining CBRE as president of CBRE Capital

Jim Ward has joined CBRE as president of CBRE Capital and head of debt and structured finance Canada. "We are excited to have Jim join our executive leadership team and direct the continued growth of CBRE Capital and its services," CBRE said in a post announcing the appointment.

"Jim is a highly respected leader in Canadian real estate finance, with an exceptional track record of building successful teams and driving significant growth. He joins us from QuadReal, where, as Managing Director of Canadian Real Estate Debt, he and his team more than doubled their Canadian debt portfolio in just five years."

Prior to his time at QuadReal, Ward held senior leadership roles at Wells Fargo Bank, CIBC, Redcliff Realty and Merrill Lynch. He led the first-ever international expansion for Wells Fargo Bank's commercial mortgage business into Canada, and has a proven history of being a top originator and innovator in the real estate finance sector.

Kirsch resigns from Starlight fund

Evan Kirsh resigned from his role as president at Starlight U.S. Residential (Multi-Family) Investment LP, effective May 29, to pursue other opportunities. Kirsh served as president of Starlight U.S. Residential since the inception of the predecessor to the LP in 2021.

"On behalf of Starlight U.S. Residential, I would like to thank Evan for his valuable contribution throughout his tenure," Starlight Investments founder and CEO Daniel Drimmer said in a release. "Evan has played an important role for the LP since its inception."

Drimmer has assumed the role of president and day-to-day responsibilities, the release said.

Hubaczek to oversee Grosvenor's Canadian portfolio

Dominik Hubaczek has just joined Grosvenor as vice president, asset management. He will be responsible for overseeing the performance of Grosvenor's Canadian portfolio, including multifamily, industrial, retail and office properties. 

Hubaczek has a wealth of real estate experience, including managing a commercial portfolio of 4.5 million square feet in Calgary. During his time with a leading global real estate firm, he managed over $100 million in annual NOI.

Hubaczek holds a bachelor of commerce in finance and international business from the University of Alberta and earned his Executive MBA from the Ivey School of Business at The University of Western Ontario.

Fried to serve as interim CFO at H&R REIT

H&R REIT announced that CFO Larry Froom will have a reduced workload over the coming weeks as he recovers from recent medical procedures. Cheryl Fried, EVP, finance, will act as interim chief financial officer.

Fried joined H&R in 2006, and previously served as H&R's controller and vice president, accounting and was appointed executive vice president, finance in 2014. She is responsible for overseeing corporate finance, accounting and public reporting.  

Fried earned a BA at The City University of New York and holds a Chartered Accountant designation.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees and everyone at H&R, we wish Larry well during his recovery," executive chairman and CEO Tom Hofstedter said in a statement on the interim appointment. "We are confident that Cheryl will provide strong leadership overseeing H&R's finance function during this period so that we continue to execute our strategy while Larry recovers."

Blonder appointed to Waterfront Toronto board of directors 

Naama Blonder has been appointed to Waterfront Toronto's board of directors.

A registered architect, urban planner and designer focused on advancing inclusive, sustainable and livable communities in rapidly growing cities, Blonder brings extensive expertise in city planning, housing policy and urban development.

Blonder was selected following an open, transparent and merit-based selection process designed to attract highly qualified candidates with diverse expertise and leadership experience, a press release on the appointment noted.

Housing Minister Gregor Robinson made the announcement. "(Blonder's) leadership and innovative approach to creating inclusive and vibrant communities will help support the next phase of waterfront revitalization," he said.

Blonder is also a contributor to RENX's Design, Policy and Canadian Cities column.

BILD Edmonton Metro appoints Stephen Raitz as VP, policy & advocacy

Stephen Raitz (RPP, MCIP, JD) has been appointed BILD Edmonton Metro's new vice president, policy and advocacy, following a competitive national search. Raitz will report directly to the CEO as part of the organization’s executive leadership team. 

Raitz will be responsible for shaping policy positions, mobilizing member expertise and strengthening relationships with municipal partners to advance BILD’s strategic priorities.
 
“This is a critical role for our organization and our members,” Kalen Anderson, CEO of BILD Edmonton Metro, said. “Stephen brings a strong combination of legal, planning and governance experience, along with a deep understanding of the Edmonton region.”

Cronin joins Kipling Group

Conor Cronin has been appointed senior vice president – finance and accounting at Kipling Group.

Cronin brings over 10 years relevant experience to the role, having been with Fitzrovia for the last 7.5 years, most recently as VP of property accounting.

Cronin, a CPA, helped build Fitzrovia’s property accounting function across both corporate and property levels from the ground up, and has a proven track record of scaling teams, strengthening financial infrastructure, and partnering with executives to support rapid portfolio growth, an announcement from Kipling said.

"We expect Conor will be a great fit with our culture here at Kipling," the announcements states.