CGI CONSTRUCTORS - Key Persons
Abir is a highly accomplished accounting professional in the construction industry. She has a proven track record in financial management, strategic planning and compliance and she is central to optimizing financial operations within CGI. She has managed to navigate this complex financial landscape over many years and her focus has been precision, oversight, and best practices of the finance team that ensure the company fulfills its fiscal responsibilities while maintaining compliance with industry regulations.
Abir has worked on numerous best in class implementations including process and software integrations and has proven her ability to collaborate with project teams, providing financial insights and tools that help our operations make informed and efficient decisions.
Abir is a key member of CGI's leadership team, celebrating 25 years of service in 2024. She remains committed to supporting our clients, vendors and suppliers, and employees with financial excellence to ensure operational success.
Anthony Minniti has been a pivotal part of the CGI team for the last 17 years, having held key positions within the organization. Most recently he served as the VP of Operations: Canada. He was the founding partner spearheading the Western Canada expansion in 2007, and through the years has expanded his leadership to Canada-wide operations.
Anthony brings a balanced business approach and is a collaborative leader, ensuring our partners know that together we build; "People Building Canada" is a core value of CGI. We value our employees, subtrades, suppliers, owners, and consultants, all of whom work together to deliver the highest quality projects.
Giving back to the community is important to Anthony. He has served on the board of Vancouver Island Construction Association, Saanich Foundation, Construction Foundation BC, Cordova Bay Association, St. Margaret's School and is currently serving on the BC Construction Association. When Anthony is not working, he enjoys spending time with his two energetic girls.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development
Ben's experience spans a variety of industries, among them technology and construction. Prior to joining CGI, Ben's construction-related sales roles included Territory Manager, Senior Account Manager, and Director of Business Development, working closely with clients as a supplier, and general contractor. His focus has been championing his clients' stand-out strengths while enhancing the sales experience through client retention, extensive partnership management and acquisition, resulting in increased business revenue for many organizations.
At CGI Ben works with the Preconstruction team to drive new project opportunities. He is an available resource for existing clients while also expanding the company's customer base and market presence within several sectors, managing new builds or renovations for retail, office TI's, light industrial, warehouse, commercial, and healthcare. Ben's role also involves promoting CGI's strength of experience and superior processes to deliver complex multi-location roll outs across Canada, working closely to transition projects from planning to the project implementation team, who along with field teams manage the construction process.
Ben is passionate about his work, and eagerly connects with clients, ensuring their expectations are met or exceeded on every project.
In his personal time, Ben enjoys volunteering for business associations and within the community.
Job Titles:
- Transit & Operations / Specialist
Bilal spent his formative years in the UAE. He has diverse training. He is a Civil Engineer who has worked in diverse rolls from maritime construction to infrastructure. He supplemented his learning with a MBA in specializing in Marketing, with a keen interest in graphic design.
Bilal has worked on large scale coastal projects throughout Asia with leading multi-national design build firms. He expanded his career working on infrastructure and master planning projects in Oman and UAE, this role further developed his client relationship management skills.
His CGI colleagues would say he has a keen sense of problem solving and attention to detail, reinforced by a quiet leadership, well suited to the complex infrastructure and municipal projects he is working on.
Bilal enjoys reading & music, exploring southern Ontario, and as a new father looks forward to time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator
- Manager of Operational / Excellence
Caroline is entering her third decade in design and construction. She was inspired to become an Architectural Designer in Cape Town, South Africa and embarked on a prolific career designing and building homes and unique commercial spaces.
Caroline joined CGI as a project coordinator, her tenacity to get things done and passion to make processes simpler led to a natural transition to leadership in project excellence. She is our Procore champion and mentor/coach to the project delivery team.
The CGI team counts on Caroline's enthusiasm, someone who is always up for challenge. She is the spark and energy that gives inertia to many of the leadership teams' strategies.
Caroline is a life long photographer and collector of images. Her recent move to British Columbia offers her unlimited opportunities to explore and to step back once in a while and appreciate the perspective of life.
Job Titles:
- Area Manager for the Prairies Region
Chris is the leading force behind our operations in the Prairies region. A long-time resident of Winnipeg, Chris wears many hats from preconstruction to project closeout and brings extensive leadership experience to his role as Area Manager for the Prairies region. Chris is dedicated to nurturing an environment of success for everyone involved in projects, whether they are an owner or consultant, employee, trade partner or oversight authority; he cultivates strong relationships at all levels and stages of projects with a focus on stakeholder needs and managing client relationships.
Chris was drawn to CGI based on our core values, priorities, and people-focus. Chris began his construction career as an Estimator, and brings more than 25 years of experience to CGI. He has made significant contributions to the execution of several high-profile projects across Canada and is committed to a hands-on approach delivering projects across the finish line with a focus on uncompromising quality.
Job Titles:
- Community Leader
- Director of Business Development for Alberta
- Senior Member
Colin Tooth is a senior member of the CGI team. With 40+ years experience in the construction industry, working with clients as design builder, supplier and general contractor, he brings a unique perspective to CGI. He will work with the Preconstruction team to generate new project opportunities and be an available resource to our repeat clients. He has our client's best interests in mind to ensure expectations for every project are met.
Colin helps transition projects from planning to the project implementation team, who along with field teams manage the construction process. These projects include new builds or renovations for light industrial, warehouse, commercial, retail, offices, recreational facilities, transit centres, and schools. Colin will also highlight the strengths of CGI's experience and processes to deliver complex multi-location roll outs across Canada.
Colin is an active community leader, volunteering with charities and business associations. He will mentor our leadership team and support continued internal growth for team members.
Job Titles:
- Manager of People and Social Iniatives
Perhaps a reluctant starter in construction, Danya has discovered an industry that she thoroughly enjoys, one where she can contribute and help to shape what the construction industry looks like for employees across the country. Danya has worked for CGI Constructors since 2018, coming to us as an Office Manager, she has worked in a number of roles applying her previous experience in Administration, Hospitality, and Event Management.
As Manager of People and Social Initiatives, she is committed to learning about and supporting the many facets of construction and the people who work within the industry. Identifying ways to improve policies and procedures, bringing in new standards and best practices, teaching, mentoring and championing employees and newcomers to the industry.
A key member of the Senior Leadership team at CGI, Danya's work ethic and people skills allow her to easily connect with our employees, clients, subtrades, and industry partners. Danya established and continues to play a key role on CGI's Women in Construction Committee, she supports our community giving and social initiatives, and supports all employees on their individual learning journeys. She is an advocate for STEM learning, especially for girls and young women pursuing education and employment in traditionally male dominated fields.
Danya completed her Certificate in Human Resource Management at Simon Fraser University and is currently a CPHR Candidate.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Health and Safety
Meredith grew up in a construction family, following her mom into the industry. Meredith has held various roles within the industry including Administrative, Purchasing, Human Resources, and Marketing. Risk Management, policies and procedures, and Health and Safety are a natural fit. Meredith is genuine and reliable, which allows her to connect with construction stakeholders no matter the role -office, labourer, skilled trade, or owners and consultants.
She encourages "buy-in" and respect which contributes to building a strong culture of being people- focused, safe and high performing. She has been a leader in our COR and ISO 450001 certifications.
Currently our Manager of Health and Safety, she is working towards several safety designations to amplify her ability to positively impact safety at CGI ensuring people go home safely, everyday. Meredith enjoys the opportunity to spend time outdoors with her family at the cottage, traveling, and volunteering with several community organizations.
Growing up in what was then Czechoslovakia impressed upon Ondrej that life is "in the doing" and opportunity abounds when you have the courage to maintain your integrity and persevere together. Following in his father's footsteps, he became a Materials Engineer out of an aspiration to build enduring legacies for his community. His career led him to South Africa where, for over 20 years, he built a legacy of technically and politically challenging projects, and later to Canada where his focus remains on engaging teams to achieve the needs of his clients.
Ondrej has led our Projects teams across Canada over the last 3 years and recently took on the role of VP of Operations. He has been instrumental in our process and technological transformation towards a digital age. He strives to create a free-flowing environment on projects where people are constantly exploring ideas that add value to our clients. He focuses everyone on clearly defined goals. His structured and analytical approach applies to all aspects of operations.
Passionate about rugby (and his 2 boys who play), once a competitive skier, Ondrej takes every opportunity to hit the slopes and, when it isn't snowing, plays guitar in one of the top three garage bands on his street.
Job Titles:
- Director Preconstruction / Services
Steven has over 30 years' experience working both in England and Canada. In his youth, he chose to gain hands on experience working as a labourer, it is at this early age he caught the construction bug. Steven originally trained and qualified as a Quantity Surveyor and has worked in all aspects of preconstruction, from site-based verification of work on heritage buildings to a Senior Estimator on large projects across Canada. He leverages those experiences to help clients, trades, and consultants focus on priorities and overcome new challenges every day.
Steven continues to be inspired by the talents and curiosity of the next generation of builders as they develop their own legacies and encourages them to expand and explore their construction abilities and explore clever responses to complex issues.
Zack is a highly motivated professional with twenty years of experience in the construction industry in both commercial and industrial sectors. He has experience with all types of projects. He excels at determining practical processes for management and site teams and works hard to establish positive, strong relationships with clients, architects, engineers, trades, and vendors.
Zack's diverse background, extensive experience and exemplary leadership skills make him an asset to any project team. He is a results-oriented and proactive Project Manager with a proven track record managing challenging, multi-million dollar commercial and industrial projects. Zack is a strong communicator with a passion for quality and attention to detail on every project. His commitment to his role is reflective in the transparent nature of his approach to project management.