BAKER REAL ESTATE INCORPORATED - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance
- Team As Controller
Ali Panju joined the Baker Real Estate Team as Controller in autumn of 2019. He is a CPA and brings with him a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the Baker team, he worked in public accounting in audit and tax. Ali's role at Baker Real Estate makes him responsible for overseeing the financial reporting of the organization, reporting to Senior Management, and preparing budgets and forecasts.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Project Manager
Ammy began her career at Baker Real Estate in 2019. Through her previous position as a project administrator, she has completed a great amount of administrative work while acquiring extensive knowledge and technical skills in real estate development. Ammy holds an Honours Bachelor's degree of Environmental Studies in Urban Planning at the University of Waterloo. Having experiences in land development and urban design through her education, she has been distinguished as a great team player and has proven ability to develop synergetic relationships with key stakeholders.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Project Manager
Andy brings to the table more than a decade of experience as a New Construction Marketing professional, a Platinum Agent and a sought-after Sales Team Leader. His expertise includes strong relationships with many developers and top-producing agents in Toronto. His passion and enthusiasm for the industry fit well with the Baker corporate philosophy. Previously, Andy was running the sales and marketing for numerous iconic projects. A multi-faceted professional, Andy was a top producer on numerous projects in the city before joining a sales and marketing firm in the pre-construction industry. His diverse knowledge base and experience on the broker side uniquely qualify him as a critical member of the Baker team.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Project Manager
Angus began his career at Baker in 2021 as a Project Administrator, while achieving his Honours Bachelor degree in Geography and Political Science, with a certificate in Urban Planning. Since joining Head Office as an Assistant Project Manager, he continues to utilize his knowledge from his extensive portfolio of sites, as well as his education to improve project operations and offer valuable contributions to new and existing projects.
Apolonia joined the Baker Team part time in 2010 and has since worked in a number of administrative roles. In the spring of 2021 Apolonia joined the Baker team full time as an Assistant Sales Manager and has a strong command of account management operations, customer relations, business/sales development, program oversight, and administration. BComm degree graduate with core expertise in successfully maintaining superior customer relationships and providing outstanding leadership to surpass service expectations. Adept at leading customer service initiatives and managing client communications to continuously realize improved customer service, satisfaction, and loyalty. Her proven track record of success and consistency throughout a variety of cross-functional roles makes her an asset to the team.
As CEO and Partner, Barbara is the driving force behind Baker, opening new offices and leading major sales and marketing campaigns for the company in North America and International real estate markets.
She joined Baker the week we were founded in 1993, and has been instrumental in realizing our vision ever since. Her passion, determination and steady hand has inspired our team to help sell over $83 billion in new home sales, and make her the prominent female voice in the industry.
Her achievements have been recognized by the industry across the country. Barbara was an honoree at the BISNOW Toronto Power Women, and a panelist at the Key Media International Conference. She is a past recipient of the prestigious Riley Brethour Award by BILD, which recognizes her outstanding and consistent achievement in residential sales and marketing, while exhibiting exemplary leadership skills. Barbara is a Registered Real Estate Broker and a Fellow of The Real Estate Institute of Canada.
A thought leader in Canada and beyond, Barbara continues to write weekly columns for various publications and blogs, forging her reputation as The Condo Pro. Her charismatic style and tremendous knowledge make her a highly sought-after seminar speaker and a respected and impactful industry voice.
Ben joins Baker with nearly 20 years of real estate research experience in North America. He has established himself as an industry expert, and a go-to source for the latest information and insight on the GTA housing market. His professional career includes stints at the largest market research company serving the US homebuilding industry at the time, the research arm of a new home sales brokerage, and he currently owns a successful boutique residential consulting firm in Toronto. Ben was also a member of the urban economics team at Clayton Research Associates in Scarborough, specializing in residential demand studies, and served as the Editor & Executive Vice President of a Toronto-based condominium apartment data tracking firm Urbanation Inc. Ben is also co-host of the wildly popular Toronto Under Construction podcast.
For over a decade, Carol has specialized in pre-construction homes in the Greater Toronto Area, demonstrating expertise in both low-rise and high-rise developments. Her unique ability to blend creativity, strategic thinking, and operational knowledge has resulted in the creation of comprehensive and effective real estate sales programs that cover every aspect of the sales and marketing process.
Through her compassionate approach and unwavering pursuit of success, Carol has established a strong network of enduring relationships with top developers, brokers, and industry professionals. These relationships have played a crucial role in propelling her career forward and achieving her current position as Sales Director at Baker Real Estate. As Carol embarks on this new chapter, she is eager to take on new challenges and make significant contributions to Baker Real Estate's continued success with her team.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Project Manager
Cassie is an ambitious and dedicated professional with extensive experience in administration, project management, and event planning. Born and raised in the Philippines, Cassie moved to Canada in 2012. Cassie started her career at Baker Real Estate Inc. as a part-time weekend general administrator in 2017. To stay abreast of the current trends in the market, she pursued a Special Events Planning Diploma and has developed her skills in project management.
Her passion for learning new things is evident in her desire to grow and gain more experience. She believes that this will enable her to share her knowledge with others and lead them to success. As an Assistant Project Manager, Cassie is keen to find processes that improve team efficiency. Her ability to build relationships with key contacts has proven to be a valuable asset in achieving this goal.
Cassie's greatest strength is her reliability. She is committed to delivering on her promises and ensuring that people trust her to get things done. Her attention to detail and passion for learning new things has allowed her to grow and gain more experience, which she is always eager to share with others. We are delighted to have her expertise at Baker Real Estate Inc.
Debbie joined Baker in 2010 with a wealth of experience in project sales and marketing, including 17 years at Intrawest. Responsible for sales at both the Tremblant-Quebec and Blue Mountain-Ontario resorts, she and her teams sold well over a billion dollars worth of real estate. Prior to joining Baker, Debbie was VP of Sales & Marketing for Sotheby's International Realty Canada where she was responsible for the execution of all sales and marketing strategies for an impressive portfolio of prestigious development projects globally. Debbie is currently responsible for Baker Real Estate's Montreal division; Immobilier Baker.
As President and Partner, Harley has been pivotal to the success of Baker, ensuring that our clients benefit from cutting-edge innovation, tried-and-true strategy and unique insights. Harley's leadership skills, strategic vision and deep roots in sales guide our senior management team. But Harley also takes a direct and active role in increasing each client's top line. He guides operations of sales and marketing for developments, establishes and manages sales offices and, of course, proudly sells out condominium projects.
An extensive resume includes record-breaking sales success in different markets, making Harley uniquely qualified to continue Baker's premier positioning in Canada. He worked as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a well-known international development company, as well as a Toronto-based real estate consulting firm that implemented marketing and sales programs for multi-family projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. This level of experience brings a developer's mentality to his role at Baker - and to our clients' developments.
Harley also leads Baker's drive to remain Canada's - if not the world's - technological innovator in real estate marketing and sales. His extensive background developing software systems forms the backbone of our sales lead generation and database management. His knowledge was especially critical during the 2020 pandemic, helping advance our online presentation and selling facilities to accommodate demand.
Job Titles:
- COO
- Chief Operating Officer of Baker
As Chief Operating Officer of Baker, Jean Marc oversees all aspects of the delivery of Baker's premiere, market-leading services to its clients and is accountable for ensuring the smooth performance of Baker's Operations. This includes ensuring excellence in delivering value to Baker's clients and promoting the continuous improvement and scalability of "The Baker Way" in close collaboration with all teams.
Jean Marc joined Baker in January 2023, bringing with him a wealth of strategy execution and scale-up operations experience from a variety of senior roles in Management Consulting, Private Wealth Management, and Banking across Europe, Latin America, and Canada. With an engineering background and an unrelenting enthusiasm to understand how anything works to then figure out how to improve it, Jean Marc has developed a people-first approach to organizational problem-solving and driving positive change.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Training & Staffing
Johanna Gonzales is a dedicated and accomplished professional with a remarkable journey at Baker Real Estate. Commencing her tenure as a part-time Administrator in 2017, she swiftly demonstrated her commitment and enthusiasm for the real estate industry. Johanna's genuine passion for attending property launches and immersing herself in the intricacies of the field propelled her to ascend to the role of Head Administrator in 2019.
In 2022, Johanna's career path took a strategic turn as she transitioned into her current role as the Manager of Training & Staffing. This pivotal shift ignited her passion for recruiting and training development within the real estate realm. Johanna's expertise in these areas has since become a cornerstone of Baker Real Estate's success. With a distinct talent for identifying individuals possessing exceptional skills, she is unwavering in her commitment to guiding them towards prosperous careers in residential pre-construction administration.
As the Manager of Training & Staffing, Johanna injects enthusiasm and vitality into the recruitment process. Recognizing that the ideal candidate transcends mere qualifications, she adeptly seeks individuals who resonate with Baker Real Estate's vision and uphold its values. Her ability to forge connections and gauge alignment ensures the development of a harmonious and purpose-driven work environment.
Fueled by an unwavering determination to effect change, Johanna's journey serves as an inspiring testament to her persistence and dedication to excellence. Her capability to inspire and elevate her peers makes her an invaluable asset to Baker Real Estate, while her fervent passion for the real estate sector continues to steer the company towards ever greater achievements.
With nearly a decade of industry experience and 9 years of holding his real estate license, Jon Carlo is a seasoned professional who brings a wealth of expertise and accomplishments to his role in the real estate industry.
Driven by a relentless commitment to excellence, Jon Carlo is dedicated to achieving outstanding results for his clients and team. From conducting in-depth demographic and market analysis to crafting thorough pro forma pricing strategies, floor plan review and understanding of legal contracts and addendums, he possesses a comprehensive understanding of the factors that drive successful real estate transactions.
With experience of overseeing the recruitment and training of administrative staff, he ensures that his teams have the knowledge and tools they need to provide excellent service. His leadership and advice have created solid and effective work environments, resulting in more simplified operations and increased production.
As I.T. Manager Jose is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Baker's IT department. A main part of which is deploying instances of Baker Tech across all projects countrywide, a critical contribution which leads to successful launches and keeps Baker Real Estate at the forefront of the industry and ahead of its peers. Since joining the Baker team in 2013, Jose has proven to be a keen problem solver and team player who will do whatever it takes to ensure Baker's success.
Kathy, Senior Project Manager, joined Baker in 2003 bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the Financial Industry and as an entrepreneur owning a successful giftware business.
With a family to care for, she started as a Site Administrator at Russell Hill, Bellair Gardens and Kilgour Estate. However, Baker Real Estate Incorporated recognized her potential and convinced her to join Baker Head Office to assist with project management.
As Senior Project Manager, with over 55+ projects to her credit, Kathy is involved in all aspects of the sales process from inception to completion.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Project Manager
Katie has over 8 years of senior-level professional managerial work experience in reputable organizations. She had successfully achieved the goals to expand various companies with her leadership skill in supervising business operations with proactive business and marketing strategies.
Katie holds an Honours Bachelor's Degree from the University of Toronto and a 3-year Advanced College Diploma with Honours from George Brown College.
Job Titles:
- HR Director / Broker Manager / CCO
Baker Team Member since 2008, Kim holds the positions of Director of Human Resources, Broker Manager and Chief Compliance Officer.
With decades of successfully selling real estate as a Broker, a strong work ethic and a never-ending affinity for learning, she applies herself to these roles with a positive and collaborative approach and oversees the compliance of regulatory requirements and internal procedures and policies.
Kim's penchant for giving back also shows as she has represented Baker on various committees with TRREB and BILD.
Kimberly joined Baker in 2007 and has exhibited extraordinary drive and dedication. Through her commitment in a variety of roles, she has risen through the ranks to become Sales Director. She is uniquely qualified for this position, as she has always been quick to assume additional responsibilities. Throughout her career in operations and administration, she has been instrumental in the success of some of the GTA's fastest-selling and most-talked-about projects. Kimberley has directed the operations of many successful pre-construction launches, resulting in over 10,000 unit sales. Now, she oversees the operations of sales administration and working with senior management in the implementation of sales and marketing strategies for preconstruction projects across the GTA.
Krystal has been with Baker Real Estate since 2019 in her role as Marketing Manager. She is responsible for Baker's Marketing initiatives, specifically Baker Real Estate's online digital presence. She graduated from George Brown College with an advanced Diploma in Graphic Design. Krystal brings with her over 10 years of pre-construction sales and marketing experience. Prior to working with Baker Real Estate she worked directly with many prominent developers across southern Ontario to launch pre-construction condo projects.
Lisa began her career in 2001 where she worked in pre-construction high-rise development. After several years focused on the construction and development side of business, she parlayed her career into sales and marketing. Lisa has been successfully selling and marketing pre-construction real estate for Canada's largest and most prestigious development companies for well over 20 years. Along with representing multiple international projects, her expertise also lies in marketing projects overseas successfully managing sales initiatives in Asia, UAE and the United Kingdom. Lisa has successfully sold billions of dollars of pre-construction and continues to be a key consultant on many of the top sites in the GTA. Lisa is a multi-award winning member of the Baker team with numerous industry accolades won both in Canada and on the international stage. Lisa most recently won sales team of the year at the prestigious National Awards.
Lisa joined the Baker team in 1999 starting out as the full-time receptionist. Having graduated from college as a Certified Dental Assistant, Lisa has strong multitasking skills and attention to detail. After 8 years in this role she was looking for a change and found Baker Real Estate. In 2003 she graduated onto an administrative role. Today as senior administrator, with over 20 years experience she brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the day to day operations of the company. She is a key player in assisting and supporting management with reports, research, data entry, preparing documents and various other duties.
Following the completion of her studies in law and economics, Marianne earned a position at one of Canada's top law firms where she was involved in corporate mergers, acquisitions & residential and commercial land transactions. After 5 years in the legal field, Marianne's career migrated into the world of pre-construction real estate. During this time Marianne has worked with many of the GTA's top developers and builders executing against their key strategic projects. As a result of her involvement with these projects, Marianne established strong relationships with the top pre-construction brokers in the city. Marianne has lead the successful launches of several hundred million dollars worth of both low-rise and high-rise real estate. Her drive, determination and proven results earned her numerous awards including Gold and Silver National Awards for sales team of the year and the 2020 BILD Award for best sales team, high-rise.
Nick brings over a decade of real estate development, advisory, and brokerage experience in Canada and the U.S. to his role as Research Analyst.
Prior to Baker, he worked with several distinguished developers sourcing site acquisition opportunities and leading project pro forma analysis and deal underwriting. He has also worked extensively with one of the top commercial real estate brokerages in the GTA on a multitude of advisory projects and research and analysis initiatives.
His deep understanding of development economics and refined analytical skillset, combined with Baker's leading-edge data, enable him to provide valuable insights and support to internal and external stakeholders.
Nick holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from the Schack Institute of Real Estate at NYU, and an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University.
Renee started at Baker in 2017 as a Project Administrator before joining head office in 2021 as an Assistant Project Manager. She possesses extensive administrative experience, and excels in creating and implementing sales office procedures. She is a dedicated team player with great attention to detail and an asset to the Baker Team.
Sofie brings nearly two decades of industry expertise, stemming from her dynamic journey that began in 2005 with a prominent high-rise developer. Sofie has a background in Political Science and Marketing and from her early days as a marketing assistant, and project administrator to her ascension as a sales advisor, sales manager, and interior décor manager, Sofie has curated a wealth of experience across diverse domains. Her multifaceted roles have equipped her with a holistic and comprehensive understanding of pre-construction development. Her extensive knowledge of the market, project operations, and legal agreements enables her to navigate seamlessly from project conception to completion. Her proven ability at assembling high-performing teams and fostering relationships with Real Estate professionals and clients alike, allows her to bring a blend of expertise and assurance that elevates any project she undertakes.
Solidad Manalo joined the Baker Real Estate Accounting Team in 2006 and with her dedication, strong work ethic and eye for detail her role naturally evolved to Accounting Manager. Her responsibilities include overseeing the daily operations of the accounting department, such as payables, receivables, payroll and more. Solidad is currently attending Humber College for her Accounting Certification.
With over two decades of technology expertise, Uday brings a wealth of experience to the table. His professional journey encompasses diverse roles, including software developer, technical lead, business analyst, project manager, product owner, and product manager. Uday's educational foundation includes a Master's in Computer Applications, and he holds esteemed certifications such as CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner) and POPM (Professional in Product Ownership Management). Notably, he has also completed the rigorous Ontario HLLQP license and is currently pursuing a Real Estate Salesperson License.
As our Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Uday Vellore plays a pivotal role in our organization. His responsibilities span a wide spectrum, from developing the company's technology strategy to ensuring alignment with business goals. Uday evaluates and implements new systems and infrastructure, always seeking competitive advantages through innovative technologies. He collaborates with various departments to ensure efficient and profitable utilization of technology. Uday Vellore also monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) and IT budgets, making data-driven decisions to enhance technological performance. His leadership, strategic thinking, and excellent communication skills provide a technological edge to our client offerings.
Vanessa is dedicated to producing highly effective pre-construction sales strategies for developers of varying project sizes. Her proactive approach originates from over 15 years of industry experience and determined confidence. Her focus on elevating success is driven by a commitment to business development, inspiring and empowering her team creating a culture of distinct superiority. Relationships with clients, Brokers and industry leaders are strengthened by her ability to craft programs that reflect the brand, articulating a unique selling proposition resonating with homebuyers. With her extensive background in sales and marketing she consistently delivers exceptional results and added value to clients.