This Article Appears in our June 2003 Newsletter

Awards Gala - A Night to Remember

Our fourth annual Awards Gala was held April 3, 2003 in the lovely Alberta Room of the Fairmont Palliser Hotel. One hundred fifty people mixed and mingled to celebrate the success of the winners and the Calgary Apartment Association, enjoyed a delicious dinner and were thrilled with the evening’s entertainment. The Clan Maxwell Pipes and Drums performed as the audience clapped in time and the Highland dancers charmed us all! Our jovial Master of Ceremonies and Chair of the Social Committee, Sandy Mackenzie, was his usual humorous self.

When it was time for the Awards ceremony, a hush fell as the first award was announced. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Association through their leadership, dedication and commitment, have had a positive impact on the growth and successful operation of the Association and who have unselfishly given of themselves to enhance and promote the CAA. This year’s recipient was Randy Brown from Mircom Technologies, who has been a member of the CAA for over ten years, during which time he has served as a valuable member of the Board of Directors. Because of his extensive knowledge and expertise in the area of fire safety, he has consistently volunteered to serve as the Chair of the Codes & Regulations Committee, and as a volunteer on numerous committees, both locally and provincially. By doing so he has been able to stay at the forefront of proposed changes to legislation and other regulations and his input is well respected and appreciated by members of our Association.

The Safe City Award recognizes serving police officers who provide guidance, advice, assistance and leadership to the residential property management industry in crime prevention, thereby creating a safer environment for owners, managers and tenants. This year’s recipient is a 23 year member of the Calgary Police Service. Constable Gord Ehrentraut has worked in various areas of policing including traffic, school safety and Community Liaison. In this role he worked closely with and assisted in implementing the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program in Rundle Manor on 26^th Ave. NE. As a result of his efforts, police calls for service to this housing complex dropped from 33 to 4 in a three year period. He continues to work closely with the apartment communities in his area.

Due to the exceptional quality of this year’s entries, two 2003 Customer Service Awards were presented to companies who excel in their respective area of business by continually providing outstanding service to the residential rental industry. Dennis Aitken and Troy Barker accepted the first award on behalf of Peoples Trust, who were honored because of their knowledge, prompt service, follow-up and quick turn-around time. It was said “expectations are exceeded”. The second award went to Landlord 911. Barb Foster, Joe Hayston and Chris Souster, along with the Landlord 911 Team received the award because of their efficient, effective, friendly and professional service, while taking the time to fully understand the needs of their customers. They have become a very valuable source of information, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others.

The Tenant Service Awards recognize customer-focused owners and property managers who provide quality customer service to their tenants on an on-going basis. The Large Building Category was won by Christine and Jean Fournier, Realstar Property Management, who were given the award due to the dedication they have shown to their tenants and to the owners of the property. The CAA received a great many letters from tenants detailing the many ways that this couple has made their tenancy enjoyable and their lives less stressful. Winners of the Small Building Category were Shirley Fleury and Ken Tobler, Professional Land Investments, who take great pride in their work. While many of their residents have moved out of Calgary over the years, they often seek out Shirley and Ken on their return, in order to rent from them again. This couple actively participates in, and the building they manage is a part of, the “Crime Free Multi-Housing program”.

Building of the Year Awards recognize owners/managers for the performance of their duties related to the overall management and maintenance of their buildings. Entrants are judged on cleanliness, lighting, fire procedures, security, renovations in suites and common areas, mechanical room (preventative maintenance records and clean and orderly room) and occupancy levels.

Recipient of the Building of the Year Award for 13 – 49 Units was ExecSuite Inc. for their building, Sunnyside Gardens, 727 – 1 Ave NW. Accepting the award were Peter Stern, ExecSuite and Patricia Graham, Resident Manager.

Building of the Year Award in the 50 – 100 Unit category went to Krita Investments Ltd. for their building Chinook Court, 820/40 – 67 Ave SW. Donna Lewis, Resident Manager, accepted the award on behalf of Ike Kolias, owner.

Two Building of the Year Awards in the 100+ Unit category were presented. The recipient of the first award was Midland Development Ltd. for their building Glengrove Manor 215/35 Glengrove Close SW. Peter Stern, Midland Development Ltd. and Harold and Marie Underwood, resident managers, accepted the award. The recipient of the second Building of the Year Award in the 100+ unit category went to Realstar Property Management for their building Stanley Park Place, 4637 Macleod Trail South. Marie Murdoch, resident manager, accepted the award.

The evening ended with the presentation of the Gerry Lebsack Award by Lauretta Kaechele of Emerald Management and Realty Ltd., the sponsors of this prestigious award. This award recognizes service members for their citizenship, service, leadership and contribution to the residential property management industry. The award celebrates the significant accomplishments made by an individual, or deserving business from within the service sector, who has rendered a service of the greatest distinction and of singular excellence for, or on behalf of, the residents of Calgary. This year’s recipient was Sandy Mackenzie, Fire Marshal, Calgary Fire Department (retired), now sharing his vast knowledge with the company Fire Safety Services. Sandy served 25 years with the Fire Department and just recently retired. He is a devoted husband and father, active in his community and church. He has worked diligently with the DeWinton Riding Club, Millarville Pony Club, and 4H Club. He has unselfishly given many hours as a member and director of numerous boards and associations as well as lecturing on arson, investigations, cause and origin of fires. He has served as the CAA Social Director since 1999, involved in organizing our golf tournaments, Christmas Socials, and Awards Evenings. His commitment to the owners and managers of the residential rental industry is second to none. He has always been willing to share information and help educate members by voluntarily conducting seminars on disaster planning and evacuation. He developed the seminars’ presentation material which was approved for 3 educational credits by the Real Estate Council of Alberta. This was of significant assistance to those in the industry who require these credits in order to maintain their license. His knowledge and expertise has been invaluable to members.

We invite you to attend next year’s Awards Gala, already scheduled for April 1, 2004 at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel and ask that you begin to consider your nominations for next years’ candidates!

We would like to acknowledge the following sponsors. Without their generous support, this event would not have been possible.

Awards Plaque Sponsors:
Jim and Martha Walmer
Amica Mature Lifestyles
Bethany Care Society
BFI Canada, Inc.
Boardwalk Equities Inc.
Calgary Apartment Association
Emerald Management & Realty Ltd.
Home Renter’s Guide
Laird’s Flooring
Landlord 911
Trotter & Morton

Evening Sponsors
Anonymous Donor
Sylvia Barr
Berry Flooring Ltd.
Canadian Waste Services
Columbia Property Services
Creative Door Services Ltd.
ExecSuite Inc.
Gateway West Management Corp.
Hollyburn Properties Ltd.
Home Renter’s Guide
NewWest Enterprise Property Group
Peoples Trust Company
Renfrew Thompson Insurance Ltd.
Sprouse Fire & Safety (1966) Corp.

Evening Program Sponsor
Greg Martineau Projects Inc.

The excitement is just beginning for the CAA as plans for next year’s awards are already underway. Contact the CAA at 265-6055 for more information about nominations and awards criteria.

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