Workplace of the Future and Adaptive Reuse Revolution

With more than 38 years of experience, Kay is a recognized expert on workplace design and strategy issues. She is an award-winning designer who has worked with several Fortune 500 companies to optimize their global real estate portfolios and create innovative work environments based on their unique organizational DNA. As Co-Director of HOK’s WorkPlace team, a practice that supports organizations undertaking multiple projects in various locations, and a member of HOK’s Board of Directors, Kay is responsible for helping clients redefine how, when and where their people work, and supports a holistic design approach that integrates an organization’s people, processes, and technology. She was recently selected from her field of peers to provide Congressional Subject Matter Expert Testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on “Federal Real Estate Post-COVID-19: A View from The Private Sector.” In 2020 Kay was named ASID’s Designer of Distinction for the year. Kay is considered an industry thought leaders on workplace. She has authored multiple white papers and articles on a variety of design related topics including wellbeing; next gen workforce; technologies impact on the workplace; space fusion and the rise of the human factor. In 2021 Kay was elected to both the ASID and the IIDA College of Fellows and inducted into the 2022 SCN Hall of Fame, celebrate contributions to the AV/IT industry. In 2022 Kay was recognized by both Melwood and IFMA for her continued research and efforts to bring awareness to DEI initiatives and the needs of the neurodiverse community. Kay was awarded the IFMA Distinguished Author Awards for her research and whitepapers on Neurodiversity and was awarded the first Melwood Ability Awards - Inaugural Accelerator Award for her efforts to raise awareness about the needs of the Neurodiverse. Kay currently serves on the National ASID Foundation Research Taskforce, the IWBI Health Equity Advisory Team and the Advisory Board for WorkDesign Magazine and I&S Magazine. She was recently appointed to the University of Richmond Customer Experience Advisory Board after serving two years on the George Washington University Customer Experience Certificate Program Advisory Council. During her career she has also served on the International Boards of CoreNet Global, AVIXA, and IFI - International Federation of Interior Designers /Architects, the Boards of ASID, IIDA and NCQLP and the Advisory Board of Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design and NVCC. She is an active member of IFMA and co- founder of the IFMA Workplace Evoluntionaries, WE community and serves as an Executive committee for WE. Kay is committed to mentoring the next generation of designers and as such mentors multiple individuals within HOK and across the industry. She is also a Founder of the DC Chapter of UPWARD, a global network dedicated to the professional advancement of women in the workplace. “We are witnessing the evolution of workplace, and design can be a powerful tool in that endeavor. What designers have always done well, the art of design, is being enhanced with the emerging science of design. By creating environments that support wellbeing, inclusivity and inspire those within them, we can drive powerful outcomes and create spaces that reflect our humanity. We need to design with courage to define the next generation of great places to transform the way we work, live, learn and play. We are no longer just designing environments. We are designing the experience. We need to mentor the next generation of designers to carry the torch forward.”

Rod, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Fueling Station, graduated from Queen’s University with an Honors Economics degree and began a career in marketing with package goods giant Colgate-Palmolive. At Colgate, Rod worked on several products including the flagship product, Colgate toothpaste. Shortly thereafter, he took on the investment industry, marketing commercial real estate to institutional investors with Colliers International. In 1994, he founded Channel 500, an independent, below-the-line marketing communications agency with roots in Direct Response TV, radio, print and online. Rod also serves as a director on the board of The Belinda Stronach Foundation.

Specializing in heritage buildings with modern amenities, The Commercial Realty Group owns and operates classic brick and beam office and retail buildings in the downtown Toronto core. The group recently acquired Toronto’s renowned Flatiron Building and moved it’s offices to Gooderham’s iconic red brick structure at 49 Wellington Street East. Amongst other past restoration projects The Commercial Realty Group purchased 2 Temperance Street/140 Yonge Street early in 2012 and commenced a major restoration. This project is a great example of CRG’s capabilities.

Chris G. Tambakis is CEO, North America. Mr Tambakis’ career spans over 27 years in commercial real estate, specializing in acquisitions, investment management, financing and operations of North American real estate, with a primary focus on office and mixed use projects. Mr. Tambakis has been with the Company since its inception in Canada and is responsible for all operations including development and execution of strategy. Mr. Tambakis is a graduate of the Ivey Business School, Western University. He is an active community volunteer with charities and organizations in healthcare, education, community, and the arts. Mr. Tambakis currently serves as a member of the Ivey School of Business Advisory Board and the Heart & Stroke Foundation Ontario Advisory Council. He has served on several volunteer committees and boards including recently having served as Vice Chair, North York General Hospital Foundation and Chair of the Hospital’s $150 Million Capital Campaign.

Aly leads the real estate investment business at Forum. He brings exceptional experience as a real estate investor, operator, developer, and institutional asset manager of value added and opportunistic real estate investments. Throughout his career, Aly has executed on principal investments valued over $3 billion, arranged debt financings of over $500 million, and secured over 300 leases that resulted in net operating income of over $40 million.

As a Design Principal at Quadrangle Architects in Toronto and the director of their Shanghai office, he leads teams responsible for the design of complex and sustainable projects at diverse scales. From large masterplans to midrise urban infill, his commitment to an agenda of accretive city building encompasses residential, retail and workplace uses which drive commercial objectives and are recognised for their design excellence. Understanding the importance of industry partnership and city building, Richard is currently on the advisory board of for the Urban Land Institute Toronto and is the chairman of the Canadian chapter of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. He is also currently a member of the Markham Design Review Panel and was the former vice-Chair of the Vaughan Design Review Panel. A strong advocate of sustainable design principles, Richard was one of three architects invited to represent Ontario's green build sector in the Premier's 2009 CleanTech trade mission to India and 2013 trade mission to China. In addition to city building, he is actively engaged in the design industry as mentor and leader – Richard previously held the role of Chairman of the Toronto Society of Architects and is a fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Tyler is the design research & strategy lead at figure3. He graduated with the inaugural cohort of OCAD University’s Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation program. He's been studying applied design research methods for close to two decades while working with a diverse group of architecture, design and research firms. His job at figure3 is to leverage the new science of how we experience the built environment – through the application of ‘generative design research’ – in order to help designers and their clients better understand the people we design for.

Mr. Kevin Hardy is a Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management. He is responsible for creating, executing, and overseeing the portfolio management strategy and the performance for Dream Office REIT’s Eastern Canadian portfolio. Working with the Leasing and Property Management teams, Kevin focuses on maximizing NOI, the strategic allocation of capital and enhancing collaborative working relationships with our partners. Prior to joining the company in 2011, Kevin led leasing teams for the real estate arm of a major Canadian pension fund for both office and industrial asset classes across the GTA. Kevin has over 16 years of experience in the real estate industry. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Arts, Economics degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Paul Kerr has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Scalar since he co-founded the company in 2004. He is responsible for overseeing Scalar’s operations as well as managing all corporate functions including finance, technology, marketing, and strategic planning. Under Paul’s leadership, Scalar has been able to achieve significant growth every year since founding Scalar. Prior to founding Scalar, Paul worked as Managing Partner/Principal at Enterprise Technology Group (ETG), a Sun Microsystems solution provider, where he ultimately delivered over $500M in technology solutions. His career began at IBM, where he supported the initial launch and rollout of Unix-based servers to the banking and insurance sectors. Paul graduated from McMaster University with an Honors Bachelor degree in Computer Science. He has been a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization since 2007 and is currently a candidate for the Institute of Corporate Directors’ ICD.D designation, representing his commitment to strong corporate governance. Paul is active in the not-for-profit community and is a strong supporter of a number of children’s charities. He is a major donor at SickKids Hospital, where he has made a significant multi-year pledge as part of his personal goal to raise awareness on the impact that top pediatric research can have on the lives of children.

Scott leads the Leasing and Marketing teams across Crown’s portfolio and has over fifteen years of experience in office leasing in both landlord and tenant representation. Since joining Crown in 2013, Scott has internalized leasing and marketing functions for Crown building the brand within the brokerage community and tenants as a creative partner to address tenant’s needs first. Prior to joining Crown Realty Partners, Scott was Senior Vice-President, National Director with Jones Lang LaSalle, a leading national brokerage firm and prior to 2009, a Vice President at Colliers International. Scott holds a Bachelor Arts degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He was named “winner of the 2009 NAIOP Developing Leader Award” for those 35 years or under, who distinguish themselves with great promise as leaders in the commercial real estate industry and for their community involvement. Scott is a former board member of NAIOP Toronto.

Ms. Baxter has 25+ years of experience working with businesses to implement change - from changes in real estate utilization, to changes in culture or technology. She is a client advocate who can uniquely combine the ability to recommend the strategies that drive the desired business outcome as well as have the leadership insight to oversee adoption of the change. Debbie is the Vice President Corporate Real Estate for Deloitte Canada and leads their National Work+Place practice responsible for working with clients to ideate, design and implement their Real Estate strategies. She is most passionate about the "Future of Work" - working with clients to adapt their business to the trends evident in our economy and society that will challenge our existing infrastructure and drive the need for a new way of thinking about work environments. Debbie's efforts have been recognized on a national level. In 2013, Debbie was named to the Top 100 WXN list of the Most Powerful Women in Canada in the Trailblazer Category. Debbie was also the recipient of the 2013 Clean50 award, which honors outstanding contributors to sustainable development and clean capitalism in Canada. She was also awarded the 2011 Green Living award for Excellence in Corporate Responsibility. With a background in operations and technology, Debbie is also a Certified Management Consultant, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and holds a Corporate Directors ICD.D designation.

Lisa Fulford-Roy is the Managing Director at CBRE and is responsible for leading the Workplace Strategy initiatives in Eastern Canada. With 22 years of experience in design and project leadership for many of Canada’s major corporations, Lisa’s leading-edge thinking and integrative approach to workplace strategy results in holistic client solutions with long-term benefits to the business, the brand and the employee experience. With vast knowledge and understanding of the commercial real estate market, Lisa has been a highly sought after consultant for leading projects across the industry, bringing with her a level of business development, workplace expertise and strategy which is simply unmatched. Lisa’s area of expertise is in facility and portfolio planning, occupancy strategy, workplace innovation and change engagement. She identifies opportunities and strategizes for change with the vision of the client’s enterprise in mind, further collaborating with occupants to develop innovative, business-aligned workplace strategies to improve workplace performance, employee engagement and the bottom line.