Canadian real estate had a winning presence again this year at the annual Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International conference and expo. Three owner-management teams and one industry executive are now carrying accolades home from Salt Lake City, Utah, after the three-day event wrapped up last night.

Bentall Kennedy (Canada), Menkes Property Management Services and Primaris Management Inc. attained top honours in the multi-stage 2019 International TOBY competition, which recognized building excellence in 17 categories this year. Winners were chosen from a slate of contenders that have already won regional and national TOBY awards — embodying the full meaning of the TOBY acronym, which is: The Outstanding Building of the Year.

Randal Froebelius, president and general manager of Equity ICI Real Estate Services, based in Toronto, was one of just three eminent BOMA members to be named a Fellow in 2019. This is the second consecutive year a Canadian has earned the honour.

“The three individuals honoured as BOMA Fellows this year have proven many times over they are exceptional leaders deeply committed to BOMA and to the commercial real estate industry,” BOMA International Chair Brian Cappelli remarked when the 2019 Fellows were announced earlier this year.

It’s also the second consecutive year Froebelius has been called to the BOMA International centre stage. In 2018, he received the BOMA International Chair’s Award in recognition of his contribution to the betterment of the commercial real estate industry. He now joins the exclusive ranks of just 50 Fellows named since 2011 and the even more exclusive group of three Canadians among them — along with Don Fairgrieve-Park, an executive vice president with QuadReal Property Group, based in Vancouver, and Kim Saunders, a property manager with East Port Properties in St. John’s.

The three Canadian 2019 International TOBY winners include:

• Park Place Shopping Centre, Lethbridge, Alberta, in the retail category. H&R REIT owns the property and it is managed by H&R’s property management division, Primaris
• AeroCentre, Mississauga, Ontario, in the mid-rise suburban office category. Menkes Property Management Services manages the property on behalf of its owner, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) Realty Inc.
• Cochrane Community Health Centre, Cochrane, Alberta, in the medical office building category. Bentall Kennedy manages the property on behalf of its owner, Grand Central Health Inc.

Buildings were assessed on their community impact, tenant and employee relations programs, energy management systems, accessibility, emergency evacuation procedures, building personnel training programs and overarching key performance indicators. An industry experts panel also visited all the finalists.

“BOMA Canada could not be more proud in offering our congratulations to these Canadian properties recognized at the BOMA International TOBY Awards in Salt Lake City. Well done!” says Benjamin Shinewald, president and chief executive officer of BOMA Canada. “Randal Froebelius’ honour was hard earned and well deserved. Congratulations!”

Canadian finalists for the 2020 International TOBY Awards will be identified later this summer when the BOMA Canada National Awards take place in conjunction with BOMEX, the Building Excellence Summit. The 29th annual BOMA Canada national event is set for September 9-11 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.