Tara Piurko, partner in the commercial real estate group at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto, is the first Canadian elected to serve as CREW Network president.
“I’m honoured to be the next president of CREW Network, an organization that has played such an important role in both my personal and professional life,” Piurko said. “For the past 10-plus years, I’ve seen the true value of what can happen when professionals in this industry connect and engage in a meaningful way. It is time for us to grow those connections and increase our engagement—across state, provincial and international borders—and cement CREW Network’s role as the network of choice for professionals in the commercial real estate industry.”
Piurko specializes in and leads Blakes land development, real property assessment and taxation, and municipal law subspecialty. She has been a member of Toronto CREW since 2007 and has held various leadership positions since 2009. Piurko was elected to the Toronto CREW Board of Directors in 2012 and in 2014 served as president. In 2017, she was selected by her peers for inclusion in the 12th Edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in Municipal Law.
“CREW Network is experiencing tremendous growth and momentum and our voice is being heard,” Piurko stated. “People are noticing and our industry is noticing. I look forward to working with the 2018 board to deliver what our Network needs to continue on our mission. Together, with our members and our industry partners, CREW Network will continue to offer and enhance our platform of opportunities and tools for our members and industry partners to engage, connect and advance the achievements of our members and, in turn, our industry.”
The announcement was made at the 2017 CREW Network Convention and Marketplace in Houston, Texas, where three other commercial real estate leaders were named to the 2018 CREW Network Board of Directors.
They are Holly Neber, CREW Network President-Elect and CEO of AEI Consultants, an employee-owned international real property consulting firm, Tiffany English, principal at Ware Malcomb, an international design firm and Barbara McDuffie, managing director of business development for the tax and assurance group of Baker Tilly, a U.S. accounting and consulting firm.
