Biography

Although I was born in Montreal, my parents moved to Victoria in 1961 when I was a toddler (notice how I didn't give up my exact age? Sort of like the Oil of Olay commercial - you have to guess). We rented a house with the easiest address in the world - 1234 Beach Drive. In 1965 my folks bought a patch of earth on the top of Mt. Tolmie and built a house where they still live today. I started off at Uplands Elementary and then in Grade 7 I moved onto St Michaels. I had a great 6 years at that school with some of those teachers being more influential than those I encountered at University. I graduated from McGill University with a BA in Economics. I immediately applied my degree to the art of bagel making. In 1982 I teamed up with a friend and started Benny's Bagels in Market Square. What began as a 2 year endeavour ended up consuming our lives and over the next ten years we expanded the business to include Vancouver.

I bought out my partner in 1992 and started to franchise the concept. In 1997 the business had grown to 13 stores, with three in Alberta. The next ten years were a blur so we will skip ahead. More importantly I don't want to bore you to death. I continued with Bennys until 2006 when I sold my shares to my partner. At this point I briefly considered going back to school but decided that no one was going to hire somebody just starting a new career, who should actually be cashing in his RRSPs. Hence my career in Real Estate. I joined Newport roughly 17 years ago and have never looked back.

I am happily married and have two daughters one of whom has entered the working world and the other who is almost finished University. They are wonderful young women and as every father can attest, merrily swing me along the daily pendulum between exasperation and sublime pride (now that adolescence is over, the balance is is now tipping heavily towards pride!).

My passions include my lovely wife, Sue; all things culinary, cycling (I am the founding and only member of the Low Riders - "Low Metabolism, Low Expectations, Low Mileage"), building/tinkering (almost always badly), Cyrenian yodeling, and Oenophilia (how many of you are scrambling for a dictionary right now?). And yes, I was kidding about the yodelling. I just wanted to see if you actually read these things.

I don't know if I have a work philosophy, per se. At least, not one that I can turn into a catchy tag line. I have an abundance of business experience, limitless patience and a good sense of humour. Real estate decisions are, after all, the biggest you will ever make in your life. I will give you the best advice I can possibly give; I will never rush you to make a decision; and hopefully I will keep you laughing along the way.

MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.