HSN_August2015

Hill Street

news ISSUE 46 | AUGUST 2015

Developing a DesigNATION Our Corporate Accounting department is home to some of the brightest young finance minds in the province, and a big reason why can be found in Harvard’s role with a new training program.

Summer of Success

Employee Spotlight

Round two of our partnership with the United Way’s “Summer Success” program is in the books and we look back at the impact our employees made in the lives of young students.

We travel to the heart of oil country and try to keep up with the fast-paced schedule of HPMI Property Manager Laura Sharen.

Welcome to

The Hill Street News

Another summer at the Hill Companies is nearly in the books. Join us as we look back at some of the incredible stories, events, and projects we tackled over the summer of 2015, and what we have on the horizon for the fall.

in this issue...

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Message From Mo Editor’s Message The Conscious Corner Cover Story - Developing a desigNATION Remembering our “Summer Success”

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Employee Spotlight - Laura Sharen

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Corporate Updates

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Faces in New Places

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Groundbreaking News

ON THE COVER: Management and employees of HDI’s Corporate Accounting team.

Back Row (l-R): Gary Thiel, Terry Downie, Pauline Wagner Middle Row (l-R): Anna Hui, Sanam Amirli, Cassandra Endicott Front: Ting Meng

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Message from Mo Mo Bundon

In 1991, Harvard welcomed Blair Forster to McCallum Hill Real Estate. At that time, we had a small leasing team under the leadership of Casey Steinson. Blair had great success with leasing however it didn’t take long for us to realize Blair’s keen interest in real estate development. It’s been Blair’s ability to build strong relationships with joint venture partners along with his overall development intuitiveness that led him to the position of Vice President of Development.

Fast forward almost two and half decades under Blair’s leadership, Harvard has grown into one of Western Canada’s leading development companies. Under Blair’s guidance, Harvard’s development expertise increased, the projects grew and we gained a reputation as a partner that can deliver.

In 2012, Blair established his own company, Forster Projects. Over the past three years, Blair continued his role of Harvard’s Vice President of Development alongside growing Forster Projects. As of August 30th, Blair will end his Harvard working career; however, our relationship with him and Forster Projects will not end. Blair will continue to identify new projects and Harvard will continue to be a JV partner, and together, Harvard and Forster Projects will continue to grow our retail portfolio. In addition, our existing JV projects of Seasons, Westerra and Aurora are far from over and we will continue to work with Blair on their success. As such, some of you will still see him in the office on occasion.

Blair’s earlier days with Harvard. Pictured (from left) with Paul Bourassa, Terry Downie, Blair (Center), Steve Enns and myself.

Blair and Steve Enns at the Grasslands Groundbreaking Event in 2010

Please join me in thanking Blair for 24 years of being a dedicated employee and trusted colleague and wish him well as he continues his journey with Forster Projects.

Mo Bundon Senior VP and COO Harvard Developments Inc. The retail and residential gurus of Harvard Developments and Harvard Communities led by Blair Forster (pictured center).

Editor’s Message Rosanne Hill Blaisdell

In this edition of the Hill Street News, we see continued success within our businesses and amongst our staff.

We celebrate new life and grieve the loss of life.

We acknowledge and appreciate, contributions, endings and new beginnings.

Behind all of these words are a foundation of people, our Hill Companies family, with a can do attitude and the divine gift of a blessing or two.

Life and work are fraught with trials and tribulations. In the course,..Murphy's Law always finds a way to show up as well. We all know it's how we process, accept and emerge from difficult situations which determine whether we will be successful and find peace. The prescription is all too easy to write, but oh so hard to execute and stick to.

This little quote inspired me at least for today: "This day is so much more than 24 hours! It's a cache of positive possibilities and a fountain of bountiful blessings and a brand new chance to get started, start over or do something that matters to you. Whatever happened yesterday, today just shrugs that off. And today gives us all that for free."

Anonymous Happy reading!

Rosanne Hill Blaisdell Managing Director, Harvard Buildings VP Leasing, Harvard Developments

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The Conscious Corner: Stillness is....”Meditation” Yoga is one of the modern world’s fastest-growing health and fitness activities according to William J. Broad, author of “The Science of Yoga”. A unique stillness occurs in the gentle aspects of yoga; with its array of stretches and deep breaths… it has proven to be a kind of oxygen for the modern soul.

Can we perhaps experiment with the idea that, “Stillness and Meditation” go hand in hand? Conservationist, Paul Gruchow, describes stillness as “a place where there are no words spoken… a blissful quiet place that invites us to relax.”

My personal take on meditation is that it’s, “a permission and a space” that allows for stillness with no interruption. For example, when I was a little girl, my mother would daily announce, “I’m disappearing to meditate, can you please leave me alone for 20 minutes.” I did not have a clue what this meant, but by her calm and relaxed appearance in the kitchen shortly after, I knew it must mean “Something GOOD.” Metaphorically speaking, someone once compared our racing thoughts, to sitting on the back of a runaway horse. Can we allow ourselves the consideration of this particular practice and its health benefits in rescuing the untamed mind? But, one may say…

“I am far too antsy to sit still while focusing on my breath in meditation, while my brain is racing with the fact that my in-laws are arriving tonight. Have no fear… help is on the way!

Media’s most popular Medicine Man, Dr.Memhet Oz, has created what he calls…“A Fast Track Guide to Meditation.” He states, “mini meditations work for the busy, and the skeptical… rewarding you with focused, mental strength to get through your hair on fire life.” Research shows benefits start happening after minutes, not hours.

“Meditation isn’t complicated”, says Oz. “No incense, no nonsense. Think of it as a practice for being a better you. Try on the next 3 ideas to sneak serenity into the blizzard spaces of your life.”

By January Hill

The Dr. Oz recipe begins with these 3 basic, mini mediations. First…place your mind on a simple word or object perhaps, a soft lit candle.

Next…focus on just your breath as it enters your nostrils…and again as it slowly leaves. When random thoughts show up, take note to gently let them go… and return to your rhythmic breath.

Mini-Meditation #1: For instance, walking to and from work. Draw your attention to the act of walking. Take a few breaths. Notice your feet coming in contact with the pavement. Your leg muscles are activated. When natural distractions happen, simply acknowledge them and bring your focus back to your body. “This ‘solo walking’ trains the mind to stay, in the present moment, says Dr. Oz. Mini-Meditation #2: Constant traffic and red lights aren’t something we can do anything about, says Dean Sluyter, author of “Effortless Meditative Practices”. Instead of grumbling while stuck at a light, consider using those 25 seconds to check into your calming breath.

Feel your hands softly touching the wheel. Sluyter reminds us, “You can’t mess mediation up. Every time you connect to your breath, you neutralize and release the emotional charge of sitting in the darn traffic.

Mini-Meditation #3: The perils of shallow breathing are many! Linda Stone, a technology consultant says, “It’s easy to fall into ‘Email Apnea’ in front of our computer screens. Long hours of shallow breathing, constrict our entire circulatory system.” She continues to say, “Those thousands of pings, buzzes and ringtones on our phones and computers explode a stress hormone into our body known as dopamine. This chemical makes us edgy, cross-eyed and worst of all, we STOP breathing. I suggest a bumper sticker that reads, STAND UP NOW… START BREATHING AGAIN! One of WestJet’s safety protocols says it all…”You have to put on your own oxygen mask first, before you can effectively help anyone else.”

So my friends just think of “Stillness-Meditation” as “the oxygen” for your mood, but more importantly for your mind.

desigNATION Developing a

by: Matt Geiger

I’d like to begin this story by posing a relatively simple question; what is our product? Being as we are a largely diverse group of companies, the answer to this question will largely depend on who you ask. If you speak with our real estate team, the answer will likely come back as space and service, whereas our broadcasting stations may answer with entertainment and advertising. In the end, the answer to this question is a long list of correct answers which is essentially why we are successful in business. When you dig a little deeper and ask this question to Harvard’s corporate accounting department, you’ll unearth a completely new response and hear about an incredible program aimed to develop our greatest product of all….our people.

The world of corporate accounting is an industry unlike any other in today’s business setting. New industry standards, regulations, and reporting requirements are constantly being introduced making it one of the most challenging areas to work in. Finally, take in account the multiple businesses in various geographical locations and you begin to see the desire for top-level talent within our corporate accounting department.

It is here, out of this desire, that amazing things are starting to happen thanks to a new partnership between Harvard and CPA Saskatchewan that is mutually

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beneficial for our employees and our future. Toplevel talent in the accounting world largely revolves around achieving a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) Designation, a prestigious honour that is earned by students who complete a series of modules and exams in order to prove one’s understanding of accounting principles and practices. But on top of this, the student must also complete a period of practical workplace experience, which is where Harvard comes in. In partnership with CPA Saskatchewan, Harvard’s Corporate Accounting division has developed training positions that are pre-approved by CPA Saskatchewan.

So what does this mean for Harvard and our employees? Harvard is now able to better support our future CPAs as they earn their practical experience requirements right here at Harvard. Most importantly, they can gain their required practical experience with a higher degree of certainty and in a more effective and efficient manner. The key to the program is the establishment of structured training positions that test the student’s competencies in areas such as taxation, finance, audit, financial reporting, governance, professionalism, problem-solving and decision-making. Thanks to our capacity and diversity, Harvard is able to offer this complete package of training (along with financial support) to our students that may not have been available to them elsewhere.

Although the program is still in its early stages, A prominent Christian minister named Myles Munroe positive results are already being seen. Three once said, “True leaders don’t invest in buildings. They members of our corporate accounting team; Ting invest in people. Why? Because success without a Meng, Anna Hui, and Sam Amirli are currently successor is failure. So your legacy should not be in enrolled in the CPA certification program, with a buildings, programs, or projects; your legacy must be fourth (James Nixon) in people.” Although the original planning to enroll in “Working for Harvard provides me with a great context of his message may not the near future. “The opportunity to pursue my goal in obtaining a CPA have been intended for busiworkplace experience designation” ness, I think we can all agree I’ve received with Har- that it is entirely fitting for the vard during the CPA -Sam Amirli Hill Companies, and especially program has been our accounting colleagues. The great, and definitely tangible products we are ashelped me develop my skills as an accountant,” sociated with may come and go, but if we continue to says Ting Meng, who is nearing completion of the invest back into our greatest product – our people – program. “Harvard’s support and training has been there is no limit to how far our company (and our eminstrumental in helping me take the next step in my ployees’) legacy can go. professional career.” Sanam Amirli, a second year accountant with Harvard, is another of our bright For more information on the CPA designation program accounting minds just beginning the certification please visit cpacanada.ca program. “Working for Harvard provides me with a great opportunity to pursue my goal in obtaining a CPA designation,” says Sanam when asked about her view on the program. “This has enabled me to gain a significant amount of practical experience, which has not only helped me professionally, but As Canada’s business and accounting designation, just about any business career path isopen to CPA’s. also acts a great guide in working through the CPA Private and public organizations from Fortune 500 to non-profits all require the CPA skill set. CPA’s are also program as I can tie in what I do daily at the workwell-equipped to be entrepreneurs. place with what I am studying” Seeing this type of success story, both through the eyes of our employees and those who have worked so hard to implement this program, really hits home one of the values our company prides itself on. “There may be no better example of the Hill Companies overall commitment to the growth and development of our employees than with this program,” says Terry Downie, Vice President of Finance for the Hill Companies and one of the architects in bringing this program to fruition. “It’s been a long road to where we are today, but it’s all worth it to see our employees grow and develop as a result of this program. And now that we have the Saskatchewan program up and running, we may look to approvals in other provinces where we have accounting personnel if the need arises.”

“There may be no better example of the Hill Companies overall commitment to the growth and development of our employees than with this program”

- Terry Downie

Not only are the potential opportunities unlimited, so is the potential income. The average annual CPA salary in Canada is around $121,000

Benefits of Harvard being a CPA pre-approved training office: * EFFICIENCY - There are significantly fewer reporting requirements in the pre-approved program for future CPAs and their employers. * RECRUITMENT - The program can act as a powerful recruitment tool for hiring future CPAs * Certainty - Practical experience is completed within 30 months.

Harvard recognizes the value that CPA’s add to our organization, and thus are willing to help our employees earn their designation by providing outstanding training and financial support along the way.

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“summer success” REMEMBERING OUR 2015

Well everyone, I have some good news and some bad news to share with you. Let’s get the tough stuff out of the way first. I hate to break it to you all, but the Labour Day Long weekend is now behind us meaning we are on our final days of wearing shorts, firing up the barbecue, and seeing any sort of green for a while (save for our lucky colleagues down south). Yes, the seasons of change are slowly creeping up on us and soon we’ll be entering into the pumpkin-spice era of Autumn, followed closely by the chilly chapter of old-man Winter. Now let’s get to the good news.

Even though it’s almost gone, the summer of 2015 will surely go down as another incredible chapter for us at the Hill Companies - full of events, projects, and community programs that made a difference in our respective communities. So before we put a bow on the season, let’s look back at one program in particular that made the summer of 2015 a huge “success”, both for our employees and for young students in our community.

As some of you may recall from last year, members of our Regina’s offices took part in a new pilot program with the United Way dubbed “Summer Success”. This program involved our employees heading out to local inner-city schools throughout the summer and reading/interacting with some of the community’s most disadvantaged kids. The end goal of the pilot program was to make headway in stopping summer learning loss, referred to as “the summer slide”, that kids suffer from when they don’t stay mentally active over the summer months.

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When all was said and done, the results of the 2014 program came back as a resounding success and set the bar for what could be accomplished in 2015.

The answer was simple. We knew from our work last year that many of these kids were from incredibly challenged backgrounds, some of which had never been outside the six-block radius from their home or school. So how cool would it be to invite these students to our own “classroom”, and have them come for a downtown tour of our buildings and see the city of Regina from our perspective. After some discussions with the United Way and the school board, all was set for the kids’ downtown visit with the theme of “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.” When this summer rolled around, Harvard was once again proud to jump on board for round two of this program and to try and make this summer even better than the last. It was also great to hear that the number of school’s enrolled in the program had doubled from the year before so things were already off to a great start. Our Regina offices (HDI, HPMI, and HWI) were all excited to provide volunteer help to the program, as well as backpacks of school supplies and GoodFood boxes for all participating students and their families. But the big question for Harvard was “How can we make this program better and give these kids something they’ve never experienced before?”

Our first tour was with the faculty and staff from Albert School, and right from the kids’ first steps off the bus, you could see the excitement and complete curiosity written all over their faces. During the short walk over to Hill Tower I, you could hear the students trying to guess how tall the buildings were and where they were headed. Once we entered Hill Tower I, we immediately took our new buddies up to our offices on the 20th floor to explain what we do and check out some stunning views from the top of the Regina skyline. The kids’ jaws hit the floor as they looked out over the city and tried to pick out landmarks they had recognized. Following this tour, we then had the chance to read “When I Grow Up” by Mercer Mayer and talked with our students about their own dreams and visions of when they grow up.

Our second tour, with the students of St. Augustine school, was a carbon copy of the first visit as the kids marvelled at the height of the buildings and the commotion of people in the streets. But this visit had one special surprise….With the weather’s cooperation, we were lucky to take the kids up to the rooftop patio of Mosaic Tower at Hill Centre III – the tallest building in Regina – for a first-hand view of what it’s like to literally be on top of the town! The looks on their faces was priceless as they ran across the patio, pressed their noses to the glass, and pointed to the tiny specks of people below. Judging from the smiles on their faces, it was evident we had indeed succeeded in providing these kids with a new learning experience and a message that you can go anywhere and do anything if you put the work in and dedicate yourself.

Pictured left: a young student from St. Augustine School looks out over the city from the rooftop of Mosaic Tower Pictured below: kids from Albert School try to spot their school from the 20th floor office of Hill Tower I Pictured bottom left: Sanam Amirli (HDI Regina) helps her Summer Success student draw what they want to be when they grow up.

Pictured bottom right: Lex Kress (Western Surety Regina) with her reading buddy from our visit to Albert School.

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EMPLOYEE S P O T L I G H T LAURA SHAREN

This month’s edition of the Employee Spotlight comes to you from the heart of oil country and the city formerly known as the “City of Champions”, the beautiful Edmonton, Alberta. The birthplace of Canadian stars such as Michael J. Fox, Nathan Fillion, and Mark Messier, Edmonton is also home to Harvard Property Management star Laura Sharen, who is approaching her ten-year anniversary with the company and quietly carving out an incredible career as a Property Manager.

As a Property Manager, Laura plays one of the most dynamic and important roles within the Harvard Property Management business. Laura is entrusted with her client’s greatest asset – their property – and counted on to look after the day-to-day operations of their site. Now although this explanation may sound simple, the actual role of a Property Manager is anything but. Within any given day, Laura can find herself dealing with a shockingly wide range of tasks which include: dealing with tenant questions/issues, handling contractor negotiations and project updates, maintenance requests, approving invoices, preparing budgets and financial statements, ensuring rents are paid/collected, and reporting regularly to the property landlord. Honestly, this list could probably go on for days, and really makes you appreciate the ability Laura (and all our Property Managers) have for multi-tasking and dealing with a seemingly never-ending stream of tasks. But if you ask Laura, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “You know, one of the things I love most about my days here at Harvard is that no two days are ever the same,” says Laura. “I love the challenge that comes from not knowing what to expect next.”

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Property Manager HPMI Edmonton

Laura’s journey in Property Management has been a relatively smooth road, although it hasn’t been without its own share of detours and stops along the way. Prior to joining Harvard, Laura had already gained a wealth of experience in the industry through her time with Bentall Kennedy – a real estate investment and management company serving Canada and the Pacific Northwest United States. But, it wasn’t until a decision was made to switch gears and join a local nonprofit that would ultimately round out Laura’s skill set as a professional. “Before I came to Harvard, I actually had the chance to work with the YMCA for five years”, recalls Laura.

“At that time, the Y was really big on training and customer service, so it really helped me develop those skills that I use each day in my role today.” Following her stint with the YMCA, Laura was unsure if she wanted to step back into the real estate ring, but thank god she did because her next step was into the welcoming arms of Harvard Property Management.

Despite Laura’s past wealth of real estate experience, her early days at Harvard were spent in more of a “training” atmosphere as she was eased back into the industry with the role of Assistant Property Manager. Licensing regulations had also come into effect during her five-year absence, meaning Laura would have to acquire her real estate license prior to becoming a Property Manager. However, under the guiding presence of one Tony Prsa, Laura successfully obtained her real estate license during her first year and was finally back in the driver seat as a Property Manager. Now eight years down the road, Laura looks back on this time and sees how Harvard differentiates itself from other real estate companies. “ For anyone looking to work in real estate, it’s so important to find a company that will provide the mentorship, training and

tools necessary to succeed….which is what I found when I came to Harvard. The combination of support, atmosphere, and the family values make it THE BEST Property Management company I’ve ever worked for.”

“If I wasn’t working in real estate, I’d definitely be working with animals,” says Laura. “I actually started out taking veterinary classes in University and have a Science degree in Zoology –Wildlife Management so I could see myself having a dog rescue or something like that.”

Life for Laura today is as busy as its ever been. Her portfolio of managed properties now sits at 16, following the It’s long been said that it takes a very special person to recent addition of the Crestwood Shopping Centre to the succeed in real estate. Now, take it a step further and company mix. The third-party look at how special a perowned property is a 27,000 “.... one of the things I love most about my days son must be to succeed in sq.ft retail shopping centre here at Harvard is that no two days are ever the the industry’s most dynamthat has three buildings and same. I love the challenge that comes from not ic and challenging role…..

21 tenants. Her other properThis is Laura. For nearly ten ties include some commercial knowing what to expect next.” years, we (and our third office and condo sites, alparty owners) have benefitthough most of them are retail. - Laura Sharen ted from her people skills, Besides her already built propexperience, leadership and erties, Laura is also starting overall guidance in managto take an interest in the construction and development ing and growing our property and watched her flourish aspect of our real estate business. “I’m involved in a couinto a true star of the property management business. ple construction projects and have been attending construction meetings and overseeing start-up operations … which is something I really enjoy.” Lastly, Laura is also taking courses to obtain her Associate Brokers License, Congratulations Laura and thanks for all that you do! which will complement her existing RPA (Real Property Administrator) and CPM (Certified Property Manager) designations.

Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending time in her garden, reading, biking, snowshoeing and travelling with her husband. One other thing you may not know about Laura is that she has a true passion for animals, one that almost took her on a completely different path early on in

FAST FACTS Favourite TV Show: BIG BANG THEORY Favourite food: SUSHI First purchase if you won the lottery: HOUSE IN THE BAHAMAS AND TOFINO Favorite Vacation hotspot: THE BAHAMAS If you had to live at one of your properties for an entire week, which would you choose: “CRESTWOOD SHOPPING CENTRE BECAUSE IT HAS THREE RESTAURANTS AND TWO CLOTHING STORES!” One person you’d like to meet (living or dead): CHARLES DARWIN Who’s better looking - Steve Enns or Tony Prsa: “WELL THEY’RE BOTH INVOLVED IN SIGNING MY PAYCHEQUES SO I’M GOING TO SAY IT’S A TIE!”

Corporate Services by: Lauretta Beliveau

Wow! August sure flew by and it’s crazy to think it’s already September! However, we are all still enjoying holidays, ice cream and the sunshine.

So what’s new with corporate accounting?...

• Many of the staff are just wrapping up the June 30th six month financial statements that were due to the bank on August 31. Once this process is complete we will then start on the five-year budget process.

• We are now paying our American vendors through ACH process (the US version of Electronic Funds Transfer). Great job to everyone involved in making this happen.

• Cathy Donald is continuing discussions with various banks on setting up electronic deposit scanning. We currently only have CIBC set up with this procedure. As banks move forward in electronic banking, we look forward to bringing additional banks online in the future.

• Sophie Nathanail recently spent a week in Calgary working on Harvard Broadcasting’s internal audit.

• We are proud to welcome Jalynn Jansen, a Paul J Hill School of Business Cooperative Education student to our team.

Jalynn joined us September 1st and will be with us until April 29, 2016. We look forward to having her on our team.

• Ting Meng is busy preparing to write The Common Final Exam (CFE) in September for her CPA designation. This three-day examination requires candidates to demonstrate depth and breadth in technical and enabling competencies in accordance with the CPA Competency Map. Ting will be the first Harvard employee to write this exam. Congratulations Ting, we wish you all the best as you prepare and write. After successfully passing the CFE and 30 months of practical experience, Ting will obtain her CPA. You can read more about the CPA program and Harvard’s involvment on page 6 of this edition.

Not only is Ting an accounting wiz, she is our little spitfire on the 21st floor. On Tuesday, July 21st, Ting accomplished something some of us have nightmares about. ...freefalling from the sky! Ting recently took part in a skydiving tandem jump out of a plane 6,500 feet above Moose Jaw. We are very proud of you Ting.

Spirit and courage, she definitely has. Who would have thought she was a daredevil!? A video of Ting’s jump can be viewed on UCONNECT, under the Employees Downtown Regina community. She is already talking about her next jump……solo!

• Once a month, the Corporate Accounting team gets together for a lunch date. We all take turns in choosing the venue, and July had us head over to Coney Island Poutine Café on Albert St. WOW what a menu! You name the poutine, they have it. I think we all needed a nap after the portion sizes we consumed......but we highly recommend this venue.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

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Harvard Property Management By: Natalie Whelpton, HPMI Regina

Fall is just around the corner and for those of us in Saskatchewan, we have had to struggle with the fact that the Riders have only won one game. It may not be the beginning of the calendar year, however many people feel a sense of possibility and inspiration come September. There is something about fall that feels like a fresh start. Now that vacations and backyard barbecues will soon be coming to an end, everyone can head back to work, regroup, and look forward to what is next. The pleasant sense of new beginnings and hopefully, a string of wins for the Riders will be upon us in the near future.

The last couple of months have been relatively quiet throughout Property Management. Our teams have been focusing on carrying out the 2015 business plans and projects, budgets and planning for 2016.

In early July, Edmonton was pleased to welcome Esther Dsouza to Laura’s team in the role of Administrative Assistant.

Congratulations to Tony Prsa and his team for acquiring a new management contract for the Crestwood Shopping Centre recently purchased by the Wheaton family. On August 1, HPMI commenced management of the 27,570 square foot West Edmonton property that consists of a 2 storey office/retail building, a single storey building and a stand-alone TD Bank structure. Crestwood brings the total number of properties that Laura’s team manages for the Wheatons to 7 (5 - Edmonton/2 - Regina).

It is always a pleasure to acknowledge property management employees who have reached a significant milestone in their length of service with the company. In July and August these are Theresa Johnson (HPMI-Calgary) and Chris Johnson (HPMI-Regina) achieved 5 years; Julie Dagostine (HPMI-Winnipeg) reached her 10th anniversary at 201 Portage; and Timothy Ruten (HPMI-Winnipeg) was congratulated for 25 years of service at 201 Portage.

As summer nears an end, it’s the perfect time to get outside and appreciate these last nice, warm days to the fullest!

Theresa Johnson

Chris Johnson

Crestwood Shopping Centre E D M O N T O N, A B

Julie Dagostine

Tim Ruten

“The Crew” Break Through at 2015 Regina Dragon Boat Festival Speed and rythm were the name of the game earlier this month as “The Harvard Crew” hit Wascana Lake to compete in the 2015 Regina Dragon Boat festival. Made up of employees, friends and family from our Regina offices, this year’s team welcomed some new shipmates from Harvard Western Insurance which helped bolster an already formidable lineup of paddling stars.

On race day, mother nature threw her best at the Harvard Crew with gusting winds, rain, and chilling tempertatures; but, in true Harvard fashion, the crew banded together and conquered the racetrack en route to their best finishing times yet. Three cheers for the 2015 Harvard Crew!!

The 2015 Harvard Crew (L-R): Back Row: Josh Tystlandvik, Quinn Mclellan, Garion Carlson, Kale Havervold, Steve Shelest Middle Row: Victoria Gabel, Ray Morton, Corrine Johnson, Tina Svedahl, Madison Dufault, Chris Johson, Matt Geiger Front Row: Sarah Grismer, Jenn Morton, Craig Parisien

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Western Surety by: Lex Kress 2015 has been an economically challenging year for the Canadian economy, with the Canadian dollar dropping to its lowest point in over a decade and oil prices severely diminishing. The economy is fairly uncertain; the drop in oil prices is affecting Alberta the most, but will have a trickle effect on all of Western Canada.

With that said, Western Surety’s total premiums written to June 30th, 2015 are up 10% over the same period last year. Many of our biggest contractors from coast to coast have been successfully securing very large projects and the three WSC offices are all contributing to the premium increase. Right here in Saskatchewan we will see the construction of the Southeast Regina Bypass that will connect Highway 1 East to Highway 33 in the vicinity of Tower Road; valued at approximately $1.88 billion dollars! Others include the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan which will be located in Saskatoon at approximately $250 million and the North Battleford Hospital at $100 million. Projects continue to get “bigger and better” and joint ventures and P3’s are being used more to accommodate the larger capacity.

Joanne Gartner celebrated her 35 year anniversary with Western Surety in May. She is also excited to be entering her next phase of life come September, as she will be retiring!

We wish to congratulate Joanne on 35 years of work and wish her nothing but the best for her retirement years. Enjoy it Joanne, you deserve it!

We are very pleased to announce the promotion of Greg Salmon to Regional Manager effective January 1, 2015. Greg is overseeing the British Columbia region. Greg joined Western Surety Company in January, 2010 as a Surety Trainee and he has been a valued member of the WSC team for the past five years. He graduated from Queen’s University in 2001 and received the ACSB designation from the University of Toronto and the Surety Association of Canada in 2012. Greg recently completed the CMA SLP program. This fall he will be awarded the CPA, CMA designation. Congratulations Greg on a well-deserved promotion and obtaining your CPA, CMA designation.

Western Surety welcomed Abbie Treslan as our 2015 Summer Student. Abbie started with Western Surety on May 4th, 2015. Abbie has completed her second year of studies at the University of Regina, Paul J. Hill School of Business. She is an avid ringette player, so good in fact that she was a member of Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games this past February. She is also a member of the Business Students Society working on the Marketing Committee. We have enjoyed having Abbie working with us over the summer months. Her last day was August 28th.

We wish her all the best as she heads back to school in the fall to take on her third year in the Business Administration program.

Jason Berkan has been working with Western Surety Company for the past three years in a contract capacity working on our software development. We are pleased to welcome Jason on a permanent basis as IT Manager as of August 4, 2015. Jason will continue to manage our internal database system, website and software. Jason obtained a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Regina in 2009. Jason has more than 19 years of experience developing software. Jason and his wife Sandra are kept very busy at home with their four young boys! Welcome to the team Jason, we are happy to have you as an official Western Surety employee.

Unfortunately, we have to announce that Kelly Sluth will be leaving WSC after ten years of employment (within two terms with the company).

Her last day will be September 30, 2015. Speaking on behalf of the entire staff, we wish her well in her future endeavors and sincerely thank her for her time spent with us. She will be missed!

The last half of 2015 is sure to bring more excitement, growth and challenges; we are prepared to face all of them head on with our strong reliable and dedicated employees.

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Leasing News

By: Nicole Templeton, Mike Alport, Gail Auriti, Dan Woychuk and Cam Costley

REGINA: The following lease transactions have occurred during the last three months: Stantec will be moving into the new Agriculture Place office building in 2016 after its premise is fit out for 10 years. The professional consulting, engineering, and architecture firm will be leasing 41,750 square feet on the 3rd, 4th and a portion of the 5th floor.

Greystone Managed Investments has renewed its lease in Park Centre for another 5 years. They have expanded over the past few years and now lease 45,777 square feet of the building.

Hospitals of Regina Foundation has signed on for 5 more years in its 2nd floor Hill Tower I location for 5 more years. The Foundation leases 4,005 square feet.

Stapleford Medical Clinic has renewed its lease at Normanview Crossing for a 10 year term. The term will be commencing this fall and the tenant will be undertaking minor tenant improvements. Stapleford occupies 10,447 square feet.

We are also pleased to announce that Famoso Neopolitan Pizzeria opened its doors on August 17th in newly finished space on the main floor of Hill Center Tower II. Famoso is a fast causal licenced restaurant that serves authentic Neapolitan pizza. The pizzas are baked in 90 seconds at 900 degrees Fahrenheit in a large wood-fired oven that is displayed in an open kitchen layout. The space includes a separate entry from 12th avenue as well as a 30 seat patio. Harvard Property Management Inc. did a fantastic job to provide excellent service in assisting the tenant during its fixturing period as the space was converted from a bank into a full service restaurant. We are very excited to welcome Famoso into our downtown portfolio. Please drop in and check it out, it is highly recommended!

A closer look at the interior of Famoso, Hill Centre II’s new main floor restaurant.

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Retail Leasing News By: Dan Woychuk, Cam Costley

THATCHER CROSSING - MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN Residents of Moose Jaw will soon have a new dining experience to enjoy when Montana’s Cookhouse opens in late 2015 or early 2016 at Thatcher Crossing.

Montana’s is part of the Cara group of restaurants with an outstanding track record of successful operations across Canada.

CURRENTS OF WINDERMERE - EDMONTON, ALBERTA Currents of Windermere continues to grow and a number of retailers are opening soon.

Two new buildings are now complete in the Urban Village component and total 30,000 square feet. Carters, Believe Fit, Home Envy, Mastermind Toys, Rogers, Mucho Burrito, Frilly Lilly, Little Leaf Baby, Modern Sole, Massage Heights and J.Lea Fashion are either open today or will open later in the year. Only one vacancy remains in this project. A third new building of 8,900 square feet is well under construction soon with Red Robin Gourmet Hamburgers secured as the main tenant, along with Cora’s Breakfast and Lunch and Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop.

At the Currents Professional Building, Investors Group has signed a lease for 8,200 square feet.

WINDERMERE CROSSING - EDMONTON, ALBERTA BMO has signed a lease for a new 3,500 square foot branch and drive-thru. Construction is now underway and we are anticipating a Spring 2016 opening.

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GRASSLANDS - REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN Grasslands continues to evolve into what will soon be one the most interesting, exciting and unique developments in Saskatchewan and Western Canada.

The focus for 2015 and 2016 is the launch of the Urban Village. Very few open air retail projects feature a “Village” with upscale public amenities and highly walkable spaces. In the case of Grasslands, Harvard will deliver an added “Mixed Use” component of three levels of residential apartments over our first retail building in the Village! There is no question this will be a highly sought after project for retailers and residents alike.

The Leasing of the mixed use, “Village” component of Grasslands continues with strong retailer interest. This north west quadrant of the site is scheduled for a Fall 2016 opening and will contain a unique mix of local, regional and national fashion and fashion related retailers. Two larger fashion anchors are expected to make commitments soon with announcements expected to be made in October this year.

Willow Park Wines and Spirits is now open! A Grand Opening Gala is planned for September 11th so be sure to check out their vast selection of wine and spirits. As well, Willow Park has a regular calendar of events, specials and activities planned for the wine and spirits enthusiasts. It promises to be a great addition to the already stellar mix of stores at Grasslands.

We look forward to bringing you more retailer announcements soon!

URBAN VILLAGE

Grasslands’ latest retail opening....welcome Willow Park Wines and Spirits!

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Planning continues for a new 1,705 acre neighbourhood north of the Greens on Gardiner in South East Regina. The major landowners are working with urban planners and engineers to develop a master planned community with a regional retail center named Aurora located at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Tower Road. Background engineering studies, and community stakeholder engagements are ongoing as the submission is prepared for the City.

For more information visit, ShopatAurora.ca Harvard Developments’ latest joint venture project, Westerra, is the first new mixed use neighbourhood approved for development in the City of Regina. Situated on the west side of the city between Courtney Street and Pinkie Road, Westerra will be a 490 acre “complete community” with a mix of residential, retail and commercial uses.

A Minor Concept Plan Amendment and the re-zoning of the first phase of Westerra was approved by Regina Planning Commission on August 5, 2015, and then passed by Regina City Council on August 31, 2015. The city’s approval of engineering plans is expected this fall.

Topsoil stripping for the initial stage is now complete, and Sask Energy is on site upgrading their infrastructure to accommodate for the new community. A Westerra site office has been located on the site and will soon be open to the public. Installation of major sewer and sanitary services is anticipated to commence in October 2015. Commercial and multi-family parcels, as well as residential lots are expected to be serviced during the summer of 2016, with residential show homes opening in the fall of 2016.

For more information visit, WesterraRegina.ca

Horizons is the retail portion of Westerra and will feature large format retail, a community retail shopping district, and boutique shops on Main Street. Horizons Main Street compliments the pedestrian friendly design of the Westerra community and achieves the “LIVE, WORK, SHOP & PLAY” nature of the overall project.

For more information visit, ShopatHorizons.ca

Seasons continues to generate substantial tenant interest in all aspects of the project. Our joint venture with Ivanhoé Cambridge for the construction of a 400,000 square foot enclosed fashion outlet mall is progressing nicely. The outlet mall is approximately 65% pre-leased to an array of an elite group of fashion retail tenants. Construction is anticipated to commence within the next 90 days for a spring 2017 opening. On the balance of the site, we have secured a hotel, two luxury automotive dealerships and have sold approximately 19 acres of land to three residential developers. Leasing on the balance of the 50 acres of land is ongoing; however, tenants are reluctant to fully commit until they know the exact opening date of the outlet mall. Site servicing is underway for a completion date in late summer of this year.

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Harvard Broadcasting

Station Updates

Message from Cam

By: Cam Cowie - Vice President and COO, Harvard Broadcasting

In the sexy new digital world of clicks and views and likes and search optimization, where analytics abound, it’s comforting to know that good old fashion boring broadcast Radio and Television, still do what they do best … produce measurable results. What better case study to reinforce the results of broadcast media than one that measures the measurer of the broadcast industry. In the summer of 2014 BBM Canada rebranded to Numeris. To help facilitate the rebrand, BBM member stations provided radio and television ad time to help raise awareness for the new brand. The results were outstanding, the NEW Numeris brand supported only by broadcast radio and television, within a year, almost doubling the awareness of the decades old BBM brand. Below … The following article appeared in the most recent Numeris quarterly newsletter Audiences Count – “it is a testament to the power of television and radio and their ability to reach Canadians”......

“Numeris, Our Name is Numeris.

Last summer when our organization rebranded, we completely broke from the tradition of BBM and we did not know what impact this might have on respondents’ participation in our surveys and meter panel. As a result, it was critical to raise awareness of our new name among the general population, and to measure its recognition among respondents. The importance people assign to survey requests is based on three main components of persuasion: 1) 2) 3)

topic (i.e., personal interest in subject matter) sponsorship (i.e., survey conducted by a well-known organization) incentive (i.e., acknowledgment for participation)

Following our two branding campaigns (in Fall 2014 and Winter 2015) we completed studies tracking respondents’ level of awareness and compared them with the benchmark study done in 2013.

Findings shown below indicate that the campaigns in radio and television were very successful.

• • •

BBM Canada June 2013 – 25.5% Numeris December 2014 – 32.7% Numeris March 2015 – 47.9%

Verbatim evidence was also collected by the Respondent Contact Centre during the campaigns.

Hundreds of records contain anecdotes like these: “Thought ad was very funny… (I don’t) normally answer these kinds of calls but did due to name recognition”; “Only answered (the phone) due to hearing ad on radio learning the importance of what … (Numeris does)”.

We are extremely pleased with not only our new brand, but the success of the two advertising campaigns. It is a testament to the power of television and radio and their ability to reach Canadians.

We would also like to recognize and thank our broadcast members for their donation of the radio and television ad time. Without their generous support we would not have been able to mount such successful branding campaigns.”

HOT 107 & 95.7 CRUZ FM - Edmonton, Alberta| Melanie Raessler

On June 8th, Edmonton was riveted by the news of an Edmonton police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty.

The EPS wives started the Blue Ribbon Project as a way of showing support for the EPS. HOT 107 & 95.7 CRUZ FM both got involved in spreading the word on the air and by tying ribbons to trees and poles outside the studio building. The whole city got behind this initiative and soon Edmonton was covered in blue ribbons. The stations used their digital billboards to show our support for the #EPSstrong campaign.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFAWkjABbvI

The Edmonton Food Bank made a cry for help as they were struggling to keep up with the needs of local families. 95.7 CRUZ FM & HOT 107 launched a “Stuff the Studios” campaign and hosted a competition to see which station could collect the most food. Listeners were invited to bring their donations for a chance to win tickets to one of two sold out concerts .... AC/DC or Taylor Swift. Our stations collected a total of 1854 lbs of food & $500 cash! CRUZ raised the most amount of food - 1080 lbs, resulting in Ryder from HOT 107 having to eat beans for a week.

96.3 CRUZ FM - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Zoe Vassos | For a year second year, 96.3 CRUZ FM teamed up with Cameco for the annual “Cameco Cares Concert Series”. This concert series will run through to 2017 with funds being raised each year for a different hospital foundation in Saskatoon. The 2015 edition of the concert series featured CRUZ FM core artist and crowd pleaser “Huey Lewis and the News”, a band that has not played the Saskatoon market in over 30 years! The Delta Bessborough Gardens was host to a sold-out crowd of 3,400 people on a hot July evening. Through ticket sales and other generous partner donations, the event raised $227,00 for the Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation. Cruz is excited to continue this partnership with Cameco for the next 2 years.

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MIX 103.7FM & 100.5 CRUZ FM - Fort McMurray, Alberta | Marshall Whitsed |

MIX 103.7 & 100.5 CRUZ FM, as official media partners, have spent more than a year in preparations for the most northern CFL game in history. June was all about the Northern Kickoff and the opening of fabulous Shell Place! Festivities included April Wine on the 100.5 CRUZ FM stage, and the MIX 103.7 Dance Cam during the game. Football fans and listeners played “MIX Mash for Cash” (to win gift cards) or “Name That Hit-on Tour”.

Lest you think it’s all fun and games, we had to bid farewell to a big part of our team recently, as Office Manager Ashley Driscoll departed for Ontario. Taking her place is a fairly new resident to Fort McMurray, Anita Nevis.

100.5 CRUZ FM kicked off their big summer promotion with a bang, crashing the first of a series of listener parties that will be crashed over the summer. Listeners enter the “Party Crashers” contest online and tell us why their party should be crashed. Along with visits from our CRUZ announcers and Street Team, winners also receive a brand new BBQ, mini-fridge and $250 gift card from Canadian Tire, as well as food from Dirty Dogs Delicious Catering! The response for this first time promotion has been fantastic and winners love having their party crashed!

MIX 103.7 has also been in high gear with their big summer promotion “Stick With MIX”. Each day, if a listener is the first to find us around town with a MIX sticker, they automatically win a prize and are entered into our monthly grand prize. This campaign wrapped up in August and the big prize was tickets for two to the Austin City Limits music festival, including hotel and airfare!

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GX94 & FOX FM - Yorkton, Saskatchewan | Kelsey Liebricht

One thing GX94 looks forward to every summer is the GX94 Backyard Concert. This year we were more than happy to have our 2007 GX94 Star Search Champion, 2 time Juno Nominee & CCMA Female Artist of the Year, Jess Moskaluke perform! We headed to a farm 30 minutes east of Yorkton where Jess put on an amazing private concert & GX94 put on a BBQ for our winner and her closest family and friends!

On July 11, FOX FM proudly supported Trooper Live in Swan River, MB. FOX FM’s Will Alexander hosted a Pre-Party before the concert and later emceed the concert.

X92.9 - Calgary, Alberta | Ginette Ouimet

On June 5th, X92.9 treated 60 lucky listeners to a “Private Secret Show” featuring the Canadian band METRIC. Hosted at the Big Secret Theatre, the band performed a half hour acoustic set of their biggest hits.

X92.9 was live on location from the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth – The Calgary Stampede from July 4-12. Listeners were invited to stop in at the Bud Light Zone for a chance to win great prizes including tickets to XFEST! X Afternoons with Beckler & Seanna and weekend host Graham Mosimann were live each day!!

X on Demand gets a new look this summer with the Mortal Songbat Weekends. Starting at 3pm on Fridays, two Songs enter, one song plays. Who wins depends on votes via X on Demand. Cast your vote at x929.ca or via our app. Each weekend will feature a new battle such as Covers Vs Originals, Live Vs Studio, U.S vs U.K

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104.9 THE WOLF, 620 CKRM, MY92.1 - Regina, Saskatchewan Tom Staseson MY92.1 was the media partner for the 2015 Champagne Classic Golf Tournament. This annual Women’s Golf Tournament raises money to support the Pediatric Unit at the Regina General Hospital. MY92.1 has been the media partner for the past 10 years and MY92.1’s Rustie Dean was the emcee for the evening wrap. This year’s event raised more than $40,000.

On Friday June 19th, 104.9 the WOLF helped to raise more than $70,000 for the Shooting Stars Foundation during the 9th annual “Sticks on Rose” street hockey charity event. Held on the street in front of Harvard Broadcasting’s downtown studios, the tournament consisted of local hockey icons Jordan Eberle, Jamie Heward, and Mike Sillinger, as well as some of their closest NHL friends. All the funds raised will be distributed to Regina children’s charities.

620 CKRM is always front and centre at the Craven Country Jamboree and has been since 1983 when the first ever Big Country Jamboree was founded by 620 CKRM. In addition to our long partnership with CCJ, 620 CKRM is able to encourage the development of Saskatchewan musicians through our “Proudly Saskatchewan Talent Show Case” and get them on the main stage to perform to a huge Jamboree audience.

Harvard Broadcasting Regina would like to welcome Meaghan Willis to the HBI news department. Meaghan comes to us from Edmonton. She loves to cook and read, and looks forward to forgetting about her hometown Eskimos!

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Faces in New Places Noticed a new face around the office? check out our newest additions to the Hill Companies family below and welcome them to the team next time you see them!

Travis Stewart FOX FM Mid-days HBI Yorkton

Ryan Young FOX FM News HBI Yorkton

Client Services Rep HWI Broad Street

Anna Marcial

Client Services Rep HWI East

Josie Balka

Faizi Vejdani

James Meyer

Jason Berkan

FOX FM Evenings & Weekends HBI Yorkton

FOX FM Nights HBI Yorkton

Sheila Wallace

Accounts Payable Adimin Clerk

HPMI Regina

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Ina Beingessner

Client Services Rep HWI Normanview

IT Manager Western Surety

James Nixon Accountant HDI Regina

Groundbreaking News

Congratulations to Aase Deveaux (Executive Assistant, HDI) and her family on the arrival of little Tori Lou Gordon Choquette. Tori arrived early on July 25th and weighed in at 8.4lbs.

Congratulations to Kyle Sawatzky (GX94 & FOX FM Broadcast Engineer) & Wife Chantel, who tied the knot August 8th.

Congratulations to Kyle Leonard (HWI South Albert) who welcomed a baby boy, Malcolm Charles Leonard, on July 25.

Congratulations to Grant Marinier (HDI Regina) who welcomed a new baby girl to the family. Soleil Marie Marinier was born on September 7 at 9:48pm and weighed in at 8 lbs!

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Hill Street News YOUR SOURCE FOR NEWS FROM AROUND THE HILL COMPANIES

HAVE A STORY OR NEWS IDEA? CONTACT US AT: 306.777.0661

WWW.HILLCOMPANIES.COM

mgeiger@harvard.ca