THE B.C./ALBERTA EDITION
Volume 19 No. 4
CANADIAN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
December/January 2012
building relationships By cheryl mah
F
or Colin Murray, a fortuitous summer job working in the operations department for a Calgary office building has turned into a successful 25 year career in the commercial real estate industry. Today, the 45-year-old is the vice president of leasing for B.U.K. Realty Corporation with an extensive background in property management and operations. Growing up in North Vancouver, Murray had early exposure to buildings and real estate through his father who worked in the industry. But going through school, he did not have a clear career path (“I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grow up and still don’t,” he jokes) until he went to Calgary in 1986. “It wasn’t a conscience decision… somehow that summer job turned into five years with Brookfield,” recalls Murray with a laugh. THE B.C./ALBERTA EDITION
In 1991, he moved back to Vancouver as a property manager, managing 840 Howe Street downtown for Brookfield. During this time, he completed the urban land economics diploma at UBC. He also has his Real Property Administrator designation. Murray joined GWL Realty Advisors in 1997 when 840 Howe Street was purchased by the company. He spent eight years helping to grow the portfolio, eventually becoming the director of property management for B.C. He then worked almost four years for Bosa Development as vice president of property management before joining B.U.K. in November 2008. “I like the real estate that B.U.K. has and they have a great reputation as being a very well run but smaller real estate company,” says Murray about his decision to move to B.U.K. “It was an opportunity for me to learn more of the leasing 1
December/January 2012