Executive Management Team
Neil Brown is the Chairman of Norstar Group of Companies. Mr. Brown founded Norstar in 1990, after a significant tenure as a senior executive and shareholder of Lake Ontario Steel Company, one of the world’s largest steel producers.
Mr. Brown has been involved in the acquisition and development of millions of square feet of office industrial and retail assets, thousands of residential units, as well as thousands of affordable housing residences. Neil has successfully steered Norstar through several recessions and has overseen rapid company growth, with year-over-year profitability. A highly accomplished business professional successfully overseeing the implementation of all business plans, with an emphasis on strategic planning and risk analysis, which led to Concordian Realty Management, a full-service property management company being established to manage the 45 corporately owned properties.
Aaron Brown. Mr. Brown currently acts as the Chief Executive Officer for the Norstar Group of Companies. In this role, Mr. Brown oversees all business development and strategic planning for the Group in Canada. He is an integral part of the Executive Management Team, providing visionary guidance to the group of companies towards increased growth and expansion into new industry sectors.
Over the last 13 years as Executive Vice President, Aaron has worked on every facet of the group’s business portfolio. Mr. Brown has extensive experience in land acquisition, development and leasing, and has also been involved in the rezoning of various parcels of land for high density residential condominium development.
Mr. Brown is responsible for pioneering Norstar’s foray into the renewable energy sector and has successfully established Norstar’s renewable energy business. With the advent of Ontario’s Green Energy and Economy Act and its Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Program, Mr. Brown saw the opportunity for Norstar to incorporate into its corporate mandate a commitment to green energy and reducing our carbon footprint for future generations. Under Mr. Brown’s leadership, Norstar has established a new company within the group which focuses on the construction and implementation of roof-top solar photovoltaic systems (Solar PV), a reliable and sought after technology for clean and relatively maintenance-free power production.
Prior to joining the Norstar Group of Companies in 2000, Mr. Brown had established a successful career in the financial services industry as an Investment Advisor spanning over 12 years.
Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor’s Degree from York University and various securities certifications from the Canadian Securities Institute including for Canadian securities, options and futures.
Martin has been an integral part of the team at Concordian Realty Management for over 20 years. Martin graduated from UBC specializing in Mass Appraisal and Valuation Assessment Administration, along with honors in Real Property Administration. He brings invaluable experience to our company. His hard work and dedication to enhancing the operations of the company’s industrial and commercial property portfolio has been tireless.
Under his leadership, Concordian has become one of the premier commercial property management companies in Toronto, Ontario and Canada.
Mr. D’Cruz is the Chief Financial Officer for the Norstar Group of Companies.
Mr. D’Cruz joined the Norstar Group of Companies in 1991 in the capacity of Vice President Finance. Prior to this, he was a manager with the firm of Laventhal & Horwath, Chartered Accountants, for a period of 5 years.
Mr. D’Cruz obtained his professional chartered accountant designation in London, England.
Mr. D’Cruz holds a bachelor degree from the University of London and is a Chartered Accountant; he is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ontario, as well as the Institute of Chartered Accountants, England and Wales.
As Director, Planning and Development for the Norstar Group of Companies, Mr. Okawa, accredited as a professional planner has executive responsibility for project management of all types of development applications through initial design inception to full municipal approvals, including hearings at the Ontario Municipal Board.
Land acquisitions is also part of Mr. Okawa’s responsibilities with the preparation of property assessment reports and construction proformas that analyze the impacts of local planning policies on future development and assess the highest and best use for potential property acquisitions.
Monitoring the extensive landholdings of the Norstar Group also leads to Mr. Okawa fully participating in Official Plan reviews and Secondary Plan studies to strategically align and maximize future redevelopment opportunities for these properties.
Mr. Okawa’s extensive planning and land development expertise, and project management skills are essential to the effect management of Norstar’s landholdings. Mr. Okawa is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with an Honours Degree from the School of Urban and Regional Planning that included exchange programs with Oxford University in Oxford, England and Harvard University in Boston, MA. Mr. Okawa is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and Ontario Professional Planners Institute.