This article was published in 2011.

Christina Giannone is a Project Coordinator (now Project Director, Development, Sales, Marketing & Business Development) at FRAM Building Group where she is involved in the development of large-scale residential and mixed-use projects, from land acquisition to construction and closings.

Christina’s current projects include the fifth phase of the award-winning Port Credit Village (Northshore Condominium and Port Credit Retirement Residences), the first three residential phases of the Shops at Don Mills development, and the revitalization of Calgary’s East Village.

Christina graduated with an Honours Bachelor Degree in Commerce & Finance from the University of Toronto. As a member of the Urban Land Institute she is currently completing the organization’s Real Estate Development Certificate program and sits on the Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) for Weston Village, a high profile industry program that brings expertise in the real estate, planning and development fields together to collaborate on complex land use and redevelopment projects. She is also a member of the Building Industry and Land Development Association.

Can you tell me a bit about the scope of your role with FRAM?
As a project coordinator for the development division, I am involved throughout the entire process, from land acquisition, through approvals, to construction and closing. In my role, I work with architects to establish the design, coordinate consulting teams, take part in sales and marketing efforts, and obtain municipal approvals. I get involved in community workshops and meetings, and work with various levels of governments. In my role, I get to meet a lot of people and build relationships. Every day is different, and every task is different.

Environmental awareness and conservation efforts have moved to the forefront of the industry over the past few years. What do you think about this shift and how does it affect your industry?
There was a big shift for the industry a few years ago, but now it is second nature to many builders. FRAM has actually been building sustainable communities since the 1980s, when they were constructing R2000 homes, so it was a natural extension to design and develop to today’s higher environmental standards. There will always be discussions about whether or not you get added value, but we see it as a good thing to do and an important feature to include in the design. Many of our projects are incorporating LEED standards, but even in our projects that aren’t targeting LEED, we are incorporating green building features. I can think of several examples in our projects, for example our Northshore Condominium project is a candidate for LEED Silver certification, and we recently built three retirement homes where we incorporated geothermal technology.

FRAM is a family business. Can you tell me a little bit about the challenges and rewards of this type of organization?
That’s an interesting question. Working at FRAM, I have had the opportunity to explore various roles within the company, to really find what I am passionate about. My grandfather, who founded FRAM with my father in 1982, instilled values into the family that with hard work comes opportunities and success. And that has really resonated with my brothers and me. Working with family, I’m not afraid to speak my mind, to challenge decisions, and to ask questions. And because it’s a family business I have a strong interest in its success which makes me highly motivated.

My father says “never bring work home to the family, keep it at the office.” When I’m at the office its work, its business. That’s probably the biggest challenge I face: not getting too emotional at the office, and not bringing any stresses home. But I really do love working in the family business. I am comfortable in the environment, I get to work with people I care about, and I really look forward to it every day.

What is it about development/real estate in particular that makes you excited or passionate about the industry?
In my role throughout the development process, I get to be a part of and see the creation of something so significant: the final product, a multi-use development, where people will live, work and play. It is incredible to be a part of a project from obtaining a flat piece of land and having an idea, and watching it turn into reality, something you’ve created and built, where someone will make one of their biggest investments, and call it home. And the industry itself changes all the time: product demands; consultant teams; target markets; and municipal policies. So you are constantly being challenged and adopting new strategies. It’s exciting to have the chance to create spaces and places where people want to be.

As part of ULI’s thriving Young Leaders community, what do you think are the keys to a successful career in real estate?
First and foremost, this is an industry where meeting people and making connections is essential. This can be done by networking and participating in events such as those presented by ULI. There are so many varied areas of expertise and disciplines in this industry that I feel that for the Young Leaders it’s important to get out there and discover how these pieces fit together. By networking we get the opportunity to learn from others in our industry.

I would also recommend attending ULI courses and the Development Certificate Program. It has been such a great experience learning from so many different industry leaders from around North America on so many different topics. The courses have significantly reduced the learning curve, and I have gained insights and understanding of the industry as a whole. These courses also provide the opportunity to meet interesting people from around the world and get global exposure. This industry is constantly evolving, so you can’t be complacent.

Tessa Forest
ULI Communications Committee
IBI Group