Canadian Urban Limited demonstrates our commitment to strong corporate governance with an independent Board of Directors. Each investment requires approval from our independent Investment Committee, while external property appraisers and fund auditors provide ongoing oversight on behalf of our investors.
Donald Horner served as the President & CEO of Canadian Urban Limited from 1975 to 2010. Today, he is the Chairman of our Board. During his years as President and CEO, Donald brought Canadian Urban to the forefront in financial performance. He implemented a bold vision for governance, utilization of research, disciplined risk management, and analytical techniques that continue to serve Canadian Urban and our clients today.
Donald has over 45 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining Canadian Urban, he was Vice President, Alberta Region for the Famous Players Development Corporation and previously was Assistant General Manager with Marathon Realty, Prairie Division. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia.
Charles McConnell has over 40 years of experience in the financial field. He retired in 2011 after a career spanning 29 years with ATCO Ltd. Charles served in a number of positions with ATCO, including roles in Internal Audit and Cash Management and as Corporate Treasurer. During his final two years with the company, Charles was Managing Director of ATCO’s newly established office in the Portuguese city of Funchal. He was responsible for ensuring ATCO’s compliance with Hungarian and Portuguese regulatory requirements, and for fostering local business relationships.
John McLernon sits on the Boards of some of Canada’s most prominent companies and organizations. He is the Honorary Chair and Co-Founder of the Colliers Macaulay Nicolls Group of Companies (where he served as Chair and Chief Executive Officer from 1977 to 2002, and Chair of the Company until December 2004). John currently provides advisory services to Colliers and several other companies through McLernon Consultants Ltd. He is the Chair of BC Lottery Corporation, BC Railway Company, A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund, and Village Farms Income Trust.
James Peyton is currently an independent consultant. His clients include a major corporate pension plan and a private residential REIT. He served as Portfolio Manager for General Motors Asset Management Corporation from 1995 to 2012 and also served on the GM Real Estate Investment Approval Committee. James created and managed a portfolio for GM which grew to over $2.0 billion over a fifteen year period.
Lisa Sheppard joined Canadian Urban in 2023 following a 20+ year career in Medical Social work, navigating complex medical, psychosocial, and financial issues with individuals across Alberta. Lisa excels at facilitating meaningful and effective communication between numerous stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes, which makes her a welcomed addition to the Board and Canadian Urban. As part of her role with the Board, Lisa is the Chair of Canadian Urban’s “Client Care Committee“, which is the independent Board subcommittee responsible for assessing the physical condition of the various properties managed by Canadian Urban, as well as the quality and effectiveness of the tenant relationships at those properties. The Client Care Committee operates independent of management and reports directly to the Chairman of the Board.
Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta and her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
