Haskayne School of Business: Building the future of real estate through relationships

At the heart of every city are its people. Long before a city takes shape, people with diverse expertise and skill sets come together under a shared vision to create spaces that ultimately get called home. 

For Trent Edwards, those collaborative relationships are the very foundation of successful urban planning.

After more than two decades in the real estate industry, Edwards is bringing that perspective as the inaugural Executive in Residence in Real Estate for the Haskayne School of Business and Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies. Edwards has worked across the industry, from advancing downtown office-to-residential conversions to developing master-planned communities such as Tuscany and Seton. He has also overseen international high-rise and mixed-use developments and led major corporate acquisitions, giving him a broad perspective on how cities grow and evolve. 

Edwards, currently president of Canadian Land Development and Housing Operations for Brookfield Residential, says he hopes to help students understand that real estate is more than just a collection of buildings. It’s also a people business.

“It’s about how we make our cities better — to help people connect, to help people feel like they belong,” says Edwards.

“It takes a village to build a city.”

Discovering a world of possibilities within real estate

The newly created Executive in Residence role is designed to extend student learning through mentorship, career-readiness activities and industry engagement. It will also support the growth of the Westman Centre and real estate education at Haskayne.

Haskayne Dean Gina Grandy says meaningful industry engagement, like that supported by the Executive in Residence role, is a defining part of the student experience.

“Haskayne students learn from outstanding instructors. They also gain life-changing educational experiences through direct access to leaders deeply embedded in Calgary’s real estate industry,” says Grandy. 

“Trent is one of those leaders. As Executive in Residence, he brings a tremendous combination of expertise, strategic thinking and a commitment to mentorship which will both challenge and inspire students.” 

As part of his role, Edwards says he is looking forward to expanding students’ understanding of real estate by showcasing the diversity in career pathways.

“People often think real estate is just becoming a realtor. In reality, there are careers in finance, investment, development, planning, sustainability, construction, technology, engineering and public policy,” he says. 

“Even if students are not looking for a career in real estate, they can understand its importance and how it can be part of a solution within their future area of focus.”

Grandy says that’s exactly what the Executive in Residence role is designed to do. 

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Trent joining the school in this capacity,” she says. “Through their engagement with Trent and the Westman Centre, Haskayne students will develop practical skills, expand their networks and optimize their career choices.” 

Learning from the people behind the industry

Mohammed Ghaddar, a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student, says one of the advantages of studying real estate at Haskayne is taking courses from industry professionals such as Edwards who are actively working in the field.

"They're coming straight from their jobs to visit class to share with people what it is actually like to work within the industry,” he says. “You're learning and gaining value in real time."

Ghaddar says being involved with the Westman Centre and the Real Estate Student Association (RESA) transformed his university experience.

"(The Westman Centre) created opportunities to connect with other students, faculty and industry professionals through events, informal mentorship and networking,” Ghaddar says. “Being part of that community helped me build meaningful relationships on campus, expand my professional network and feel confident pursuing a career in real estate."

Business technology management student Daniela Salikhov says her experiences with RESA and her internship with the City of Calgary have given her a closer look at the role business plays in shaping the places where people live and work.

“Trent being here really opens up opportunities,” she says. 

Creating lasting impact through coffee chats

Edwards, who started his new role in July, sees creating opportunities for meaningful conversations as a large part of his job. He plans to meet with students over informal coffee chats as gateways to exchange ideas, ask questions and better understand one another.

“I’m expecting to learn as much from students as they learn from me,” he says. “Every individual is different. My role is to ask lots of curious questions about where they want to go and create the actions to clear the path.

“Real estate is a people business. A first meeting shouldn’t be through a screen; it should be face-to-face. That’s how trust starts. After you’ve built that relationship, technology is a great tool. But relationships are built by spending time with people.”