About Gary

I bring a unique combination of experiences to my work as a REALTOR

For many years, I worked as a paramedic in the Ottawa area. Some of that time was spent in a supervisory position. Following a back injury on the job, I obtained a university degree from Carleton University and trained as a teacher at the University of Ottawa. I taught elementary school for a number of years for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Throughout my careers, I have taught everything from natural history for pre-schoolers to light rescue techniques for emergency personnel. These roles required excellent communication skills, decision-making skills, the ability to perform in stressful situations, and the need to have people trust me, sometimes with their very lives. From these experiences, I know that every client has unique needs, and I have the ability to analyze and meet those needs.

From my work as a paramedic and as a teacher, I understand the importance of paperwork. In real estate, the days of a pat on the back and a handshake are long gone. Writing a strong contract and making sure that every piece of paper is filled out accurately and on time is essential to the successful completion of a purchase or sale.

I have worked in several aspects of construction, and have completed renovations to a number of homes I have owned. I have always loved houses – old houses, new houses, big houses, small houses, urban apartments or rural retreats - viewing them as is, or imagining what they could be. My wife, Toni, loves decorating and does great work with me staging my listings. Ideal downtime for us is, if we are not out walking, vegging on the couch with a pot of Mighty Leaf tea watching HGTV.

I also love nature, which makes Nanaimo such a perfect location for me. I can be frantically running papers around town, and a half hour later, be standing overlooking Neck Point, smelling the salt air, feeling the wind off the water and listening to the waves crash and the eagles cry. On rainy days when I have time, Toni and I indulge in our newly-developed interest in ballroom dancing. Curiously, Nanaimo is a haven for that activity as well!

To do one’s job well as a REALTOR, one has to form excellent working relationships with clients. I am proud to say that many of my clients have become my friends. Our three children are young adults off on their own– the two boys starting military careers as they complete university, and our daughter at graduate school. In their absence, we have this wonderful expanding new “family” of people we have met through my work. I cannot imagine a more satisfying way in which to meld my love of houses, my passion for Nanaimo and my enjoyment in meeting and working with new people, than to work as a REALTOR.