Team & Careers

Dedicated to excellence.

Powered by people.

Led by Byron Chard, the Chard Development team is a close-knit group of over 30 development, construction, finance and accounting, operations, sales and marketing, acquisitions and support staff. We operate without ego, putting the best interests of our customers and investors first. Our high-performance culture is grounded in collaboration, mutual respect and trust. We care deeply about our work and strive to leave a lasting positive impact on the people we meet and the communities where we work.

The Chard Management Team possesses a wealth of experience and a diversity of knowledge across all aspects of residential and commercial development. Working collaboratively, the Management Team supports Chard’s employees, trades, consultants and suppliers to exceed our standards of excellence.

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A culture based on collaboration.

Our corporate culture values relationships over transactions and prioritizes results for homeowners, investors, partners and communities. We rank accountability, integrity and initiative near the top of our must-haves list. We operate without ego, rolling up our sleeves to get the job done.

Credit where it’s due.

At Chard, we set rigorous expectations but ensure team members have the right tools and mentorship to succeed. We believe that great ideas come from many sources—and give credit where it’s due.

Current Openings:

Interested in joining our team?

Don’t see an opening, but want to apply? Good people are hard to find…and so are good employers. We like to think we’re one of them, and we’re always interested in hearing from people who can help to make our team even better.

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Byron Chard

President & CEO | CPA, CA

For over a decade, Byron has been committed to driving Chard forward. Named President & CEO in 2019, Byron has spearheaded the expansion of Chard beyond market residential development to include purpose-built rental, affordable home ownership, strata and for-lease commercial, and hotel development. Working from a foundation of nimble business practices based on solid relationships, Byron has been responsible for refining internal processes and technologies, advancing corporate governance, improving external communication, investing in people and diversifying across asset classes. He is also responsible for Chard’s recent vertical integration into property and asset management. Byron is a member of the Board of Directors for the Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region and sits as Chair of the UDI Rental Committee.

David Chard

Executive Director & Founder

David is the founding principal of Chard Development. For more than 40 years, he has led real estate negotiations and development projects, focusing on the retail, office and residential development sectors across Canada. David has built the company into one of the most respected development firms in the province and maintains a strong reputation within the industry. He provides strategic direction, mentorship and corporate guidance to the Chard team.

Steve Vernon

Chief Operating Officer

Steve has been a member of the Chard team for over two decades. In his role as COO, Steve works closely with the CEO to oversee Chard’s operational functions including cross department oversight, staffing, administration and company strategy. Steve is responsible for enforcing and implementing company standards to drive our organizational vision and mission. He embodies Chard’s commitment to relationship building, accountability and quality. Through his expertise, leadership skills and vision, Steve works to ensure that the foundation built to date continues to support or growth and development into the future.

Hugh Lewis

Senior VP Of Construction

Hugh is a dedicated and purpose-driven construction executive with over 30 years of experience managing complex construction projects across Canada. Hugh has a proven track record of strategically ensuring timely delivery and compliance through all construction phases in addition to maintaining ongoing liaison with partners, stakeholders, designers, suppliers, contractors, and municipalities.

Jennie Vecsey

Chief Financial Officer | CPA, CA

A Chartered Professional Accountant, Jennie possesses over 10 years of experience in real estate development and global accounting. Jennie oversees our accounting team, drives controls and procedures across Chard and is instrumental in corporate reporting matters.

Renee St. Germaine

VP of Property Management

Renee draws on over 20 years of experience in all aspects of property management as well as residential, office and retail leasing to provide strategic direction and oversight of Chard’s property and asset management divisions. Her experience includes her previously held position as the COO of Devon Properties managing over 250 properties throughout BC and National Senior Director of Property Management at Strathallen Property Management managing a portfolio of 7.9 million square feet across Canada. An innovative thinker with a proven track record of facilitating success in cross departmental execution of asset plan and overall asset performance, Renee is passionate about building strong and dynamic relationships with clients and colleagues and delivering best in class services and results.

Ian Samson

Senior VP of Real Estate Finance

Ian is an accomplished finance executive with an extensive track record of successful real estate financing gained through over 30 years of banking and industry experience.  Ian oversees Chard’s senior debt portfolio and is responsible for securing acquisition and project financing and fostering the exceptional relationships Chard maintains with its finance partners.

Svet Savova

General Counsel

A qualified lawyer with a focus on real estate, Svet has advised a diverse range of clients with a particular focus on acquisitions, dispositions, leasing of commercial properties and development matters. Svet provides legal advice and oversight on all of Chard’s legal and risk issues and is committed to ensuring Chard’s successful partnership with all of its external stakeholders.