About
LEADERSHIP
GROWTH. SUSTAINABILITY. LONGEVITY.
At Strategic Group, we know our people make a difference. We are proud of our diverse, welcoming, and inclusive culture. Our team of high-performing individuals enjoy the challenge of implementing a creative and unconventional approach through an entrepreneurial lens. We believe in hiring and retaining the best talent available and are committed to investing in our employees through mentorship, education, and professional development.
Business
Community
People
People
Values
Learning, growing and having fun
Mission
Our people enjoy the challenge of implementing our business mission by balancing a creative, unconventional approach with the delivery of real estate fundamentals
"As we move forward through the various iterations of our company’s evolution, I am always appreciative of the fact that our people make a difference, that we have the opportunity to give back to our community, and that our business acumen is understood and appreciated by our stakeholders."
-RIAZ MAMDANI, CEO, STRATEGIC GROUP & CEO
Executive Team
Riaz Mamdani
FOUNDER & CEO
Riaz is the CEO of Strategic Group which he founded in 2001. He is an active investor, financier, and philanthropist and prior to founding Strategic Group practiced corporate, commercial, and securities law. Riaz sits on the board of directors for multiple businesses and has steered two private companies from concept stage to public listings with multi-billion dollar market capitalizations. Riaz is committed to giving back and improving the community by supporting the arts, community programs, and charitable organizations in Alberta and beyond. Riaz completed a BSc in Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba and earned a JD from the University of Calgary.
Gudrun Seredynski
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Gudrun provides accounting and taxation strategy and oversees Strategic Group’s financial reporting and planning, internal controls, and tax compliance initiatives. Prior to joining Strategic Group, Gudrun managed the finance function for a Calgary-based real estate firm that manages, leases, and deals in industrial, office, and commercial spaces. Since joining Strategic Group in 2008, Gudrun has utilized her deep real estate knowledge, competencies, and capabilities in leading and improving the organization’s accounting functions. Gudrun completed a BComm at the University of Calgary and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
Tracey Steman
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Tracey has responsibility for Strategic Group’s daily operations, retains managerial oversight over the residential and commercial leasing processes, and is heavily involved in the development and execution of asset management procedures. Since first joining Strategic Group in 2012, Tracey has held a variety of asset management and executive roles and today utilizes her deep knowledge of real estate operations and management to further the organization’s strategic initiatives. Tracey has over 30 years of industry experience: she was a lender with two major life insurance companies and a trust company; she underwrote and closed financing deals at a commercial mortgage brokerage firm; and she held management positions in commercial property management with two major life insurance companies.
Ken Toews
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT
Ken is responsible for development and construction of major real estate projects, overseeing all elements of the real estate development process. He has extensive expertise in residential, retail, office, hotel, land, and mixed-use development with over thirty years of experience in the real estate industry. He has worked on various high-profile development and re-development projects throughout Calgary including three high-rises and numerous mixed-use projects. He is a Director of Attainable Homes Calgary and Co-Chair of the Calgary Economic Development Place Committee. Ken has taught courses in mixed-use development at the University of Calgary for ten years.
Valerie Summers
CONTROLLER
Valerie provides financial oversight, accounting management, and payroll support for Strategic Group’s asset management department as well as for one of Strategic Group’s private equity investment department’s portfolio companies. She has worked in the real estate and property management sectors for over thirty years and has extensive experience managing and mentoring property accounting teams, planning and deploying software conversions, planning and preparing financial reporting processes, and running forensic audits. Valerie has worked for Strategic Group for over twenty years in a variety of senior accounting roles.
Ryan de Boer
VICE PRESIDENT, Leasing
Ryan oversees commercial leasing at Strategic Group, has managerial responsibility for the commercial leasing team, and oversees all initiatives related to proposals and transactions within the commercial portfolio. He has significant experience in retail and office leasing, commercial real estate market research, and business development both within the brokerage community and dealing with tenants directly, having worked previously for one of the world’s largest real estate brokerages and multiple private real estate firms. Ryan completed studies in business administration at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and has studied real estate development at the University of Calgary.