Our Core Team

Niall Finnegan

Email: Niall@finneganmarshall.com

Industry Experience: Niall has over 36 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. He has held several senior leadership positions in the business. Niall was a Senior Partner at Helyar from 1986 – 2005. Many of his contributions during the time can be attributed to the successful creation of Altus Group Limited, Canada’s largest construction cost consulting and real estate development management company, where he held the role of President of Cost Consulting until 2011.

Positions Held: Niall has a trusted history of success working for real estate lenders, property developers and building owners. He has developed a solid understanding of lenders’ perspectives on real estate financing due to his extensive involvement with major lending institutions both in Canada and abroad. Niall’s experience spans all types of buildings and projects, including high-rise residential, office, hotel, retail, hospital, industrial, seniors housing and long-term care, casinos, roads and other infrastructure. In 2011, Niall founded Finnegan Inc., a Real Estate and Commercial Property Development Consulting Firm. In 2014, Niall co-founded Finnegan Marshall Inc. He has developed a solid reputation built on knowledge, experience and trust.

Accreditations: Niall is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

Seminars & Boards: Niall has presented extensively for the past 28 years at seminars for BILD, Insight, Urbanation, RICS and all major Canadian project lenders. Niall has also sat on various volunteer boards including Bishop Strachan School, Canadian Harmony Movement and the Georgian Peaks Club. Niall currently chairs the Building Committee at Bishop Strachan School and was one of the founders of the Harmony Movement of Canada.

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Ken Marshall

Email: Ken@finneganmarshall.com

Industry Experience: Ken has worked within the Canadian construction industry for 27 years. He has held several senior executive positions within both independent cost consulting firms and hi-rise development companies. This experience provides him a broad perspective into the management of risk within construction projects for all asset classes.

Positions Held: Ken previously worked for the Altus Group (formerly Helyar & Associates) for 19 years and became President of Cost Consulting and Project Management in 2011. While with the company, he was considered by both real estate lenders and building owners alike as being trustworthy, proactive and solution driven. He has been involved in all types of projects including high-rise residential, office, hotel, retail, airports, industrial and senior housing. Ken is an expert within all aspects of cost consulting services including preparation of feasibility studies, project budgets, estimating and construction loan monitoring and risk control procedures. He has also worked extensively on distressed projects as Receiver and Manager for the Bank of Montreal. In 2011, Ken joined a major Toronto high-rise residential Development Company where he held the position of President and COO. In 2014, Ken co-founded Finnegan Marshall Inc.

Accreditations: Ken is a LEED Accredited Professional and his memberships include The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

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Ciaran Brady

Industry Experience: Ciaran has 13 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. A graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology’s Quantity Surveying program in Ireland, Ciaran specializes in lender services dealing with project monitoring and budget analysis. Ciaran is involved in the preparation and analysis of financial pro-forma, capital, cost budgeting, development due diligence and loan monitoring in the private sector working with developers, leaders and consultants. He is specialized in particular in high-rise condominium projects; however he has been involved in a wide variety of projects including industrial, commercial, low-rise and senior housing. This experience provides Ciaran with an in-depth knowledge of risk management. He has a solid understanding of lenders perspectives on real estate financing due to his involvement with the major lending institutes in Canada

Accreditations: Ciaran is a member of The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and has his PQS designation.

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Gary Coates

Industry Experience: Gary has 7 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry and completed his B.Sc. in Quantity Surveying at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland. Gary is involved in the preparation and analysis of all classes of estimates, pre-contract costs, advising on tendering procedures, analysis of tenders and recommending awards, projecting construction schedules, cash flows and financing requirements. His main area of expertise is high rise condominiums. Gary also has experience working as a contractors Quantity Surveyor (specializing in renovations/fit-outs) in Ireland.

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Trevor Bass

Industry Experience: Trevor has over 8 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry along with 6 years of Irish based construction industry knowledge. A graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology’s Electrical Services Engineering program in Ireland and a qualified electrician, Trevor specializes in Mechanical and Electrical systems by preparing estimates, tender analysis, contract breakdown reviews, progress draw reviews and reviewing change orders. Trevor qualified as an electrician while working with Designer Group (Ireland) and went on to work as a junior electrical engineer with McArdle McSweeney & Associates (Dublin) for two years. From his experience as working as both an electrical engineer and as an electrician, Trevor has the benefit of knowing how electrical systems are designed and installed as well as overall cost analysis.

Trevor is also involved in the preparation and analysis of financial pro-forma’s, loan monitoring, and owner’s representative work in the private sector working with developers, lenders and consultants.

He has experience in property development for high-rise condominiums, low-rise condominiums, educational buildings, theatres & medical buildings and infrastructure projects.

Accreditations: Trevor is a member of CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineering).

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Alisha Gunness

Industry Experience: Alisha has 13 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. She holds a Bachelor of Architectural Science from Ryerson University, where she specialized in Project Management. She specializes in lender services dealing with project monitoring and budget analysis as well as early project involvement in pro forma preparation and analysis. Alisha is also involved in the preparation of capital cost budgeting, development due diligence and loan monitoring in the private sector working with developers, lenders and consultants.

In addition, Alisha has technical advisor experience with P3 (public private partnership) projects and owner’s representation/project management.  Her experience spans many asset classes including high and low-rise residential, office, hotel, retail, seniors housing, long term care and social infrastructure, across projects large and small.

Accreditations: Alisha is a member of The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

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Brenda Murphy

Industry Experience: Brenda has 6 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. A graduate of University of Ulster’s Quantity Surveying program in Northern Ireland, she specializes in lender services dealing with project monitoring and budget analysis. Brenda is involved in the preparation and analysis of financial pro-forma, capital cost budgeting, loan monitoring, owner’s representative work and feasibility and tender estimates in the private sector working with developers, lenders and consultants.

Her experience spans many asset classes including high and low-rise condominiums, rental developments, student residences, townhouse developments, high end custom homes, life lease developments, seniors housing and long term care developments and servicing and subdivisions projects.

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John Fitzgibbon

Industry Experience: John has 5 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry along with 8 years of experience in the Irish construction industry. He holds a B.Sc. in Quantity Surveying and a B.Tech in Construction Technology both from the Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland. John is involved in Project Cost Monitoring, preparing Lender Reports, preparing Construction Estimates, reviewing Project Budgets, conducting Peer Reviews, Owners Representative Work and Project Management.

John also has experience working as a contractors Quantity Surveyor and as a Site Supervisor with responsibilities including leading project bids, preparing construction budgets, cash flows, project schedules, subcontract packages, tender analysis and awarding trade and supplier contracts. John’s broad range of both professional and practical industry experience provides him with a unique understanding of construction practices and construction costs.

John has extensive experience in both the residential and commercial sectors, including townhouse developments; high and low-rise condominiums, high end custom homes, retail and office buildings, new builds, fit-outs and renovations.

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 Yalda Ranjbaran

Industry Experience: Yalda has over 4 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry along with 4 years of experience in the Iranian construction industry. Graduated with a Master’s degree from SBU Architectural School, she continued in Building Engineering and holds a Master’s Degree in Construction Management from Concordia University. Yalda is responsible for performing estimation for various stages, from preliminary to detailed design of construction projects, including structure, architecture, landscape and civil work, as well as providing the client with the detailed quantities and prices. She specializes in large scale Residential/ Commercial projects.

Accreditations: Yalda is a member of The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and has her PQS designation.

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 Gerard McNally

Industry Experience: Gerard has over 3 year of experience in the Canadian construction industry along with 6 years of experience in the Irish, UK and mainland European construction industries. A graduate of the University of Ulster’s Building Surveying program in Northern Ireland, Gerard is responsible for performing estimation for various stages, from preliminary to detailed design of construction projects, including structure, architecture, and landscape and specializing in Mechanical and Electrical systems.

Gerard also has experience in assisting with the design, costing, contract administration, planning applications and project management for various construction projects while working as a Building Surveyor and Project Management. He is experienced in health and safety audits in particular sampling and testing hazardous materials. He has experience in high and low-rise condominiums, retail and office buildings, sports facilities and infrastructure schemes as well as fit-outs and renovations.

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Kelly Aitken

Industry Experience: Kelly has 6 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. She holds a Construction Project Management Certificate from George Brown College. She specializes in project monitoring and budget analysis. Kelly is also involved in the preparation and analysis of capital cost budgeting and loan monitoring in the private sector working with developers, lenders and consultants.

Her experience spans many asset classes including high and low-rise residential, seniors housing, office, and retail, across projects large and small.

Accreditations: Kelly is a member of The Ontario College of Teachers.

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Emma Hickey

Industry Experience: Emma has over 15 years of experience in the North American construction industry, with 5 years spent working in the United States and 12 years within Canada. She holds a degree in Quantity Surveying from Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland. Emma’s professional experience includes estimating and cost planning roles with general contractors and consulting firms in New York City and Toronto.

Her responsibilities have included primarily pre-contract aspects of cost control including bid preparation and contract award, estimating at all stages of design from program through contract documents, change order analysis, costing of sustainability initiatives and estimating support to proponents for design competitions and major PPP projects. Emma’s clients have included municipalities, school boards, universities, developers, architects, cultural and research institutions, legal and investment firms undertaking TI work, and crown corporations.

Accreditations: Emma holds the Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) designation accredited by The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

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Mark Smith

Industry Experience: Mark has 6 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry along with 3 years of experience in the Irish construction industry and 1 years’ experience in the Australian construction industry. A graduate of Limerick Institute of Technology’s Quantity Surveying program in Ireland, Mark specializes in lender services dealing with project monitoring and budget analysis. Mark is involved in the preparation and analysis of financial pro-forma, capital cost budgeting, development due diligence and loan monitoring in the private sector working with developers, leaders and consultants.

His experience spans many asset classes including high and low-rise condominiums, rental developments, student residences, high end custom homes, owner’s representative work, seniors housing and long term care developments.

Accreditations: Mark is a member of The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and has his PQS designation. He is also a member of the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors with the designation MRICS and a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland with the designation MSCSI.

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Yahya Abo Aouda

Industry Experience: Yahya has 4 years of experience in the Canadian construction industry. A graduate of Ryerson University’s Mechanical Engineering program in Toronto and a Professional Engineer candidate with PEO (Professional Engineers of Ontario), Yahya specializes in Mechanical and Electrical systems by preparing estimates, reviewing designs, value engineering, tender analysis, dispute/claim resolution, contract breakdown reviews, progress draw reviews and reviewing change orders. Yahya possesses excellent knowledge of mechanical systems in buildings and can provide suggestions about various mechanical systems based on the client needs.

Yahya is also involved in the preparation and analysis of building condition assessment reports, reserve find studies, and owner’s representative work in the private sector working with developers, lenders and consultants. He has experience in high & low-rise condominiums, educational buildings, fit-outs and renovations, office buildings, theatres, medical buildings and infrastructure projects.

Accreditations: Yahya is a member of OSPE (Ontario Society of Professional Engineers) and an Engineer-In- Training with PEO (Professional Engineers of Ontario). Yahya is also a candidate with CIQS (Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors)

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Raef Brisbin

Industry Experience: Raef has over 10 years’ experience in the private property development and management industry. Raef is involved in the preparation of financial pro-forma, loan monitoring and feasibility studies in the private sector working with developers, lenders, general contractors, construction managers and consultants.

His experience primarily focusses on townhouse developments, high and mid-rise condominiums and retail and commercial office buildings.

Accreditations: Raef holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.

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