OUR CULTURE FOSTERS GROWTH
The Forge & Foster team is committed to:- Entrepreneurship
- Integrity
- Collaboration
- High performance
Forge & Foster Partners
Partner & CEO
Joe Accardi
A passionate serial entrepreneur with a focus on bringing people together and a relentless energy in the pursuit of growth, Joe has built Forge & Foster to a proven track record of execution, profitable portfolio growth, and a compelling vision of the future in Hamilton and Southern Ontario. As CEO, Joe leads business development initiatives, strategy development, and leadership across the team. He fosters a business environment that embodies our values of high performance, collaboration, integrity, and entrepreneurship.
Originally from Toronto, Joe moved to Hamilton after recognizing the incredible spirit and opportunity in the city. He has been involved in a number of community groups and supports fellow entrepreneurs, young professionals, and economic development in Hamilton. Joe is driven by his team, passion for the city, and vision for the future.
Partner & COO
Mark Accardi
An experienced leader, entrepreneur, and impact investor, Mark thrives by raising people up around him. He began his career at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board where he worked nationally and internationally, gaining deep institutional knowledge and experience in real estate investment management. Alongside his corporate pursuits, he supported his brother, Joe, laying the foundation for what would evolve into Forge & Foster Investment Management.
Mark leads the finance and investing portfolio at Forge & Foster, combining his past experience with an entrepreneurial drive to support the continued growth and pursuit of new opportunities. Passionate about empowering others, Mark has launched and currently runs businesses that support small business growth, personal financial management, and impact investing.
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Vice President, Investor Relations
Chanelie Ovejas
Possessing over 12 years of experience and a strong background in the real estate industry while specializing in private mortgages, Chanelie brings her expertise in capital raising and investor relations to Forge & Foster.
She’s highly passionate about helping investors achieve their investment objectives while sharing valuable educational content in the business.
You can catch her playing softball with her local team in Hamilton or mountain biking the trails in Dundas Valley.
Vice President, Investor Relations
Braydon Kustra
Braydon Kustra is a graduate of the Management, Economics, & Finance co-op program at the University of Guelph.
Braydon has previous experience in product analysis in the manufacturing industry and financial/accounting experience from both a private accounting firm and the University of Guelph.
A lifelong Dundas resident, Braydon enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking, playing hockey, and is passionate about the greater Hamilton area’s surging development.t
REsearch & ANALYSIS
Senior Planning Analyst
Mitch Gold
As an Urban Planning and Sustainability graduate from Dalhousie University, Mitch developed a broad skillset in research, data analysis, spatial analysis through GIS, and environmental decision-making.
To build upon these skills, Mitch completed the Salesperson Program with the Ontario Real Estate Association and worked on a commercial leasing and investment sales team.
At Forge & Foster, Mitch assists with the due diligence process, investment packages, asset management initiatives, planning and policy research, and financial analysis.
Director of Strategy & Research
Alex Manojlovich
Manojlovich utilizes market research and data analysis to help guide Forge & Foster’s acquisition pipeline and areas of investment.
Each week, he shares the latest research, analysis, and developments on the Greater Hamilton Area’s commercial real estate market in the Weekly Market Report newsletter, in conjunction with the broader Quarterly Market Report.
He is the region’s expert on commercial real estate and leverages in-house market research and analysis to inform property appraisal, investment, acquisition and disposition valuations.
Manojlovich holds a Bachelor of Architectural Science from Ryerson University and a Master of Science in Construction Management from Coventry University.
Although he was born and raised in Hamilton, his work is informed by his experience living abroad and his background in historic building restoration.
Manojlovich’s enthusiasm for emerging businesses has earned him the nickname ‘Mr. Hamilton’. He is your go-to guy for new restaurant recommendations and local experiences to try.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Director of Project Management
Julie Kruzick
Julie is driven by seeing ideas come to life, which has led her to over 35 years of experience in the real estate and asset management industries. At Forge & Foster, Julie leads projects that focus on adding value to our assets, financial accuracy, and tenant relations.
Julie values continual learning & growth, and remains focused on those ideas personally and for the business as a whole. Originally from Thunder Bay, Julie loves to explore the outdoors, travel the world, and immerse herself in nature at home in Hamilton – the waterfall capital of the world.
Construction Manager
Shawn Nadeau
In his role as construction manager, Shawn coordinates and oversees the many construction projects rejuvenating Forge & Foster’s assets. He brings decades of experience in general contracting, and specializes in home and office renovations. Shawn is a property maintenance professional certified in home inspection and fire safety.
He is a strong believer in always doing it right the first time, and understands that respect for his talented team and trades is key to assembling the puzzle of perfection. Off the job, Shawn likes to travel (preferably to Europe or where the palm trees are).
Finance
Accounting Manager
Mahir Prajapati
Mahir Prajapati holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in advanced accounting from Gujarat Law Society Institute of Commerce, India and a Business Accounting diploma from Mohawk College, Canada. He has previously worked for a tax firm for both personal and Business taxes. Additionally, his role as a Manager at Husky Gas Station for over three years has polished his organizational skills and service quality across various environments.
At Forge and Foster, as an Accounting Manager, Mahir is an amalgamation of highly dependable, ethical and reliable acumen. He works efficiently by directly reporting to Ev Kotlikov (CFO) thereby ensuring booking of accounting operations and service excellence.
Mahir Prajapati is a huge car enthusiast and often goes for a long drive, he also likes to exercise and do yoga for relaxation.
Chief Financial Officer
Ev Kotlikov
A native Hamiltonian, Ev obtained an accounting diploma from Mohawk College then continued his studies at Brock University, where he received a BAcc, and an MBA from the Goodman School of Business. Ev has held roles in accounting and finance at KPMG, the Ministry of Health, Mohawk College, and the City of Hamilton. His focus at Forge & Foster is to streamline operations in order to improve efficiency and financial accuracy.
Within the organization, Ev values the passion within the team and the opportunities for continued growth and leadership. He is also an avid athlete, poker player, and reader.
Junior Accountant
Sudipa Sheetal
Sudipa is a Mohawk college graduate with a diploma in business accounting.
Prior to her employment at Forge And Foster, Sudipa worked in the Healthcare industry as an Office Administrator and Accountant. Her track record includes developing effective strategies to tackle intricate accounting challenges and enhance compliance measures. Upon joining Forge & Foster as a Junior Accountant, Sudipa was struck by the team’s passion for continuous growth and has easily transferred her valuable skills to this team.
Sudipa excels at fostering client relationships through a hands-on approach and commitment to top-notch service.
At Forge & Foster, Sudipa has been quick to identify and improve functions within her department, continuously contributing to her team’s success. Beyond her professional career, she finds joy in the culinary arts and traveling with her family; demonstrating a harmonious blend of work and personal interests.
Junior Accountant
Harsh Gajera
Harsh is an ACCA member with a BSc. (Hons.) in Applied Accounting degree from Oxford Brookes University. In addition, he obtained a PG Certificate in Global Business Management from Mohawk College to be better at applying numbers to the business. His past experience, which includes working for an Indian chartered accountancy firm and managing a retail business in Canada, boosted his potential at Forge.
As a Junior Accountant at F&F Harsh looks after monthly bookkeeping, financial reporting in a timely manner and supports the team with other accounting duties. He reports to Ev Kotlikov (CFO).
Having grown up in eight cities across three countries, Harsh is fond of travelling and exploring places.