Meet the Leaders of Qualico

With five regions and corporate operations, the senior leadership team is responsible for driving Qualico’s success.

Kevin Van

President & CEO

Kevin Van is the President & CEO of Qualico and represents the third generation of leadership as the husband of Lisa Hastings. He launched his career with Qualico in 1994 and subsequently advanced through many areas of the business, including construction, sales, homebuilder management, regional management, and in 2010, to a corporate executive role as Vice-President of Qualico. In March 2018, Kevin was appointed President & CEO.

Today, Qualico is one of the largest integrated real estate companies in Western Canada and one of the Top 100 builders in the US. Kevin has led Qualico through much of the growth and change within the company in the past several years. In the entrepreneurial
spirit of the company, Kevin is navigating the way for Qualico to take advantage of smart business opportunities and prioritize key initiatives that will position the company for continued success. This includes making strategic decisions on investments
in technologies that maximize future growth, drive customer satisfaction and promote high employee engagement.

Kevin is driven to advance the products that Qualico offers to improve people’s lifestyles while balancing comfort, function and style with what is attainable for families today.

My goal is to bring longevity to our communities, encourage stronger connections to our employees, our suppliers, and our customers and ensure that we take every opportunity to improve. I own this responsibility on behalf of our Qualico family
and the legacy left by our founders, but also for the future generations to come.

– Kevin Van, President & CEO

Kevin Kameda

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin’s expertise in the field of finance has allowed him to help guide Qualico through opportunities for growth during his more than 25 years with the company.

Beginning as a financial analyst in 1992, Kevin quickly found himself moving into a management role. He was promoted to Vice-President, Treasurer in 2010 and then to Chief Financial Officer in 2017.Kevin enjoys the challenge of a dynamic and growing private business, building on the track record of trust and transparency to ensure the continued support of financial and investment partners. Kevin takes pride in maintaining these relationships which provide the platform for operations to capitalize on opportunities.

Kevin graduated from the University of Manitoba BComm program, and came to Qualico with a strong background in real estate finance and analysis. His focus in the last five years has been developing the scale and capabilities of the finance team and providing corporate guidance as a member of the executive committee.

We have a responsibility to respect our shareholder capital and be confident in the expertise and resilience of our business units. Recognizing that sometimes success for the long term requires a contrarian approach.

– Kevin Kameda, Chief Financial Officer

Mark Spearing

Chief Operating Officer

Mark is part of the head office executive team and is responsible for leading the strategic investments and financial growth of the company. Mark works closely with Qualico’s regional and senior vice-presidents who oversee Canadian and US business operations. He also provides direction to corporate functions and oversees the technology, marketing support, and communication teams.

Mark began his career at Qualico in 2016 as Vice-President, Corporate Services, was appointed Senior Vice-President, Business Transformation in 2019, and was appointed again to his current role of Chief Operating Officer in 2022.

Throughout his time at Qualico, Mark has led initiatives focused on company-wide improvement opportunities, drawing from his more than 35 years of experience in the real estate, business consulting, engineering, and manufacturing industries.

Mark has a Bachelor of Commerce honours degree from the University of Manitoba with a major in Finance, as well as further professional development from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has proven skills in relationship-building, business development, consulting, leading large and complex modernization programs, and delivering unparalleled customer service.

We have a commitment to realize our potential to build better cities while meeting the expectations of shareholders, ensuring the continued trust of customers, and providing our employees a respectful and rewarding workplace.

– Mark Spearing, Chief Operating Officer

David Eggerman

Regional Vice-President
Manitoba & Saskatchewan

David is responsible for Qualico operations in Winnipeg, Regina, and Saskatoon, and he has helped lead Qualico’s strategic emergence into the Saskatchewan market, bringing a decade of experience providing financial expertise and leading expansion in the region.

David began at Qualico as a regional controller in 2009, and in the years leading up to his appointment of Regional Vice-President in 2020, his role grew to be more involved with operations and the expansion of the company’s vertical integration.

Throughout his career at Qualico, David has worked to expand the company’s vertical business model in the region and beyond, beginning with single-family and building materials supplies and service business units in Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon. David also took an active role leading the acquisition of Empire Drywall in Alberta, helping secure Qualico as one of the largest drywall applicators in Western Canada.

A University of Regina graduate with his Bachelors of Commerce, David holds a CPA designation as well and has over 20 years of experience in accounting and controlling best practices. After 11 years at a major wealth management company, David was drawn to the homebuilding industry because of his joy for building things and passion for seeing how undeveloped land evolves into a community that brings people together. He has also served as treasurer of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association since 2016.

We value Qualico’s reputation of doing the right thing, a value and long-term vision of our company that must take root in our employees. The dedication of our employees, in taking every opportunity to learn from peers and apply their own creativity in their careers, allows us to overcome the ever-changing challenges in our industry.

– David Eggerman, Regional Vice-President of Manitoba & Saskatchewan

Claudio Palumbo

Regional Vice-President
Southern Alberta

David is responsible for Qualico operations in Winnipeg, Regina, and Saskatoon, and he has helped lead Qualico’s strategic emergence into the Saskatchewan market, bringing a decade of experience providing financial expertise and leading expansion in the region.

Claudio moved into the Regional Vice-President position in 2022 after being in the Vice-President, Qualico Communities Calgary role for seven years.

During his time at Qualico, Claudio has been involved in a number of important projects, including developing the award-winning Harmony project in Springbank; completing the highly successful Redstone, Evanston, Silverado, and Ravenswood projects; advancing raw land assets such as Crestmont, West Langdon, Providence, and West Airdrie; and launching the newly acquired assets of Waterbridge (Dawson’s Landing) and Hotchkiss.

After graduating from the University of Calgary in 1986 with a BSc in Civil Engineering, Claudio spent the first 20 years of his career with Stantec Consulting as a VP for Urban Land in Western Canada. This was followed by a six-year stint with Walton Developments/Global Investments as a Senior VP and COO, growing the company’s land development and investment businesses, until he finally joined Qualico.

Claudio has been recognized for outstanding contributions to the Urban Development Institute and is actively involved in many philanthropic efforts such as charitable fundraising and events.

Our people are our most important asset, which allows us to carry out our mission of ‘building better cities’ and making a positive impact on our customers, partners, and stakeholders. At Qualico, we always try to ‘do what’s right’ to ensure that a fair outcome is achieved for all involved.

– Claudio Palumbo, Regional Vice-President of Southern Alberta

Brad Armstrong

Regional Vice-President
Northern Alberta

Brad Armstrong is the Regional Vice-President of Northern Alberta, where he leads Qualico’s operations in Edmonton and the surrounding areas. As one of the largest regions in Qualico, these operations span community development, multi-family homebuilding, and supply chain services.

Brad first joined Qualico as a project manager from 2004 to 2007 and returned in 2010 as land development manager. In 2012, he was appointed Vice-President of Qualico Communities. With a proven track record of success and leadership, Brad advanced to the position of Regional Vice-President in 2025.

During his time at Qualico, Brad has been instrumental in the development of more than 12,000 residential lots and numerous vibrant communities, such as Easton, Marquis, Bremner, The Uplands at Riverview, and the award-winning community of Cy Becker.

After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning, Brad spent 15 years as a planner with the Rural Municipality of Edenwold in Regina, Rockyview County in Calgary, and Strathcona County in Sherwood Park before joining Qualico.

Dedicated to industry advancement, Brad contributes his leadership expertise to the Urban Development Institute, BILD Alberta, and River Valley Alliance boards. His commitment extends beyond industry service, as he actively supports the Kids with Cancer Society, serving as the Board Chair.

Recognized for his outstanding professional and personal contributions to the community, Brad was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025.

Delivering outstanding results for our shareholders and creating homes with lasting value for our customers is a fundamental part of our mission. I am privileged to guide an industry-leading team that strives to develop thriving neighbourhoods and shape communities for generations to come. I look forward to the opportunity to further our impact in the region and continue helping build better cities.

– Brad Armstrong, Regional Vice-President of Northern Alberta

Gary Mertens

Regional Vice-President
British Columbia

Gary’s over 20-year journey with Qualico has led him to the dual role of Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Vice-President of Foxridge Homes Metro Vancouver, one of the largest single-family homebuilders in the Lower Mainland.

Gary’s career began in precast concrete. However, his fascination with real estate and desire to try something new led him to Qualico. He started with Sterling Homes Calgary in 1998, following his interest to learn how to build homes from the ground up. He quickly progressed through various positions, each with greater responsibility than the last, before taking on a sales manager role. In 2012, he moved to Vancouver, accepting the role of Vice-President of Foxridge Homes, which he still holds today. In 2015, Gary took the additional title of Regional Vice-President, British Columbia.

A certified Master Home Builder, Gary has been a technical committee member for the Calgary Home Builders Association in the past, and is currently a director of the Homebuilders Association of Vancouver. Gary is proud to be able to generously give back to the communities that the region builds and to make a huge impact on the lives of local residents.

By hiring and retaining people who are passionate about our industry and share Qualico’s value of doing the right thing, we can ensure continued success in our region.

– Gary Mertens, Regional Vice-President of British Columbia

LaNelle Deardorf

Regional Vice-President
Qualico US

LaNelle has more than 20 years of experience working in the real estate industry, and has played a key role in the growth of Qualico’s US operations.

LaNelle is responsible for steering operations in Austin and Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas as well as managing Qualico’s US multi-family projects in Texas, California and Washington State.

Since joining Qualico in 2012, LaNelle has overseen the development of a wide range of business areas. Starting as a Controller, she also assumed all HR responsibilities, and oversaw the operations of both of Qualico’s rental properties Austin. LaNelle was later promoted to Vice-President, Finance and Banking, Qualico US Region in 2018, where she established and maintained banking relationships and credit facilities, and was involved in producing budgets and business plans for all business units.

LaNelle completed her Master of Professional Accounting degree at the University of Texas at Austin, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Lake Travis Girls Lacrosse Association, and enjoys volunteering with various local charities.

Qualico is committed to investing in and growing its US operations, and I look forward to our teams honoring that commitment by finding and capitalizing on the best business opportunities.

– LaNelle Deardorf, Regional Vice-President of Qualico US

Mike Saunders

Senior Vice-President
Qualico Properties

Mike Saunders delivers on a mandate to grow the Qualico Properties portfolio throughout Canada and the United States by tapping into his over 20 years in commercial real estate experience.

Mike applies both energy and passion for contributing to the built environment through architecture and urban development and enjoys building high-performing teams.

Mike’s education covers the spectrum of business and engineering. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta, studied Urban Land Economics at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, and earned his Master of Business Administration from Marylhurst University, with a specialization in Real Estate Finance, Development and Management.

Mike believes in the importance of being a committed corporate citizen and is involved in various community boards and not-for-profit organizations. He currently sits as Vice Chair of the Board for the Mental Health Foundation for Alberta and is Past President of the NAIOP Edmonton Chapter (Commercial Real Estate Development Association).

Our diversity across the Qualico Properties portfolio is our strength, and when we combine and align our efforts, this creates one of Qualico’s most reliable and stabilizing economic forces across the company. We have such an opportunity ahead of us.

– Mike Saunders, Senior Vice-President of Qualico Properties

Alphonse Pilon

Senior Vice-President
Single Family Homes

Alphonse has nearly 30 years of industry experience and delivers specialized experience in single-family home construction, operations, marketing and sales. He is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of our single-family housing business units in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Texas.

Alphonse’s career with Qualico started in 2000 when he was General Manager of Pacesetter Homes in Edmonton. In Alphonse’s time, he was able to grow Pacesetter Homes in Edmonton exponentially. With this success, he went on to start an award-winning homebuilding company and then joined a highly reputable and family-owned Western Canadian real estate company. His return to Qualico is to serve in a new leadership position of Senior Vice-President, Single Family Homes.

Alphonse attended Business Administration at NAIT and has earned his Master Home Builder Designation. He earned his ICD.D designation granted by the Institute of Corporate Directors through the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. His industry involvement includes holding the position of President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Edmonton region, board member for CHBA Edmonton & Alberta, board member of The Alberta New Home Warranty Program and Professional Home Builders Institute of Alberta. His involvement with the industry is complemented by his involvement in the community as the Owner and Governor of the Sherwood Park Crusaders Hockey Club as well as a board member with the Kids with Cancer Society.

Qualico’s deep roots and history mean we are a trusted builder with a steady presence in the communities we create. I am passionate about cultivating exceptional teams by hiring, training, and retaining the best people in the industry, providing an opportunity for everyone to realize their potential. Our strong people and work culture allow us to meet our customers’ needs, one home at a time.

– Alphonse Pilon, Senior Vice-President of Single Family Homes

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