The Squamish Nation’s economic development corporation has tagged Jennifer Podmore Russell to lead its future real estate expansion.

Podmore Russell has been appointed executive vice-president of real estate development with the group, which goes by the Indigenous name Nch’ḵay̓. She joined the company after serving for 18 months on its board.

“Jenn’s strategic visionary outlook, paired with her deep understanding of the real estate
market and development through a creative mindset, will be an asset as we further refine
Nch’ḵay̓’s strategy and approach to real estate development in the greater Vancouver
area and Squamish Valley,” said Mindy Wight, the corporation’s CEO, in a news release.

The First Nation’s diverse real estate projects include the 6,000-unit Sen̓áḵw multi-family residential development in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area.

Podmore Russell has about two decades of industry experience, most recently as a senior vice-president with Vancouver-based Rennie, which specializes in marketing residential projects. She has also led accounting firm Deloitte’s real estate division in B.C. and was the founder and managing partner of MPC Intelligence, a real estate research and analytics firm. Early in her career, she held sales, analyst and researcher positions with Ledingham McAllister and Colliers.

Currently, she sits on the boards of the Urban Development Institute’s Vancouver chapter and the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.