Downtown Yonge Board

• Arron Barberian, Chair Barberian’s Steakhouse, 7 Elm Street. Arron is the owner of Barberian’s Steakhouse. His leadership and passion for the area, where he was born and raised, led to the formation of the Downtown Yonge B.I.A. Arron has also served on the Yonge Dundas Square Board of Management.

• Julia Lewis, Vice-Chair Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street. As a senior director in the field of Environmental Health, Safety and Security Management, Julia brings strong leadership and management skills to the Board. Julia has worked in and around the downtown Toronto area over the past 17 years and has been at Ryerson for over 12 years. She has a strong affiliation and passion for the energy and diversity of Downtown Yonge.

• Robert Housez, Secretary Delta Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard Street West. Robert is the General Manager of the Delta Chelsea, Canada’s largest four-diamond hotel. Robert firmly believes that a hotel must be an integral member of its neighbourhood community to be successful.

• Leger Xavier, Treasurer PenEquity Management, Toronto Life Square, 10 Dundas Street East. Since 1998, Leger has assumed various roles with PenEquity Management Corporation in developing more than 1.5 million square feet of retail and entertainment space, mainly in Downtown Toronto. Leger chairs the Executive/Finance Committee and currently serves on both the Marketing Committee and the Streetscape Committee.

• Susan Allen, Board Member General Manager, Retail Toronto Eaton Centre.

• Clive Baxter, Board Member Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd., Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge Street. Clive is the Senior Vice-President and Portfolio Manager of the Toronto Eaton Centre Portfolio. He has over 20 years of property management experience, the last 7 years associated with the Toronto Eaton Centre, and the downtown Toronto business community.  Clive has closely been involved with issues relating to Downtown Yonge since the inception of the BIA and as an active member of its predecessor organization, the Yonge Street Business and Residents Associations (YBRA).

• John Evanson, Board Member Hudson Bay Company, 176 Yonge Street. John is a senior executive with HBC, currently assigned as store director of the flagship store at Yonge & Queen. His vision is to restore Downtown Toronto as a safe, exciting, world class shopping destination through effective marketing that leverage the advantages of the downtown core.

• Thai Hua, Board Member Spring Rolls Restaurant, 20 Dundas Street West. Thai Hua is passionate about revitalization. He previously served as a member of the review committee of the City's Yonge Street Facade Improvement program. Through his restaurants, including the Atrium on Bay location, he is committed to changing the district through stunning design and creating landmarks that tourists would be in awe of, and Torontonians would be proud of.

• Christopher Pluch, Board Member General Property Manager, Hines/Atrium on Bay. Christopher has more than 20 years experience in property and facility management within the City of Toronto. After studying anthropology in university, Christopher undertook the management of several residential buildings before moving to the retail and commercial management within a family business environment. Christopher held positions with the Standard Life Assurance Company and Avison Young before moving to Oxford Properties where he managed Oxford’s head office and other banking district locations. Following Oxford, he took on an Area Manager’s role as head of operations at the Queen’s Park Complex, the headquarters of the Ontario Provincial Government. – Christopher has been married for 14 years; enjoys reading, golf, sailing and winter sports.

• Ken Gruber, Marketing Chair (non-Board member) Delta Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St W. Ken is Director of Marketing for the Delta Chelsea, Canada's largest hotel. Previously, he was Director of Advertising and Promotions for Tourism Toronto. An immigrant to Canada from the U.S., Ken is passionate about his adopted city and is anxious to tell the world about everything it has to offer.

• Ron Soskolne, Streetscape Chair Soskolne Associates, 229 Yonge Street. Ron is a Real Estate Development and Planning consultant. From 1995 to 1998, he was the Program Director of the Yonge Street Regeneration Program, which led to the Yonge Dundas redevelopment project, including the new Yonge-Dundas Square. Ron is the Chair of the Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management and currently serves as Chair of the Streetscape Committee.

• Mary Vittorio, Board Member Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd., Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge Street.  General Manager, Office Properties Toronto Eaton Centre.

• Councillor Kyle Rae, Board Member As a municipal Councillor of the City of Toronto since 1991, Kyle has served on a variety of committees including the Yonge Street Revitalization Committee. He has been named "Best City Councillor" by NOW Magazine and XTRA! Magazine. Kyle is the driving political force behind the revitalization of Downtown Yonge including the Facade Improvement grant and Yonge-Dundas Square.