The only surprising thing about Nick Hannah and Sarah Vandenbelt’s new business partnership is that it took this long to finally happen. The Ottawa commercial real estate veterans have been teaming up on deals for years – first as colleagues at Koble Commercial and later as brokers at separate firms. When Koble ceased operations in […]
Already a Subscriber? Log in
Get Instant Access to This Article
Become an Ottawa Business Journal Insider and get immediate access to all of our Insider-only content and much more.
The only surprising thing about Nick Hannah and Sarah Vandenbelt’s new business partnership is that it took this long to finally happen.
The Ottawa commercial real estate veterans have been teaming up on deals for years – first as colleagues at Koble Commercial and later as brokers at separate firms.
When Koble ceased operations in mid-2023, Hannah moved on to become a vice-president at Lennard Commercial Realty, while Vandenbelt joined upstart firm Paradigm Commercial to launch its brokerage business.
Now, their business relationship has come full circle.
Hannah became the newest member of Paradigm’s growing team this week when he joined the company as a vice-president. His expertise in the industrial sector figures to be a valuable asset as Paradigm looks to keep upping its game in the competitive Ottawa market.
In an interview with OBJ on Thursday, Hannah said the move cements what was already a formidable informal professional collaboration between him and Vandenbelt.
“It made a lot of sense on a lot of levels,” he explained, adding it’s “not a huge surprise” given all the files the two have worked on together. “We figured we’d combine forces under one roof and see where this thing can go.”
Now a well-known figure in Ottawa commercial real estate, Hannah came to the industry from the logistics sector.
The Algonquin College business administration grad moved up the ranks at food distribution and wholesaling giant Sysco, eventually spending four years as a transportation supervisor with the company before joining CBRE as a sales associate in 2018.
Hannah quickly found his niche in commercial real estate as a specialist in the industrial sector, where his insider’s knowledge of the kind of spaces warehouse operators require and where those sites are located has made him the go-to broker for a host of logistics customers looking to lease or buy land or buildings.
“It always provides a lot of comfort when we’re dealing with clients that have the logistics piece,” said Vandenbelt, who said she has often turned to Hannah in those situations.
Hannah, meanwhile, said he leans on Vandenbelt’s experience dealing with clients in the professional services sector such as engineers, doctors and lawyers. He says the two also complement one another in other ways.
“I’m a bit more process- and detail-oriented, and she’s got a very strong set of people skills,” he said. “I think our skillsets dovetail nicely together.”
Vandenbelt agreed her new colleague is a “natural fit” for Paradigm, which now manages 15 properties across the National Capital Region in addition to representing buyers and tenants in commercial transactions.
“Clients have been asking for years, ‘Why aren’t you at the same brokerage?’” she said with a chuckle. “It’s exciting to now be in the same office.”
Hannah said he plans to work with Vandenbelt and CEO Ashley Hopkins, who heads up Paradigm’s property management division, on new marketing strategies as well as policies and procedures that will “bring more structure” to the growing firm.
“I think we’re all like-minded,” he added, noting that Paradigm has evolved into a “full-service shop” with the expertise to broker deals and manage properties on behalf of its clients.
“There’s some natural synergies where (the brokerage team) can offer (property management) solutions to our clients and (the property management) team can offer brokerage services in-house to their clients.”
Hannah’s hiring comes just a few weeks after Paradigm brought longtime commercial banking specialist Rafik Gabriel on board as vice-president of capital markets.
Vandenbelt said the moves have set the company up nicely as it navigates through a period of economic uncertainty.
“I think it will hopefully position us to help our existing clients and new clients as well.”
