Tonko Realty Advisors in its present form, and through its predecessor companies, has provided fully integrated commercial real estate advisory and management services to major institutional and private investors in Canada for over 20 years. Outlined below is a brief history of the company since its inception as Copez Realty Advisors.
- 1985
- Copez Realty Advisors ("Copez") is founded by Peter Cohos to offer asset and property management services to pension funds and private clients.
- 1990
- Robert Proud becomes a partner in Copez.
- 1995
- Tonko Development Corporation ("TDC") is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Peter Cohos is appointed as a Director.
- 1997
- TDC raises $45 million in equity and moves to the TSX. Through acquisitions on behalf of its clients, Copez expands its Alberta retail market base by taking on management of Cascade Plaza in Banff, AB, and enters the Victoria, BC marketplace with management of Sussex Place, a prime downtown office/retail complex.
- 1998
- TDC acquires Copez. Peter Cohos assumes the role of President and Chief Executive Officer and Robert Proud assumes the role of Chief Financial Officer. TDC acquires Novam Development Ltd. (a property management company with over 25 years' experience in the Vancouver marketplace), and establishes an office in Vancouver, BC.
- 2000
- TDC acquires TELUS Plaza (a 1.18 million square foot office and retail complex) in Edmonton on behalf of clients, and establishes an asset and property management office in that city.
- 2002
- March: TDC is purchased by a third party and privatized
- May: Peter Cohos and Robert Proud purchase Tonko Realty Advisors Ltd. ("Tonko"), TDC's asset and property management subsidiary. Tonko develops Plaza 1000, a 160,000 square foot office building in Calgary, AB, on behalf of a client.
- 2003
- Tonko's role as developer continues to expand with the launch of The Mount Royal Block retail project, Eastlake Portico industrial project and the Centrium Place office project, in Calgary, AB.
- 2004
- Five senior managers become shareholders of Tonko, in addition to Peter Cohos and Robert Proud who remain the company's principal owners.
- 2005
- January: Sandy Cruickshank joins Tonko as Senior Vice President, British Columbia.
- March: Tonko enters the Saskatchewan marketplace by acquiring the RONA site in Regina, SK on behalf of a client.
- 2006
- From 1985 to 2006 assets under management by Tonko have increased from $10 million to $1.3 billion plus $400 million in projects under development.
- Tonko further expands its BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan portfolios through acquisitions and new development on behalf of its clients.
- 2007
- Tonko starts acquiring land and managing real estate properties in Saskatoon, SK.