U. Gary Charlwood

Last updated
U. Gary Charlwood
Born
Uwe Heinrich Gustav Schremer [1]

(1941-12-25) December 25, 1941 (age 82)
Germany
Nationality Canadian/British
Other namesUwe Gary Charlwood [1]
Education University of Southampton
Occupation(s) Executive Chairman of The Charlwood Pacific Group
Executive Chairman of Century 21 Canada LP
Executive Chairman of Centum Financial Group Inc.
Executive Chairman of Real Property Management LP
Vice-Chairman of Century 21 Asia Pacific
Chairman of UNIGLOBE Travel International LP
ChildrenChristopher Charlwood
Martin Charlwood
Bianca Charlwood

U. Gary Charlwood (born 1941) is a Canadian businessman, Executive Chairman and CEO of Charlwood Pacific Group, Founder & Executive Chairman of CENTURY 21 Canada, and Chairman CEO & Founder of Uniglobe Travel International. [2] In 2017, Charlwood was ranked as the 92nd richest person in Canada. [3] In 2015, Charlwood was named The Most Powerful Person in Residential Real Estate by the Swanepoel Power 200. [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Born in Germany, he moved to London in 1948 to join his mother, who had remarried after his father's death. Later he attended University of Southampton. [5]

Career

Charlwood serves as the executive chairman of Charlwood Pacific Group, which owns Century 21 Canada, Century 21 Asia-Pacific, Uniglobe Travel International, Centum Financial Group and Real Property Management Canada. These companies have more than 1,700 franchise locations with more than 26,000 support staff in 561 cities in 67 countries, making it one of the largest international franchise systems in Canada, reportedly by REM (magazine). [6] [2] [7]

He established UNIGLOBE Travel International in 1979, which is one of the largest travel agencies in number of outlets in the world. [8]

In 1975 U. Gary along with Peter H. Thomas bought the franchise rights for Century 21 Real Estate Canada. [9] But unfortunately, the Century 21 concept was shut down by the Real Estate Council of BC, as it was claimed that franchising was illegal in the real estate brokerage business. [10] Charlwood challenged the ruling in court and won, following which he successfully opened the door to a wide array of American brokerages now commonplace in Canada, including RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker and, more recently, Royal LePage. [11] CENTURY 21 Canada was the first real estate brokerage company with offices coast to coast in Canada. Currently, Century 21 remains one of the largest companies in Canada with more than 400 locations and 10,000 system members. The Charlwood Pacific Group also holds 50% ownership in Century 21 Asia Pacific. His Canadian and Asian Century 21 companies have a combined 939 franchisees, employing 19000 salespeople as of June 2016. [4]

In 2002, he founded Centum, a mortgage brokerage franchise brand. His Canadian and Asian Century 21 companies have a combined 939 franchisees, employing 19,000 salespeople, as of June 2016., [2]

In 2010, he acquired the Real Property Management (RPM) rights for Canada, a Utah based company which manages properties for real estate investors. [12] [2]

Before starting his own company, Charlwood also worked for Western Airlines (now Delta Air Lines) and CP Air (now Air Canada). [6]

He was elected as Chairman of the International Franchise Association of Washington, DC, the only non-American to ever hold the position. [13]

Awards and recognition

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Hilton</span> American businessman

Richard Howard Hilton is an American businessman. He is the chairman and co-founder of Hilton & Hyland, a real estate brokerage firm based in Beverly Hills, California, that specializes in homes and estates in Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, Bel-Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Hollywood Hills, as well as estates from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cendant</span> Defunct American company

Cendant Corporation was an American provider of business and consumer services, primarily within the real estate and travel industries. In 2005 and 2006, it broke up and spun off or sold its constituent businesses. Although it was based in New York City, the majority of its headquarters employees were in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Spot</span> Canadian restaurant chain

White Spot is a Canadian restaurant chain based in Vancouver, British Columbia, best known for its hamburgers, Pirate Pak children's meal, "Triple O" sauce, and milkshakes. Along with its related Triple O's quick service brand, the chain operates over 100 locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal LePage</span>

Royal LePage is a Canadian real estate franchiser and owner-operator with more than 670 locations and over 20,000 realtors in Canada. The company was founded on July 2, 1913 in Toronto, Canada by then 26-year-old Albert Edward (A.E.) LePage, under the name "A.E. LePage, Bungalow Specialist." In 1984, the company was renamed Royal LePage Real Estate Services following a merger with Royal Trust's real estate brokerage business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefan Swanepoel</span> American businessman

Stefan J. M. Swanepoel, is an American business executive, author and real estate businessperson. He has served as president of two non-profit organizations and seven companies, including a New York-based global franchise network. He is most known as a business and trends author, having written more than 20 books and reports. His books have been listed on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

Peter H. Thomas is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, author, public speaker, and philanthropist. Thomas was the founding partner and chairman of Century 21 Real Estate Canada Ltd and Samoth Capital Corporation. He is the founder and chairman of Thomas Pride International and its affiliates, including Thomas Franchise Solutions as well as LifePilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macdonald Realty</span> Canadian real estate company

Macdonald Realty is the residential division of Macdonald Real Estate Group Inc. (MREG). MREG is a privately owned Canadian real estate brokerage and advisory business with offices across British Columbia. Established in 1944, MREG offers a fully integrated range of real estate services, including: residential sales, commercial sales and leasing, property and strata management, project marketing, and development management services.

Bruce Firestone of Ottawa, Ontario, is a Canadian businessman and writer. He is the founder of the modern-day Ottawa Senators NHL professional ice hockey club and former part-owner of the Ottawa Rough Riders CFL football club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choices Markets</span> Grocer in British Columbia, Canada

Choices Markets is a grocer based in British Columbia, Canada, that is focused on natural, specialty and organic food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assist-2-Sell</span>

Assist-2-Sell is an American real estate franchise organization operating in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1987 by Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle E. Martin and is based in Reno, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keller Williams Realty</span> American real estate franchise headquartered in Austin Texas

Keller Williams Realty is an American technology and international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas. It is the largest real estate franchise in the United States by sales volume as of 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary W. Keller</span> American business writer

Gary Keller is an American entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of Keller Williams, which is the largest real estate company in the world by agent count and second in closed sales volume, and units sold. Keller founded Keller Williams on training and education and later brought his teachings to print. His books include The Millionaire Real Estate Agent,The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and The ONE Thing. He is considered one of the most influential people in real estate.

Marcus & Millichap, Inc. is an American company that provides real estate brokerage, mortgage brokerage, research, and advisory services in the U.S. and Canada in the field of commercial property. It popularized the practice of listing properties exclusively with one brokerage firm. The company has over 1,700 employees in more than 80 offices across the U.S. and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colliers International</span> Real estate investment firm

Colliers International Group Inc. is a Canada-based diversified professional services and investment management company with approximately 18,000 employees in more than 400 offices in 65 countries.

Henry R. Silverman is an American entrepreneur and private equity investor. Silverman is best known for his role in building Cendant Corporation into a multibillion-dollar business services company that provided car rentals, travel reservation services as well as real estate brokerage services and was also the largest franchisor of hotels globally.

Ken LeBlanc is a Canadian entrepreneur, franchisor, and real estate analyst born in Moncton, New Brunswick. In 1998 LeBlanc co-founded PropertyGuys.com. As President and CEO, LeBlanc has overseen the company's growth from a single Moncton location to an organization with over 120 franchises serving over 600 communities across Canada and the USA. LeBlanc is the youngest person ever named to the Atlantic Business Magazine Hall-of-Fame, and one of the first New Brunswickers. In November 2009 LeBlanc became the first known "honorary dragon" of the Canadian version of the television programme Dragons' Den during an event promoting Global Entrepreneurship Week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate</span> American real estate company

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is an international real estate company which began operations in July 2008.

Centum Investment Company Plc, commonly known as Centum is a public East African investment company. It operates as an affiliate of the Kenyan government-owned Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC).

Robert H. Lee was a Canadian businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chairman of Prospero, a real estate firm in Vancouver, British Columbia.

<i>Business in Vancouver</i> Weekly business news journal

Business in Vancouver (BIV) is a weekly business news journal co-founded in 1989 by Peter Ladner in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Published on Tuesdays it receives about 62,000 readers per week with a print circulation of about 1,800.

References

  1. 1 2 Stewart, Monte (September 7, 2007). "Uniglobe Travel CEO no accidental tourist". Business Edge.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Korstrom, Glen (June 5, 2016). "Successful franchise entrepreneurs share expansion lessons". Business in Vancouver.
  3. ↑ "Canada's Richest People: U. Gary Charlwood". Canadian Business. December 24, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Stefan Swanepoel (2014). Swanepoel Power 200 The Most Powerful Person in Residential Real Estate 2014-15 (PDF). RealSure, Inc. p. 35. ISBN   978-0-9863779-1-4.
  5. 1 2 "2007 Hall of Fame". Franchise.org. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  6. 1 2 McCloskey, Dennis (October 28, 2016). "U. Gary Charlwood reflects on 40 years of Century 21 in Canada". REM.
  7. ↑ Vanderklippe, Nathan. "Century 21 franchisor still going '120mph'" (PDF). National Post. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 22, 2014. Alt URL
  8. ↑ Berendien Lubbe (2000). Tourism Distribution: Managing the Travel Intermediary. Juta and Company Ltd. pp. 108, 109, 110. ISBN   978-07-02154-1-88.
  9. ↑ "Century 21 Canada offices raise record breaking $682,000 for local Easter Seals". REM. March 22, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Successful Canadian franchise entrepreneurs share expansion lessons". South China Morning Post. June 16, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Once In A Century". REP. 1 (1): 18. April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Charlwood Pacific Group brings property management franchise to Canada". REM. January 31, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Appointments". The Wall Street Journal. April 6, 1998. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018.
  14. ↑ Rosal, Christine. "Awards Spotlight: 2016 Hall of Fame Award Winner U. Gary Charlwood". CFA.ca. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Century 21 Canada founder accepts Canadian Franchise Association Hall of Fame Award". REM. May 18, 2016.
  16. ↑ "U. Gary Charlwood awarded travel industry's top honor". Eturbonews. September 14, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Travel Hall of Fame". Asta.org . Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "The Charlwood Pacific Group Receives 2016 Canadian Franchise Association Hall of Fame Award". Yahoo! News. April 19, 2016.
  19. ↑ "First-ever Canadian in franchise hall of fame". National Post. February 11, 2008.
  20. ↑ Korstrom, Glen (March 4–10, 2008). "Vancouver franchise builder wins industry's biggest honour". Business in Vancouver (958).
  21. ↑ "Entrepreneur of the Year". Franchise.org. IFA. February 2007.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.