Interview with Winnipeg’s Thomas Haughton on Business Leadership and Giving Back

Thomas Haughton serves as the Vice President of My Place Realty, a Winnipeg-based real estate and property management firm. He has been part of the company’s senior management team since 2012.

In his position as Vice President, Tom Haughton works with his senior management team to oversee My Place Realty’s business, handling everything from financing and construction to daily property management.

Before joining My Place Realty, Haughton served as the President and CEO of the Global Drug Supply Group of Companies in Barbados, where he oversaw the operation for six years, including warehousing, purchasing and shipping. Before that, he served as a Regional Support and Training Manager at TD Canada Trust.

You’ve had experience leading a range of businesses. What do you look for in your employees in terms of leadership?

Tom Haughton: With respect to My Place Realty, we are always trying to be at the forefront of change, so I look for leaders who are constantly looking for ways to improve our buildings and expand our services to our tenants. I want all my employees to be completely focused on providing excellent customer service.

What have you learned in your career as a business leader that can help you create teams that focus on customer service?

Tom Haughton: I’ve been lucky that the companies I have helped manage have prioritized offering careers to our team. That’s what we offer to our team working at My Place Realty. In addition, our team at My Place Realty has continually focused on social responsibility and giving back to the community through the support of various charities. That will remain a focus for all us.

What kind of technological changes do you see impacting the real estate industry?

Tom Haughton: Well, smart buildings are becoming more and more of a reality. Heating and lights can be programmed to go on and off at a particular time. But we want to ensure we don’t take control away from our tenants so that they feel comfortable and in charge, as it should be.

Before you joined My Place Realty, you were leading a company operating in a different industry. How did you manage that transition?

Tom Haughton: It helps to know the details behind different industries. But the underlying principles of leading and growing a business are similar, no matter which sector you’re operating in. The truth is, the industry is less important than knowing how to establish and maintain a strong relationship with customers. On top of that, you need to make sure that your staff are equipped with the correct training and tools to do the job themselves so that you can properly manage transitions at the senior management level.