Our accomplished and passionate development leadership team represents global expertise in over 1000 global mountain projects, building over 10,000 units and famed West Coast and Rocky Mountain architecture and Master-planned alpine communities.
Dr. Francis Oda
Master Architect
Francis is a globally recognized, award-winning architect with more than 50 design awards to his name, including the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Our Divine Savior Church in Chico, California. In 2014, he was named Hawaii Business Leader of the Year by Pacific Business News. His portfolio of celebrated projects includes the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele, Four Seasons Manele Bay Hotel, Hanauma Bay Nature Center, and the Maluhia Golf Clubhouse—all of which demonstrate his ability to create spaces that are both inspiring and deeply connected to their natural surroundings.
As Master Architect for Heaven’s Gate, Francis brings 50 years of design and master-planning experience to one of the most ambitious mountain destinations in the world. Renowned for crafting architecture that harmonizes with the natural and cultural environment, Francis is passionate about shaping a pedestrian-oriented, sustainable village that will become a benchmark for world-class resort design.
Through his firm G70, Francis will lead and collaborate with a team of globally recognized architects, ensuring that Heaven’s Gate embodies timeless beauty, environmental stewardship, and a transformative guest experience.
Paul Mathews
President, Founder of Ecosign
Paul is the founder and president of Ecosign, the world’s leading firm in the design and planning of four-season mountain destinations. Paul is internationally recognized as the foremost expert in leading projects from inception to profitability. He has been involved with Heaven’s Gate from its inception—leading the mountain feasibility study, designing critical mountain infrastructure, and he will continue to oversee the ongoing master planning of its pedestrian-oriented village and optimization of mountain financials.
Since founding Ecosign in 1975, Paul has directed the planning and design of over 1000 major mountain resort projects across 46 countries, including six Winter Olympic venues. His work is widely recognized for balancing environmental sensitivity, guest experience, and financial performance—a proven formula for taking mountain resort projects from concept to profitability.
Ecosign’s continued partnership with Heaven’s Gate will ensure world-class mountain design, operational excellence, and long-term financial optimization, while creating an iconic destination that inspires visitors and strengthens the local economy for generations to come.
Bill Marshall
Master planning and Design
Bill Marshall is a highly regarded expert in Rocky Mountain resort architecture and planning, with over 30 years of experience shaping iconic destinations across Western Canada. His distinguished portfolio includes design contributions to world-renowned properties such as the Fairmont Banff Springs, Chateau Lake Louise, Hyatt Regency, and extensive resort master planning throughout the Rocky Mountains.
Bill’s work is internationally recognized, with the Fairmont Banff Springs consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 most famous and historically significant landmark hotels. His expertise extends to creating spaces that blend architectural excellence with environmental harmony, ensuring long-term sustainability and cultural resonance.
At Heaven’s Gate, Bill will provide strategic guidance on community master planning, design, and intergenerational planning, ensuring that the development reflects a forward-thinking approach while honoring its unique natural and cultural context.
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Craig MacLeod
Founding General Partner, Director Eagles Summit Ltd.
Craig is a founding principal of Heaven’s Gate Fernie, where he brings a pioneering spirit, a passion for excellence, and a unique ability to align diverse stakeholder interests to build high-performing, purpose-driven teams of globally recognized experts.
Craig’s professional background spans portfolio management with CIBC World Markets—where he helped fund sustainable new energy technologies—resort consulting since 2004, and physical precious metals investment. His connection to Fernie runs deep: he first skied there almost 50 years ago and has maintained a lifelong love for the region.
Craig was privileged to be mentored by two of Canada’s most visionary pioneers: Phil Boname, founder of Urbanics and one of the country’s foremost leaders in municipal planning and real estate economics, and Heiko Socher, the legendary developer who spent 25 years building Fernie Alpine Resort into an internationally renowned ski destination.
Guided by a belief in the power of collaboration, mentorship, and a culture of honor, Craig is committed to shaping Heaven’s Gate into a project that reflects both world-class innovation and deep respect for community and place.
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Glem Dias
Leadership and DNA
Glem serves on the Executive Board of Heaven’s Gate, where he champions education strategy, leadership development, and organizational culture. Widely recognized for his transformative work in leadership and talent strategy, Glem has earned 10 industry and CEO awards for his impact on organizational growth and leadership excellence.
During his tenure at Walmart, Glem’s efforts in building executive and leadership bench strength were celebrated as best-in-class—directly fueling business growth exceeding $10 billion. He has also led end-to-end leadership strategies at Morgan Stanley, Pitney Bowes, and consulted with numerous Fortune 500 companies to develop high-impact leadership pipelines.
Over his 25-year career spanning 30 industry sectors and five continents, Glem has directly shaped the careers of more than 1,000 executives and high-potential leaders through targeted leadership development programs and executive coaching. He has trained over 5,000 leaders at Schulich ExecEd, Schulich School of Business, and is a respected thought leader with contributions featured in Forbes and other leading industry publications.
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Susan Dau
Co-Founder General Partner, Director Eagles Summit Ltd.
Susan is a General Partner and member of the Executive Board of Heaven’s Gate, bringing over three decades of expertise in Alberta’s real estate sector. Her background spans condominium sales, luxury residential properties, and project marketing, giving her a unique ability to align market demand with visionary community planning.
Susan’s career has been global in scope. During her time in Southeast Asia, she launched a community development initiative that empowered rural populations through education and sustainable growth in Cambodia. She also played an advisory role in a major mining exploration venture in Metagine, Colombia, where she honed her ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder projects in challenging environments.
At Heaven’s Gate, Susan will champion community development and help with the creation of the Wellness Centre, ensuring the project delivers both exceptional market value and lasting social impact. Her strategic focus on cultivating strong local partnerships will be instrumental in securing the project’s long-term success, integration, and profitability, while also fostering a thriving, purpose-driven community.
Jimmy Souza
Director Real Estate Development
Jimmy is a seasoned developer with over 14 years of experience leading large-scale land development projects from concept to completion. He oversaw the transformation of a 350-acre half-section of farmland into a 600+ lot golf course community just east of Calgary, Alberta — a project that required balancing complex engineering, regulatory, and community priorities.
Jimmy’s scope of work included rezoning and permitting, coordinating with a world-class golf course architect, and managing multiple engineering firms to deliver a fully realized community. Under his leadership, the project saw the successful construction of an 18-hole championship golf course, a state-of-the-art water treatment plant, several lakes, and all servicing and waste-treatment infrastructure needed to support long-term growth.
What sets Jimmy apart is his ability to navigate complex stakeholder interests with diplomacy and vision. His passion for building bridges between people and his relentless pursuit of creating intergenerational communities have resulted in developments that are not only technically sound but also deeply rooted in a sense of place, purpose, and enduring value.
Randy Gliege
Director of Mountain Infrastructure
Randy has dedicated his life to lift infrastructure development, with decades of hands-on experience delivering world-class ropeway projects across the globe. His career highlights include leading the Olympic resort development and ropeway installations at Snowbasin, Utah, as well as contributing extensively to the growth and transformation of Whistler Blackcomb during its pivotal development years.
Randy is the owner of Summit Lift Company, where he oversees major international projects—including managing 300 workers and directing all general contracting and construction for the longest single-cable gondola ever built in the Western Hemisphere, located in the country of Dominica.
A long-time Fernie resident of over 30 years, Randy is deeply rooted in his community while continuing to shape the future of mountain resort infrastructure worldwide.
Craig Takahata
Architecture, Hotels and Masterplanning
Craig is a principal and senior project designer with over 30 years of global experience in hospitality and destination design. Since 1992, he has led the design of major hotels, resorts, offices, commercial spaces, residential developments, retail hubs, mixed-use communities, and master plans across the world, including projects in the United States, Philippines, China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia.
As the former Managing Director of WATG’s Honolulu office, Craig spent more than two decades serving many of the world’s leading hotel and resort brands, as well as boutique hospitality groups, helping them craft destinations that blend luxury, functionality, and a strong sense of place. His design philosophy centers on deep cultural understanding and place-making, ensuring every project is rooted in the unique story of its location and delivers a memorable, world-class guest experience.
At Heaven’s Gate, Craig is bringing his global perspective and hospitality expertise to help shape a pedestrian-oriented mountain village and resort experience that is at once authentic, immersive, and transformative. His work ensures that Heaven’s Gate will stand as one of the world’s most distinctive four-season destinations, seamlessly merging architecture, community, and the natural alpine environment.
Maxwell Bracey
Futurist
Maxwell is an inspiring motivational leader and accomplished entrepreneur with a proven track record of building successful ventures in technology, marketing, and oil & gas. A world traveler with a truly global perspective, Maxwell now calls Toronto, ON home—while maintaining deep roots in Western Canada, where he grew up on a farm just outside Calgary, AB.
Guided by his life motto, “to be blessed to be a blessing,” Maxwell is passionate about helping others unlock their true potential and discover their unique identity. His mission is to empower people to dream bigger, break through limitations, and achieve what they once thought impossible.
Maxwell’s work is defined by vision, integrity, and a relentless drive to inspire greatness—both in business and in life.
Linda Fields, MBA
Director of Global Leadership Campus
Linda will serve as the Director of the Global Leadership Campus, bringing decades of experience in education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development. She previously launched and directed an innovative entrepreneurial learning center in partnership with Dow Chemical and Brazosport College, successfully building collaborative bridges between education, industry, and the broader community. Over a 12-year period, this initiative impacted more than 150,000 participants, equipping them with practical skills and opportunities to thrive.
Linda’s experience also includes over 30 years of teaching university-level business courses and co-founding multiple businesses alongside her husband, Rick. Since 2007, she has dedicated herself to equipping and mentoring both emerging and established leaders across all spheres of influence, with a focus on fostering transformation and sustainable impact.
Her passion lies in empowering individuals to grow their capacity, embrace innovation, and lead with purpose on a global scale.
Bruce Watt
Director of Aviation Strategies
Bruce brings over 35 years of aviation experience, culminating in his role as Captain on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for WestJet. Over the course of his distinguished career, he served 12 years as a training and checking pilot, where he was responsible for preparing and mentoring new pilots on the Boeing 737, including specialized instruction in ETOPS operations for trans-Pacific flights to Hawaii.
In the final six years of his tenure, Bruce captained international long-haul routes to destinations such as London, Dublin, Paris, and Barcelona, further deepening his global perspective. His aviation journey reflects not only technical excellence and leadership but also a passion for connecting people across cultures and continents.
Bruce believes this aligns perfectly with his vision for Heaven’s Gate Fernie—a destination that welcomes visitors from around the world to experience the region’s natural beauty and transformative community.
BORIS LEMKE
Lead Financial Advisor
Boris brings over 25 years of experience in international finance, capital markets, and real estate investment to his role as a strategic advisor for Heaven’s Gate. Based in London, Boris is the Co-Founder of TreeCap Partners GmbH, where he specializes in advisory services, structuring solutions, restructuring strategies, and capital raising for corporates, assets, and large-scale projects in the private equity and private debt markets—often involving complex, special-situation transactions.
Prior to founding TreeCap Partners, Boris served as Investment Director for a major international family office managing €8+ billion in assets under management. There, he was responsible for M&A activities, financing strategies, and transaction structuring, with a special focus on large, mixed-use real estate developments across Germany, the UK, and Portugal—each with footprints of 100,000+ sqm GFA.
Earlier in his career, Boris held senior roles in derivatives, deal structuring, underwriting, and private debt at Deutsche Bank (15 years) and Morgan Stanley (3 years), based in Frankfurt and London. At Deutsche Bank, he most recently led the London Private Debt Syndicate team, giving him deep insight into global capital flows and investor networks.
At Heaven’s Gate, Boris’s expertise is instrumental in shaping the project’s capital strategy, financing structure, and investor relations, ensuring that this once-in-a-generation mountain destination is positioned for long-term financial success, resilience, and global appeal.
ANITA WING LEE
Strategic Communications
Anita is a strategic communications leader and brand visionary with over a decade of experience building globally recognized brands across the travel, wellness, non-profit, and education sectors. As a media entrepreneur and director, she is known for her ability to combine brand strategy, creative content, digital marketing, and omnichannel storytelling to help mission-driven organizations expand their reach and impact.
Anita holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School and has led campaigns for international travel brands, global events, and humanitarian initiatives, consistently creating narratives that inspire audiences and drive engagement. A seasoned world traveler who has explored 40+ countries, Anita brings a truly global perspective and a deep belief in the transformative power of travel and place.
At Heaven’s Gate, Anita is spearheading the creation of a world-class brand experience, positioning the destination as a leader in adventure, renewal, innovation, and personal growth. Her work is helping shape Heaven’s Gate’s story into one that resonates with global travelers, investors, and the local community, ensuring the project becomes not only a place to visit but a place to transform.
