Who is Gilbert + Burke?

Brian Gilbert is the powerhouse of Gilbert + Burke.

As President, Brian has an extensive background in building and construction, his experience with traditional log homes, timber-frame joinery, and traditional building methods mark him as an established and multi-disciplinary professional. 

Brian is an internationally recognized and award-winning project manager – although you might not know it from his humble, personable and pleasant personality – and constantly exhibits best-in-class management practices.

Since 2007, Brian has worked in all areas of production and operations with Gilbert + Burke, and in January 2022 he took over full ownership of the company. Brian has proven to be a true asset, for both the company and its clients. He is known for his comprehensive skills in organization, employee management, health and safety, customer relations, fine carpentry of all types, leadership, integrity, honesty and his impeccable work ethic.

Peter Groza brings over thirty years of experience designing and building homes to Gilbert + Burke.

However, it is Peter’s unique understanding of the environment, natural materials and modern architecture that has elevated his career as a highly sought-after upscale designer in the Muskoka region.

Peter truly has an expansive world view; born in Hungary, he escaped the Hungarian Revolution and moved to the remote Australian Outback town of Cooma, in New South Wales. From a very young age, Peter has felt connected to the outdoors. He has since spent his career designing spaces that are conscious of their natural surroundings, just as he is.

Working within the Muskokan terrain has fine-tuned his ability and desire to find the optimum positioning and elevation of dwellings that will capture—and showcase—key features of waterfront settings. Combining his experience with his understanding of nature, site development, and superior materials, Peter has become known for designing homes with optimum positioning, orientation, and elevation that blend into their natural environments, and even protect it.

As the Director of Client Experience, Ken is the first point of contact for many of our clients.

Ken is a client focused, results-driven Sales and Sales Management Specialist with proven success in developing and executing sales strategies.

With over 20 years of sales experience across several different industries, Ken brings a fresh perspective to our Sales team. Ken’s excellent interpersonal skills, poised speech, and knowledge of the building industry allow our potential clients to feel comfortable and informed throughout the entire process.

Nathan Willems is an Honours graduate of the Architectural Technologist program at Georgian College and has been building a reputation as a talented designer for over four years.

Nathan is current in all building best practices and brings a wealth of knowledge and skill in ArchiCAD to each client project. 

This is augmented by his love of the outdoors and his ability to tie natural elements into each bespoke design he creates.

Nathan is a registered designer with a House and Small Buildings qualified Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) allowing him to offer design services for custom homes, timber frame homes, modern construction, conventional construction, office buildings, multiple occupancy buildings, and many other structures that you may need designed.

Katerina Georgakakos is an Honours graduation of Interior Design from Sheridan College and comes to us with over 5 years experience in residential design.

It’s all in the details!

Katerina is a long-time creative with a passion for art and design. She believes that aesthetic, form and functionality combined are the key goals in the process. When designing, she considers the surroundings as an important part of the design process. By adhering and listening to clients dreams and needs, she is able to build strong lasting client relationships.

As CFO, Laurie brings over 30 years of accounting knowledge and experience to the Gilbert + Burke team.

She began her career at Price Waterhouse and has held senior accounting positions with Bobst Canada Inc., and Siemens Canada as well as ran her own accounting and bookkeeping business. 

Laurie is a self-motivated energetic individual who prides herself in accountability, reliability, accuracy, leadership, team work and outstanding customer service.  It is this passion for success that lends itself well to the culture at Gilbert + Burke.

Robin brings a wealth of positivity and determination to her position as Junior Accountant

Robin has completed her Bachelor of Administration with a specialization in Accounting from Trent University in Peterborough, ON. With diverse knowledge of accounting procedures and principles, Robin is able to apply her knowledge to many aspects of the company. Her motivation to help others, and willingness to learn makes her an asset to the organization.

Emily is the organizational go-getter for Gilbert + Burke.

As the Administrative Manager, she works alongside the CFO, performing an array of detailed administrative and accounting responsibilities.

She oversees daily office operations and ensures they’re performed in a seamless, efficient manner, as well as plans and coordinates administrative procedures and systems to devise new ways to functionalize processes. Emily goes above and beyond to predict the needs of the G+B owners, adapt to changes in plans and maintain a smoothly running office. From organizing meetings and paying invoices to stocking the stationery stash and reloading paper to the printer, Emily takes care of problems before they have a chance to become problems.

Emily has also held many roles, both volunteer and professional within the environmental sector, which pair exquisitely with G+B’s vision to create environmentally responsible, healthy and energy smart homes and cottages. She has worked in administrative positions for more than a decade, honing and fine-tuning her skilled communication, adaptability to different workplace cultures and upkeep of efficient organization.

Andrew is a graduate of the Construction Engineering Technology program at George Brown College.

Andrew brings the necessary skills required to be an accurate estimator and reliable project developer.

Andrew’s passion for making a positive impact on each individual client’s life is what motivates him to make sure that any project he is involved in, is executed the way our client envisioned.

At Gilbert + Burke, Andrew is responsible for assisting with pricing out potential projects, developing ongoing projects, sourcing/negotiating subcontracts, as well as regularly communicating with the field crews to ensure the jobs remain on schedule and within budget.

Ryan Wheatley is a graduate of the Carpentry Techniques Program at Georgian College with Honours, a graduate of Fleming College’s Ecosystem Management Technology Program and a Graduate of Trent Universities Indigenous Environmental Science Program with Honours.

Ryan’s background is in carpentry, and glazing as well as environmental science. His unique, interdisciplinary approach from working in construction for 15 years, is complemented by his problem-solving and critical thinking skills from his scientific background.

He has a passion for sustainable construction and puts every effort into ensuring customer service excellence on the projects he is a part of. Ryan is an active community member and has been on the board of directors for multiple volunteer groups in the Kawartha Lakes Region since moving here in 2012 from Muskoka. Ryan has worked on numerous projects in Muskoka, Kawarthas and Eastern Ontario. From custom timber-framed cottages to military aircraft hangers he has participated in large-scale residential and massive commercial projects