Get To Know Gilbert + Burke: A Conversation with Brian Gilbert
Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Brian Gilbert , and I’m the Vice-President of Operations here at Gilbert and Burke.
How long have you been with Gilbert + Burke?
I’ve been here since 2007.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing in your first year with the company, what would it be?
This is a good question! One thing I’ve learned is not to confuse my identity with my role in the company. Once you start confusing the two, work becomes your whole life — and you need to enjoy your life, as well. It’s important to keep perspective of both roles, and keep that balance of home life and work life.
What do you love most about your job?
I just love what we do. I love creating spaces for people to enjoy and relax and make memories in.
What’s been the most rewarding project you’ve worked on recently?
A job in Huntsville where we went through a lot of red tape and jumped through a lot of hoops to be able to build the building on this particular lot. The client loved the lot, they grew up on the lot, and they wanted us to build on that lot. It took about 18 months to get through all the red tape and finally start building this fantastic build for the client – and that’s so rewarding.
Cottages are undeniably great. What’s your favourite part about spending time at them?
Just being able to kick back and relax and make memories with your friends and family. I know it’s a cliche, but that’s really what cottages are all about!
If you could build your dream cottage, where would it be and why?
I would find a quiet lake — probably in the Muskokas, but as long as it’s quiet I don’t really care where it is!
Swimming or boating — what do you prefer?
Boating.
What did you enjoy most this summer?
It’s been fantastic weather for being in the boat, being at the cottage, getting to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife, and that’s been fantastic.
