At the CEO of the Year Breakfast on March 11, 2026, Colonnade BridgePort chief executive Hugh Gorman encouraged uOttawa Telfer School of Management students to make bold moves in their careers — without ever compromising the values that define them. “Be inquisitive, ask questions, take risks,” he told the audience during a fireside chat moderated by Eric Lathrop, managing partner of Boyden Canada, and Alexia Dumouchel, Telfer student and University of Ottawa Real Estate Club executive. “My parents always said I had to learn everything the hard way, so you’ve got to go out there and experience things.”
Gorman received the prestigious CEO of the Year Award last November at the Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBs) gala. Under his leadership, Colonnade BridgePort has grown into Ottawa’s largest privately owned real estate company, overseeing more than 15 million square feet across Ottawa, the GTA, Southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada. The company is tackling current housing constraints by increasing the supply to help balance demand, while also doing so within Ottawa’s Greenbelt using existing infrastructure, the room heard.
In his 35-year career, Gorman has worked across all facets of real estate: investment, development, management and leasing.
He spoke to a crowd at Desmarais Hall that included uOttawa president Marie-Eve Sylvestre; Telfer dean Stéphane Brutus; former dean Micheál Kelly; and alumni, professors, staff and members of the business community. Former CEO of the Year recipients Jean Laurin (ENCON Group) and Dan Goldberg (Telesat) were also in attendance.
Gorman said his path into real estate wasn’t inspired by a single defining moment. “I never had that epiphany where I realized I was passionate about real estate. You’re constantly experimenting and trying new things until it starts to click.”
He warned students not to get stuck in careers they hate. “If you wake up every morning thinking, ‘This job sucks,’ don’t do it. Go find something else. You’ll probably have to try a bunch of different things. There’s no single lightbulb moment; you’ll just know when you’re there.”
Gorman emphasized the importance of providing value. “If you’re not providing value, you shouldn’t expect things in return.” He urged students in their CO-OP placements to ask themselves daily: “Do I really understand where this organization is going? Do I really understand my role in the organization? Am I contributing positively to the outcomes? If the answer is yes, you don’t need to worry about your future.”
Beyond his business work, Gorman holds several volunteer leadership roles, including incoming chair of the Ottawa Board of Trade, a member of uOttawa’s board of governors and co-chair of the Downtown Ottawa Champions Tables.
On a lighter note, his son convinced him to train for a Half Ironman triathlon. “I’m supposed to keep saying that out loud so I don’t quit,” he joked, adding that the training is a reminder of the value of consistency and pushing yourself at every stage of your career.
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