Louie G. Lawen created Dexel Developments in 1999 as the development, design and construction arm of the Lawen Group of Companies. Louie is also one of the co‐founders of Paramount Management; the property management arm of the family business that owns and manages 2,000 residential units and 300,000 sq ft of commercial property primarily in Halifax, Nova Scotia. With 25 years of focusing on urban multi‐unit mixed use projects, Louie has had the opportunity to develop, design, construct and manage some of Halifax’s premier signature buildings.

One of his most recent projects, Avonhurst Gardens, won the Investment Property Owners Association of NS (IPOANS) Multi‐unit Development of the Year (2015). Other project awards include: VIC Suites won Lieutenant Governor's Design Awards in Architecture Citation (2011) as well as the IPOANS Multiunit Development of the Year (2012). The Lofts at Greenvale won the Heritage Trust of NS Commercial Award (2010) and the IPOANS Multi‐unit Development of the Year (2011). In 2010, Dexel was awarded the Business of the Year Award by the Canadian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce. Furthermore Louie won the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year (Real Estate). As a partner with his brothers John and Peter Lawen, Louie was awarded the Pillar of the Community 2013 Award from IPOANS.

Currently, Louie is a board member of the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia. He is an active member of Saint Antonios Orthodox Church, where he has led the re‐development of the Church building at the corner of Windsor and Chebucto in Halifax. Additionally, Louie is a former board member of Sacred Heart School, Urban Development Institute (UDI) and IPOANS. As a former graduated of the Dalhousie University Engineering program, Louie gained his professional status in 2000. With the philosophy that good planning and design are pillars of a healthy society, Louie founded the George Lawen / Dexel Scholarship which is awarded to 2nd year Dalhousie Masters Planning Students actively involved with the local community.

John Lawen oversees the corporate functions that support both Dexel Developments and Paramount Management. As one of the co-founders of Paramount Management, John has spent more than three decades building an organization grounded in a simple belief — that every person deserves to live well, and that the communities we create and care for make that possible.

Since joining the family business in 1994 following his graduation from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science, John has led the cross-functional operations of the Lawen Group, with oversight spanning human resources, information technology, leasing, and property management. His focus has always been on the people behind the doors — ensuring that residents are heard, that buildings are cared for, and that the experience of calling a Paramount property home is one worth staying for. In recent years, John has also directed the company’s enterprise systems modernization, integrating technology that allows the team to respond faster, operate smarter, and deliver the seamless, frictionless service residents deserve.

As a partner with his brothers Louie and Peter Lawen, John was awarded the Pillar of the Community 2013 Award from the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia (IPOANS), where he has also served as a board member. John is an active member of Saint Antonios Orthodox Church in Halifax, where he served as Parish Council President during the construction of the new church — a project that reflects both his commitment to community and his belief that the spaces we build shape the lives lived within them. At home, John is grounded by his wife Rosine and their four children — Rachelle, Ivan, Chloe, and Kiana — the daily reminder of why building communities worth living in matters most.

After a decade working in administration and office management, Erin was thrilled to return to Nova Scotia in 2006 to join the Lawen Group’s growing family business. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s human resources functions—from policy development to recruitment and orientation to performance evaluation (and much more)—as well as managing the office’s administrative services. Erin is also a camping enthusiast who loves exploring the ruggedly beautiful coastlines of our province with her daughter and beloved fur-babiy in tow.

Jeremie Bourque brings a rare combination of technical precision and real-world regulatory experience to his role as Accounting Manager at the Lawen Group. A designated Chartered Professional Accountant, Jeremie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University and built his early career at the Canada Revenue Agency, where he progressed through senior roles in tax rulings, appeals, and regulatory compliance — experience that informs how he approaches financial oversight at every level.

At the Lawen Group, Jeremie leads the finance team responsible for the full scope of accounting functions across Paramount Management’s residential and commercial portfolio, including financial reporting, compliance, and the company’s Yardi enterprise platform. He brings the same rigour to a growing property group that he once applied to some of the country’s most complex tax files — with the added advantage of knowing this company, this city, and these communities well.

As the Lawen Group has transformed from a small, family-run business to what it is today, Diane (the youngest Lawen sibling) has filled many roles— from receptionist to leasing agent to property manager. However, her passion for information technology was discovered early on. After double majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics, managing the company’s website development was a natural fit. Eventually Diane also began integrating the property management system into the website and helping to grow the company’s digital presence. Working in digital marketing allows her to utilize both her technical and creative skills—a perfect left/right brain combination. On the rare occasion that Diane is offline, she enjoys training at the gym, yoga or getting outside for a refreshing hike.