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Alberta Online Encyclopedia

Max Kaplan

Edmonton Real Estate Board

Throughout his many years in the real estate business, Max Kaplan has made important contributions to the development of the city of Edmonton and organized real estate. He was born and raised in Winnipeg, and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Upon returning from the war, he headed west to take advantage of the opportunities that Edmonton had to offer. He was one of a group of war veterans including Norm Winterburn, Stan Melton, and Don Spencer who helped develop Edmonton's real estate industry after a lengthy lull in construction during the recessions of the 1920s and 1930s.

Award

In Edmonton, Kaplan began working in the wholesale dry goods business. He entered the real estate industry in an effort to build working relationships with fellow Edmontonians. In 1952, he joined a small real estate firm as a salesman. Two years later, he joined Melton Real Estate Ltd., eventually becoming a manager and then a director of the company. He left in 1961, and the next year he opened is own firm, Kaplan Real Estate Ltd, which he operated until 1972. Then he became a branch manager for Royal Trust's Real Estate Division and he worked there until 1976.

Plaque

Throughout his years in the real estate industry, Kaplan was actively involved with the Edmonton Real Estate Board (EREB). He served as president of the Board in 1967 and in 1968. In 1976, after he left Royal Trust, he joined the staff at EREB and became a director and later served as executive vice-president until 1982. As a director, he helped computerize the Multiple Listing Services®. The highlight of his term was planning the development of EREB's new office building; Max Kaplan, along with Norm Winterburn, was instrumental in planning and developing the 4 million dollar complex at 112th Avenue and 142nd Street, which opened in 1980.

In 1982, Kaplan left the Edmonton Real Estate Board to re-start Kaplan Real Estate, working in sales, consulting and investment business.

References

Gilpin, John. Responsible Enterprise: A History of Real Estate & the Edmonton Real Estate Board. Edmonton: Edmonton Real Estate Board, 1997

Macdonald, Jac. "Goats, Cows used for down payments 30 years ago." Edmonton Journal, Real Estate Section. December 31, 1982.

Smith, Lynne. "Real Estate has been good to me." Real Estate Weekly. September 17-23, 1987.

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