OUR TEAM  

Don Zehr

Co-Chairman

Mr. Zehr serves as Co-Chairman of Blackhedge, and is responsible for providing strategic oversight to all aspects of the business. Don has had a highly successful 40-year track record in the commercial & residential real estate industry, and currently still serves as Chairman and Founder of the Zehr Group. Over the last 40 years, Don has built the Zehr Group into a leading fully-integrated Canadian real estate & construction company, having constructed and developed over 3 million square feet. Don is an active philanthropist, and now splits his time between Naples & Ontario.

Ted Schlotzhauer

Mr. Schlotzhauer serves as Co-Chairman of Blackhedge, and is responsible for providing strategic oversight to all aspects of the business. Ted also currently serves as President & CEO of Matbridge Investments, a privately held Canadian investment firm focused on real estate, private equity, M&A, venture capital and private lending. Prior to starting Matbridge, Ted spent nearly 30 years in the industrial contracting industry, and over the course of his career has been highly successful owning, operating, and exiting numerous businesses. Along the way, Ted has enjoyed mentoring entrepreneurs and has developed a keen interest for angel investing. Ted is an avid hockey fan, and now splits his time between Naples & Ontario.

Charles Pilney

President

Charles serves as President of Blackhedge, overseeing investments and day-to-day operations. Prior to joining Blackhedge, Charles spent 10 years on Brookfield’s real estate investment team, working across offices in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. At Brookfield, Charles was a Vice President responsible for sourcing core-plus & opportunistic office investments on behalf of Brookfield’s balance sheet and private equity funds, and was highly involved in all aspects of the investment lifecycle from sourcing, underwriting, due diligence, and financing through to asset management and disposition. Transaction experience has ranged across property sectors, and from single assets to portfolios, JV's, recaps, venture capital and M&A. Over his tenure, Charles was involved in closing $5.4 billion of transactions and asset managing several million square feet of office properties in major markets such as Silicon Valley, Atlanta and Orlando. Charles holds an Honors B.A. from the Richard Ivey School of Business at The University of Western Ontario. 

Colton Zehr

Vice President

Colton serves as Vice President of Blackhedge, and is responsible for helping execute investments and business development. Colton also currently serves as Vice President of the Zehr Group, where he is directly responsible for acquisitions, dispositions and asset management. Previously, Colton worked in New York for two private equity funds specializing in multifamily & office investments. Throughout his various roles, Colton has been involved with real estate transactions totaling over $1.4 billion. Colton holds a Masters of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University in New York, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Western Ontario.

Matt Schlotzhauer

Vice President

Matt serves as Vice President of Blackhedge, and is responsible for business development and asset management. Matt also currently serves as Vice President of Matbridge Investments where he is responsible for acquisitions, dispositions and portfolio management. In his role at Matbridge, Matt has invested in real estate investments totaling over $1.5 billion in GAV, as well as the acquisition and/or disposition of over 20 mid-market operating companies. Previously, Matt held various roles in commercial real estate, investment management and construction at firms such as CIBC Wood Gundy, Black & McDonald and PNR RailWorks. Matt holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Francis Xavier University.