John Foresi
CEO, Co-Founder & Director - Venterra Realty
Harvard MBA, Globe & Mail Top 40 Under 40, Niagara Native
John Foresi is the CEO and Co-Founder of Venterra Realty, a North American real estate investment and management firm overseeing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across 24 major U.S. markets. Under his leadership, Venterra has built a reputation not only for strong investment performance, but for creating one of the most respected workplace cultures in the industry — earning multiple recognition's including Best Places to Work, Top CEO, and Companies That Care.
A Niagara native with deep local roots, John brings a rare combination of global business leadership and grounded, real-world perspective. His career spans senior leadership roles across multiple industries including transportation, consumer packaged goods, investment banking, logistics, and software — experiences that have shaped his long-term approach to building businesses, teams, and culture.
Keynote: The Long Game — A Real-World Perspective on Life, Business & Leadership
In a world increasingly focused on short-term results, rapid change, and constant noise, John will share a different perspective — one grounded in decades of experience building organizations, investing capital, and developing people.
This keynote is centred on a simple but powerful idea: the most meaningful careers, businesses, and lives are built over time — not in cycles, but across decades.
Drawing from his experience leading and scaling a multi-billion-dollar organization, John will provide practical, experience-driven insights on:
How to think about economic cycles, capital, and long-term opportunity
Making better decisions in environments defined by uncertainty and change
Building organizations through strong culture, leadership, and people development
Understanding how early decisions compound over time — both personally and professionally
Why character, consistency, and reputation ultimately become your greatest advantage
While aspects of this message will resonate with individuals in their 20s and 30s — particularly those transitioning from sport into business — the broader perspective is highly relevant for:
Business owners and operators
Leaders managing teams and developing talent
Organizations involved in long-term capital projects and regional growth
This is not an academic discussion. It is a candid, practical perspective shaped by over 30 years of real-world experience — and the same thinking John applies within his own organization and shares with his own family.