The builder

Company: Banc Group of Companies
Business: Residential and commercial properties
Category: Real Estate/Construction 

In 1974, 18-year-old Besim Halef arrived in Canada from Turkey. Not knowing how to speak English, he started working as a dishwasher. When he was 20 he returned to Turkey to marry his wife, Nadia; their first entrepreneurial venture was to open Fred’s Tailors in Dartmouth. While Nadia worked at the shop, Halef began fulfilling his dream of pursuing a university degree, eventually earning a BSc in mathematics from Saint Mary’s University and a master’s in metallurgical engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia. It wasn’t an easy path; in the evenings, Halef worked at the shop and studied after it closed. “The arduous schedule and stress levels of raising a family [son Alex and daughter Christine], owning a business, and going to university simultaneously cannot be understated,” says Halef. But from humble beginnings came great success. Today Halef, 56, owns nearly $300 million worth of residential and commercial properties. He spent many years working in senior positions in the metal fabrication industry before moving into the real estate market. In 1999 Halef founded the BANC Group of Companies, of which he is president (BANC stands for Besim, Alex, Nadia, and Christine). Through BANC Properties Limited, he bought various buildings, including the Highfield Park Plaza, and began to finance a number of projects across the province, among them the Trinity Harbourview Development Project in Dartmouth’s north end and the Mount Royal subdivision. Halef hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to start with nothing. He’s a long-time supporter of the Boys and Girls Club and the Salvation Army, among other charitable ventures. When asked, he’s happy to pass on the secret to his success: “I believe you can accomplish anything if you have a strong work ethic and drive.”

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