Age: 39
Job Title: CEO and President, Averton Homes
Why He’s Top 40: He’s committed to making Edmonton a healthy, livable and thriving community
When Paul Lanni’s grandfather arrived in Toronto with his wife from Italy after the Second World War, he started a home-building company. Inspired by his father and grandfather, and wanting to pursue his affinity for Edmonton, Lanni started an extension of the business, Averton Homes, in Edmonton, when he was 26. His hands-on work ethic allowed him to transform Averton from a semi-custom builder to a community staple which currently has over 1,200 homes in development.
Lanni also volunteers his time on the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors. For Lanni, the link between a passion for home building and a commitment to a local hospital is more than apparent – he’s committed to the community health of Edmonton.
“Women’s health is at the foundation of a strong community,” Lanni explains. “If the women in a community are healthy, then families are healthy and the community will thrive. The Royal Alexandra Hospital and its Lois Hole Hospital for Women do so much for women’s health, it’s just a logical fit.”
Averton builds houses, condos and even community projects for a range of budgets and aims to distinguish itself from other builders by giving back to the community. Averton’s Building for Champions program offers a discount to police officers, doctors, nurses, all staff working in a hospital or long-term care facilities, paramedics, military personnel, teachers, firefighters and City of Edmonton employees, and makes a donation to the Lois Hole Hospital when these “champions” purchase a home.
Averton built a house for the 2016 Full House Lottery, benefitting the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and University Hospital Foundation. “That home was a true team effort,” says Lanni. “When people expressed their love for that home, everyone at Averton felt a sense of accomplishment.”
With Averton evolving from its early years as a small semi-custom homebuilder in Edmonton, Lanni is excited about the possibilities for community building in Edmonton right now.
“The average age of residents in Edmonton is 36,” he says. “That’s a really unique situation and it means there’s a lot of energy and creativity and growth in the city right now.”
