Dave Mann – Founder of Isle of Mann Group and Mannkind Charitable Society
Dave Mann immigrated to Canada in 1975 as a teenager with only two dollars to his name. He started his life in East Vancouver where he attended David Thompson Secondary School. Unfortunately, due to financial hardships Dave was unable to graduate and had to pick up multiple jobs to support himself. His jobs included of being a janitor, farm worker, kitchen helper, gas station attendant, and much more at a very young age. He was financially supporting himself as a young independent teenager. Eventually he saved up enough funds to go back and finish his high school diploma. Mr. Mann went into the real estate industry as a local realtor in 1989 after obtaining his license. As a result of his passion and relentless hard work, Dave became a Medallion Member Realtor for 10 years in a row, and was recognized as one of the top 10% real estate agents in the province.
In 1994, Dave ventured deeper into the industry when he founded Isle of Mann Development Ltd and Isle of Mann Construction Ltd in 1997. Since its inception, Isle of Mann has built over 1500 homes and multiple commercial developments in neighbourhoods across British Columbia and Alberta. The Isle of Mann Group became a recipient of multiple Georgie Awards for building premier homes and creating high standards in the development industry across Canada. Currently, the company is constructing 66 townhomes and 73 luxury condos in South Surrey for their Crescendo Project, along with 3 commercial business complexes in Morgan Crossing. The company also has various other projects going on right now within development and construction throughout the Lower Mainland region. In 2016, The Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA), which is Canada’s 2nd largest Home Builders’ Association, recognized Dave Mann as a Legend of Housing in British Columbia. This year his work was also recognized by Drishti Magazine at the 2016 Drishti Awards for excellence in community engagement. His work in the community has become a true inspiration to many individuals out there.
In 2009, Dave Mann founded the Mannkind Charitable Society, a registered charity to provide support for those in need with a strong focus on underprivileged children. Mannkind has developed a strong foundation of a core team of volunteers, helping social challenges through multiple avenues. The organization has planted over 10,000 trees in Canada as well as India. For the past five years, Mannkind has built a partnership with Costco to provide food every Saturday and Sunday for underprivileged members of the society in different regions of the Lower Mainland. Mannkind has actively been involved in global initiatives, such as the Operation Rainbow Project, where the non – profit organization has taken doctors and medical professionals to Punjab, Himachel Pradesh, and Cambodia for providing free medical treatment and surgery to those in need. Many people in need of medical treatment came from far areas to the project of Operation Rainbow. In New Delhi, India Mannkind has the Cankids program, which is a 14 bed pediatric palliative care centre. This facility provides treatment and support for children with cancer who do not have the financial means of affording a regular hospital for palliative care. Families from various regions in India bring their children here. In other areas of India, such as Chennai, Mannkind funds and operates orphanage facilities within the Balagurukulam Orphanage. This facility is for children who have been abandoned. Recently Mannkind built a strong core in Nepal, where the organization has 5 children home orphanages. Every month Mannkind feeds 2,000 underprivileged youth within Nepal, along with providing education, food, shelter, clothes, and everyday necessities.
This year Dave Mann took on a project to expand Peace Arch Hospital in South Surrey. He will be matching donation funds up to $1 million until February 2017 to expand the hospital’s ER facility. “I do what we can to support charities that are meaningful to us, both locally and around the world,” Dave Mann said. “Peace Arch is our hospital and we are making this investment for the entire community.” The ER redevelopment and expansion for Peace Arch Hospital has been years in the making and is a $20 million project with Peace Arch Hospital & Community Health Foundation funding $15 million.
Dave strongly urges those around him to believe in the abundance of sharing. He believes that every individual that comes to this world is born with greatness and uniqueness. Along the journey of life society programs and conditions us as limited beings. However, our true nature is limitless and it is up to us to find the greatness that exists deep within us, as there is nothing to possess in this world. We come with nothing and we leave with nothing. While we are all here one of the greatest contributions we can make is sharing our gifts and blessings with others. That has been the objective of Dave Mann through his business and charitable work and he has pursued this objective through building strong communities and always giving back to those in need.
