Possessing more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, investment portfolio management, risk management and strategic leadership, James Jung is a member of the Senior Leadership team at Avenue Living, and is one of the key executives leading the company’s day-to-day operations during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Jung, Chief Executive Officer of Global Logistics Solutions Inc. (GLS) and Chief Shared Services Officer with Avenue Living Communities, is responsible for supply chain management and operations services – services which have become even more crucial during these challenging times.

“When we created GLS, we delineated certain functions within Avenue Living Asset Management and Avenue Living Communities. In simple terms, GLS manages our expenses at Avenue Living,” said Jung.

“The teams I lead include supply chain management, centralized work order coordination, capital projects, as well as compliance, which includes quality assurance in addition to occupational health and safety,” added Jung.

“The purpose of GLS is to make sure we spend our money wisely, with efficient and effective service delivery. My team is in charge of designing and implementing process improvement, automation and innovation initiatives.”

Jung said the current time is an interesting one indeed. In the midst of the pandemic, the company has “upped its game” in terms of the value that it is delivering to residents.

“Cleanliness is top of mind for everyone. We definitely have improved the cleanliness of our buildings by frequency and also sanitizing all those high touch points – door handles, rails, etc.,” said Jung.

“We have to make sure that our staff are able to work and they’re well-protected. So we are ensuring we provide all the personal protective equipment they need, such as gloves and a mask, so that they can go to work with peace of mind,” added Jung.

Jung was born and raised in South Korea and came to Canada when he was 15 years old. He went to high school and university in London, Ontario. He graduated from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario in 1997. Jung then spent 20 years in Toronto, where he worked mainly on Bay Street.

Jung started with Avenue Living in January 2019 as Senior Vice President of Risk Management & Finance, and quickly grew to lead the supply chain management team, which has been instrumental to the company’s growth and success. 

The Property Services team will continue to expand under the new entity, Global Logistics Services Inc. (GLS), under Jung’s leadership.

With Jung also being the Chief Shared Services Officer for Avenue Living Communities, the role creates alignment between Communities (the company’s revenue generators) and GLS (where expenses live) and sets its overall operations up for increased effectiveness through Jung’s oversight.

Jung also works closely with Louise Elsey, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, to co-lead Avenue Living Communities’ day-to-day operating activities, under Giuffre’s strategic guidance. 

Jung said his role is to make sure the residents receive the service they expect and deserve from Avenue Living Communities, Property Management.

“That includes work orders and ensuring they are done in a timely manner. And that goal has been maintained and even exceeded on many occasions, even during the challenging times presented by COVID-19,” said Jung.

“There’s been nothing but positive change with regards to our work ethic and commitment to our residents during this pandemic,” said Jung.