Yue Fan

What do you do for work? Can you tell me a bit about your day-to-day? 

I specialize in real estate, financing and development. I started Fanson Capital, a mortgage brokerage business, in 2017. Since establishing the company, we have 50 licensed brokers and over two billion in commercial and residential mortgages combined. 

I’m also very passionate about real estate investment and development. I started a development company called Cielle Properties and currently, we are working on four development projects, two in Banff and two in Vancouver.   

I am very proud of the fact that I turned my plans into reality; it feels like a dream come true. 

What is the Canmore project you’re involved with?  

I spent my young adulthood in Alberta having lots of adventures to Banff and Jasper — perhaps some of the most beautiful places in Canada! After I graduated and spent time working elsewhere in the financial and real estate sector, I longed to return to Alberta. As fate would have it, I had the opportunity to participate in the development of a unique project in Canmore, just outside the gates of Banff National Park. Unlike Banff and Jasper, you own the real estate in Canmore. Accessible from the Trans Canada Highway, Rundle Park Resort is one of the last and only luxury mixed-use, short-term rental development in Canmore and the Bow Valley region. Only a few minutes from Banff National Park, it’s an ideal location for adventures and to enjoy the mountains.

I feel that as Albertans, we need to elevate the quality and craftsmanship of our homes and resorts to match Banff National Park’s position as an undisputed champion among global tourism destinations. I’m excited that my team and I are building a world-class building that stands out from the rest and does justice to its location.

Why did you decide to give back to the Alberta School of Business?

I feel blessed to be a part of the Alberta School of Business community and I learned so much about my two years in the MBA program. I lived in the Newton Place residence building for three years, so when I received an email from a commercial real estate brokerage and learned the building was for sale, I called the listing agent to place an offer, but was told the sale was already pending. I later learned that since there were limited students on campus during the Covid-19 pandemic, university residences weren’t receiving enough rent in order to maintain the buildings. I felt deeply impacted and decided that it was time to start giving back to the school.  

Can you tell me about your experience as a business student? 

I have always enjoyed learning new ideas and meeting new people from different cultures; the MBA program offered great learning opportunities for me! I participated in a summer exchange program to Europe and was fortunate to take classes in France and Germany. I also appreciated all the case studies and group projects because I was able to apply the skills I learned in the real business world.

When I was younger, I always wanted to be a businessman. Growing up, I worked in many part-time jobs, including as a waiter, cashier, assistant in a lawyer’s office and sales with a construction company. After graduating from university, I started my banking career with ATB Financial; after finishing my MBA, I worked as a senior financial advisor with CIBC. 

Education has had a big impact on my life but on the other hand, my part-time job experiences gave me skills I still use as a businessman.  

You're well connected to the Chinese alumni family, in Vancouver especially. Why is that important to you?

We have a big alumni family in Vancouver and many are my longtime friends and classmates from the U of A. We do not get the chance to see each other that often but whenever we meet, we always share wonderful memories from our time at the U of A. 

When I was in university, I was the external VP of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and I founded the Alberta Chinese Alumni Association after I graduated so I was fortunate to know many Chinese alumni. I think alumni are a great resource to have — they’re always just a phone call away.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our community?

Success really doesn't matter; I'm still in the entrepreneurial stage and I'm facing new challenges every day! This year is the tenth anniversary of my graduation and I’m now in the position to do something for my alma mater. One must think of the source when one drinks water and repay the kindness of the dripping water!  

Do you have any advice for our current students and recent graduates?

1. Take risks and dream big
2. Get a part-time job while in school
3. Travel as much as you can
4. Buy real estate as early as possible
5. Never underestimate yourself and overestimate others
6. Last but not least, you can not lose if you never give up.