Meet the new F&S director of building services, grounds, and trades

A few weeks into his new role as director of building services, grounds, and trades, Paul Soares is adapting quickly to F&S operations.

In his role with Facilities & Services, Soares oversees a large portfolio of campus services—from caretaking and grounds, to moving and mail, and the seven trades shops.  

For now, though, Soares’ focus is getting the lay of the land and getting to know the team.  

He hopes his diligence will help ease the transition as Mark Simpson, previous director, retires after more than 14 years of service with U of T. Paul is focused on walkthroughs of campus buildings, huddles with the team and note-swapping sessions with the outgoing director to understand all operations in detail.  

Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, reacts warmly to Soares’ addition to the team.  

“I’d like to wish Mark happiness with his well-earned retirement and congratulate Paul for stepping in. It’s always exciting to welcome new faces and approaches to the team,” Saporta says. “I’m looking forward to working with him and leveraging his leadership and experience to help us enhance operations and customer service.”  

Soares’ extensive experience includes directorial roles at Trillium Health Partners and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). At CAMH, Soares was appointed facilities lead of the master plan project, an initiative he cites as his most fulfilling work yet.  

“With the master plan, I was involved in the construction of a new hospital. I ensured that the plans met our design standards by closely reviewing all drawings and providing recommendations,” Soares explains. His role included training and onboarding staff to ensure success for the large-scale and high-profile build. 

In his free time, Soares takes a step back from his hard work to watch his kids excel. He enjoys snowmobiling, hiking, and movie nights with his family. 

“My son’s at the hockey rink six days a week. My daughter loves to dance,” he shares.  

Soares hopes to bring the leadership skills he developed at CAMH and Trillium into his work at F&S. “Active listening is the key to being a strong leader,” he says. “I couldn’t ask for a better team.”