| With the world constantly changing, how has your job, or client’s job, evolved over the past 10 years? |
| Technology has definitely changed the way we do business, not only keeping us constantly connected, but allowing working relationships to grow and expand over much larger geographic areas. It has been amazing to watch the technology that we utilize for our own personal work, as well as the advances in technology for our assets, both the ‘pretty’ technology that is forward facing (touch directories, destination dispatch elevators, etc.) but the back-of-the-house technology that ultimately powers and sustains our assets. |
| Tell us about your story. How did you come to Cushman & Wakefield? What do you do? |
| I sometimes feel as though I’ve been ‘bough & sold’ many times, as I have been a part of 5 different transactions without ever leaving a company. I started with Opus Northwest Property Management (a division of Opus Group) which was then combined/reorganized into one Opus Property Services company. Opus Property Services was acquired by NorthMarq Real Estate in 2009. NorthMarq entered into a joint venture with Cushman & Wakefield in 2012 and we became Cushman & Wakefield NorthMarq. And now, this past September 2017, Cushmane & Wakefield NorthMarq was acquired by Cushman & Wakefield, allowing me to, finally, be a full citizen of C&W! Yahoo! My career has always been focused on commercial property management, for the most part in multi-tenant suburban office buildings. However, when the opportunity arose at a 42-story class A high-rise tower in Minneapolis’ CBD, I jumped at it; now, 4 years later I am the General Manager with a team of 7 amazingly talented individuals. |
| Why do you work here at Cushman & Wakefield and not somewhere else? |
| Throughout the ups and downs of company changes, I have said, and maintain, that the absolute best thing that has happened to me, and my career, was when the team at NorthMarq (including Jeff Eaton, Mike Ohmes, Lisa Dongoske, etc.) acquired Opus Property Services. Because of Jeff’s leadership, and the direction from our executive team, I truly believe I have found a long-term home for my career at C&W. There is so much stress that can bubble up in this line of work, but because of the values that are not just talked about, but lived by our leadership team and my colleagues, I believe that I work for the absolute best company in the market. |
| What solution, achievement, or moment is the best example of your passion while either working at Cushman & Wakefield or in your personal life, or both? |
| There are two things that come to mind. First, I am a mother to three healthy, happy, kind children (ages 5 and under!). I am able to show my beautiful daughters (4 & 2 1/2) that it is possible to be a successful woman, in a male-dominated industry, and still have a fulfilling home-life. My husband also has an incredibly stressful job, and our partnership is something that I believe will help our children learn, by our example, the value of teamwork, hard work, and love. Second, when I started working, I did not have my college degree. I was able to advance to the position of Assistant Property Manager, but knew that without a 4-year college degree that was about all I could likely do. For a few years I found myself being frustrated that I knew how to do the job that my counterparts were doing, but I couldn’t be recognized, and allowed to do it on my own, without that degree. So, I went to school. Full-time. At night, on the weekends and online. While still working, full time. I completed my 4-year degree in just over 3 years, with a 3.7 GPA and no student loan debt at a state university. This accomplishment means so much to me, because not only does it show my dedication to my career, but that my company and supervisors supported me. |