4C — October 25 - November 7, 2019 — Women in Business — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
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Women in Business
Karen A. Hromin, Cushman & Wakefield U.S., Inc. “Don’t ever be afraid to step out of your comfort zone & take chances, you never know where that path will lead you”
ell us how and when you began your ca- reer in the profession you are in: I began my Real Estate ca- reer in 1997 working at a Class A office building as a Property Administrator in North Jersey. Soon after I began this posi- tion, Cushman & Wakefield was hired as the new Prop- erty Management firm. After working with Cushman & Wakefield for a short time, an opportunity for the Property Manager position opened up. They took a chance on a young, female employee and promoted me to Property Manager, even though I had limited experi- ence (This was my first tenure with Cushman & Wakefield). What is your current po- sition? I am the Director of Indus- trial Property Management for New Jersey. Why did you choose the field/profession you are in today? Ironically, I did not “choose” this as a profession. I really fell into this field as I was working in retail and wanted to escape the long hours. I helped out a co-worker who was new to the area and as it turned out her husband was Vice President for a real estate company and needed an Administrative As- sistant. I worked for that firm until I was offered a position as a Property Administrator with Cushman & Wakefield. I truly believe all things happen for a reason – that move fromRetail T
places and making lifelong memories. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman about to go into the field of commercial real estate or your allied field? Don’t ever be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and take chances, you never know where that path will lead you. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? One of my greatest chal- lenges is the constant balance between work and family time. There have been times where work issues and family func- tions clashed and making the decision on which took priority has not been easy. Let’s be hon- est; broken water pipes, fire alarms and sewer back-ups do not always happen between 9-5 hours (Murphy’s Law). Having a family that understands the demands of my position and time constraints has been a tremendous help. Developing a strong team and learning to delegate has allowed me to rely on my colleagues for the times that I am away from work. It is also a tremendous benefit that I work for an organization that promotes a healthy work life balance. Do you feel being a wom- an is an advantage, disad- vantage or no advantage in today’s business world? Why? Why not?
Women are very detail ori- ented and excel at developing and mentoring relationships. These attributes can be ap- plied to any successful career path in Commercial Real Es- tate. As a team, we are all held accountable to achieve our goals and/or objectives regard- less of our gender. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced / conquered during your business career? Funny story – I received a call from one of my Ten- ants expressing concern about suspicious activity in the cor- ner of the parking lot near a retention pond. The tenant had security concerns why there were large trucks and what appeared to be several men congregating around the basin around the same time each day. To alleviate their concerns, I immediately made a trip to the site and was surprised at what I found. I confirmed that there were uninvited guests to the site and was greeted with a unique explanation. Each day, dur- ing their lunch hour, several delivery drivers would gather to have their lunch and go fishing in the retention pond. They created their own Fish- ing Club. Knowing that there were no fish in the basin, I asked one of them if they ever caught a fish. They said No, however, their visits to the site gave them time together to share stories about “The one that got away”.
Karen A. Hromin Cushman &Wakefield U.S., Inc. Director
Cushman & Wakefield U.S., Inc. Years with company/firm: 11 years Years in field: 23 years Years in real estate industry: 23 years Real estate organizations/affiliations: BOMA
to Real Estate represents the beginning of my journey in Property Management. What was your greatest professional accomplish- ment in 2019? My greatest professional accomplishment in 2019 was being promoted to my cur- rent role with Cushman & Wakefield. In this role, I lead the New Jersey Industrial property management team. Our team manages over 16 MSF for both institutional and local clients. I also work closely with leadership and other service lines focusing on business development and client relationships. How do you manage the work/life balance? Our team’s unofficial motto is “work hard, play hard”. Although work can be very demanding, my husband and I value spending time together as a family. Luckily, my hus- band is a great partner and is always there for us. With my older daughter getting her license in a few months, we
are looking forward to a little freedom. Ultimately, setting priorities and finding a bal- ance between work and family makes me a better mother and a more productive leader. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most suc- cessful in your profession? I would have to say my en- thusiastic and outgoing per- sonality has helped me forge client relationships and also allows me to have a positive outlook even when things don’t go as planned. Tell us a little about your family: I am married to my wonder- ful husband, Albert, for 19 years. We have two beautiful daughters, Stephanie, 16, and Ava, 15 along with Missy our Pug and Diesel our Yorkie. What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time? Our family enjoys spending time at the beach riding bikes and enjoying the sunsets. We also enjoy traveling to new
to all of our 2019 Women in Business! Congratulations
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