10C — March 15 - 28, 2019 — Southeastern Pennsylvania — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
P rofiles on I ndustry P rofessionals
Don Cunningham President & CEO
Jack O’Donoghue, SIOR President and Broker of Record
Don Cunningham President & CEO Bethlehem, PA Birthplaceanddate: Bethlehem, Pa., in1965. Still my home
Jack O’Donoghue, SIOR Principal
Cushman & Wakefield Grant Street Associates Pittsburgh, PA Birth place and date: Pittsburgh, PA – 9/11/1960
Family: Wife, Allison, six children and two grandchildren who are the joy of our lives. My incredible family is the most important thing in my life. As one of seven kids in a first-generation Irish family, I learned quickly the core values of hard work and the Catholic faith. My father was an inspiring, self-made man, entering this country withnothingbutdreamsanddetermination.Mymother’s love and faith were the foundation of our family. College: Duquesne University with a BA in Marketing. Education and hard work are the combined hallmark of success. First job out of college: John W. Galbreath Company, a real estate developer in Pittsburgh. First job in real estate or allied field: Leasing manager for John W. Galbreath Company. Being in sales prior to the Internet, I was handed a stack of files and a copy of the Yellow Pages. I sat at a small desk in a back office where I madehundreds of calls and scribeddozens of letters. After 10 years, three colleagues and I made the bold decision to form Grant Street Associates, Inc. in 1993. Interestingly, threeof us haveworked together for our entirecareers and are proud to have celebrated our 25th year in business last March – a rare accomplishment that demonstrates our commitment and longevity to the industry and our team. What do you do now and what are you planning for the future? I am currently the Principal of Cushman and Wakefield Grant Street Associates. In the future we intend to continue to grow our company and diversify our platform of services. We’re proud to be one of the larger full-service commercial real estate players in our market, and with our solid Alliance with Cushman & Wakefield we look forward to continued success. Hobbies: I enjoygolfing, playingcardgames, historyand exploringmy Irish heritage throughmusic, literature and travel. I hope to get back to fishing, crafts and wood- working as time allows. Favorite book: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption – I have always hadanaffinity for theunderdogandthemistreated. Thestrong will, perseveranceanddetermination through incredibleodds are rewarded in the end. Person you most admire (outside of family): Ronald Reagan. He was an inspiration to me in my formative years of business and adult life. A consistent and strong- willed gentleman, with a charm and wit unmatched by anyone. Key toyour success (one idea): Understandyour client and their business concerns; don’t just focus on the requirement at hand. Become their partner and think like an “owner.” Always exhaust every possible outcome and negotiate from a roundtable as opposed to across one. Listen twice as much as you speak because personal experience is not easily found on the Internet. If youwere forced to choose another vocationwhat would it be? A carpenter. I always have enjoyed working with my hands for tangible results. My father started as a carpenter and took me along on various jobs from a young age to learn the trade.
Family: Married with three children and a stepson. College: Graduated from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Journalism and a minor in Government. MA in political science from Villanova University. A first-generation college graduate from a family of steelworkers and tradesmen. My steelworker father insisted that I break the cycle and go to college instead of the mills. I am forever grateful for his foresight and insistence. First job out of College: I was a newspaper reporter for a chain of weekly papers in the Philadelphia suburbs. I learned to write and speak clearly and concisely and get to the point. First job in real estate or allied field: I was elected Mayor of Bethlehem in 1997 as the steel mills were closing. My focus was revitalizing and rebuilding the economy of a city based on steelmaking for a century. It was learning by immersion, jumping into the deep end before getting a lesson. What are you planning for the future? I’m the President and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development with no plans to change now. Favorite book: I always havemore books piled up to read than I seem to have time. I primarily read non-fiction but I love Steinbeck, Sinclair Lewis and Twain. For fiction, I’d say Grapes of Wrath or Cannery Row. For non-fiction, I’d go with a Ron Chernow biography like Hamilton or Titan on John D. Rockefeller. Hobbies: I’m a musician and an avid reader. I play guitar and sing in a rhythm and blues rock n’ roll band called Cunningham&Associates.We’rea60s, 70s and80s cover band that plays festivals, special events and venues in the Lehigh Valley. I’ve been doing it since high school. Favorite Movie: This one’s tougher. Anything with intrigue, a smart twist or an interesting historic or cultural setting. I loved The Town and The Departed in Boston or Gangs of New York. Person you most admire: Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Key to your success: To have a clear plan and vision - and lots of passion. If you were forced to choose another vocation what would it be? I’d be a college professor who researches and writes. I love to learn, teach, talk and write. It can be annoying for those around me!
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