22A —November 19 - December 23, 2021 — Thriving Over 50 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
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T hriving O ver 50
Janet Bortz Senior Vice President The Kislak Company Years with company/ firm: 22 years Years in field: 24 years Years in real estate industry: 24 years Real estate organizations/affiliations: NJAA, NJ Professional Real Estate Women and EWGA (Executive Women Golf Association What is your greatest professional accom- plishment? Leaving the corporate world and changing careers to investment sales at Kislak. It’s given me flexibility and personal and financial success. What is your most notable project, deal or transaction? I closed over 400 multifamily units in Dutchess and Orange Counties in the Hudson Valley NY market. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position and why you choose the field/profes - sion you are in today? 24 years ago I changed careers, moving from product marketing to real estate. After working two years in real estate development, I joined The Kislak Company, Inc., a commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment real estate, as a sales associate and was promoted to a vice president in 2006 and then a senior vice president in 2019. Since then I have continued to rank as a top producer. Whatever field you work in, remember your human relations skills and critical thinking are a foundation to success. Technical abilities can be easily reproduced but managing, delegating, negotiating, working well with others, communicating and LISTENING are not easily replaced. What were some of your early goals and did anything happen to change them? My initial career objective was to work in product marketing with a national company. My entry began in sales and after a few years, I joined the Continen- tal Group, working in marketing management. After ten years in the industry, I was looking for a more entrepreneurial career. Investment real estate was and remains a great fit for my skill set and personal objectives. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as success- ful as you are today? Learning to accept failure as part of growth and success. Need to persevere over adversity. Second is to welcome constructive criticism to facilitate per- sonal and career growth. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college today? Whatever field you work in, remember your human relations skills and critical thinking are a founda- tion to success. Technical abilities can be easily reproduced but managing, delegating, negotiating, working well with others, communicating and LIS- TENING are not easily replaced. MAREJ
Joni Sweetwood Executive Vice President
Barry Waisbrod Executive Vice President The Kislak Company Years with company/ firm: 21 years Years in field: 21 years Years in real estate industry: 21 years
The Kislak Company Years with company/ firm: 25 years Years in field: 25 years Years in real estate industry: 25 years Real estate organizations/affiliations: NJAA What is your greatest professional accom- plishment? Represented the seller and buyer on the exclusive for The Pavilion in Newark, NJ, 680 units and 2 stores. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? I am consistently a top producer. What were some of your early goals and did anything happen to change them? My goal was and continues to be to excel, learn, and benefit my clients. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most successful in your profession? What I bring to the table is many years of experi- ence dealing with obstacles. I have the education (CAA and MBA in finance) plus years of developing relationships. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as success- ful as you are today? I had to learn not to take things personally. People can’t always control their temper, but I’ve learned it’s not directed at me. I believe if you’re interested in real estate and people, this is the best job there is. When you enjoy what you do, it’s not a job and is extremely rewarding both emotionally and financially. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced/conquered during your career? Or in your life? Prior to Kislak I was hired for “workouts” On the interview we only discussed exercise workouts. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? Biking, hiking, and mostly anything I can do with my family and friends as people are the most impor- tant thing in my life What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college today? I believe if you’re interested in real estate and people, this is the best job there is. When you enjoy what you do, it’s not a job and is extremely rewarding both emotionally and financially. MAREJ
Real estate organizations/affiliations: New Jersey Apartment Association, Pennsylvania Apartment Association What is your greatest professional accom- plishment? Learning to communicate effectively with clients in order to understand and meet their investment needs. What is your most notable project, deal or transaction? The totality of the deals that I have closed is most notable. To date, my sales total more than $1.2 bil- lion. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? I am consistently among Kislak’s leading sales- people and am a relied upon resource within the firm and industry. Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career? Many friends and colleagues in the industry have demonstrated paths to success and motivated me to meet and achieve my professional and financial goals. The sky truly is the limit. What impact has social media/networking had on your career? It has had a strong impact especially within the last few years. The availability and accessibility of information on properties, transactions and inter- ested parties often help to make the lifecycle of a transaction more efficient and sometimes simpler. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position and why you choose the field/profes - sion you are in today? Real estate always interested me and once I began my career, I knew it was the right industry for me. It is an industry that rewards persistence and hard work. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most successful in your profession? Integrity and transparency are the keys. Being honest with clients builds trust and enables everyone to collaborate and work toward the common goal of closing deals. Real estate always interested me and once I began my career, I knew it was the right industry for me. It is an industry that rewards persistence and hard work.
What inspiringword of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college today? If you consistently work hard and smart and are organized, you will be successful. MAREJ
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