6C — February 22 - March 14, 2019 — 30 Under 30 — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
30 U nder 30
Zachary Forrest Director of Client Relations
Adam Ahern Transaction Manager/ Financial Analyst Jackson Cross Partners Years with company/ firm: 2 Years in field: 4 Years in real estate industry: 2
Victoria A. Arena, Esquire Advisory Services Coordinator Attorney Jackson Cross Partners Years with company/ firm: 2.5 Years in field: 5 Years in real estate industry: 2.5 What impact has social media/ networking had on your career? Networking has had an impact on my professional development. The nature of the real estate and legal industries is collaborative. Being able to make con- nections with new contacts and clients, and then working to maintain those relationships, is essential in any indus- try, but especially in the real estate and legal markets. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position andwhy you choose the field/profes- sion you are in today? After graduat- ing law school, I served as a Judicial Law Clerk in the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Civil Trial Division. As a Law Clerk, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of cases, including landlord/tenant disputes arising out of commercial and residential leases, real estate cases, Zoning Code enforcement cases, contract disputes, administrative agency appeals, and class actions. My legal background and knowledge of real estate and commercial contracts has uniquely positioned me to navigate the real estate industry as a member of the Jackson Cross team. What unique qualities and/or per- sonality traits do you feel makes you most successful in your profes- sion? I am a “self-starter” who is a hard worker with an attention to detail that is balanced with an ability to not lose sight of the bigger picture. Having the ability, and the willingness to take the initiative, to solve problems and/or work with others to solve those problems are two (or, perhaps three,) very different skills. Being willing to work with others towards the accomplishment of a com- mon goal and/or to figure out a solution to a problem before being asked has helped me achieve success thus far in my career. What challenges and/or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as successful as you are today? Being a young, female attorney in the corporate real estate and legal world, which are largely still male-dom- inated industries, has been a challenge. However, by working with fellow female attorneys and real estate professionals over the years and especially at Jackson Cross, I learned to approach this reality with an open mind. Indeed, I prefer to view it as an advantage rather than as an obstacle to our success. What outside activities do you en- joy during you free time? Although I do not get to play as much as used to (or would like to), whenever I do have spare time, I enjoy playing golf. Golf has been a significant part of my life, especially since a young age. The sport that I started playing with my father and sister provided me with the oppor- tunity to compete as a four-year Division I student-athlete at Penn State.
Sean P. Morrissey Director Jackson Cross Partners Years with company/ firm: 3 Years in field: 3 Years in real estate industry: 3
Jackson Cross Partners Years with company/ firm: 2 Years in field: 4 Years in real estate industry: 2
How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? The accounting knowledge I have frommy time spent at EY has enabled me to help fill a need on our Advisory Services Team. Previously working on numerous client engagements at the Big Four, I’ve been able to work with our clients consulting on best- practices for lease accounting and real estate strategy under the new accounting guidelines. What impact has social media/ networking had on your career? We will see a shift in social media having greater influence in the indus- try. Thus far, social media is used for communicating with peers. There’s an anticipation that major financial benefits will come from social media networking. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current posi- tion andwhy you choose the field/ profession you are in today? Right out of college, I started at one of the Big Four accounting firms. My goal was to gain more knowledge about the ins and outs of real estate firms by working on a real estate engagement team. After a few years, I looked for other ways to apply my accounting skills with my real estate interests. Right now, I’m working with Jackson Cross clients that are impacted by the FASB/IASB lease accounting standards. What were some of your early goals and did anything happen to change them? Early in my career, I had the obvious goal of making money. As different life events take place, you realize the importance of having a career to best balance your lifestyle. Your percep- tion on work-life balance changes a bit as move throughout your career. What challenges and/or obstacles do you feel you needed to over- come to become as successful as you are today? As a young professional, I’m trying to balance career-driven decisions with company loyalty. Does one choice close a door behind you? It’s a chal- lenge I faced moving from a big firm to a smaller firm. Who do you feel was most influ- ential in your life when choosing this profession? My Dad. He has had a successful real estate career for over 30 years. Watching him handle deals sparked my interest in the Real Estate In- dustry. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young execu- tive graduating from college? Your college degree doesn’t dictate your career choice. Embrace that change is inevitable, but try to stay grounded to who you are.
Real estate organizations / af- filiations: Chester County Investment Council. What is your most notable proj- ect, deal or transaction? I have been lucky to work on a few larger projects for a telecommuni- cations company. The largest deal I was able to be a part of was the 220,000 square foot relocation of existing business near Columbus, OH. It was great experience working hand in hand with such a successful group. I had the opportunity to have join in the St. Joseph’s University Real Estate & Construction Christmas Luncheon this past year. One of the founding partners at Jackson Cross Partners, Pete Davisson received the Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., Leader of the Year Award. Watching Pete receive the award helped me realize that someday soon I would be in the same position. 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/profession you are in today? After a stint working in the beer industry, I found my career interest was in real estate. I learned through various positions how to speak and work with people to find what people look for in their decisions. What were some of your early goals and did anything happen to change them? My early goals were to close the deal. Period. It’s a tough industry to help a client find a beneficial solution. Once you are able to solve a real challenge for a client, it becomes a true joy to close a deal. What challenges and/or obsta- cles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as success- ful as you are today? As a younger salesperson, in the field, having to break the stigma of age has been my biggest challenge. Showing that you understand your market and your profession is a real fight. Once people get past the stigma, everything falls into place. Who do you feel was most influ- ential in your life when choosing this profession? Hands down my Dad, John Mor- rissey. I am not just saying that be- cause he is a partner at JCP! My Dad mentors and leads through example. Being able to work side by side with him has taught me more than I ever thought possible.
What is your most notable project, deal or transaction? The most notable transaction that I have worked on is actually the one that I am currently working on. It is for a nearly 750,000 s/f logistical warehouse with heavy tenant improvements and scheduled to be clos- ing now. This transaction has required simultaneously managing multiple workstreams, with the client, the mar- ket representatives while developing and constructing the critical deal terms. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? One of Jackson Cross’s core beliefs is that a partnership is greater than the sum of its parts. I approach each project by looking at which skills I can offer to strengthen the relationship. Whether it’s my accounting and financial back- ground, by analyzing the project from multiple standpoints or simply engaging co-workers in social activities, I contrib- ute a stronger partnership. Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career? Having been fortunate to work with a variety of strong leaders, the biggest in- fluencer for me is John Morrissey. He is one of the founding partners of Jackson Cross Partners. John expects as much out himself as he does his team. I ad- mire his ability to find balance between maintaining strong client relationships and a creating a fun company culture. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current posi- tion and why you choose the field/ profession you are in today? I began my career working in accounting. I covered different aspects of accounting, which eventually led to my position as a financial analyst at Jackson Cross. Having diverse experiences shapes the way I manage transactions, strategize with clients and focus on details. What were some of your early goals and did anything happen to change them? The earliest goal was to work in an environment where I could learn and acquire experiences that would prepare me for senior roles. I’m fortunate to work with an array of people and great leaders at JCP who lead by example and want to help me succeed in becoming a successful senior level broker. What unique qualities and/or per- sonality trait do you feel makes you most successful in your profession? The unique qualities I strive to have everyday are to be personable and to easily get along with all people in my daily interactions whether it is dealing with clients during transactions or in casual meetings. I also try to evaluate situations from the client’s perspective. I believe this offers more informed in- sight into the key issues important to the client so that I can align those in- terests with the impending transaction structuring.
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