16C — June 18 - July 22, 2021 — 30 Under 30 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
30 U nder 30
TJ Aspen Givens, M&T Bank, M&T Realty Capital Corporation “Managing Through Challenging Times” wins National Financial Content Marketing Award
hat is your great- est professional accomplishment? Amid a dual pandemic of COVID-19 and social justice, our nation’s real estate and specialty sector organizations navigated through difficult and uncertain waters. The content marketing and webinar series that I ideated and executed, alongside my team and larger marketing department part- ners, provided guidance and innovative solutions for con- struction, green energy, not- for-profit, affordable housing, healthcare, and commercial real estate developers during the pandemic. Each webinar in the ten-part series gave both panel- ists and attendees the opportu- nity to network, collaborate, and curate solutions to navigate a post-pandemic world together. This series, entitled “Man- aging Through Challenging Times” is my greatest profes- sional accomplishment thus far. My team and I were fortu- nate enough to have the series be honored and recognized by winning the Gramercy In- stitute 2020 Best of Single W
Realty Capital Corporation’s new affordable housing verti- cal alongside our Affordable Housing Working Group. This project was incredibly reward- ing because it brought to the forefront of my mind M&T Bank’s overarching vision of providing equitable, affordable access to housing and banking services to all in the diverse communities that we serve. Ide- ating methods to raise aware- ness across multimedia and omnichannel platforms about our unique multimillion-dollar deal structures has been quite rewarding. Moreover, what was most notable post-launch of our marketing planning and building our team internally, Affordable Housing Finance released their Top 25 Afford- able Housing Lenders List for 2020. M&T Realty Capital’s first ever ranking was at #17, reflecting $1.3B in closed loans during this period. Additionally, MTRCC made $170 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit Investments in 2020. At large, raising brand awareness of the impact that our bankers have in providing equitable access to the
most vital need, housing, in turn allowed me to continually value my employer, my team, and our overarching mission. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes youmost successful in your profession? My favorite thing in life is connecting indi- viduals to others who have the potential to positively impact their own life. Everyday at work, I am encouraged and inspired to connect prospects with current clients and connect relation- ship managers with developers and, in turn, have a small hand in creating relationships that matter for each party’s long- term growth alongside a broader fantastic team. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college? Beyond college, continue to push yourself to remain intellectually curious. If you are relentless in your pursuit of asking questions, you will always push yourself to stay ahead of trends in your industry. In short, staying up to date with the current trends means you’re already behind. MAREJ
TJ Aspen Givens Commercial Marketing Manager, Banking Officer Years with company/firm: 2.5 Years in field: 6 Years in real estate industry: 2.5
Real estate organizations/ affiliations: Mortgage Bankers Association Marketing Officers, Gramercy Institute Financial Marketers
Country, Financial Content Marketing Award. This is the proudest moment of my career thus far, working alongside my colleagues to engage thought leaders, both internally and externally, to shed light on the pandemic’s challenges and opportunities that were top-of- mind in the commercial real estate industry. The webinar and content marketing cam- paign overall, supported by a partnership with NPR, earned media, PR, and social, garnered over 2.1MM impressions. Be- yond viewing the sheer number of individuals and companies that saw the series, the many emails and phone calls received with positive feedback and
actionable next steps made the most profound impact on me. These positive responses coupled with the success stories that emerged from the series allowed our team to understand that even during unprecedent- ed times, innovative marketing in commercial real estate can make a difference in the lives of developers, investors, and all the lives they touch in our com- munities with their creations. What is your most notable project, deal or transaction? The most notable project of my career in commercial real estate marketing and bank- ing would be launching the advertising, PR, social, email, and digital campaigns for M&T
Congratulations Tj and the Commercial Marketing team. We are so proud of you for this wonderful achievement! From your friends at M&T Realty Capital Corporation.
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