20 — August 2024 — Thriving Under 40 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
T hriving U nder 40 Executive Vice President of Harvey Hanna & Associates, Inc.
James William Layton Harvey elevates Delaware’s industrial landscape through visionary leadership
W
hat is your great- est professional accomplishment?
James William Layton Harvey Executive Vice President Harvey Hanna & Associates, Inc. Years with company/firm: 22 Years in field: 22 Years in real estate industry: 22
“Authenticity is key — I pride myself on being straightforward and genuine in every interaction.”
My greatest professional ac- complishment is creating and managing my “team”. It has taken more than a decade to hire, train and position my op- erations staff and I take pride in the fact that my team is one of the best in the industry. What is your most notable project, deal or transaction? Being a part of the team which repositioned the old General Motors Boxwood Plant paving the way for the redevelopment of the largest building built in the State of Delaware. How do you contribute to your company and/or the industry? As Executive Vice Presi- dent I am the principal in charge of managing the day- to-day activities associate with our $300 million Indus- trial portfolio. I also oversee all active development in both our Industrial and hos- pitality portfolios. Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career? Quite simply my father, Thom Harvey. My father taught me the meaning of hard work from the earliest time I can remember. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current posi- tion and why you chose the field/profession you are in today? I began working part time at HHA cutting grass and sweep- ing floors for $5/hr. after school and on the weekend. I worked summers as a carpenter’s helper and general laborer. By the time I was in 8th grade I had decided that business and construction were the two things which interested me the most as a career path. By the time I was in college I had gained a good knowledge of construction, equipment and crew management through the family business. I took those life skills and went on to busi- ness school. I graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s in finance and went to work full time at HHA. Since college, I have steadily advanced through the ranks, starting as a field technician, then progressing to project manager, and now serving as the EVP overseeing
in a building while substantial repairs were on going. What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time? a. I have a deep-rooted love of cars and automobiles. I collect, build, modify and race all of my cars. My son seems to have inherited this love so that will certainly be fun to watch over the coming years. We enjoy going to car shows together. b. I enjoy baseball and watching the Phillies with my wife and son. c. I enjoy building things so much that I often find myself getting into personal construc- tion projects outside of work. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college today? Keep your eyes and ears open and your head on a swiv- el. Lessons are around you every day that will make you smarter, give you insight and bring you long term value. Always finish today’s work today and outwork everyone in your way. Hard work goes a long way in this world and someone who has that and a willingness to learn will get ahead fast. MAREJ
for me was the day I was promoted to Vice President of Property Management. It was the single largest move I had made in my career, and I was only 5 years out of college at the time. I was then in charge of the largest department by staff in our organization and oversaw the entire stabilized Industrial portfolio. Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? My father. He gave me the opportunity to learn the value of hard work, construction and business from a young age. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced/conquered dur- ing your career? Or in your life? We once had a tornado rip off a 220,000 s/f building’s roof. I was part of the team that got the building tempo- rarily sealed up, structurally repaired and reroofed. The building had three tenants in place, and all were able to stay in place with minimal down- time and disruption. That project was very interesting as it required a lot of “think on your feet” problem solving to keep the tenants operating
our operations department. Early on, I chose my profes- sion based on my passion for property management and the skill sets I naturally de- veloped within the industry. Throughout my adolescence, I dedicated myself to honing those skills. My interests in both math and art ultimately guided me toward a career in construction and property management, where I could blend creativity with analyti- cal thinking. What were some of your early goals and did any- thing happen to change them? a. When I was younger, modifying cars was a popular hobby, and I was passionate about it. My original goal was to turn that passion into a business focused on custom- izing cars. At the time, it felt like a promising opportunity, given how widespread the trend was. Looking back, I am glad I didn’t pursue that path. By the end of the Great Recession, the majority of car modification shops—about nine out of ten—had gone out of business. While the industry has made a bit of a comeback, it is now much more niche and specialized than it once was. That experience taught me the importance of adapting my goals as market conditions and trends evolve, allowing me to focus on building a more stable and sustainable career. b. Coming out of high school I seriously considered going to Alaska to pursue gold mining. During that time gold was be- ginning to rise rapidly in value and I knew I had the construc- tion and machine operation skills to make it in that indus- try. While the idea was enticing from an adventure perspective, I stayed the course and elected to pursue the commercial real estate industry which is where I knew I wanted develop a career long term. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most suc-
cessful in your profession? One of the key qualities that drives my success is authenticity. I pride myself on being straightforward and genuine in every interaction— I do what I say, and I say what I mean. This level of honesty and integrity builds trust, which is essential in my profession. People know they can rely on me to be consis- tent, transparent, and true to my word. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? One of the biggest challenges I faced was being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of four. I struggled with reading and writing well into my early teens, and it was not until high school that I developed effec- tive coping strategies to keep up with my peers. This often- required long nights and extra study sessions. By the time I was nearing graduation, I was skilled in construction and ma- chine operation, and I seriously considered entering the trades instead of pursuing a college degree, as school had always been a source of frustration. However, I ultimately de- cided that I wanted to learn how to truly run a business and take my career to new heights. Committing to that decision and earning a degree was a turning point for me. It opened doors and propelled me to executive roles, allowing me to advance my career faster than I would have otherwise. My journey taught me that challenges like learning dis- abilities do not have to define or limit your success. With de- termination and a clear vision, you can turn obstacles into stepping stones. I encourage anyone facing similar chal- lenges to push forward, as the rewards on the other side are worth the effort. What was the most defin - ing moment for you? The most defining moment
Few of my Favorite Things College: University of Delaware Movie: The Fast and the Furious 2001 Sports Team: Phillies Sport: Baseball Hobby: Anything Cars If you could dine with anyone,
dead or alive, who would you choose? John Adams (reportedly a relative)
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker