2D — October 21 - November 17, 2022 — Women in Business — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
Women in Business
What is your cur- rent position? I have been recently promoted to Corpo- rate Controller. Tell us why you chose your profes- sion. When did you begin your career in your profes- sion? My first taste
What is your cur- rent position? I am a Senior Prop - erty Manager at NAI Summit. I have been here since 2017 and this is my second tenure at NAI Sum - mit. I worked here from 2008-2010 as a Property Manager as
Catherine Barbella Corporate Controller NAI Summit Years with company: 33 Years in field: 36 Years in real estate industry: 33
Jena Young Property Manager NAI Summit Years with company: 7 Years in field: 15 Years in real estate industry: 7
for accounting occurred during my junior year in high school when I took Account - ing 101. I enjoyed the class so much that I continued with the next class offered during my senior year. I majored in accounting at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre PA and jumped right into an accounting position at a small publicly held company prior to joining NAI Summit. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? I’ve had a few previous and current supervisors and colleagues who have mentored me throughout my career which enabled me to climb the ladder from Senior Staff Accounting posi - tions to the position I currently hold today. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for my family. My husband is my biggest supporter. My children, now with careers of their own, live locally and enjoy coming back home for a cooked meal. It’s their way of reminding me of the importance of a healthy work life balance. What unique qualities and/or personality traits do you feel make you most successful in your profession? I am detailed oriented, analytical and always having the best interest of the company in mind. Over the years I have gained great experiences in so many facets of real estate that I have been able to parlay that into personal real estate investing, of course on a much smaller scale. What challenges and/or obstacles have you faced and overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? When I began my career, many of our accounting processes were manual. I used a lot of paper! Technology has changed throughout the years and it’s a constant challenge researching software, learning it, and tweaking the software to fit the specific needs of the company. Do you feel being a woman in your profession is an advantage, disad- vantage, or no advantage? Why or Why Not? Neither an advantage nor disad - vantage. There is nothing currently that prevents me from doing my job because of my gender. I am respected for my ability to speak up and ask questions, making suggestions and take initiative. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman looking to pursue your chosen profession? Learn your trade to a level of confidence that you don’t second guess yourself. Tap into your colleagues for ideas, support your fellow women, listen and offer your assistance when you see others struggling. My final word of advice is: If you don’t ask, the answer is always No. MAREJ
well. I spent seven years as an Admissions Representative at a college and really missed working in the commercial real estate community, so I decided to pursue property management once again and returned to my role as property manager at NAI Summit. When did you begin your career in Property Management? I originally started my career as an Operations Manager for a local college almost 30 years ago. It in - cluded facilities maintenance and operations of the building as well as purchasing. I loved working with many different vendors and clients and wearing many different hats throughout this career. This job never gets boring! How many buildings do you currently manage? I manage over one million s/f of industrial, medical, retail, commercial office, and financial institutions. The buildings are single tenant, multi-tenant and all are unique and present their own challenges. What unique qualities and/or personality traits do you feel make you most successful in your profession? There are many attributes needed to be a successful Property Manager. Even though I have been in the industry many years, I am still working to improve those attributes. It is very important to understand the tenants and building owners personalities as well as their expectations and needs. Multi- tasking, time management and organizational skills are extremely important. The ability to be flexible, relate to others, communicate effectively, be patient with others, actively listen, and have good judgment are especially important qualities as well. What challenges and/or obstacles have you faced and overcome in order to become as successful as you are today? At times, my biggest obstacle is being my own worst critic. In Property Management there are many things that occur daily, whether it is routine maintenance, or equipment malfunctioning, or accidents and emergencies. I focus my energy on doing a fantastic job managing these situations and delivering an efficient and positive result. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman looking to pursue a career in Property Management? Be prepared to work hard around the clock! If you manage your buildings with integrity, competency and pride, you will do a great job. If you treat your colleagues, tenants, vendors and building own - ers with respect and consideration you will build a strong and pleasant working environment. MAREJ
LEADERS. INFLUENCERS.
THE NAI SUMMIT TEAM of executives, brokers, associates, property managers, accountants, assistants, and marketers are true industry experts in commercial real estate. We honor your hard work and dedication to our clients as well as your spirit of volunteerism in our community.
The commercial real estate experts of Eastern PA www.naisummit.com | 610-264-0200 1620 Pond Road, Suite 150, Allentown, PA 18104
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