Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal — Executive Women in Business — October 26 - November 8, 2012 — 9D
www.marejournal.com
Executive Women in Business
Kelly L. Berfield, Esq., The Dietrick Group, LLC I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to always be honest and forthright
Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? This is a very simple ques- tion with a simple answer: My mother, Linda Dietrick. She is a commercial appraiser, and my career in the real estate indus- try can be heavily attributed to her. I admire her intelligence, her drive, her honesty and her integrity. Everyone in the busi- ness knows and respects her greatly, and she holds all of the attributes I strive to possess each day. I know that I am ex- tremely lucky to have a mother who is not only supportive and encouraging, but who also is an exceptional role model – a stellar executive woman in
Law School with a JD and Mas- ters in Environmental Law, I clerked for a judge and practiced law in New Jersey for nearly 10 years. Then, a few years ago, I decided to become ‘of counsel’ to my law firm and work full-time withmy mother, Linda Dietrick, and my brother, Ryan Dietrick, in our family’s commercial real estate firm. At Dietrick Group, LLC, we do brokerage, appraisal and, now, with Dietrick Group Property Management, LLC, our team provides property management and property ser- vices. It’s not the path I would have seen for myself when I started my adventure in real estate, but I honestly can say I enjoy it every day.
business. What advice would you give towomen just starting out in your field? I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to al- ways be honest and forthright. The world is much smaller than you think. Your daily actions, no matter how small, form the basis of your reputation, and nothing is more valuable than that. You are the one who will decide how and for what you are known. Integrity can be quickly diminished. Make decisions carefully, because once your reputation is tarnished, the road to rebuilding is an arduous one. And of course, always strive to keep learning. ■
Kelly L. Berfield, Esq., Partner & Broker of Record Dietrick Group, LLC Years with Company: 6 Years Years in Field: 6 Years Years in Real Estate Industry: 15 Years Real Estate Organizations / Affilations: CREW Lehigh Valley, Lehigh University, ire@I, Habitat for Humanity
T
ell us how and when you began your ca- reer in the profession
estate attorney and developer inspired me greatly, and both helped crystallize for me how beneficial a law degree would be regardless of what field I chose. After graduating fromVermont
you are in, about your cur- rent position and why you chose the field/profession you are in today? I actually began my real estate career in high school, working for a real estate attorney who had me doing various odd jobs, from filing papers to typing let- ters. Occasionally, I was permit- ted to sit in on closings – I abso- lutely loved it. That experience inspired me to obtain my real estate license while working to- ward my undergraduate degree at Monmouth University. At the same time, I also was working for a Lehigh Valley developer, who specialized in apartment complexes and senior housing. Like my former boss, he, too, had gone to law school. Although I’d been talking about law school since I was about 5-years-old, both the real Debbie Pomerantz, Gebroe-Hammer . . . continued from page 7D ing no to a woman and are much more polite. Pomerantz also feels that she is more in tune with nonverbal cues, which con- tributes toward her intuition or “gut feeling” and discretionary responses. Do you feel there are any differences in the way that men and women develop business relationships and if so, what activities or venues do you participate in? Pomerantz notes there are defi- nite differences in how women and men build relationships – neither of which has a greater advantage over another. While men may golf with their cli- ents, she focuses on building a rapport by not just focusing on business. Pomerantz takes a genuine interest in their families and has, on occasion, brought her children with her to sales calls. She feels that a cup of coffee or lunch meeting is more about making that connec- tion and what better way than to talk about family. ■
Sales/Leasing Appraisal Property Management
A Full-Service Real Estate Firm Serving the Lehigh Valley since 2006
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker