An interview with Executive VP & Managing Director of Kay Properties & Investments
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
Constantly learning and applying the experiences that I’ve encountered during my career to current day-to-day activities in helping others within our organization as well as with clients for the purpose of real estate investing.
What is your most notable project, deal, or transaction?
I highly value each and every relationship I have with real estate investors—they’re not all the same. Over the course of thousands of transactions, all have been unique to each client’s situation and prior to every single closing there have been many conversations, meetings and vetting of DSTs that in most cases took months or years to cultivate. It’s great to be able to get to know people in order for me to best serve them.
How do you contribute to your company and/or the industry?
We’ve heard anecdotally that our company has contributed to the industry through an emphasis on client education. Private equity real estate, DSTs and 1031 exchanges can be complex concepts and it’s been a privilege for the past few years to have been able to give continuing education for over 20,000 tax, legal and investment professionals as well. My role at Kay Properties & Investments is to lead by example by mentoring the team that has been built over the years. Every day at work is filled with client calls & meetings as well as calls & meetings with the dozens of asset managers that have deals available to our investors.
Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career?
The strongest influence on my career is Dwight Kay, the founder of Kay Properties and Investments. We met professionally years prior to the time that I joined the company. Then and now, he has continued to demonstrate tremendously high standards for ethics, integrity, and real estate investments. The Kay Properties & Investments platform that he continues to grow has helped me do my job to the best of my ability and it feels great to be able to conduct business seamlessly within this environment.
Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current position, and why you chose the field/profession you are in today.
I began my career in the 1990s doing commercial real estate research. I spent all day calling property owners, managers and brokers to determine if they had space for sale or lease and the terms surrounding occupancy/vacancy in their building(s). Then I’d call the next month to see if anything had changed. As I continued to gain experience, I began to write quarterly reports for various real estate asset classes around the country and after a little over a decade, I came to the client side of the business, assisting investors in finding the real estate deals that make sense for them. Now, as I’m working with investors or our team, I call upon the experience that I’ve gained since the beginning, and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to make a career in real estate.
What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most successful in your profession?
Being analytical and studious when it comes to the real estate and being a people person when it comes to cultivating and maintaining relationships with clients.
What was the most defining moment for you?
In college, I had a great professor. I’d had many teachers and many classes leading up to that point, but this instance was the best lesson that I’ve been given. I was empowered to think critically and to trust my instincts. From then on, whether it was with academics, business, or life, I’ve known that with thorough research and analysis—it can sometimes be awkward—but it’s acceptable to have confidence in one’s opinion. Other people might agree or disagree with it; and regardless of their opinion, hopefully they’re willing to have a discussion about it.
What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time?
I enjoy playing golf, going to the gym and cooking during my free time.
What inspiring words of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college today?
Apply yourself, have a strong work ethic, dedicate time to learning. Sometimes people are fortunate to have a mentor, other times one has to look over the shoulders of others and watch what they do right…and what they do wrong. Learn from your own mistakes and try not to repeat them. Always do your best.