Jim began his career in real estate with Stonebridge Development Company as a principal and property manager in 1994. At Stonebridge, he was involved in residential land development, apartment rehabilitation and management, office development and leasing. In addition, to the Stonebridge portfolio, he managed the Chelsea House condominium office building for Heritage Properties, Inc.
Jim joined Heritage Properties, Inc. in 1997 as a property and leasing manager. In 1999, Jim was promoted to Vice President, Asset Management at which time he became responsible for property management and leasing for the entire Heritage portfolio. In 2006, Jim was promoted to President and COO, a position he held for ten years before being elevated to Chief Executive Officer in 2015.
His professional affiliations include, among others, the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, Greater Baltimore Committee, the Greater Towson Committee, Towson Chamber of Commerce, Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. Jim is also a 2010 graduate of the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Leadership program.
Jim has been active in community affairs, serving on various boards and committees including The Odyssey School, Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore, and St. Mary’s Seminary University. Jim earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Gettysburg College and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Lynchburg College.
What are the factors that most impact the growth of HPI?
Obviously the economy and the real estate market are the two biggest influencers of our business, but we cannot control those. The factors that impact the growth at HPI that we can control is to provide unparalleled work spaces for our tenants while providing strong returns for our investors.
What is the smallest change we have made at HPI that has had the biggest positive result?
The smallest change that we have made at HPI that has had the biggest positive impact was the inclusion of a total staff meeting every other Monday morning… Everyone is able to see “behind the curtain” of each discipline. This brings the team together, creates a few laughs and gets the week off to a positive start.
Which is the best vacation you’ve ever had in your life?
For my 40th birthday, my wife gave me a golf trip to Scotland, which was very kind since she doesn’t play. I went with my best friend from college, my brother in law and my father in law. We played great courses, visited a number of towns and ended the trip by watching the final two rounds of the British Open. What made it even more special was being able to share that experience with those three guys. Unforgettable!
Please name a person who has had a tremendous impact on your life.
Three people have equally impacted me the most – my three kids.
In short, they have softened the edge of my negative traits and pushed me way beyond what was once my comfort zone and what I thought I could achieve, while increasing my positive traits tenfold. Without them, I would not be who I am today.
What will help us, as a company, make smarter decisions?
Two things: We need to do our homework and as Dwight Eisenhower used to say, “Let’s not be in a hurry to make a mistake.” If we do our homework – understand the task at hand, discover the project’s potential while minimizing the risks; we will be in a position to make good, informed decisions.
