Thought Leadership // Strong Foundation // Issue XIV

Succeeding & Growing with ULI

We promote an environment of enrichment and growth that will set our employee owners and organization up for success. Through involvement in various industry and networking organizations, our teams are continuously improving. One of these organizations, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), has proven especially beneficial for business development and preconstruction teams who work hard to put us in the best position to cultivate long-lasting partnerships in each of our markets.

ULI is the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world, and its regional chapters have something to offer for A/E/C professionals at all stages in their careers. Each committee within ULI is made up of men and women in a variety of positions throughout the industry, allowing for diverse conversation and insight. Each member brings something different to the table that promotes an environment of learning from your peers and applying what you’ve learned to your professional role. Throughout the years, we’ve seen a distinct correlation between growth at ULI and career growth in our employee owners.

Our Texas offices are also reaping the benefits of ULI, and we’re proud to continuously promote its programs to our rising leaders as well as our management-level teammates. Su Jones, Business Development Manager in Austin, has been a member of ULI for many years and is a member of its Regional Growth Council. “ULI and the Regional Growth Council in Austin have opened so many doors for discussion, insight, and networking that wouldn’t have been possible if there wasn’t an opportunity for us to be in the same room together. We’ve developed a deeper understanding of cross-industry topics and trends that expand our knowledge, and in turn, benefit our companies.”

Sabrina Lozano, Estimator, and Kip Maxwell, Design Manager, have had similar experiences through ULI-Austin’s 2020 Mentorship Forum for Young Leaders, which creates a unique setting for early-career professionals and students under the age of 35 by offering opportunities to develop leadership skills and relationships that will help advance their careers. “The program was carefully curated to ensure industry diversity, thereby enabling participants to learn about all facets of real estate development,” said Cheryl McOsker, Director of ULI Austin. “Each participant is paired with an industry leader mentor, which allows substantial one-on-one time with the movers and shakers in our market and an opportunity to begin building a meaningful network.”

Taylor Blanchard, Business Development Manager in Dallas, was selected to participate in ULI Dallas-Fort Worth’s 2020-2021 ULI Partnership Forum, a purposely limited, closed group of Young Leader members (aged under 35) who participate in sessions led by ULI Dallas-Fort Worth leaders, where they learn about their mistakes made and lessons learned. Each session provides a focused, in-depth understanding of a single Metroplex development, starting at land assembly and dissecting all stages of development.

In Kansas City, Business Development Manager, Marty Hoffey, has served on two Product Councils during his 15 years of membership with ULI. These Product Councils give members the opportunity to discuss challenges in their specific industry and how we can improve from both the development and operations side.

The programs for Young Leaders create a path for career development, perspective from all sides of the industry, and introduce its members to the many opportunities that lie ahead through service, networking events, and a commitment to personal and career advancement. But what makes ULI unique is that its programs aren’t limited to helping expand the knowledge of rising leaders; ULI is an organization that can provide learning and growth opportunities to industry professionals at any stage in their careers, and that’s something we can get on board with. “ULI Learning courses are designed to give practitioners the skills and experiences they need to accelerate career progress and fill in any gaps,” said Cindy Chance, Executive Vice President of ULI Learning and Product Councils. “Designed by real estate faculty and expert practitioners, our courses are rigorous but also practical. Participants benefit from the generosity, passion, and practical “know-how” of ULI member leaders across the globe.” ULI’s ability to create meaningful connections and relationships between industry business development professionals has made a lasting impact on the employee owners at our organization, and we look forward to building on that momentum for years to come.