Working for Neyer Properties: Director of Building Development and LEED AP, Charlie Pond

Busy with various tenant improvements, the new main entrance and I-71 ramp improvement at Keystone Parke, and the new American Red Cross Headquarters, Charlie Pond still takes time out for family and his community. As Director of Building Development, Charlie has been with Neyer Properties for 3 years now. We sat down with Charlie to ask him some questions for the 2010 Northern Kentucky Chamber, Next Generation Leader Award which he was nominated for.

What are your two greatest professional achievements?

One great professional achievement was the management of the design and construction of Neyer Properties’ new corporate officefirst local LEED Gold interiors project in the first building of a LEED Silver private office campus within Keystone Parke, a $100 million development located at I-71 and Dana Ave. The entire building and interior office construction was completed on time, under budget, and has truly been a living testament to our company’s dedication to green development from this point on.

Another significant professional achievement was my role in the completion of negotiations and the full design and construction of the new American Red Cross headquarters and disaster operations center. Through my design and bid management oversight, as well as value engineering efforts throughout design, we successfully developed this project with more than $1M savings or over 16% on the construction budget. The project involved an assemblage of excess State property along with six residential properties, land swaps from the local Park board and construction of new roads for this new facility.

What attributes, qualities and achievements have enabled you to advance professionally?

I have always strived to exceed expectations and rise to the next level, not waiting for others to give me direction before I try to reach a new level. I began my professional career at the end of high school in an architectural firm, then working through college at engineering and construction firms. I still was able to graduate with both a Bachelor and Master program in engineering within a period of only five years, through long hours coupled with dedication and drive. My consistent professional efforts to exceed management expectations have resulted in continuous promotions through varying levels of the construction and development industries.

I also have a never ending quest for knowledge. In all of my endeavors, I have never reached a point where I feel that I “know my job completely” because I constantly draw from others’ knowledge and experience and strive to learn new information in the development and construction industry. In my current role at Neyer Properties, I am able to use all information previously obtained in the architectural, engineering, and construction fields to efficiently manage these industries for complete land and building developments.

What attributes, qualities and characteristics have enabled you to inspire others?

I find that employees, consultants and vendors truly appreciate my ability to work with them “in the trenches” and demonstrate my dedication to them by my commitment to deadlines, quality, and excellence through my own actions. I also intentionally strive to provide a positive influence at our office and in all other professional environments, including positive comments and reinforcement to staff and other entities that work for and around me.

While praising accomplishments and successes, I feel that it is important for others to continue to grow in their own professional lives and continue to reach the next level. I try to detect the best way to interact with and motivate varying personalities, but with one continuous pattern – each year we set multiple goals that will push them outside their comfort zone and into more knowledge, experience, and responsibility. I strongly avoid micromanagement and negativity, empowering all to carry out their responsibilities and reviewing progress as needed.

How have you made an impact on your community in your personal life?

I have positively impacted my community through my level of volunteerism and contribution in both my professional and personal life. In my personal life, I have significant involvement in in a variety of organizations including the Saving Lives Society, American Red Cross, Shoulder to Shoulder, and the Isaiah Project.

Also I have jointly led the “green” revitalization of at least three houses for the needy in conjunction with Working in Neighborhoods, and have contributed assistance to multiple houses constructed for the needy by Habitat for Humanity. In the immediate vicinity of our office, I have joined with a large group of volunteers and the City of Cincinnati Park Board to lead the renovation of the Evanston Park and to perform a regular cleanup of all areas of Dana Avenue from this park to the interstate 71 interchange.

What have been your greatest obstacles and how have you overcome these?

One of my greatest obstacles has been what I perceive as a lack of time and resources to pursue everything that I would like to. In order to meet this obstacle, I have grown to be diligent about organization of my time and my information, focusing on a much greater prioritization of my study, business development, and professional priorities. Through greater familiarity and use of software, technology, and simple organization of my space, I have been able to take each major priority in large chunks one step at a time while integrating lower priorities in smaller periods to ensure that they are not passed by. I have also learned to delegate so that I rarely am performing a certain task that someone else can be trained to handle.

Neyer Properties a full-service commercial real estate developer specializing in sustainable land development, construction management, investment, and redevelopment. The firm celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and invites friends and stakeholders to join its green building community at facebook.com/neyerproperties.