I am an Analyst on the Asset Management team. My role consists of proactively working with tenants to create as much value at each property as possible. This is done through lease extensions, expansions, lease restructures and redevelopments. Given we have such a large and diverse portfolio of more than 1,000 properties across North America, I’m consistently working with various tenants across different markets, which is one of the most exciting parts of my job. Each tenant’s operations are unique, so it’s critical to understand their goals and needs for their property in order for us to best maximize value. 

On the Asset Management team, we actively strive to foster relationships with each of our tenants in an effort to provide flexible solutions for them, while also creating long-term value at the property for WPC. My day-to-day is always different given the diversity of our portfolio, but it primarily consists of working with tenants on leasing transactions, analyzing the financial performance of tenants and better understanding market dynamics through talking with local brokers and conducting site visits.

Describe your career journey.

I majored in Anthropology at Princeton so did not have much real estate experience at the undergrad level, but through clubs and a couple of classes at school, I had become interested in the industry. I interned in real estate at another investment firm after my Sophomore year, and this experience really sparked my interest in furthering my real estate knowledge, particularly in asset management, given the importance of forming tenant relationships and coming up with creative solutions on the back end for properties. 

I applied to W. P. Carey for the Asset Management internship position the following summer. I absolutely loved the team during the interview process, and it was clear how much everyone loved working here given how passionately they spoke about the company. My internship experience was incredibly positive. I learned so much and each team member did a great job taking the time to diligently teach me everything about the role. The personalized learning experience I had during my internship is definitely one of the great things about W. P. Carey and has positioned me to be able to contribute at a high level to the company and grow tremendously in a short period of time. Given my great internship experience, I was thrilled to be able to come back as a full-time Analyst. I’ve been here for a year now and genuinely love coming to work every day! 

What’s the best part about WPC?

One of my favorite things about W. P. Carey is that all of the employees here have a shared goal of completing their job at a high level in an effort to create as much value for the company as possible. The culture is unmatched, which stems from the mutual relationship of the company investing in their employees and then employees wanting to give back to the company. It’s clear that people are excited to be at work, the energy is always positive and the environment is collaborative. You are able to work with various people regardless of the position or role they have, which really helps with the development of new employees. 

In addition to the positive culture, W. P. Carey truly embodies its core tenet of Doing Good While Doing Well. There are countless volunteer events to participate in where employees have the opportunity to give back to the community. One example is that W. P. Carey, in partnership with the W. P. Carey Foundation, sponsors a New York City Marathon team in support of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. I am super excited to be part of the team running the race this fall! 

What do you think it takes to succeed at WPC?

It definitely takes hard work to succeed at W. P. Carey, but given the culture here, everyone buys into that and is always willing to bring their best every day. It’s also important to take initiative and be proactive. Given the size of the Asset Management team, each individual is given a lot of responsibility, even at a junior level. It’s important to take advantage of that opportunity by finding ways to add value or proposing ideas to your manager. Finally, ever since I was an intern at W. P. Carey, I have always tried to ask as many questions as possible. You can learn so much from your coworkers, particularly those who have been in the industry many years, so making an effort to ask questions and collaborate with them can be really beneficial to your long-term growth.