ENGAGING CAREER
MY PATH TO AN
ENGAGING CAREER By Suzanne LeValley, CPM®, CMOC, Emeritus
I like to think that my success as a businesswoman is due to my intellect, dedication and persistence, but I also know that my association with REIC and my CPM designation have played a big part. Bill McCarthy, a Past President of REIC and close friend, has told me many times that ‘my story’ is one worthy of sharing with my REIC colleagues. To me it isn't anything special. I happened into a career in real estate in my early twenties, when I was hired as a secretary in a small real estate brokerage in Vancouver. It was a great job at the time. I worked for five men, and they became big brothers to me, a shy transplant from Ontario. Because of my unique situation, I was nurtured, first into an accounting role, and then into property management. In 1985, I took the first course toward my CPM designation. I couldn't have found a better outlet for my restless nature. That led me to receive my designation in 1993, and long-term employment with a large national company. I was encouraged by a friend in REIC to start my business managing condominiums, and I did. I found as much stimulation and challenge as I could handle, in the arenas of managing my portfolio in the early years, and my company as it grew. Time flew challenges were met, goals accomplished. Now I'm facing retirement. The last decade has been the most challenging of my career. Because of my designation, I constantly strive to innovate and change how we do our work. Many of those ideas sprang from REIC colleagues and conferences. That's a role I have no intention of relinquishing as I retire from the daily running of my company. Property management encompasses what I believe are the essentials of success in any business: customer service, human resource management, financial management, and asset management, to name a few. Through my volunteer work with REIC, my life has been enriched even more. I've made friends and learned about governance and leadership. I wouldn't change anything about my experience. I wish that everyone in my REIC ‘family’ could cherish similar memories of the value of their membership. Suzanne LeValley, CPM®, CMOC, Emeritus, is President of Longley Condominium Services Ltd., in Calgary, AB. Email: suzanne@longleycondo.com 22
REIC Exchange, August 2015
