Mentorship writing on board

Developing Leader Spotlight: Paying it Forward

Strong role models and mentors have played an important role in the life and career of Kate Jordan, a recipient of NAIOP’s 2016 Developing Leaders Award, helping her to develop a reputation as an accomplished commercial real estate leader –  and inspiring her to pay it forward in both the industry and the community.

Kate JordanIn her current role as a principal with Lee & Associates, Jordan focuses on the leasing and sale of commercial real estate including office, industrial, flex and land in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. She has served as the owner’s representative for 55 buildings totaling over 2 million square feet. Jordan joined Lee & Associates as a vice president in 2013. Prior to Lee & Associates, she was an associate for six years with KLNB, Inc., a prominent local real estate firm based in Baltimore.

A NAIOP Maryland member since 2012, Jordan has been an active participant in the chapter’s Community Service Committee and Developing Leaders Committee. She serves on the chapter board of directors and was the 2016 Developing Leaders chair. She was named the 2016 winner of the chapter’s “Rising Star Award,” which is presented to a Developing Leader member who is actively involved in the chapter’s activities and exemplifies the spirit of a team player.

Outside of her NAIOP involvement, Jordan is passionate about equal access to high-quality education and is a founding board member of Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, an all-boy’s charter school in Baltimore City that opened in 2015. She previously served as first vice president of the Roland Park Country School Alumnae Board.

NAIOP sat down with this compassionate and driven young professional to find out who inspires her and what advice she would offer to other young professionals in commercial real estate.

NAIOP: What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?

Jordan: I am a problem solver at heart. I love identifying a problem, developing a plan to resolve the problem and then executing it.

NAIOP: How has being a member of NAIOP helped your career?

Jordan: Joining NAIOP was like stepping onto a high-speed elevator. Being the Developing Leader committee chair has afforded me a seat at the table with the rock stars of CRE in Maryland. They value my opinion and perspective as a “young person.” My involvement opens doors daily with direct access to prominent real estate executives. My membership in NAIOP has also increased my awareness of legislative issues impacting the industry. I am now concerned about laws imposing regulations limiting real estate growth and can impart this knowledge onto my clients in an educated fashion. They depend on the insight I glean from my NAIOP involvement.

NAIOP: What advice would you offer to other young professionals in commercial real estate?

Jordan: Be a good listener at all times. Take every opportunity you get to learn from those who have come before you. I have made a habit of routinely meeting with people I admire just to hear their story. At the close of every one of those meetings I always ask if there is anyone they think it would be worthwhile for me to meet and then ask for an introduction. Some invaluable doors have been opened for me as a result.

NAIOP: Who has been an inspiring or influential figure in your life?

Jordan: My mother taught me from a young age that being a good person and being a successful person are not mutually exclusive. She set the gold standard for achieving success in her career, while finding time to be an incredible parent and actively working to make her community a better place. She always says, “The good you do lives on after you,” and I try to integrate that into every day in some way.

This is part of a series of profiles of NAIOP’s 2016 Developing Leaders Award recipients, who have distinguished themselves through exceptional commitment and contributions to the industry. This prestigious award was presented at NAIOP’s Commercial Real Estate Conference 2016 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Watch this two-minute video to learn more about NAIOP’s Developing Leaders program. The winners of the 2017 Developing Leaders Award will be announced in late August. 

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