Name: Craig Levine
Title: Vice President, Business Development
Company Name: Quest Builders Group Inc.
Year that you entered your current field? 2000
List up to three CRE organizations that you are currently a member of: IFMA, CoreNet
Who are some leaders that you admire and why? ?
The principals at Design Republic – the way they have created a positive and inclusive culture is amazing. Each employee is empowered and able to make quick decisions and is supported by management. A true testament to leading by allowing your teams to decide on the direction of the process not by micromanaging.
Charlie Mees, director of facilities, WebMD: Charlie is a true ‘leader by enablement.’ If you asked any of his team they will say they love Charlie because he guides and enables rather than handholds. He will do anything to help his team get the job done with no ego or fanfare.
Anthony Posa, principal, CEO MGE Unified Technology Corp.: I have been out with Anthony and some of his employees quite a bit and it is hard to tell who the boss is! I love that! He shows that even though they all know he is the “boss” he never acts like it and is part of the team and not ‘the’ team. His team is given the opportunity to run projects with full authority, but Anthony is always there to help when needed and support them when they ask.
How have your life experiences impacted who you are professionally?
There are several key moments in my life that I attribute to how I act today.
I was playing rugby in Israel and we were on top of Masada doing a tour. There were ‘handicapped’ (I say in quotes as there was nothing they couldn’t do!) athletes needing assistance. The rugby team stepped up and we went last as a group in walking with this group. Me and my teammate took a young woman side by side and when we ‘picked’ her up slightly off the ground she said ‘put me down! I want to walk down Masada!’ We did and it took us quite a long time to go down and when we hit the bottom, she, and we, were crying as she yelled with her crutches in the air ‘I just walked down Masada!’ It was one of the best experiences that I will never forget as here we have someone who has every right to complain but didn’t and accomplished what few ‘able’ people do. A remarkable woman who made an impact with me and my teammate for life as it is a prime example that we cannot accomplish great things on our own; we will always need help along the way.
Second would be the sheer will of my cousin. She has had MS for many years and is in a wheelchair with a fulltime nurse. She doesn’t complain, whine or even say a negative word. This is a person, mind you, who was a world traveler, owned a business and had a zest for life like no other. With all the things life has thrown at her she maintains her amazing attitude and is my inspiration for all I do in life – when things are down, life is tough just take a deep breath, brush yourself off and keep doing what you are doing to the best of your ability. She is a true hero.
What do you consider to be your greatest professional accomplishment in the past 12 months?
At Quest we are a ‘mid sized’ firm. With that we are somewhat ‘restricted’ with some opportunities. When we were able to work with a large developer in the city and perform over and above their expectations, we were granted the opportunity to work in their buildings now for the past 2 years. I am very proud of our team as we showed that we can ‘hang’ with any company in the city for corporate interiors.
What advice can you offer to someone who is interested in a career in your industry?
To meet as many people in the industry as possible, regardless of their position. This industry is built on relationships and people do business with those who they trust. The best way to build trust is to get to know people on a personal level. After that always be honest, true to your word and enjoy!
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