Ask Marci Skeahan what it takes to succeed in the traditionally male-dominated field of commercial real estate development and she'll boil it down to two words: Self confidence.
Skeahan is chief operating officer at T. Weiss Realty Corp (TWRC), one of Long Island's most successful privately owned real estate development and management companies. She has risen through the ranks in her 16 years with TWRC, mentoring many women throughout the course of her career. In 2006 Women on the Job, a not-for-profit advocacy program to advance women in the workplace recognized Skeahan as a role model for women, honoring Skeahan for outstanding accomplishments in business.
As a participant in Women Economic Developers of Long Island's (WEDLI ) Women in Property Management and Development Panel, Skeahan acknowledged that working in commercial development is a constant challenge for women and men alike, "But that's what makes it such a rewarding career. Particularly if you're a woman, though, and new to the industry, there's a lot you have to do to level the playing field. You'll often be the only woman at the table. But if you're well prepared to conduct business, and don't allow yourself to be intimidated, you will command respect."
A measure of Skeahan's success can be attributed to her commitment to industry organizations like CoreNet Global, where she is treasurer of the Long Island Chapter executive board. As a board member of the International Facilities Managers Association, Skeahan has served as treasurer for the past three years and before that was president for two years. She also served on the board of directors of the Long Island Chapter of the Building Owners Management Association and is a member of the Commercial Industrial Brokers Society of Long Island.
Initially hired in 1991 as an administrative assistant to T. Weiss Realty CEO Ted Weiss, Skeahan today oversees the operations of TWRC's seven office properties on Long Island with responsibility for office operations, maintenance, leasing, facilities, construction and finance. Prior to joining the firm, she managed the Queens office of Charles H. Greenthal, a residential property management firm.
Most recently, Skeahan was a team member of T. Weiss Realty's latest project, that, according to a Newsday article, "Reinventing the office building," introduced a class A office building to Melville that was developed with the intent of attracting young professionals to Long Island with amenities including a health club with virtual golf, coffee bar with indoor and outdoor garden seating and a spectacular lobby that doubles as gathering place. Completed in the spring of 2007, the 133,050 s/f Melville Corporate Center III (MCCIII) is in the leasing process. T. Weiss Realty is headquartered there, and Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC, the Philadelphia based investment firm has signed a lease for 11,000 s/f at the front of the first floor of the building.
"Our priority right now is to fully lease MCCIII," said Skeahan. "Then it's on to our next project." Tags: