Name: Karen Strom Title: Partner Company: Schroder & Strom, LLP Years in Field: 24 Years in RE Industry: 24 Address: 114 Old Country Rd, Ste 218, Mineola, NY 11501 Tel: (516) 742-7430 Email: [email protected] Website: nytaxreview.com RE Organizations/Affiliations: Member of Hauppauge Industrial Association of Long Island (HIA-LI), Commercial Industrial Bankers Society of Long Island (CIBS), Institute of Professionals in Taxation (IPT), New York Editor of the New York Chapter of the American Bar Association's Annual Property Tax Deskbook, and Member of the Community Associations Institute (CAI), Long Island Chapter. Board Member of the Town of Oyster Bay Landmark Preservation Commission How do you contribute to your company and/or the industry? I have participated as a speaker in many forums on various educational topics within the field of tax certiorari and real property valuation proceedings. I began doing this as a young attorney in relation to residential tax appeals-speaking before civic and bar association groups. As my career continued, I primarily spoke before professional groups, including the American and NYS Bar Associations, as well as the Long Island Appraisal Institute. Most recently, I spoke in New Orleans on behalf of the ABA/IPT Advanced Property Tax Seminar on 2011/12 Legislative and Judicial Updates in NY Real Property Tax Law. I have also authored for the NY chapter of the American Bar Association's Real Property Tax Deskbook since 1997 to date. Previously, I edited the annual updates of McKinney's Formbook on Real Property Tax Law for ten years. How do you manage work/life balance? Incorporating the "work hard/play hard" ethic into my life. When I began my career, I worked six to seven days a week, never took a sick day, and barely any vacation. I have changed (partially as a result of health related wake-up calls) to appreciate my downtime and ensure I schedule it in. I still may work six days a week, but am now a partner of a firm with over 27 employees. I do make time to go on vacation with my husband who also works hard (he, however, is in the golf industry!) I do play golf, enjoy cultural events and travel. Who or what has been my strongest influence? My father. He was a true Scandinavian in many ways-tough, hardworking, honest and totally upfront with those he liked. He taught me that your "word" was your most valuable commodity and to always look people in the eye.