Santos of The Rinaldi Group discusses accomplishment

Name: Frances Santos Title: Comptroller / Administrative Director Company Name: The Rinaldi Group, LLC Years in Commercial Real Estate: In the last 12 months, which project, transaction, honor or accomplishment are you most proud of and why? The extensive and collaborative accounting and auditing done with our CPA, our agents and Arch Insurance in helping The Rinaldi Group, LLC., become Arch's first and only non-union construction manager underwritten with Subcontractor Default Insurance or SDI, a form of performance guaranty few firms have in New York City and even fewer have in the non-Union CM high-rise marketplace. What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest fear wasn't my profession, but rather it was the industry I was pursuing. The construction industry is more of a man's field rather than a woman's. My being a woman would be a great challenge in gaining the respect of my peers. It is not easy for a man to take direction from a woman and in construction it is even more difficult. Who are three women- living or dead - that you would like to have drinks with and why? Susan B. Anthony - known as the "Napoleon" of the women's movement. Babe Didrikson - known as the greatest female athlete of the 20th Century Rossana Rosado - Publisher and CEO of el diario/LA PRENSA, the oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the US. (I am of Latin/Spanish dissent) What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first job was at the age of 16 when I worked at a McDonalds. I was a hard and dedicated employee which led gaining the respect of the Owners of that franchise and I was quickly promoted to a Manager at the age of 17, making me the youngest Manager ever at that McDonalds franchise. I learned that we actually do have the power to make our lives what we want it them be so long as we are willing to work hard and sacrifice. What is your favorite quote? - Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain What social media and/or face to face networking activities do you find most beneficial professionally? Recently, I have been finding that LinkedIn is an excellent tool for professional networking. What are you doing differently in 2014 that has had positive impact on your career? I have found finally a balance between my professional career and my family life that has given me renewed energy and greater efficiency in my work. As with most things in life, there has to be balance, and I am thankful to have been able to reach a professional level while I am still relatively young, to have been able to accomplish and find that balance for it has made all the difference.