2015 Annual Review responses by Rich O'Connell of RJ O'Connell & Associates

Responder’s Name: Rich O’Connell Company: RJ O’Connell & Associates What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2015? This year RJOC celebrated our 12-year anniversary and added two new principals, Steve Glowacki and Bill Holleran. We also expanded our land survey group to meet client needs. My partners and I are proud to have added two of the region’s most prominent real estate developers to our client list along a major national real estate development firm. What was your most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2015? As professional service providers, we believe all our clients’ projects are notable and unique. However, this year our stand-out project would have to be working with the Boston Survivors Accessibility Alliance (BSAA) and the One Fund to help out the marathon bombing survivor’s group. Along with Consigli Construction, Ann Beha Architects and several of our subconsultants, the team successfully fast-tracked the design, permitting and construction of a necessary complete renovation and new addition at the home of one of the survivors rendering it fully accessible. Many thanks to all those donating time, labor, and materials on this project and the entire BSAA effort. What are your predictions for commercial real estate in 2016? Based on the steady increase we are seeing on the land planning side, I believe the brick and mortar side of commercial and residential real estate will also continue with a steady growth pattern in 2016. Take it slow and steady folks; we’ve seen what can happen when people get greedy.