Years in real estate: 11

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of: International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

How have you navigated obstacles to achieve success in your career: The AEC industry is all about coming up with solutions to solve problems in the most cost-effective and time-efficient manner possible. This means that on any given week there is a new challenge to overcome. What works best for me is tackling the problem as soon as it arrives. I gather the information, learn all potential impacts, inform the stakeholders, and find a solution that works for everyone immediately. The second part of this is communication. While e-mail is a great tool to deliver information, it is not the best way to navigate an obstacle. The quickest way to solve a problem is to have a phone call and/or face-to-face meeting. 

How do you play your strengths to your advantage in your career: DiPrete Engineering is a strengths-based company which means we focus on developing our unique talents into strengths. My own personal strengths include ‘Futuristic, Strategic, Focus, Woo, and Positivity’. I continuously remind myself of these strengths and look for ways to optimize them in my daily interactions with clients, co-workers, and regulators. When I am encouraged to do what I do best every day, I can focus on the things that come easy to me. This puts me in a powerful position to achieve more and have more positive, creative, and innovative moments. I have also learned to partner with others who complement my strengths so we can build strong teams that support each other. 

What trends are you seeing so far this year: At DiPrete Engineering, we are seeing redevelopment and site improvement projects on the rise, especially in urban areas. Investments are being made in repurposing large boxes to accommodate smaller tenants. We are spending time on designs that incorporate pedestrian-friendly elements such as patio areas at restaurants and multipurpose outdoor spaces with different surface textures (pavers, grass, rubber) for food trucks, employee lunches, and other forms of entertainment. These are my favorite projects: places where people can ‘live, work, and play’. 

What do you do for fun: Once the weather breaks you will find me cycling long distances and up hills. My favorite ride is the 7.6 mile climb up the Mount Washington Auto Road that has an average grade of 12% and sections as high as 22%.