2020 Ones to Watch: Brett Pelletier, Chief Operating Officer at Kirk&Company Real Estate Counselors

Which project, deal, or transaction was the “game-changer” in the advancement of your career? In 2019 advised the owners of the last remaining open parcel of land on Newbury St. in the Back Bay on a disposition strategy that ended in a significant transaction and one of the highest prices paid for land in Boston history. It was a unique set of challenges and it was a powerful assignment that really took unique solutions and skills. 

How have your life experiences impacted who you are professionally? I grew up in a small blue-collar town in Rhode Island and had the fortune to study finance at some really great colleges and universities. The issues of financial literacy and social equality are important lenses through which I look at the world and my work in housing and community development. There’s opportunity to bridge skills gaps in many different areas and share our own knowledge and understanding. I try to do that where I can and learn from those who know more than I do. It’s a powerful tool for growth.

What led you to your current profession? After college, I knew I wanted to go into real estate, but I also had a passion for historic architecture and social issues. That passion has pushed me to evolve my roll and the firm to focus on those key areas of affordable housing and the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Touching all of those key areas is unique to real estate as a multi-disciplinary field. 

How do you contribute to your community or your profession? The NEREJ offers ample opportunity to contribute to the greater conversation around real estate. I’m a board member of the MA/RI Appraisal Institute, the Boston Preservation Alliance’s Young Advisors, and a member of the Counselors of Real Estate Consulting Corp. that provides pro-bono real estate advisory services to non-profits and governments.