2021 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Julia Anne Slom, The Washington Trust Company

What are some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor? I have had several strong mentors in my career and have served as an “official” mentor both at Washington Trust and with CREW, as well as informally mentoring people. I think one of the biggest benefits of having a mentor is that you have a trusted individual to whom you can ask all the questions you want to ask but may be nervous to voice aloud to your boss or a peer. The mentor provides candid feedback & can serve as both a role model & a sounding board. In reflecting back on my own mentors, these aspects were most helpful.

What trends will dominate your industry in the coming months? There are a few things we are keeping an eye on in our industry: the Libor transition, the return (or not) to the office & what the office space market will look like, what the hospitality industry rebound will look like & what areas might still be impacted by the pandemic’s lasting effects. We are also expecting to see fierce competition for great deals from the banking industry, which will drive innovation in loan structure and pricing across the board. Lastly, we’ll be paying attention to the best ways to remain collaborative & creative while working remotely.