2025 Ones To Watch - Rising Stars: Jeff Pelletier, Cummings Properties

“Sharp minded and well organized, Jeff has rapidly advanced his contribution and role during his four- year tenure. He is equally adept at sales engagement and operational matters, leveraging his robust industry knowledge, sound judgment, and innate business acumen to deliver the exemplary service inherent to the Cummings name. Time and again, he has proven himself a valuable mentor for his colleagues and trusted point of contact for our most sophisticated leasing clients and industry partners.” - Derek Russell, Vice President, Operations at Cummings Properties.

If you could give advice to someone just starting out in your field, what would it be? Work hard every day, and the rest will take care of itself. Your diligence will pay dividends to you, your organization, and the businesses you serve. Prioritize the customer. Branding yourself as responsive, timely, and service- oriented will create continued opportunities for career development. Nurture your business relationships in perpetuity. Having a connection has helped me land nearly every job I’ve ever had. Be efficient and organized. I use The 5 Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity^®, by Franklin Covey, to keep me on track to achieve my goals.

Who has played a pivotal role in your development, and how have they influenced you? Operations manager Tony Spencer has played a pivotal role in my real estate career. He was my account manager when my former employer leased with Cummings, and we stayed in touch after the pandemic closed our U.S. operations. With more than 20 years in hospitality management, I was ready to pivot toward my longtime dream: real estate. When a role opened, Tony called. He’s been a valued mentor ever since. I took over his complex client portfolio after his promotion, and my success there led to my own advancement – now I co- manage the department alongside him.

What recent professional milestone or project are you most proud of, and why? Shortly after joining Cummings, I was entrusted with managing our largest client account (200,000 s/f). In the years since, I’ve built strong relationships that have created meaningful opportunities on both sides. We just signed a major lease extension with the client – one of the most significant deals in company history. Even more rewarding was hearing the client later reflect on how Cummings’ flexibility as a landlord had supported his firm’s organic growth. Moments like that reinforce what I value most: being part of an organization that partners with local businesses to achieve shared success.

What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in your career so far, and what did it teach you? When I first arrived at Cummings, I faced a steep learning curve. Although I brought decades of property management experience, I’d spent my entire career in hospitality and temporary corporate housing. There was much to learn about real estate and leasing, and I needed to learn it fast. Being inquisitive and fully open to new information, approaches, and perspectives from day one helped me to close that knowledge gap. By taking every opportunity to learn from the experienced professionals around me, I quickly found my footing and set a course for rapid career growth.