People always have been – and always will be – The Connor Group’s No. 1 key to success. It’s our job to find, interview and evaluate those special people. In recent months we’ve asked recruiters and leaders within the organization about their all-time best hires. Partner and area manager Payton Stone, who oversees our Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham markets, recently told us about his senior lead tech Willie Edmonds … Why was he your best hire?Willie’s been able to show new techs that we hire what is possible when you have a solutions-oriented, optimistic, team-first mentality. What do you remember most from his recruiting process?From the very beginning, he not only said he would be the best, but he backed it up through actions from his day in the field through his first 90 days. He was a servant leader from Day 1. What made you think he would be a good fit?Willie has incredible discipline from his days in the military. He’s also an ultra-competitive human being when it comes to everything that has a winner involved. He hates losing more than he loves winning. Which of his traits do you wish you could find in more candidates?Competitor and […]
Connor Kids Academy, one of several non-profit programs conceived, funded and administered by The Connor Group Kids & Community Partners, is an innovative approach to youth sports programming. It provides under-resourced kids with a potentially life-changing three-year experience, leveraging professional and college athletes and coaches to provide impactful in-person experiences and an interactive app that promotes healthy habits and choices. And while the program impacts kids year-round, the highlight, undoubtedly, occurs during the summer when the program hosts its annual sports camps. In its second year CKA grew from 33 students and one market to 88 students in two markets – hosting camps with the University of Dayton men’s basketball program and University of Cincinnati men’s basketball program. Coaches and players worked with campers not just on basketball skills – reining NBA slam dunk champion Obi Toppin made an appearance at the Dayton camp – but on life skills as well. Staff and special guests led lessons and activities tied to the program’s curriculum, which focuses on healthy habits, as well as decision-making. “Like everything we do, we raised the bar from Year 1 to Year 2,” said Kids & Community VP Chuck Denning. “We looked at the mistakes we made in the first year […]
Our Awards Breakfasts are filled with surprises, but nothing quite compares to promotions to partner. Today five associates walked down the red carpet at our Central Support Office, bringing the total number of Connor Group partners to 63. Cheers and applause filled the atrium as each promotion unfolded. Indianapolis market founder and veteran lead tech Phil Cyphers is best known for his customer service. He started with the company 10 years ago and now has earned the distinguished title of partner. “People love to be around you,” partner and senior regional trainer Rob Murray said. “You service everyone with a smile. Everybody knows your name at the properties. It’s amazing all the customer service you give to everybody. You’re one of a kind.” Senior director Tiffany Montoya teared up as her name was announced at this morning’s celebration. Since joining The Connor Group in 2018, she’s brought a can-do attitude, moving to Columbus and then across Cincinnati and Dayton. “You’ve been the difference maker in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets,” partner and regional head Sal Gracia said. “You’re now one of the cornerstones, the foundational pieces of the market. A go-to resource that trains and sets new standards.” Three CSO […]
Chesley Lewis could be the answer to any number of Connor Group trivia questions. Who moved to a new market to sell a property 45 days into her tenure? Chesley. Who took part in the largest acquisition in company history and one of the largest dispositions in company history? Chesley. Who was awarded a trip for two to Bora Bora for re-engineering Highland Park? Chesley. And who is the newest Connor Group partner? If you guessed Chesley … as of today … you’re correct. The veteran Dallas manager learned of her promotion Thursday at that market’s awards breakfast. She brings the total number of Connor Group partners to 58. “She’s the backbone of the Dallas market,” said regional head Dan Pisegna. “There isn’t one person in Dallas who doesn’t rely on her as a knowledgeable and believable resource and as someone they can count on to motivate and inspire them.” Chesley joined The Connor Group in 2015 and became Ashley’s first trainee. “She was always very talkative; she asked all the questions; she overthought everything,” Ashley said. “I was concerned with her buy-in because she asked so many questions about why we did things the way we did. But she […]
At the bottom of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, transaction lead Emily Lazar flipped on her new 1,200-lumen scuba dive flashlight, ready to explore a shipwreck. The new tool lighting the way on her latest dive was just one of four Reward & Recognition gifts Emily earned within one week at The Connor Group. Reward & Recognition (R&R) is a cornerstone of The Connor Group’s award-winning culture. When associates go above and beyond, they are rewarded with items they have on their wishlist and then recognized in front of their peers. “By no means was I expecting it,” Emily said. “I was just doing my job at the best level possible.” The waterfall of R&R came at a critical time in the Acquisitions and Dispositions Department. In May, another transaction lead left. Emily quickly went from managing five transactions to 10. Instead of being responsible for closing $591 million in deals, she now had a hefty $1.1 billion in transactions she was personally responsible for. Without hesitation, Emily looked at this challenge as an opportunity and took extreme ownership. “I think when the decision point came for Emily about whether she was going to step up her performance and take on […]
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