Courtney Naudo, Walmart International
2017 TREC Treasurer
What is your favorite thing to do in Dallas?
There are so many incredible things to do in Dallas that it is hard to pick one favorite. Given that I have small children, some of my favorites at the moment are spending time at the Perot Museum, both Aquariums and Klyde Warren Park.
It is amazing and inspirational to see how much the city has grown since I was a child but I have managed to pass on the generational loves of NorthPark and the Arboretum to my boys.
What is one thing about you that might surprise people?
I like 80’s music and old school 90’s rap. I also like fast cars.
In your role managing real estate assets relative to businesses, what trends are you seeing in commercial real estate?
Given that I have focused more of my time in the past few years in the retail sector, I am seeing the ‘ecosystem’ buzz word come to life. While I advise and consult both occupiers and owners of real estate across strategy, people, process and technology, the disruptors we are seeing in business are forcing us to look at the value chain differently. For example, a shopping mall operator is dependent on the success of their anchor tenants and the way we have historically thought about this relationship is going to evolve so we can survive market cycles and economic realities.
As a graduate of our ALC program, what is one characteristic every leader should possess?
Honesty. My mom taught my sister and me at a young age that ‘Your word is your bond.’ Every relationship is built upon trust and if your team or partners cannot trust you, then they will not follow you. Besides, the real estate industry is too small to have to cover your tracks!
How has TREC impacted your career?
After growing up in Dallas and graduating from SMU, I wanted to spread my wings so I lived in Washington D.C. and London. When I returned to Dallas in 2010, TREC afforded me the opportunity to plug back into the city I love in a meaningful way. I have been able to marry up my passions of volunteerism, real estate and continuous learning all in one organization. TREC is a special organization that has an incredible member base with an amazing and dynamic leadership team at the helm. We are building the city we imagined!
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