Barbara Briccotto
Progressive Companies
Current job: Business Development Manager at Progressive Companies, a national full service design firm – including architecture, engineering, interior design and planning.
Summary of your role in the company: I work beside our Practice Leaders for the markets we serve in business development efforts, key pursuits, strategic direction, and alignment with our business plans.
How I chose my occupation: My path has been in Interior Design – leading teams and projects at various firms. When I chose this current position, I had decided to focus on a position that played to my strengths while also being “what I wanted to do” within the business. I am fortunate to work with the amazing team at Progressive Companies at a time when we are focused on Carolinas’ growth.
Years in the business: Rather than tell that secret, I will say I bring “wisdom” to the conversation!
My specialization is: Building relationships and driving a strategic business development effort.
A good lead for me is: An entity that is relocating, adding, changing, building new space and needs a trusted architecture/engineering/interior design/planning partner.
The most satisfying part of my job is: The relationships I have formed and continue to build, the opportunity to help my networking partners succeed, and of course, the wins!
Best leadership advice I have been given: Just be you, not who you think others want you to be. Those are words I was finally able to tell myself in this journey.
Greatest professional achievement: In the most honest reflection, I would say making my parents proud of who I am. I have been fortunate to be recognized for my accomplishments as well through awards with:
Number of years with CREW: 18 years
Most significant CREW connection: With 18 years there are so many valuable connections! My closeness with Patty Drummond and Dawn Royal resulting from Dawn and I serving consecutively as CREW President is special.
Place of birth/hometown: Wilmington DE (it is the first state, not the smallest state!!)
Number of years in Charlotte: 20 in Charlotte, with 45 years in NC (there’s a hint to my number of years in business)
Family: My dear 88 year old mother who lives alone, drives, and is going strong, my brother and his extended family, and the many dear friends who are my family.
My ideal vacation spot: I have many European destinations on my list. Its about the food, the wine, the people and the culture for me.
Hobbies/Interests: Love to cook, continue to learn about wine, and starting to learn a bit about whiskey. A great day for me is spending a Saturday in the kitchen and having friends for dinner.
Other professional organizations I belong to: Association of Medical Facility Professionals (AMFP – current board member), Urban Land Institute (ULI)
I wish I could: Play a sport that requires eye-hand coordination!
Cindy Tunis
SEGRA
Current job: Technology Consultant/Relationship Builder
Summary of your role in the company: I collaborate with the C suite to understand their expectations, challenges, and vision for the future. As their technology advisor, we collectively formulate customized technology solutions that will enable Leadership to achieve their short- and long-term goals in the IT/Telecom areas. These solutions affect their profitability, productivity, and protect their company from liability issues including data breaches.
How I chose my occupation: I was fascinated with the impact technology (Artificial Intelligence, Internet of things, and technology solutions) can have in business. I thoroughly enjoy the technical aspect of what I do while employing “creative out of box” tailored solutions.
Years in the business: 13
My specialization is: I specialize in working with CRE developers, Property Managers and tenants to give them optimal internet, voice services, wireless, data center, and Disaster Recovery for their businesses in the face of cyber-attacks.
A good lead for me is: A connection that is working on project for a company that is moving its HDQ., building a new HDQ/satellite office, or is dissatisfied with the costs, or customer service experience with their current provider of Telcom or IT services.
The most satisfying part of my job is: It is partnering with a company and witnessing solutions that we implemented positively impact their business, and the opportunities it has laid for additional growth. I love working with my internal team at Segra. We are a family and the culture here is the best that I have ever experienced in my entire career.
Best leadership advice I have been given: Build your internal relationships within your company as well as external relationships with your clients. When you do that, you can be the best advocate for your clients, and get “special requests” for your client done and in record time!
Greatest professional achievement: As a Regional Vice President over 14 states, I was able to grow the existing territory, by double digits, in my first year. I was able to use relationship selling to bring on board multiple Fortune 500 companies including Wal Mart.
Number of years with CREW: 4
Most significant CREW connection: Patty Drummond. She is a Leader, super organized, and puts all of her energy into CREW. She continues to ask for everyone’s input and continues to bring in new ideas that enhance the Charlotte team.
Place of birth/hometown: Hoboken, NJ
Number of years in Charlotte: 20
Family: I am blessed to have my son, Tyler, who is 20 years of age and my adorable golden retriever, Mabel.
My ideal vacation spot: Europe. I love the long history, architecture and culture in various parts of Europe including Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany.
Hobbies/Interests: I love to travel, hike in the mountains, and you will see me at concerts, and plays.
Other professional organizations I belong to: Chamber of Rock Hill, Chamber of Lancaster, and Charlotte Latin.
I wish I could: I wish that I could have realized earlier on in my life how significant each day can be in life. We all have the power to choose our mindset of Let Them, and Let Me” . This principle is not only freeing but incredibly empowering.
Madie Burch
American Bank
Current job: Business Development Officer
Summary of your role in the company: Working with clients to secure commercial real estate financing.
How I chose my occupation: Crazy as it sounds – I love paperwork- as well as working with community businesses. My career path began as Human Resource Director to a small community bank in Charlotte over 20 years ago (The Scottish Bank) which developed into Branch Administrator. The path then took me to Deposit Officer then Commercial Real Estate Lender.
Years in the business: 20+ years.
My specialization is: Investment real estate funding.
A good lead for me is: An investor who is looking towards acquiring or refinancing a commercial property.
The most satisfying part of my job is: Being a part of a project from submitting an offer- to purchase contract to close – in a seamless manner. Working to align funding with the client’s overall business plan.
Best leadership advice I have been given: Do the right thing even when no one is looking.
Greatest professional achievement: Working with several clients in securing over $50m in CRE loans during the COVID lockdown year.
Number of years with CREW: Historically 4.
Place of birth/hometown: Rocky Mount, NC
Number of years in Charlotte: 50
Family: My daughter, Scout and her husband Ryan – along with many fun chosen family members!
My ideal vacation spot: Sitting on a beach.
Hobbies/Interests: Playing cards while drinking wine.
I wish I could: Dance without looking like Napoleon Dynamite.
Kelly Steele
STEELE Architecture
Current job: Founder and President of STEELE Architecture, PLLC
Summary of your role in the company: I’m the Architect, business development professional, receptionist, head of marketing, accounting, and custodial arts, AND reining Employee of the Month for 6 months straight!
How I chose my occupation: I got to watch my parents design and help build the house we moved into when I was eight. They collected photos and house plans for years, and my dad taught himself passive solar design so our home would be energy efficient back before that was even a buzzword. Watching them dream it up, sketch it out, and bring it to life, then troubleshoot the things that worked and didn’t work hooked me that early. This makes me sound really old, but when we got our first home computer the first thing I did was make myself business cards – luckily you don’t have to spell well to be an architect.
They saw a spark & encouraged it with birthday gifts of famous architect’s coffee table books and family trips to architectural landmarks like Biltmore, Monticello, and the monuments in D.C. I loved to draw, became obsessed with Victorian homes, and would try to figure out what the insides looked like just from the outside. Add in a love for Lincoln Logs, LEGO, and Tetris, and discovering in a family tree biology project that my family names were Steele – Beam and I guess you could say I was built for this career.
Years in the business: 20
My specialization is: Affordable Housing, multi-family, small commercial and community-centric projects
A good lead for me is: Developers working in the affordable housing realm, or non-profits looking to build, alter or expand their space.
The most satisfying part of my job is: Helping make a clients’ vision come to life. I love talking through their needs, helping to work through challenges, and seeing how the end result works for them (or what needs to be tweaked to make the next one better).
Best leadership advice I have been given: When I was moving into a role of managing a team, I asked my dad how he managed to be so beloved as a leader. He told me: “Use the work to develop the team, don’t just use the team to do the work.” Working in a deadline/deliverable driven field, that’s not something understand how to do very well and am still trying to figure out how to take that advice, but know it’s what the best leaders I’ve worked for did for me.
Greatest professional achievement: I had the opportunity to lead the design and construction of a new, high-performance shelter for Amy’s House domestic violence shelter in my hometown. My parents (both survivors of severe abuse) volunteered and served on the board for this shelter for over fifteen years. Being able to bring a team of CREW members together to help make Mama’s dream of a new, safer shelter come true was the most meaningful project of my career to date.
Number of years with CREW: 8
Most significant CREW connection: There are too many amazing connections to count, but the most impactful probably came through the Authentic Leadership Program.
Place of birth/hometown: Vale, NC
Number of years in Charlotte: 25
Family: I’m close with my extended family, but John & I happily embrace our roles of “Uncle John” and “Cool Aunt Kelly”
My ideal vacation spot: I love exploring new places, so ideal spot is somewhere I haven’t been yet that has incredible scenery (and a waterfall). Next on our list is Iceland, Thailand & Vietnam,
Hobbies/Interests: Volunteering with local charities, hiking, reading & enjoying good music
Other professional organizations I belong to: AIA, serve on the board for Lincoln County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCCADV – Amy’s House)
