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Brian served as the IT Coordinator at COCM for 10 years. In 2018, he left COCM to join the BL Harbert Team as an IT Manager for the US Group. In today’s episode, Tara Wilkinson catches up with Brian to ask him about all that he learned from working with COCM and how it is impacting his new position.
Brian joined
Capstone Development Group over a decade ago in a different role than where he
ended up – as IT Coordinator. Soon after he started to work at Capstone, Brian noticed
areas where some help might be needed, so he jumped in to help. Slowly, picking
up more and more projects in IT, Brian was later asked to be the IT Coordinator
for COCM in 2012. In this role, he managed a wide range of responsibilities.
There was a home office structure, but then each individual site managed by
COCM also needed IT support. Every site having an independent IT set-up,
depending on the owner or campus, required Brian to build strong relationships
with people to ensure everything stayed up and running. Brian also was able to
join the Marketing team in the home office to work on website building, podcasting
and other audio/video projects – allowing him to get creative within the company
as well.
It is very
clear through this interview with Brian that a “can-do” attitude leads to an
immense amount of learning opportunities and growth. Brian credits the relational
side of the roles that he has filled to the joy and rewards of his time working
with COCM. The ability to work with the people who are on the “front lines” of
student housing at the site level, has shaped his core values to always
recognize all of the people it takes to make student housing successful.
Brian’s decision
to leave COCM was a very difficult one. Having worked with such great people,
he truly still misses the community of Student Housing Professionals. His
decision to move, albeit tough, has allowed him to stretch himself by stepping
into a new field. Brian explains why he needed this shift and encourages others
at COCM that it doesn’t mean leaving the company to find ways to stretch
yourself – he suggests to his former colleagues to engage in opportunities that
are outside of your defined roles, and see what you learn. You never know where
it will take you – whether to another site, a new role within COCM, or even toward
a career shift that may take you elsewhere. The big takeaway? Always push
yourself, and you will continue to have an exciting life journey.
Connect with Brian
Brian on LinkedIn
Connect with Leigh Anne
Student Housing Matters
Student Housing Matters on Facebook
Student Housing Matters on Twitter
Capstone On-Campus Management
Leigh Anne on LinkedIn
