School of Management

In reviewing the personal qualities that have influenced my career as a real estate developer, I would first like to identify those qualities that I have found to be foundational and which have served as guides for my life, both personally and professionally. These foundational qualities include honesty, integrity, dependability and competency. These four qualities are of the utmost importance to the success of one’s professional career and toward the contributed success of the organizations they work for. Looking back over my career, it is clear that these four qualities have led to the confidence of others in my work and, ultimately, career advancement. From the earliest point in my career, my ambition has been to be a real estate developer. The interest has been driven from the beginning by my entrepreneurial spirit, analytical capabilities, and decisive constitution – all personal qualities that lend themselves to a career in real estate -- and more recently by a strong desire to be an effective and creative leader.

In considering the MS in Real Estate Development, I desired a program that would not only compliment my academic background, but lend substance to my professional work experience. In 1993, I graduated from Shenandoah University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. Upon graduating, I went to work for Jack Kent Cooke Incorporated located in Middleburg, Virginia. My initial responsibility was to provide the accounting related functions for the operations of the Chrysler and Kent Buildings in New York. In 1996, I was promoted by Jack Kent Cooke and given the opportunity to work on the construction of Jack Kent Cooke Stadium as the Project Manager and Accountant. In this role, I was res...

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...ition, this will open the door to the pursuit of doctoral studies and the possibility of teaching at a College or University.

I am excited about the prospects of attending George Mason University and look forward to intellectually stimulating discussions and lectures related to today’s top real estate issues. I chose the MS in Real Estate Development program as it provides for a relevant learning experience that emphasizes the utilization of case studies from real projects developed by companies considered to be leaders in the industry. Furthermore, the curriculum-flexibility will allow me to pursue an emphasis that best compliments my personal qualities, academic background and professional work experience.

In conclusion, I appreciate your consideration of my application for acceptance to the MS in Real Estate Development program at George Mason University.