Face to Face - September 2000

Face to Face

Name: Laura Ann Padilla

Title: Project Manager

Company: Roel Construction Co.

Type of Business: Commercial construction company headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Palm Springs, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Specialties include general construction, tenant improvements, structural concrete and forensic consulting.

Years in Nevada: 23

Years with Company: 1

The greatest challenge I have had to overcome was shyness. My Latin upbringing taught me that women should stay in the background and not draw attention to themselves, so it was really hard for me to speak up, especially in a group setting. Because of this, I wasn’t taken seriously. I knew it was important for me to be able to assert myself and make my opinion heard, especially in the construction industry, which is still mainly a man’s world. I took a course at the Rapport Leadership Institute, which was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, and about a year later, I took a Dale Carnegie course. I now have enough confidence to speak in public, but it hasn’t been easy.

The successful completion of any project is a great accomplishment, when I know the subcontractors and clients are satisfied with the finished product, and I congratulate my team on a job well done. It’s a great feeling. Two projects I really enjoyed were the Jean Conservation Camp, which was very challenging, and the Magic and Movie Hall of Fame on the Strip, which required a lot of creativity.

What I regret the most is not balancing my life between family and home, and working too many hours. When my husband died, my children were only 2 and 5, so I had to go to work to support them. I was raised to believe that a mother should stay home with her children, so it was difficult for me, and I think at times I went too far the other direction, and maybe should have focused more on my family.

I hate to say this, but the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that some people aren’t what they appear. I wore Pollyanna glasses for a number of years and trusted everybody, but I learned the hard way that not everybody can be trusted.

Before I started working at Roel last year, my goal was to open my own general contracting company, because I hadn’t found a company with values and goals that matched mine. Now my goal is to see Roel Construction signs all over Las Vegas, because their company principles exactly match mine. They are a family-owned business, and they print their ideals on the back of every business card: client satisfaction, integrity, family traditions, quality, enthusiasm, professionalism, safety, and honest profit. To those I would add "fun." I try to make work fun for my team.

Create a team of people who trust each other and have pride in their work.

Name: Martin L. McFarland

Title: Principal and City Leader for Reno, which includes Las Vegas and Sacramento offices

Company: Trammel Crow Company

Type of Business: Real Estate: commercial development, construction and brokerage. Trammel Crow, based in Dallas, in the largest real estate company in the world.

Years in Nevada: 1

Years with Company: 4

Biggest Business Challenge:

My biggest business challenge is the one I am facing now. Our company goal is to grow our Nevada business twofold; that is, double our development projects, gross revenue, net income, and number of employees. This obviously cannot happen without an increased presence in Las Vegas. It’s a huge challenge to come into an area where we haven’t been a major player, and build ourselves into an industry leader.

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:

Rather than picking out a particular accomplishment, I prefer to take a more holistic approach to my career. I would say I’m most proud of the accumulation of experience in all phases of real estate that I have gathered in my 15 years in the business. I have learned about all aspects of real estate, and went to law school to earn a degree in real estate law.

Worst Failure:

In 1990, I was working in Washington, DC to create, fund and invest a $200 million co-mingled real estate investment fund. A recession and subsequent real estate crash took the bottom out of the entire real estate market. This was not only my worst failure, but also my biggest disappointment.

Most Valuable Lesson Learned:

Real estate is a cyclical business and you had better prepare for the down times. After the 1990 disaster, I decided it would be smart to have other skills besides real estate. That’s when I decided to go to law school.

Company Goals:

Overall, to be the pre-eminent real estate company in the world. Regionally, to successfully build our Las Vegas presence into a full service office. We also need to hire and retain our core team of professionals.

Best Business Advice:

Use the highest ethics and morals as your guidelines in business, because the world of business is small, and your lasting image is created by your personal standards.