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As a real estate industry marketing specialist over the past 20+ years, Stacy Stemen has successfully driven brand growth and business development for several national companies. In her current role as senior vice president, Corporate Marketing & Development for Passco Cos., Stemen oversees all aspects of marketing, public relations, special events, conferences and business development for the firm. She also spearheads the development of the Passco brand and manages the strategic growth of the company's visibility across the nation. GlobeSt.com sat down with Stemen recently to discuss her view of the market as she preps for her stint as a speaker at our upcoming Women of Influence event.

“Business development is one of my most prominent areas of expertise,” says Stemen. “The work is compelling because I'm able to continuously educate myself and grow my own network while also guiding others and giving them the tools they need to better themselves. I particularly enjoy venturing out into other areas of the industry through various conferences and events to meet new people and make valuable connections.”

In addition to business development, Stemen oversees all marketing, publicity, and branding efforts for Passco.

“Marketing is an engaging and challenging field because it is dynamic—we are consistently fine-tuning and developing creative ideas to ensure our firm stands out in the industry. Further, because our clients, partners, and assets are positioned throughout the country, our marketing techniques are always tailored to each region,” explains Stemen.

One obstacle Stemen has had to overcome is the sometimes-outdated perception of marketing.

“The value of marketing is often underestimated. In today's market climate, marketing should be viewed as an integral component of any successful operation,” says Stemen. “I have strategically overcome these perceptions by negotiating an expansion in my title to more accurately reflect the business development side of my role. By moving to senior vice president, I am able to oversee and drive forward both marketing and business development objectives.”

Stemen has also served on various executive boards within industry organizations, including Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Holding titles such as president of CREW Orange County has further communicated her value beyond 'just' a marketing person, Stemen tells GlobeSt.com.

“While there are some instances in this industry of pay inequity—due to misconceptions surrounding the value of certain roles, unfounded biases, and other factors—I've realized that the key to both professional and personal development is to make the conscious choice to not become caught up in comparisons,” explains Stemen.

“Rather, there is power in learning, understanding, and accepting your worth and building on your own role to reflect this.”

According to Stemen, commercial real estate professionals can sometimes get caught up in the numbers, and what is happening in the market at this very moment. They often forget it is really the habits, thoughts, ambitions, and situations of average people that are the true indicators of what is to come.

Stemen gets the most value, and helps her firm stay ahead of the curve, by speaking with friends, family, and community members—most of whom work in other industries—to help discern where the market is headed. After listening to the everyday perspectives of consumers, residents, small business owners, etc., she asks questions, such as: Is our retail space appealing to consumers and retailers? How can we ensure that our multifamily investment strategy is in line with today's resident demands?

For example, in the multifamily industry, baby boomers are always looking to downsize upon retirement, in addition to the younger generations renting for a longer period of time. While those demographics certainly make up a large part of the renter cohort, most recently, Stemen observed more business professionals needed to rent apartments due to job relocation, all while keeping their primary residence.

As a result, over the past few years, Passco has been able to successfully acquire many suburban communities that meet the requirements of these residents, by recognizing this demand driver ahead of many others in the industry.

“I am in the role I am today, and continue to grow, through diving in and becoming integrally involved in my firm as well as industry organizations, and I'm consistently taking on tasks that have gone beyond my normal role or defined title,” says Stemen. “The first step was letting go of any fear related to stepping outside of my comfort zone and generating ideas that push the envelope in commercial real estate. My CEO always says “Energy Follows Focus” and I am a firm believer in that statement.”

Instant Insights /

WoI Speaker: Marketing Meets Business Development at Passco

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