By Mike Beirne, Senior Editor / Kate Carsella, Associate Editor | March 1, 2019
Networking is one of the talents that comes to the fore among this year’s Forty Under 40 class. From grand efforts, such as organizing the logistics for an event to support building trades training that drew 1,600 attendees, or raising millions of dollars to build a refuge for families of cancer patients, to smaller-scale activities, such as cultivating local real estate agents to improve co-op sales, these rising stars demonstrate a knack for leveraging their connections and establishing new ones.
Digital marketing prowess is another strong suit of this group, as many of them grew revenue by mastering new lead generation strategies and devising and implementing systems and processes for targeting the right prospects and streamlining sales and marketing. Some of them took the family business to the next level, became division presidents by their mid-30s, or excelled in home building after making a career change from a completely different field—journalism, running fishing boat charters, or lobbying in the halls of the U.S. Senate, among other examples.
And the leaders and innovators of this up-and-coming generation of home builders, developers, designers, researchers, and sales professionals also are active in their communities, giving back through mentoring, charity work, coaching youth sports, and myriad other ways you’ll read about below, as Professional Builder proudly presents the Forty Under 40 Class of 2019.
Erica Marty, 36
Director, Design and Innovation, Neumann Cos., Milwaukee and Madison, Wis.
EDUCATION
• AS, Design and Drafting; BS, Technology Management; MBA, Herzing University
CERTIFICATIONS
• Autodesk certified
• CMQ|OE certification
• Lean Bronze certification
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• In Business magazine’s 40 Under 40 of Madison, Wis.
• On Tim O’Brien Homes’ Leadership Team, facilitated process reviews identifying opportunities; coupled with use of BIM technology reduced pre-construction time per home by 40 percent over 12 months • At Neumann Cos., improved relations with trade partners by inviting their regular input, resulting in a substantial increase in the even flow of home starts to trade partners, and improved Neumann’s trade partner satisfaction scores related to plan accuracy by 10 percent • As of January 2019, is transitioning into new role as Director of Design and Innovation for the entire Neumann Cos. group
EXTRACURRICULAR
• Women Building Wisconsin founder