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Associate Spotlight: Wini Leung, Vice President, Property Operations

Associate Spotlight Hero Image Wini

Wini Leung might be well-traveled, having lived in Hong Kong, Toronto and across the U.S., but she has found a home with Quarterra. Wini currently serves as Vice President of Property Operations for the Pacific Northwest Division, but she previously worked as a Leasing Professional, Assistant Manager and Community Manager. Her professional growth mirrors the evolution of Quarterra itself, and she lists the continued development of fellow associates, the PNW division and the company as a whole as her favorite aspect of her job.

Let’s take a closer look at Wini’s experience and contributions with Quarterra, and learn more about her passion for her work.

What is your official title and job description?
My title is Vice President, Property Operations, and I support the PNW division and our communities in Greater Seattle and Portland.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I love seeing the company grow, whether that’s in terms of the number of communities and associates, or watching our teams really stretch their skills and develop their talents. When I first joined Quarterra, the division had completed only three projects, and we had one operational community with five team members. Opening communities can be stressful and requires a lot of coordination and adaptability, but we’ve since grown to nine open communities, with 60 people on site! We’ve been able to grow because our amazing team members keep referring their friends to join the company, and they challenge themselves to take on new roles and responsibilities. It’s been really gratifying to be a part of that.

What's your favorite Quarterra Core Value?
I have a tie between two core values, and the first is “Move.” I love that we’re empowered to make a difference in our company. We’re surrounded by people who have the energy and the passion to make things better for our residents and our associates. Our teams see something that needs to be done, and they just step up to do it. The second is “Listen, then speak up.” Our leadership is intentional about listening to associates. No one can be everywhere at once or think of absolutely everything, so we all rely on others to bring things to our attention. I hope everyone feels that they can raise their hand and speak up when something isn’t quite right or when they see a better way. I have felt heard by my colleagues and mentors, and that environment of trust and respect is one I hope I’m also actively fostering

What are you most looking forward to in Quarterra's future?
I’m really excited to see the company’s footprint and our teams continue to grow, especially into new cities and markets. Each city or state presents its own challenges, and we learn so much from being somewhere new. Having lived so many places myself, it’s pretty cool to be able to tell friends and family in other regions that Quarterra has a community under construction near them.

Bio/Quarterra Accolades
I’ve lived all over – Hong Kong, Toronto, Atlanta, Greenville, S.C., Salt Lake City, Denver, and now Seattle. I love cities and exploring new places, which makes this job a perfect fit. I studied music (piano and voice) in college, and I got my start in the industry leasing apartments part-time while studying actuarial science. It quickly became clear I was pursuing the wrong thing. While I like working with numbers, I also love meeting new people and juggling different projects. I’ve been a Leasing Professional, Assistant Manager, and a Business (Community) Manager. I attended a Professional MBA program at the University of Denver at night, while I was working on site as a manager, and the experience and education helped me navigate the shift to a Development Associate position. I learned a lot working on the development team, but I honestly missed the pace of property management and made the jump back after a few years. Then, because I was really itching to explore a new city, I jumped at the opportunity to join Quarterra when they were hiring in Seattle. I’ll have been here for five years this coming January – time flies when you’re having fun!

Where is the coolest place you’ve traveled and why?
Morocco. I went in 2018 and spent a couple of weeks exploring different cities and parts of the country with a group of total strangers. It was such a cool experience to travel together and meet travelers from all over: Canada, the UK, Australia, and even Germany. I’m still friends with some of those people. We also learned so much on that trip. Morocco has a rich history with French, Spanish, Arab, and Berber influences. Depending on which part of the country you’re in, people speak different languages and identify very differently. It makes sense because our country has also been influenced by so many cultures, but sometimes it takes being there for it to really sink in. Plus, the food was amazing, and you can’t beat a camel ride into the Sahara Desert to camp out and see the Milky Way!