NAIOP Membership Profiles

Jim Karambelas,GLY Construction Company

Name: Jim Karambelas

Title & Company:Vice President, GLY Construction Company

Brief description, size and scope of Company: GLY is one of the largest private locally owned general contractors in the Puget Sound region, led by nine full-time principals who are actively involved in day to day operations. Annual volumes for 2007 and 2008 are $455 and $500 million respectively, with a portfolio of work that includes high rise office and hotel, high tech software development space, hospital and medical office facilities, assisted care living, retail and special projects.

How long have you been with your Company? 12 years

Previous companies and/or previous career fields: 30 years in construction working in large complex commercial and heavy construction projects. Originally re-located from Chicago Illinois in 1982 to construct the I-90 floating bridge and WA State Trade and Convention Center projects.

How did you get into your field? After receiving a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1977 was hired by Paschen Contractors, Intl. of Chicago to work on the 67 story high rise Olympia Center and various tunnel and bridge projects.

What would you be doing if you weren't at GLY Construction? Sailing the Greek Islands

What do you like best about your industry? Entrepreneurialism and innovation which allows a team of creative minds to provide highly successful solutions, creating long term value and trusted relationships.

What do you do for relaxation/recreation (e.g., hobbies, sports, exercise, travel, etc….)? Skiing, golf, biking, swimming, boating, traveling, architecture and finding quaint restaurants

What book did you read most recently (that you want to admit to): Devil in the White Dress

What other organizations do you belong to? Downtown Seattle Association, Design Build Institute of America, USGBC, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church committees, All Saints Camp Foundation

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in Commercial Real Estate? Work hard, pay attention to detail, build great relationships, be a leader, be respectful and give back to the community throughout your life.

What's an interesting or unusual fact that most of your fellow NAIOP colleagues probably don't know about you? In 1969, at the age of 13, I witnessed in Athens Greece, the first anniversary celebration of the coup that led to the overthrow of Constantine II former King of Greece by the Greek military Junta. From my uncle's balcony overlooking Kffisia Ave. I watched tanks, armored vehicles, troops marching in formation and the dictator Papadopoulos' motorcade parade through Athens.

James Melby, Kemper Development Company

Name: James Melby

Title & Company: President, Kemper Development Company

Brief description, size and scope of Company: KDC is a real estate company that focuses on development and management of local properties that not only meet their own property specific objectives, but also have a synergistic effect on other properties that our group of companies own. Currently, those properties include Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square, which are all located in downtown Bellevue. That is about 4 million square feet and we have another 2 million square feet under construction or in the planning stages.

How long have you been with your Company: 18 Years. First 10 years as CFO, last 8 years as President.

Previous companies and/or previous career fields: Graduated from UW and joined Touche Ross (now Deloitte) and was a CPA for about 7 years.

How did you get into your field? As a new CPA at Touche Ross, I was assigned to the Bellevue Square account not long after I graduated from college. Seven years later, I had moved up the ranks and was still working on the account when Kemper Freeman gave me the opportunity to join the company as CFO. I decided to give up the "glamour" of being a CPA to get into the real estate business full time.

What would you be doing if you weren't at Kemper Development? I have enjoyed what I have been doing for the last 18 years so much that I haven't thought enough about doing something else to give you a good answer.

What do you like best about your industry? I really enjoy the transition of an idea into something tangible for people to use and enjoy. As an industry we get to work with great teams of people to turn ideas into places. When a project is done, the feedback from customers and guests can be very rewarding.

What do you do for relaxation/recreation (e.g., hobbies, sports, exercise, travel, etc….)? I like to spend time with my wife Paula and our three kids, David (18), Christie (15) and Nikki (12). Their activities and travel seem to have consumed most of our free time. I also enjoy squeezing in a round of golf when I get the time.

What book did you read most recently (that you want to admit to)? I just finished "World War IV" by Norman Podhoretz (about the struggle with terrorism) and "Dreamland" a novel by Dale Brown.

What other organizations do you belong to? International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in Commercial Real Estate? This is a capital intensive industry and you will find a great deal of control and pressure on projects that come from that side of the business so it is important to understand those issues, but never forget that it is ultimately the customer that will define your success.

What's an interesting or unusual fact that most of your fellow NAIOP colleagues probably don't know about you? A year ago, I went on a trip with two colleagues to the Farallon Islands twenty miles off of San Francisco to get into shark cages and look at great white sharks. I spent an hour and a half in the water and caught

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