Celebrating Five- Year Milestone of Heather Giacomo at Cardinal

At Cardinal, our culture embodies many different elements: it’s about improving as a team while having fun growing together both personally and professionally. Our team members are the heart and soul of our culture! We are so grateful for the efforts our team members put in daily to go the extra mile to help change the industry and challenge the status quo.

Today we’re celebrating Heather Giacomo and her dedicated years of service to the growth of our team over the last five years.

Learn more about Heather’s journey below!

What is your role?

Operations Analyst

Describe your Cardinal Journey (roles you previously worked in before your current position)

I joined Cardinal as a Community Manager at a new development in Reno then quickly transitioned to the Portfolio Sales and Marketing Manager role. After 3.5 years as a PSM, I was on the training team for a year, then I decided to move back into Operations into the Operations Analyst role!

How did you decide to join the Cardinal team?

I first learned of Cardinal when they were recruiting for their first property in Reno. I was just finishing up a conventional lease-up and the timing was perfect.

What’s the most significant lesson you’ve learned in your time at Cardinal?

Embrace Change and New Ideas.

What do you find most exciting about your job? Most challenging?

The most exciting part of my job is the ability to make an impact on team members and the assets we operate. The most challenging is balancing the variety of projects- one moment I’m fully immersed in ops, and the next I’m putting my PSM hat on. I love it.

If you could choose one word to describe your time at Cardinal, what would it be and why?

Transformative. I’ve been with Cardinal for 5 years now and have held four different roles. During that time, I have celebrated big milestones in my personal life such as my engagement and marriage, as well as welcomed my first son. I’m grateful for the amount of support that Cardinal has given me over the past five years to transform into the person I am today, personally and professionally.

Who has been influential in your life (professionally or personally), and how have they helped guide you?

Professionally, all of my team leads- Sly Brandon, Ashley Vargo, Carynes Gitler, and Michelle Cook. They’ve invested in me from Day 1 and have gotten me to where I am now. I’ll never forget my first day with Cardinal when Sly asked me what role I wanted to move into next. I mentioned wanting to grow on the marketing side and within a few short months, I was upskilled into the PSM role. All of my team leads have been invested in my development and I’m grateful for each of them.

What’s something people may not know about you?

I had never worked in student housing before joining Cardinal! I started my career in conventional housing and was nervous about making the switch but, after meeting the Cardinal team, I knew I was in good hands.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?

Never pass up an opportunity. Take on as much as you can. Ask the questions, find the “why”, and learn from those experiences.

What is your proudest moment working at Cardinal Group?

I felt incredibly lucky and proud to be a part of Cardinal as I became a first-time mom. From receiving advice from Cardinal moms, flower deliveries to the hospital from co-workers, spending 12 uninterrupted weeks with my son on maternity leave, and joining the working parent’s group upon my return- I’m grateful to work for a company that genuinely cares about its employees.

What is your biggest motivator?

My husband, Pac, and our son, Roman.

What has been the most interesting change you’ve seen in the industry, and why?

The technology changes and how they’ve impacted operations & the way of living for our residents. I’m excited to see how this continues to evolve and enhance our industry. I love seeing how new developments incorporate new tech to set themselves apart in the market.

What is your favorite college town in America, and why?

I don’t necessarily have a favorite but ASU, NAU, and UMN are at the top of my list.

Are you ready to start your Cardinal Journey?

See our open opportunities