Eric Peck’s Five Years of Contribution and Dedicated Service at Cardinal Group

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 Eric Peck’s and his dedicated years of service to the growth of our team over the last five years.

Learn more about Eric’s journey below!

What is your role?

Manager, Marketing Programs and Services

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

Leasing Intern, Leasing and Marketing Manager, Assistant Community Manager

How did you decide to join the Cardinal team?

It actually was not my decision. In 2019, I was interning at a different management company in Chicago for Summer and then returning to Locale Student Housing in the Fall. While in Chicago, I received the news that we will no longer be managed by the company I was currently working for and would be making a transition to Cardinal Group post-TURN. Suddenly, I was filled with concern and confusion of what would be expected at the start of the new leasing season. Thankfully, Courtney Richardson came in and relieved our team’s concern and had us bought into Cardinal.

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

Find ways to implement your passion into your role. Many of us ended up in this career unexpectedly which means we all have varying talents and passions waiting to be activated. Do not wait for an opportunity for your passion, dreams, talents, etc. to play a role. Have these passions and talents be the driver in your work. You never know how it might innovate your role and the company.

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

Innovation. I love finding new ways to support the Marketing Team and on-site teams. The hardest part of that is wanting these ideas to be immediately actionable. Innovation takes time and requires the building blocks to be placed. It can be very easy to get ahead of yourself and then be frustrated at the pace. Patience will continue to be a valuable virtue as we innovate as a company.

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

Introspective. It’s a weird choice, I know. but having started with Cardinal my Sophomore/Junior year of college, I have been with this company through many big parts of my life. Due to this, I have seen myself grow as a worker/team member. Being a Leasing Intern feels like yesterday, however, through my experience with Cardinal, I can recognize the significant changes I have undergone through the variety of roles and tasks I have undertaken throughout the years. Whenever I face a new task that I am unfamiliar with or even frightens me, I can look back at the roles I have completed that I once thought were impossible.

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

Joshua Johnson, the former Community Manager at Locale apartments has been a huge support throughout my career. We joined Locale the same year (2018) and we both required a lot of growth to Turn the community around. He was integral to my understanding of the industry and sales. Additionally, he was open to constructive criticism regarding his role which boosted my confidence in providing feedback and becoming a strong leader. I haven’t worked with him in almost a year but we still call each other weekly. It’s a relationship I am very grateful to have.

What’s something people may not know about you?  

I get very nervous before speaking in front of people and sometimes have social anxiety. Speaking in front of people is a skill I am good at and I take pride in but it does not come easy or naturally. I have had to work for it since I was in High School by continuously putting myself in uncomfortable situations to improve with my public speaking. As with most skills, it takes time and pressure to overcome challenges such as public speaking.

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

Be a sponge. Whether the information or task does or does not pertain to your role, listen and learn. We wear a lot of hats in this industry so you never know when information could be valuable to you down the line. Now, I say this with the reminder to always make sure you don’t burn yourself out. A sponge is useless if it can no longer be absorbent.

What is your proudest moment working at Cardinal Group?

Seeing team members on my previous team move into new positions, whether they be with or without Cardinal. Don’t get me wrong, I am proud of my successes but sometimes there is luck involved with that. If you want a true measure of your success and skills, observe the people you manage. If you cannot seem to keep them on your team because they are being promoted to a Manager, Traveling Team, Marketing, etc., luck has no part here… You are reaping the rewards of being a successful leader.

What is your biggest motivator?

1st: Challenging myself. I don’t like to be plateaued or stagnant. I am motivated by the idea that my contributions will lead to success and ultimately being a part of bigger ideas and developments. 2nd: My girlfriend. My success is a shared success with my partner.

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

New tech and AI. Every company is trying to beat the other in developing innovative ways for technology to lower costs, improve customer service, and ease the workload for our on-site teams. It feels like we’re the U.S. in the Space Race trying to be the first one on the moon. As technology continues to improve and expand, it’s easy for a company’s vision to be lost. This is why I think Cardinal will ultimately succeed in our efforts. Technology does not dictate our decisions. It provides us with the resources we need to focus on our team members and our customers.

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

East Lansing. Sparty knows how to party!

Are you ready to start your Cardinal Journey?

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