Meet the Team: Theresa Howard

Theresa Howard, recently named one of the 15 Most Powerful Women in Seattle Real Estate by Bisnow, has been with Martin Selig Real Estate for 35 years. She’s a lifelong Seattleite whose dedication to her tenants and years of experience put her among the best in the industry.

As a senior leasing agent, she describes her days as “controlled chaos.” She deals with everything from tenant support, to mentoring junior members of the company, to addressing property management issues that come up.

Only two people have been with Martin Selig Real Estate longer than she has, and one of them is Martin. In 1982, MSRE hired her as a receptionist and file clerk. In those days, that meant filing leases (which Martin hand wrote) and any other tenant information in a giant green file folder. In the early 90’s, when one of the leasing agents left the company, she asked Martin if she could take on that role.

He told her to “go for it” and she’s been an integral part of the leasing team ever since.

Succeeding in a male-dominated industry

Theresa says she can count the number of women in commercial real estate on two hands, but that doesn’t slow her down. She often thinks like her male counterparts in order to succeed in a predominately male industry. Women are shattering glass ceilings, she says, but there’s still a lot of headway to be made in commercial real estate.  

In her 35 years with Martin Selig Real Estate, Theresa says, the company hasn’t changed a whole lot, and that’s because of Martin. There’s only one Martin Selig she explains, and he is a dynamo. He’s very hands on, in charge, and in control. If you need a document signed, you don’t have to get it approved from any partners or committees like other landlords, it’s only him.

Read More: Theresa Howard Shares Insight During Gender Wage Gap Panel

The Best Part About Martin Selig Real Estate

Theresa’s favorite part of her job is the people. Her team has seen her get married, have kids, watched her children grow up, and now her kids are having babies. Many members of the team have been there for 20, 30, even 40 years, and because of that their relationships are very deep. Her goal for the company moving forward is to continue to be service oriented. Our tenants are king, she says, and she wants to see service and support for them get even better.

When Theresa isn’t working at Martin Selig Real Estate, you’ll probably find her running along Seattle’s waterfront, poolside in Arizona, or at home with her two golden retrievers.