Key takeaways
What property managers can take from Oren’s approach
- Care is the differentiator. Oren credits his career to caring about the end product and everyone involved in it, from tenants and clients to vendors and owners.
- Learn the whole building. He recommends a basic accounting course and a day or a week walking with an operator, because managers who skip the numbers and the mechanical systems struggle as they move up.
- Preventive maintenance protects the budget. Cutting unplanned repairs lets his team spread capital across 10 to 20 year long range plans.
- Amenities only work when they are activated. Tenants expect them, but Oren says events and lunch and learns are what actually bring people back to the office.
- Consistency matters most in a janitorial partner. Every real complaint costs the property manager time going back and forth, so he looks for vendors who stay ahead of complacency.
About the guest
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Oren Lamon
Senior Director, Alberta Property and Facility Management, Harvard Developments
Oren leads property and facility management in Alberta for Harvard Developments, a privately owned Canadian real estate company founded in Regina in 1903. He joined Harvard about eight years ago as a property manager and holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Calgary.
Episode summary
In this episode
Jared Sarbit talks with Oren Lamon, who leads Alberta property and facility management for Harvard Developments. Oren shares the company’s history, from its start in Regina in 1903 to about 10 million square feet of office, retail, and residential space across Western Canada.
Oren explains how he fell into property management, why caring about the work matters more than any degree, and how his economics background helps with budgets and leasing conversations. He covers the future of the former Eau Claire Market site, preventive maintenance and long range plans, where AI can help managers do more with less, and the night he kept a tenant’s broadcast data centre online by learning a new cooling system over the phone.
He also shares what he expects from janitorial partners and why he recommends Extreme Ownership to other property managers.
Chapters
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:33Introducing Oren Lamon
- 2:10The history of Harvard Developments
- 6:17How Oren got into property management
- 10:01Why caring matters
- 12:08What an economics degree adds
- 14:19The future of the Eau Claire Market site
- 17:27Communicating with owners, tenants, and vendors
- 18:48Preventive maintenance and long range plans
- 20:43Technology and AI
- 23:51Trends shaping property management
- 25:39Advice for aspiring property managers
- 27:15Keeping a broadcast data centre online
- 31:07What Oren looks for in a janitorial partner
- 37:32The property Oren would love to manage
- 40:10Book recommendation: Extreme Ownership
Jump to a chapter (16)
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:33Introducing Oren Lamon
- 2:10The history of Harvard Developments
- 6:17How Oren got into property management
- 10:01Why caring matters
- 12:08What an economics degree adds
- 14:19The future of the Eau Claire Market site
- 17:27Communicating with owners, tenants, and vendors
- 18:48Preventive maintenance and long range plans
- 20:43Technology and AI
- 23:51Trends shaping property management
- 25:39Advice for aspiring property managers
- 27:15Keeping a broadcast data centre online
- 31:07What Oren looks for in a janitorial partner
- 37:32The property Oren would love to manage
- 40:10Book recommendation: Extreme Ownership
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
Ultimately, I think that’s really what contributes to any success is actually just the care.
Oren LamonPlay from 1:06
If you don’t take the time to learn about all those different aspects… you are going to struggle as you start to get higher in your role.
Oren LamonPlay from 0:28
Ask the questions… we all know that somebody else is thinking the same thing.
Oren LamonPlay from 27:09
Tired of chasing cleaning complaints?
We’ll walk your building with you and send a written cleaning scope and price. Free, no obligation.
Read the conversation
Full episode transcript
Show transcript
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FAQ
Questions about this episode
What is Harvard Developments?
Harvard Developments is a privately owned Canadian real estate company founded in Regina in 1903. Oren Lamon says it now has about 10 million square feet of office, retail, and residential space across Western Canada, including Windermere Commercial in Edmonton.
What should new property managers learn first?
Oren recommends a basic accounting course so you understand income statements and balance sheets, time walking with an operator to learn a building’s mechanical systems, and patience. He also encourages new managers to ask questions, since someone else is usually wondering the same thing.
What does Oren Lamon look for in a janitorial company?
Consistent delivery of the contracted services and a vendor who works to prevent complacency. Real complaints take time for the tenant, the property manager, and the cleaner, so a proactive partner saves everyone time.
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