Kimball Woodrow

Why did you choose to major in Psychology and how has that affected your career thus far?
My selection of psychology as my major reflected my passion for working with adolescents of various ages both in informal classroom settings as well as in various athletic programs. Initially, my goal was to get some practical clinical experience that would provide me with first hand experience as to what a career in psychology would entail.

What was your career path like?
After completing my degree, I worked full time in a residential treatment center that was sponsored by the State of Michigan. I served as a Child Care Worker, and spent five years in this capacity. My initial role was to oversee the activities of 15 male in-patients who were 9-15 years old. My primary duties included organizing all after-school activities for each afternoon and evening. These activities included outdoor athletic events, off-site trips, programs designed to foster interest in various hobbies, as well as ensuring that the nutritional needs of the children were properly met.

The most significant challenge involved in managing the children under my care was to ensure that proper behavior was practiced at all times. Because the children were afflicted by a variety of severe behavioral challenges, conflict among the children as well as with staff members was a constant theme. In this regard, working with children that had a variety of mental and social challenges was very emotionally and physically draining each day – and this aspect of the role proved to be far more taxing than I had imagined.

After working in this treatment center, I returned to Michigan in 1975 to earn a Masters Degree in Urban Planning. The shift from psychology to a completely different area of study reflected the evolution of my thought process relative to the type of work I wanted to do long term. Nonetheless, my time spent in the area of psychology equipped me with a broad range of interpersonal competencies that were enormously helpful as I turned to pursue my long-term career. 

I joined LaSalle Partners, Inc. in Chicago in 1976. LaSalle was a corporate real estate services company that had operations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. I was assigned to the Property Management Division where I served as a General Manager. My initial role was to oversee all operations and leasing programs that were required to manage, operate and lease large-scale office buildings and regional shopping centers. Each of the assets I managed were over 1 million square feet in size. Building operations under my responsibility included activities like leasing, operations, tenant relations, engineering, security, office construction, procurement, and staffing of all functions. The operating staff for each of the assets under my care ranged in size from 100-150 employees.

After serving as a General Manager in the firm’s Property Management company where I was directly responsible for managing real estate assets for five years, I joined the company’s Investment Management division where I spent the balance of my career with the same firm. This division raised capital from institutional investors from around the world, and then used the funds to acquire large-scale premier assets that each ranged in value from $50-250 million. The corporations that participated in this investment program used pension fund assets to fund their contributions. Assets typically were held for 5-15 years. Each asset was aggressively managed to deliver financial performance that met / exceeded pro forma, thereby delivering a favorable return to the investors who participated in each investment vehicle.

Initially, as a Portfolio Manager, I was responsible for managing a portfolio of 8 assets that were valued at $1.5 B. These assets were located in eight cities across the United States. After serving in this role for 5 years, I became the Head of Portfolio Management for the firm, which resulted in the oversight of 4 commingled funds and 30 separate accounts. The total value of the assets held by these entities exceeded  $15 B.

After serving in this capacity for six years, I was asked to assume responsibility for operations for the firm - and became the Global Chief Operating Officer for LaSalle Investment Management – a role I eventually held for 20 years. During this period, the firm expanded its reach to include Canada, Mexico as well as across to Western Europe and to many parts of Asia while continually increasing the value of its assets under management. Eventually the firm owned and managed assets in more than 30 countries across Asia, Western Europe, and North America. The value of the firm’s total assets exceeded USD $50 billion during my tenure.

In brief, my role as Global COO included the following areas of responsibility: finance and accounting, human resources, compensation and benefits, legal, tax, communications, IT, and investor relations. Clearly the variety of areas for which I had full responsibility was the hallmark of my career. The range of responsibilities as they applied to multiple geographies served to keep me challenged, mentally fresh, and excited to fully engage in my role each day of my career. In this regard, the time I spent with LaSalle significantly exceeded my expectations during my 36 years with the firm.

What advice do you have both professionally and personally for students and recent alumni who are interested in pursuing a career similar to yours?
Be sure to pursue a career that plays to your core academic and personal strengths. Operations, solving problems, and managing a diverse and decentralized staff played to my basic managerial and administrative strengths. Be sure to pick a career path that is aligned with your key competencies.

But…. be sure to find a role that is not too comfortable. I believe it is critical to be continually challenged to ensure you learn, grow and feel fulfilled at the end of each day. Breadth of responsibility is key to long-term satisfaction and self-fulfillment. If the remit is too narrow, your interest level is likely to wane.

The culture of the organization you join is key. Be sure to assess what the organization believes in and how it views and articulates its role and mission. Be certain that what it stands for is something you can be passionate about and believe in.

Finally, never forget your alma mater. During my international travel, I frequently met people who went to Michigan. The immediate bond that formed from these encounters was very special, and many of these relationships are highly valued even to this day.  

What impacts of your UM Psychology degree do you experience today in your career?
Overall, although it may seem that I strayed a fair distance from psychology during my career, the lessons learned during my undergraduate program served me well as I built strong working relationships during my career with people who represented a variety of countries and cultures around the world. In that regard, I will always be grateful to the University for equipping me with the tools needed to pursue a highly varied, challenging and fascinating international career.