WALTHAM, MA– Hobbs Brook Management LLC, a commercial property management and development firm specializing in leasing, construction and development of Class A office space, announced four new additions to the firm, and to announce the promotion of one long-time employee.
Newly hired are Lynn Gray as a human resources manager; Kelsey Harrison as a senior administrative assistant; Chris Poravas as a real estate manager, construction specialist; and Erik Waal has joined as a staff vice president, technology services. John “Jack” Tomasello has been promoted to the manager, facility and buildings.
”We are so pleased to add this talented group of professionals to the Hobbs Brook Management team and we congratulate Jack on his promotion,” said Sam Schaefer, president and CEO at Hobbs Brook Management. “As our commercial real estate portfolio expands, particularly with the addition of 225 Wyman Street, we will rely on our staff to continue providing the excellent service our tenants have grown to expect from us.”
Lynn Gray, Human Resources Manager
Lynn has been working in human resources since 1994, and recently joined Hobbs Brook Management as a human resources manager. In this role, she acts as a strategic business partner to executive, staff, and line management by providing comprehensive value-added human resource consultation services to diverse business segments. Using customized HR-based solutions, she solves business problems, while providing a comprehensive range of human resource tools and solutions that support business objectives. Additionally, she coaches executives, and managers in recruitment, employee relations, development, deployment, and the retention of high caliber employees, securing a competitive advantage for Hobbs Brook. Lynn also champions employee concerns, thus maximizing their contributions and commitment to the organization. Lynn holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts from the University of Connecticut and is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
Kelsey Harrison, Senior Administrative Assistant
As senior administrative assistant, Kelsey provides administrative and construction project support to the project management staff and facilitates the functioning of real estate planning and development. Her duties are wide-ranging, including preparing general correspondence, soliciting competitive bids from vendors, comparing/tracking bids, preparing purchase orders and assists with tracking project costs. In addition, she will manage construction documents to be included in request for proposal packages, vendor prequalification documents, and coordinate document flow between the vendor, project manager and risk management. Kelsey holds several certifications, including General Industry OSHA 10 and Construction 30, and is a Notary Public in Massachusetts.
Christopher Poravas, AIA, Real Estate Manager, Construction Specialist
With 27 years of experience in architecture, construction, and project management, Chris will manage multiple real estate functions on behalf of Hobbs Brook Management, with a focus on the development of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island campuses. Working closely with the principal architect, he will be responsible for ground-up investment real estate construction, repositioning of real estate assets, tenant improvement projects, major repairs, and life cycle building system replacements from project inception to completion. In addition, Chris will oversee all facets of project management, and ensure timely completion of all construction activities. Prior to joining the company, Chris worked for The LiRo Group and was responsible for multiple fit-out projects at the Hobbs Brook Edgewater campus in Wakefield, Mass. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Wentworth Institute of Technology and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as well as the Boston Society of Architects (BSA).
John (Jack) Tomasello, Manager, Facility & Buildings
Jack has been with Hobbs Brook since 2000, most recently as an assistant facilities manager. In his new role as a manager, he is now responsible for the administration and managerial direction of the facility department, as well as controlling overall operations and personnel. In addition, he manages the complete operation and maintenance of all buildings in the Norwood campus. Jack holds a certificate in facilities management from Northeastern University.
Erik Waal, Staff Vice President, Technology Services
In this role at Hobbs Brook, Erik is responsible for the development and execution of strategic and tactical IT plans and solutions in support of the real estate, property management, food service, and facilities management units. In addition to serving as the IT Manager for the Waltham offices of Hobbs Brook Management, Erik will assist in defining business requirements, processes, and make recommendations for improving productivity and efficiency of operations with technology solutions across the company. Erik holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rhode Island (URI), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
