WOBURN, February– Reading natives John Halsey and Mike Johnson have joined Woburn-based commercial real estate firm Cummings Properties.
Halsey and Johnson support both the leasing and operations teams, providing customer service to existing clients and negotiating and administering leases for new ones. Both young professionals learned of the opportunity through fellow Reading resident Ed Silvey, the firm’s leasing manager.
Halsey, a 2008 graduate of Reading Memorial High School, was formerly assistant director of athletic development and the annual fund at his alma mater, Endicott College. A recipient of the Pete Moscariello Scholarship Award for outstanding performance, character, and commitment to Reading baseball, it’s baseball that, indirectly, brought him to Cummings.
Halsey’s father, John, Sr., coached Little League for years, and in 2009 became owner and general manager for the Intercity League’s Reading Bulldogs. His friend, Silvey, who has also been a fixture in Reading-area baseball for years, served the team as a recruiter, manager, and coach. Halsey played on the team from 2010 to 2015.
Silvey was hiring in the leasing department; he reached out to Halsey asking for referrals of recent Endicott graduates who might like to try commercial real estate. A few months later, Halsey was looking to make a career change, and asked Silvey if he was still hiring. He wasn’t, but he invited Halsey to interview with some colleagues.
“I saw great entrepreneurial potential in John at a young age,” said Silvey. “As a catcher, his commitment to team goals and his competitiveness are great attributes that naturally transfer to the business world.”
Mike Johnson, who played on the same Babe Ruth team as Halsey when they were kids, is friends with Silvey’s son, Tyler. When Johnson mentioned he was looking to make a career change, Tyler suggested he contact his dad. Johnson previously worked as a project manager in the medical and construction fields. Once again, Silvey was not hiring, but encouraged Johnson to come in for an informational interview.
Johnson is a 2009 graduate of St. John’s Preparatory School, with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fairfield University.
“Mike is the type of person who would run through a wall for you,” said Silvey. “He is an avid learner with an impressive work ethic.”
“I was happy to introduce John and Mike to my colleagues at Cummings,” said Silvey. “Having known them for so many years, I can say they have a lot of drive and heart. I am not surprised that these two young men impressed their hiring managers.”
Halsey said that he plans to make his home in Reading for the foreseeable future. He recently purchased a home near the high school. His father is active in the community, chairing the Board of Selectman, in addition to managing the Bulldogs.
Johnson moved to Somerville after college, but his family still lives in Reading and he frequently returns to visit.
Cummings Properties has a history of hiring locally and currently employs 11 Reading residents, according to Silvey. Although the 47-year-old firm does not have any properties in Reading, it manages buildings in several surrounding communities, including Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, and Woburn, and six other communities in the Greater Boston area.
