Women Leaders of PECO: Katelyn Wloszek

Katelyn Wloszek, PECO’s Director of Customer Experience, joined PECO in November of 2015 as a Regional Property Manager managing a portfolio of properties in the Cincinnati / Greater Dayton area.  She was promoted to Senior Regional Property Manager in 2019 and was awarded PECO’s Property Manager of the Year Award in early 2021. Katelyn took on her current role in October of 2020. As Director of Customer Experience (“CX”), she is responsible for leading the CX Team, which oversees the onboarding of new Neighbors (what PECO calls its tenants) and the transition from “prospective tenant” to “new Neighbor.” Her team strives to make the onboarding process seamless and convenient for every new Neighbor. Katelyn is also responsible for leading the product development of DashComm®, PECO’s proprietary Neighbor communications platform. 

Katelyn’s focus on PECO’s Neighbors, acumen for the business and drive to achieve results led her to spearhead the implementation of the PECO Rewards Program in early 2020. This program, designed to help Neighbors navigate difficulties around the COVID-19 pandemic, was sparked by PECO’s wellness program. Katelyn saw that associates were being rewarded for doing things to stay healthy and wondered, “Why not apply that to our Neighbors and their financial health?” And so, an award-winning program was born. Neighbors could apply for rent credits for doing things that they were probably already doing – like applying for loan assistance with the PPP program and using social media to stay in front of their customers. The program, which was offered twice, ended up rewarding almost 600 Neighbors. Katelyn and her successful initiative were recognized by PECO’s Innovation Award and an ICSC Gold MAXI Award. 

With all of this great experience and her leadership of PECO’s Customer Experience efforts, we asked Katelyn to share some of her insights on how she got here and what advice she’d give to others looking to grow. Here’s what she said:

What led you to a career in Commercial Real Estate?

It was the most random thing, and completely unintentional. Shortly after graduating from college I moved to Boston to live on my own for the first time. I had absolutely no clue what I should be doing with my life, and so, found a job through a recruiting agency. I was offered two roles to choose from: a permanent position as a Data Entry Specialist or a temporary position as a Property Management Assistant. Even though it was a somewhat riskier choice, especially given cost of living in Boston, I chose the PMA role because it sounded more interesting. I ended up being hired on full-time and really enjoying the world of commercial real estate and property management. The rest is history!

What was the most important risk you took and why?

I took a huge risk when I quit my job in Boston to move to Cincinnati. While there was personal motivation surrounding my move, I was very concerned about quitting my PMA job and trying to start over in property management in a new city. Ultimately, I felt like I had gotten everything out of my prior role and company that I could. I realized I was ready to take the next step in my career and I wasn’t going to be able to do that staying in the same place. My property management experience was limited, and I was worried I might have to start all over again, but motivation for “more” propelled me forward. I questioned everything and struggled with a lot of self-doubt at this point in my life, but it ultimately taught me to trust myself and made me more confident in my decision making.

What is the best advice you would give to women looking to grow in their careers?

The best advice I could give to anyone looking to grow in their career would be, “Don’t be afraid to stand out.” Be bold, ask questions, share your ideas, take risks, get noticed for working hard, and always strive to keep learning.