Shawn Brown, Erin Converse, Aubrey Englund named 2024 GlobeSt. Women of Influence

Hiffman is excited to announce three recipients of the 2024 GlobeSt. Women of Influence award.

Shawn Brown – Associate Director, Management Services

Erin Converse – Director of Property Management Operations

Aubrey Englund – Executive Vice President – Office Services

Read below for more on what makes these leaders incredibly well-deserving of this honor.

Shawn Brown | Hiffman National | Associate Director, Management Services

• Although Hiffman National associate director of management services Shawn Brown spent most of her career in office and industrial sectors with limited experience in retail, she volunteered to take on the monumental task of growing and managing a client’s newly-acquired, 38-asset retail center portfolio in 2020. Brown stepped outside her comfort zone and embraced the challenge, building a new retail team and right-sizing operations as well as managing a portfolio laden with deferred maintenance and outdated practices. Her tenacity and problem-solving skills were instrumental in resolving these longstanding issues and fostering a positive client relationship. Brown assists tenants in adapting their marketing strategies, managing finances and finding vendors. When faced with challenging circumstances like the recent closure of Bed, Bath & Beyond stores across the country, Brown collaborated with asset managers to secure temporary tenants like Spirit Halloween, showcasing her ability to think on her feet and find solutions. Describes as firm, thoughtful and strategic by her supervisors, Brown fosters a collaborative environment for her team of 13 management professionals and two engineers and maintains strong relationships with all asset managers in the retail portfolio. In addition to her team leadership duties, Brown directly manages five retail centers.

Erin Converse | Hiffman National | Director of Property Management Operations

• Hiffman National director of property management operations Erin Converse pivoted to the commercial real estate industry after working as a programmer for Intel and a college math professor. A quick study, Converse adjusted to her role as a property assistant and quickly rose to property manager. She recently transitioned to the operations side of the company and has emerged as an expert in innovative systems and technologies that improve employee and client experiences. Her impact is most visible in the onboarding and internal career development process. Her brainchild, the Hiffman Essentials program, is a six-week training course based on employee feedback that equips new property management professionals with the tools and confidence to maintain a consistent quality of work nationwide. Recently elevated to her current role, Converse is tasked with researching, developing and rolling out innovative tools and processes for property managers and engineers. One such process unique to Hiffman is the Property Engineering Evaluation Program. Through the PEEP , each building engineer at Hiffman has a standardized checklist of tasks that ensure their building is running smoothly. She also automated processes in Adobe Sign that allow property management staff to focus on higher-value tasks.

Aubrey Englund | NAI Hiffman | Executive Vice President – Office Services

• NAI Hiffman EVP of office services Aubrey Englund entered the commercial real estate industry in 2006 and carved a path representing tenants by consistently surpassing expectations, overcoming challenges and navigating complex negotiations to build relationships with clients. She emphasizes active listening, meticulous attention to detail and a focus on personalized solutions when approaching renewals and relocations for tenants. One of Englund’s areas of expertise is working with nonprofits and finding real estate solutions for groups that are outside the realm of a normal business. Even with the current challenges facing office brokerage, Englund posted the best year of her career in 2023, and in the past four years, she has increased her total transaction volume by 200%. In the past seven years, her total transaction volume has increased by 300%. Englund and her business partner, Caroline Firrantello, have operated together since 2020 with Englund serving as an active and experienced mentor for Firrantello.