Get to Know...
Courtney Nelson
“[The MOB
Conference]
is, hands
down,
the best
networking
event in healthcare real estate.
There is real
collaboration
and connection
among the
attendees…”
Courtney Nelson, formerly Hanfland, currently serves as the
system director of Real Estate Transactions
for Catholic Health Initiatives. Nelson is co-chair
of the BOMA Medical Office Buildings + HealthcareReal Estate Conference, which takes place May 1-3
in Minneapolis. She has previously served on the
Board of Directors for BOMA/Denver Metro.
How did you get started in the industry?
Believe it or not, my undergraduate
degree was in fashion marketing
and management. I went
on to get my master’s degree in
business administration and, after
graduating, I cast a wide net in my
job search. I wound up in a job as
an administrative assistant in a
healthcare property management
company. I have a rather unusual
ability to remember details, which
made it easier to excel in this new role as a lease administrator. I can
actually remember every doctor,
every deal, every property’s square footage
and the dates for every lease going
back years. I eventually transitioned fully
into asset management and that knack
for details still comes in handy.
People come from different
educational backgrounds in
commercial real estate. Have
you found ways to apply your
undergraduate degree?
It might sound like a bit of a stretch,
but, yes, actually. I learned how to work
within a consumer-focused industry
when I studied fashion marketing, which
is exactly what healthcare is becoming.
At the time, I thought I’d be figuring out
what would make a customer pick one
shirt off the rack over another, but now
I’m using those skills to determine what will appeal
to patients in positioning, branding, interior design
and so on.
You’re a current co-chair of BOMA’s
MOB Conference. Tell us a little
about this event.
It is, hands down, the best networking event
in healthcare real estate. There is real collaboration and
connection among the attendees—and quite a
few deals are made there, too. Beyond that, every
year I’m blown away by the new educational
content and the featured speakers. It is always a
totally new experience and I come away feeling
better prepared for the year ahead. Having been
involved in the planning process, I know that a lot
of hard work goes into making sure we’re offering
something truly unique and cutting-edge, rather
than just retreading old ground each year.
It continues to be the biggest event for healthcare
real estate, and it’s only growing. We seem to break
another attendance record every year! I always
look forward to it, and I know many of my colleagues
do as well.
Is there anything on the agenda for
the 2019 conference that you’re
especially excited about?
There are so many speakers and sessions I’m
looking forward to—and that I’m proud to have
helped secure for this conference—but I’m especially
eager for the keynote lunch featuring members
of the sports medicine team for the NFL’s
Minnesota Vikings. I love healthcare real estate...
but I love football and I can’t wait to hear about
both at once.
What is something that most people
don’t know about you?
I read a ton of legal thrillers. I’m an avid reader
in general, but legal thrillers are my favorite. I particularly
love John Grisham and Robert Ludlum
novels; I’m in the middle of John Grisham’s new
book at the moment. Sometimes, I just read up on
the law itself. I have way too much random legal
knowledge for someone who never went to law
school, but it comes in handy all the time.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2019 issue of BOMA Magazine.