Mackenzie Kovarik, Senior Property Manager with The RMR Group in Chantilly, Virginia, has been selected by CRE Insight Journal as one of the 10 to Watch in commercial real estate. The CRE Insight Journal 10 to Watch program recognizes the commercial real estate industry’s top early career professionals and showcases how emerging professionals are shaping the real estate industry through a variety of career pathways.

Managing Multiple Assets

At The RMR Group, Kovarik is responsible for managing nine office and industrial properties spanning 2 million square feet. She handles all facets of these properties’ financial reporting, day-to-day operation, and works with the tenants on their versatile and complex needs. As Senior Property Manager, Kovarik ensures financial targets are met, leads a property management team, oversees construction projects, ensures professional development opportunities for her team, and collaborates with a brokerage team to ensure high occupancy and produce a positive tenant experience.

Kovarik has also focused on both operational excellence and environmental sustainability in the properties she serves. This has resulted in three properties earning gold or silver LEED certification and two properties earning the BOMA 360 Performance Program designation.

Kovarik also enjoys participating in cross-functional teams. Collaborating on broker events has resulted in success for The RMR Group.

“These events showcased newly added amenity areas and reintroduced our building to the market,” Kovarik said. “Readiness for these events required immense team collaboration, as well as intense attention to detail. This also required heavy involvement with the construction team and building tenants.”

Two recent broker events both resulted in immediate leasing activity, with one event resulting in a substantial new lease within a month.

Maximizing Volunteer Involvement

Kovarik has made significant contributions to her community through volunteerism.

“I led the organization of our Northern Virginia office’s annual community service day event supporting a local shelter,” Kovarik said. “This event maximized volunteer involvement and consisted of cleaning common areas, completing repairs, and organizing critical items. Donations included new bikes, air mattresses and bed linens.”

She also brought her managed assets in to assist with an annual food drive, using on-site boxes and posters marketing the food drive to tenants. The food donations received at the properties were donated to a local charity.

A Career of Excellence

Kovarik earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Shepherd University. She also earned the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management. Additionally, she currently serves as president of the Lake Fairfax Business Owners Association.

These credentials and her volunteer service have prepared Kovarik to continue leading within the commercial real estate industry, as it continues to evolve.

“The real estate industry has significantly changed over the last three years,” Kovarik said. “The COVID-19 pandemic changed the market, needs, and client base for commercial real estate.”

Kovarik also sees this evolution as an opportunity.

“Although everchanging, the real estate industry offers stable value and positive contributions through a commitment to environmental sustainability and green energy through building operations and management,” she said.

CRE Insight Journal 10 to Watch is sponsored by

Read about all of the 10 to Watch class of 2023 award recipients and the positive impact they are making through their company, community service, real estate associations, and more. Interested in learning more about next year’s 10 to Watch program or applying for recognition? Complete this short form.

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