Condo Media - November 2012 - 42

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

G&G Management
The Next Generation in Property Management
by Pamela Schweppe n a relay race, the baton gets passed from one hand to another. The same might be said for the Presidential race. No matter which baby boomer wins the election, eventually someone from Generations X or Y will occupy the White House. At G&G Management, the time for Generation X is now, as the company shifts its fundamental business model for the 21st century. The company was founded in 2004 by the father-and-son team of Norman and Ian Gopin. Norman brought many years of property management experience to the table when he and Ian joined forces to create their own company. From a two-person partnership, the firm has since grown to include 20 office staff and an overall payroll of 46, and its portfolio has skyrocketed from 300 to more than 4,500 units. While Ian continues to hold the reins as president and CEO, Norman has decided to scale back his responsibilities, stepping down as president of the management division while continuing to service select properties.

New Management Joins the Team
With the change in Norman’s role at G&G, the management structure of the firm is evolving. Given the company’s rapid growth, Ian wanted a strong partner to come aboard as director of the management division and help him lead the business into the future. As he asked colleagues around the industry for recommendations, one name kept coming up: Daniel J. Rivers.

With experience ranging from highrise condominiums in Clearwater Beach, Fla., to mid-rise and townhousestyle homes throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Dan was working for a leading Boston-based property management firm at the time. It took some persuasion, but he finally made the switch, joining G&G in January. “Dan’s drive, charisma, enthusiasm, and values are exactly what we have been looking for and are a perfect fit into our family,” Ian says. “With Dan on board, there is truly no stopping us!” “I’m completely confident in Ian and Dan’s ability to take G&G in new directions,” Norman says. “They have shown clearly that they have the passion, the energy, the skills and the technology.” The fit feels right to Dan, as well. “One of the things that swayed my decision was the environment of the company,” he says. “This is a stressful job, but the atmosphere of the company brings the stress level down.” With Dan on board, G&G is now expanding geographically, as well. From its base in Newton, Mass., the company manages properties extending from Boston and Worcester to Massachusetts’ South Shore. Building on Dan’s previous experience, G&G now also serves associations in Rhode Island, as well as larger and more upscale associations.

pany’s new philosophy. “We’re a different kind of company, and we manage differently,” he explains. “We understand the industry and the need to be on the leading edge of technology.” The company maintains an active social media presence, for example, including Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, as well as a newly updated website. Another example is MyHome, an online tool exclusively for G&G clients. This proprietary software is user-friendly and offers advanced, real-time, secure and seamless communication with clients and within an association. With MyHome — one of the first software tools of its kind — all condominium documents are always available, up-to-date and accessible online. While many property management firms now offer online services, G&G takes it a step further. In August, Apple approved a MyHome app for the iPhone and iPad, enabling G&G staff and clients to access MyHome from anywhere and communicate instantly. Unit owners can also check their accounts, generate work orders, and more, from their handheld device.

Managing for Value
While new technology puts the company on the cutting edge of property management, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed at G&G: an underlying philosophy of “managing for value” — or, in other words, always keeping an eye on the property’s value in the long term. “Part of our mystique is figuring how to make a building timeless,” Ian says. “Dan is an important part of that

“New Generation, Forward Thinking”
According to Ian, G&G’s new motto — “New Generation, Forward Thinking” — perfectly reflects the com-

Condo Media - November 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - November 2012