Condo Media - April 2017 - 38

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Great North Property Management, Inc.
Offering All the Advantages of Both Large and Small Firms
[by Pamela Schweppe]

clients that are a significant distance from any of these
Think globally, act locally. It's a concept that can be
offices, that's rarely a problem. "We're everywhere,"
applied to everything from social justice to the environsays Justin Gargiulo, senior vice president and director
ment. Turns out it's a fine concept for property manageof corporate operations for Great North.
ment, as well. As national chains increasingly become
"That's part of the Great
major players in condominium
North advantage and a difmanagement, it becomes ever
ferentiator," agrees Lou.
more of an advantage to have a
"If there's an association in
local presence.
Worcester, for example, they
That's the philosophy
can be assured that they're
of Great North Property
going to be serviced by a local
Management, Inc. Founded
office with local people who
in 1990 and headquartered
are focused on their needs."
in Exeter, New Hampshire,
He cites snowstorms as
Great North specializes in
an example. Microclimates
the professional management
vary widely through New
of condominium and homeEngland, so the snowfall level
owner associations. Over the
in Worcester can be dramaticourse of its 27 years, the
cally different from that of
firm has grown to become the
Boston or Peabody, and
largest firm of its kind in New
similarly, that of Bethlehem
England, serving 350 associain northern New Hampshire
tions, totaling 22,000 units,
can vary greatly from that of
from the Canadian border to
Justin (left) and Lou Gargiulo are the
Nashua, on the Massachusetts
Rhode Island, with clients in
father-son team that has built Great North
Property Management into the largest firm
border. "Our offices are straNew Hampshire, Massachuof its kind in New England.
tegically located to be able to
setts, Maine, Vermont, and
locally service clients in all of
Rhode Island.
these geographic areas," says
Lou. "Not to have a presence in each of them would be
OF NEW ENGLAND, BY NEW ENGLAND,
a disservice to those particular clients."
AND FOR NEW ENGLAND
A local presence also allows the family-owned,
Great North has achieved this success by rigorously
father-son business to react quickly in an emergency.
maintaining a local presence while aggressively ex"Unlike firms that have been acquired by national
panding its network. "We recognize that, to provide a
high level of service, there needs to be a local presence companies, where decisions are protracted, we're able
to move on a dime to ensure that, when there's an issue,
in the areas where we do business," says Lou Gargiulo,
we're there in the forefront to resolve it," says Lou.
Great North's president and CEO.
To achieve this local presence, the company has
opened 10 regional offices throughout the area it serves. SIZE MATTERS
At the same time, Great North offers clients all the
In addition to its Exeter headquarters, Great North
advantages of a large firm. "You still get the backroom,
has regional offices in Bethlehem and Nashua, N.H.;
headquarters-level service that is much better than a small
Boston, Peabody, Newton, and Foxborough, Mass.;
mom-and-pop shop around the corner," says Justin.
and Wells, Maine. In addition, new regional offices
For example, the elder Gargiulo has been a driving
in Worcester, Mass., and Warwick, R.I., were opened
force behind the Innovia Management Company
last year. And while it is corporate policy not to accept

Condo Media - April 2017

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