The Recipe for Success at Greater Gainesville’s Best Places to Work
By Ryan Walsh
They say that great minds think alike. In business, however, it is thinking differently that gives a company the edge.
At The Collier Companies, varied perspectives among their team members are a large part of what makes them one of Greater Gainesville’s Best Places to Work. Team members of the property management and real estate development company come from all over and bring skills, experiences and knowledge from their unique backgrounds. It is at the core of what makes them successful.
“We hire the best human being qualified for the position,” said Founder Nathan S. Collier. “We want team members who mirror our residents. Our team can better understand their perspectives, anticipate their needs and provide more tailored and effective service truly making their homes the heart of our business.”
Their results speak for themself. With a current portfolio of over 12,000 apartment homes from Athens, GA to Sarasota, FL, The Collier Companies is proving their method works.
Stronger Together
At the top is CEO Jennifer Clince, a 25-year veteran of the company and its first female Chief Executive. In a world where only one in 10 Fortune 500 companies are led by women, this is no small feat.
The diversity of the company’s workforce extends past race, gender and nationality to include many more qualities. A diversity of thoughts, ideas and proficiencies ensures The Collier Companies are always well-positioned to tackle future endeavors and challenges.
“We have people who used to own their own businesses or who worked for larger companies,” Director of Human Resources Paul Madej said. “We want people who have the ambition and desire to grow across multiple aspects.”
With these values in mind, team members’ unique viewpoints help solve problems and make the entire team stronger. A subject matter expert in one particular area (drywall, per one of Madej’s examples) can transfer this knowledge to team members who may be experts in a different area, and vice versa. The result is a synergistic environment where everyone learns from everyone else.
“Everything we try to do, we try to bring in-house,” said Director of Sales and Marketing Kristen Koon. “We can create that culture dynamic that really makes us different from anywhere else.”
The Collier Companies has no plans to slow down or discontinue this diversification effort. In reaching its goal of doubling in size throughout the next decade, leadership knows just how important these varied perspectives are to the business.
“As we continue to grow, we’re going to be even more diverse,” Madej said. “And we know today that there are so many different types of diversity.”
A History of Success
Being listed as a Best Place to Work came as a great honor to everyone at the company. Founder Nathan S. Collier started the company in Gainesville in 1972 and has spent the last 52 years giving back to his community. In 2024, Collier gifted $8 million to the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications to continue the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, a program started back in 2019.
“We have been in Gainesville for so long, and to be able to still make those accolades after 50 years speaks volumes,” Koon said.
Sometimes all it takes is a little perspective.
This article is the May installment of a monthly column that explores what it means to be one of The Best Places to Work.
