Team player Westfall is a manager to count on.

An 18-year veteran of the real estate industry, Laura Westfall always knew she would use her talents working for a leading public company. And she did. In fact, Westfall landed at the nation's largest office building owner, and became one of the leading forces behind the implementation of a revolutionary new operating model in the real estate industry.

Having a successful career in commercial real estate was not even on her radar. After graduating with a master's degree in finance from Pace University, she served as a financial analyst at Fosterlane Management Company, a private real estate manager in Manhattan, and then as an accountant for Xerox Credit Corporation in Stamford, Connecticut.

It wasn't until she joined Stamford, Connecticut's F.D. Rich Company, a real estate owner, manager and developer with a portfolio of over 20 commercial buildings in the greater Stamford area, that she took interest in commercial real estate.

"Numbers have always been my focus," remembers Westfall. "However, while at F.D. Rich, I began working in lease administration and contract compliance.

"I got out from behind my desk and began interacting with tenants and individuals. I liked the cross section of relationship-building and number crunching, and I have been in commercial property management ever since."

Westfall's tenure with EOP began in 1994, where she served as general manager, overseeing the real estate company's one million square-foot Stamford Plaza office building in Stamford, Connecticut.

"Thinking back to the whirlwind hiring process, it amazes me that I interviewed 11 times for one position," she said.

"With each interview, I got increasingly excited at the opportunity to work with Equity Office. Everyone I met had a professional passion and excitement for the company--it was a unique and inspiring experience, and I was beyond thrilled when I finally joined the team."

Westfall's enthusiasm, dedication and passion for the business have propelled her through the ranks of Equity Office.

After spending almost six years with the company in Stamford, she was offered the opportunity to transfer to EOP's New York Region in 2000 to serve as general manager. It was in this role, that she became a central lead in the company's unprecedented operating model, transforming from the traditional "silo" building management team approach to a centralized "functional expertise" model.

The new operating model freed property managers from back-office activities (such as accounting, vendor management and engineering), so they could spend more time face-to-face with customers. The underlying result: improved customer service, streamlined and more efficient processes and increased occupancy and retention.

"Laura brings a desire and zeal that has contributed greatly to the success of Equity Office's New York and national operations platforms," commented Gerard Schumm, vice president--operations in New York Region.

"She played an integral role in the implementation of our new operating model, making it almost seamless. Laura is a tremendous asset and role model who will be a key player in the future success of our portfolio, including the quarter billion dollar redevelopment of 1095 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan's Bryant Park."

In addition to overseeing the company's 6.3 million-square-foot portfolio in New York, Westfall is an active member of the Building Owners & Managers Association/New York and serves as director of the region's Women in Management Network (WIMN), a program launched by Equity Office in 2002 to promote career development, networking, mentoring and work/life balance to 10 female employees in New York. She was recently elected to be on the board of the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York.