“I have taken a classic automobile, dissembled it and done a ground-up restoration,” said Ron McMenemy. He is speaking of the amazing transformation that has occurred, under his direction, at NM Americana Commercial. As general manager of NM Americana Commercial in Las Vegas, McMenemy has created a “gungho” culture based on teamwork and specialists working together to serve the client. “We have completely redone our infrastructure,” he said. “We have undergone a renaissance, taking a strong company and making it better.” It wasn’t an easy task. In fact, McMenemy has been logging 17-hour days, seven days a week ever since he came aboard with the firm a year ago. He describes it as the most challenging and exciting year of his life.
The exhausting regimen has paid off. Last year the commercial real estate division conducted $270 million worth of transactions. For 1999, numbers of transactions, listings and deals are up 140 percent. At present, NM Americana Commercial handles 2.8 million square feet of commercial property in Nevada, including everything from industrial and office to retail and property management. Never one to rest easy, McMenemy plans to have the dominant market share in Las Vegas by 2001. “Our vision for the next year is to contact at least twice everyone who owns commercial estate,” McMenemy noted.
Fortunately, his office has more than 50 brokers to help him implement such an ambitious vision. “I want experienced people who play well with others,” McMenemy said. “I look for senior agents who believe in a hands-on approach.” Accordingly, he interviews a minimum of five people per week. Having brought 20 new people to NM Americana Commercial this year, McMenemy hopes to hire an additional 15 to 20 next year, bringing his total work-force to 65. The average tenure of an NAT Americana Commercial broker is seven years. Considering the volatility of the contemporary workplace (most people now change jobs a minimum of seven times during their career), it is an impressive statistic. “Our focus is based on relationships, and our powerful network enables us to fulfill all property needs,” McMenemy said. “[New America International] covers more markets in more countries than any other company — that’s a fact.” Indeed, NM, of which Americana Commercial is an affiliate, is comprised of 260 affiliate offices covering 30 markets worldwide. NM affiliates retain more than 3,100 sales executives in the United States, Asia, Europe, Latin America and Canada In addition, NM maintains a single point of contact per client even if the client changes cities or requires added services.
“We handle all of our transactions online,” explains McMenemy. “Technology is incredibly important.” During the past year, the company has invested more than $500,000 in updating its computers and software. The commercial division’s Web site (americanacommercial.com) receives 2,000 hits daily. Each office is linked via an “intranet” site, designed and managed by NM. “Technology has placed a greater demand on expediency and having information readily available,” McMenemy believes. “You have to be able to maximize all the hours in a day.” The firm keeps a complete database of all 68,000 business licenses in Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Reno, and updates it on a monthly basis. Apparently the firm’s research and information system is so impressive that Dun & Bradstreet has NM Americana Commercial specialists analyze market potential, identify new markets, and generate sample data for surveys. “The key to success is maintaining a fine line between technology and sales,” said McMenemy. “Our agents still have to be able to sell.” And sell they do. NM Americana Commercial’s corporate clientele list reads like a Who’s Who in business: everyone from American Nevada Corporation to Ford Aerospace to American West Airlines has retained their services.
Despite being a 17-year industry veteran, McMenemy brings an unparalleled level of enthusiasm, commitment and camaraderie to his work It has become infectious. “We have a team culture based on mutual support and cooperation,” he said. “There is more excitement in this office than anywhere else in the Las Vegas Valley.”
Perhaps McMenemy’s leadership stems from his military upbringing. His father, a lieutenant colonel in the Army, taught Ron to be detail-oriented and focused. Ultimately, McMenemy learned “how to get things done.” Growing up, his family moved from base to base; as a result, they became tightly knit and very close. “We were collectively known as ‘McMenemy’ regardless of whom was being addressed,” he recalls. Ostensibly, the family’s unity helped shape the selfless team atmosphere and subsequent success McMenemy has brought to NM Americana Commercial. “We enjoy what we are doing,” he says. Indeed, what could be better than that?
