Brian Thompson is the go-to guy for all things real estate at SD1. As the District’s property acquisition administrator, he is responsible for buying and selling property, obtaining easements and managing an easement records system.
Although it may not seem like the most customer-facing role, Brian's job is all about working with people - and he’s really good at it. Whether it’s working directly with property owners or SD1’s internal legal team and outside partners, negotiating a successful property deal often begins and ends with the how you interact with the people involved.
This can be challenging, as negotiating deals such as land easements often involves meeting with property owners who may not be happy about having a sewer line run through their property. Without these easements, SD1 cannot work on private property and projects may be held up, but Brian has found that communication and empathy go a long way.
“I meet with customers, walk their property with them and listen to their concerns,” he says. “I explain how their property is beneficial to the project, and thus the overall wellbeing of our community.”
Still, Brian understands that these projects can be painfully disruptive for some. For example, a new line may involve digging up where a sentimental plant is, and that can cause a lot of concern for a property owner.
Brian assures customers that their voice is heard, and that they can continue to contact him throughout the project to address any questions. "I'm always a call away," he tells them.
Brian says that he's met a lot of interesting people through his work, and he enjoys getting to know them and learning about their lives.
"Each time I meet somebody out there in the community, they have their own back story and lives," he says. "It's really interesting to get to meet people out in the community and kind of hear a little bit about them. I think that's kind of an added bonus to the job."
In addition to his commitment to customer satisfaction, Brian recently worked on an easement database project with the GIS department to improve the efficiency of finding and managing easements. This is beneficial because as SD1 completes more and more projects, the information needs to be accessible for staff across the District and into the future.
Brian may seem like a natural-born real estate expert, but he says his career came about almost by chance.
"My grandfather was in construction, and that always stuck with me," he says. His love for land development led him to study geography and political science in college, where he considered a career in GIS or urban planning.
Ultimately, he worked for his home county, Pendleton, establishing and managing the county Planning & Zoning Office for more than 11 years, and later he worked for Fischer Homes in land acquisition.
When Brian interviewed at SD1 in 2019, he says he knew it was the right place for him. “It’s been a great fit, and a great challenge for me,” he says.
He still remembers his first day, which happened to be on the birthday of one of his new co-workers.
"The team went out to lunch to celebrate, and everyone got along so well," he says. "It was like a family."
Years later, Brian is still part of that family. His favorite part of working at SD1?
"Everyone says their favorite part of working here is ‘the people’, so I'll add how that contributes to the overall atmosphere and camaraderie we have here," he says. "It's easy to do your job here because there are a lot of people who are willing to help. They're resourceful and energetic. You can tell they like their job, which makes it a fun-loving place to work. Even on the days when I have a difficult project, the positive energy and atmosphere helps me get through the day."
Brian's dedication to customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and the fun-loving atmosphere at SD1 makes him one of “the people” that makes SD1 such a great place to be.
When Brian’s not at SD1, you can find him spending time with his family at their small farm, hunting, fishing or riding side-by-sides in the mountains.
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