Issue 8 2020

CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 8 2020 13 , Taking Action As the head of Gumley Haft, a New York property management firm, Daniel Wollman, CEO, is involved in thousands of people’s lives. He guides boards of co-ops and condos throughout the city on matters that effect residents of New York apartment buildings. With apartments ranging from over $500,000 to millions of dollars, Wollman’s company manages some of the most valuable and prestigious real estate in the country. So just what is property management? “Action is what property management is all about,” says Wollman, in typically energetic fashion. “Scheduling preventive maintenance each season. Projecting operating budgets and capital improvements. Hiring and firing staff. And, of course, planning for the safety of residents and employees in emergencies, such as in the Covid pandemic we are experiencing.” Marking 30 years as the leader of Gumley Haft, Wollman has helped solve thousands of problems for boards, unit owners and shareholders. “We don’t consider any matter trivial,” asserts Wollman, who gets to his office at 7:15 a.m. dressed in jeans for quiet time to work on finances or talk to board presidents, then meets a contractor on a roof at 8:00 a.m. “Our job is to communicate with people about their issues and needs,” states Wollman. “People respond when they understand all aspects of a problem. Solutions spring from taking action. A change, a compromise, even a restriction, leads to effectively resolving problems related to a building, or an individual.” From renovation of lobbies and hallways, to compliance with continually updated New York City local laws regarding elevators to fire safety, Wollman oversees a team that handles buildings from uptown to downtown, from the Upper West Side to the Upper East Side, Kips Bay, Gramercy Park, the Village to Tribeca. “We’ve worked with New York City co-op and condo boards for 30 years,” ruminates Wollman, at his huge desk, piled with papers, two computer screens, several phones, and coffee. “Every day, we solve issues unique to the New York resident that could range from the routine, to more complex problems that may be new to even us.” Daniel Wollman, CEO, Gumley Haft, takes action for NewYork co-ops and condos.