Eileen Burgess, an Accountant for the Property Management department of Holladay’ South Bend, IN office, recently celebrated her 25th work anniversary. Her supervisor and co-workers say she is a marvelous representation of Holladay’s mission and values, who is respectful and nurturing to all she comes into contact with, as well as a regular community volunteer. 

In recognition of her experience with the company, we wanted to sit down with her and get her perspective about why she’s stayed with Holladay for so long, and learn more about what she does in her free time. Enjoy getting to know Eileen! 

Q: What do you like most about working for Holladay Properties?

Eileen: I like the variety in my job at Holladay. The best thing about working here is the feeling of family with my co-workers. I work with some of the most caring, concerned people that a person could ask for.

Q: What do you do for Holladay?

Eileen: I handle everything related to real estate taxes including abatements, exemptions, appeals, organizing (making sure no tax bills are missed) and preparing the tax bills for payment.

The first 13 years that I worked for Holladay, I worked in accounting. With that background, I have filled in temporarily when there was a need in accounting and am currently doing the accounting for three apartment projects.

Q: Before working at Holladay, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

Eileen: Maybe the most fun job I had was my first job that I started in high school. Way back when you had to dial ”˜0′ for an operator to place a long distance call or call ”˜411′ for information to get a telephone number you didn’t know, I was a telephone operator that connected the calls through a switchboard or answered your information requests. After all these years, I still know the telephone numbers that I gave out then for long time businesses in Plymouth.

Q: Where is your hometown?

Eileen: Born, raised, and still live in Plymouth. In fact, I live in the 140-year-old family homestead that I spent much of my youth in.

Q: What did you want to be when growing up?

Eileen: Living in a different age than we have today, what I wanted was to be was a wife and mother. 

Q: Favorite vacation destination?

Eileen: Visiting nieces and nephews in Florida and Texas. 

Q: What is one thing you cannot live without?

Eileen: Microwave.

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Eileen: People that drive 100 mph to get past you or cut in when a lane is closed ahead and they have had ample warning of the lane closure. 

The contention in politics.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

Eileen: I think my bucket list was fulfilled in the last couple of years when I made trips to Hawaii and Israel.

Q: Do you have any hobbies or passions outside of the office?

Eileen: At this point in my life, my six grandchildren are my passion.

Q: What is something about your family, education or background that you would like to share?

Eileen: I was a stay at home mother. When my youngest daughter started second grade, I started to college. After quite some time had passed since high school graduation, I was not sure that I could do the work but found that I thrived learning.

I originally thought I wanted to be a computer scientist but, before wireless connections were as accessible as they are today, I found that it took too much time away from my family to do the required work in the computer lab at IUSB. I then changed my major to accounting-no regrets. I graduated when I was 40.

I worried obsessively for a period of my life what my purpose in life was. There had to be more to life. One day reading the Bible, I read that my purpose in life was to give glory to God. This knowledge changed my life in an incredible way and the worry about my purpose was gone. My faith is the most important part of my life.

Q: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Eileen: I was the fifth of six children and the only girl. My brothers tried to tell me I was spoiled but I knew that was not true.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best reasons a clients or customer should work with Holladay?

Eileen: I believe that Holladay will treat them fairly and do their very best to maintain a good relationship with them whatever, within limits, it takes.

You could meet Eileen and the rest of her team in person by hiring Holladay as your Property Manager.

Learn more about our services at /services/property-management/.