Power Women: Helen Rivero

Mentored by financial megastars like Archon co-CEO Brian Ainsworth, KDC CFO Kim Bonfield, Morgan Stanley executive director John Schoser, and Velocis Partners principal Paul Smith (former Crescent Real Estate managing director), Helen Rivero learned from strong leaders who trusted her with huge responsibilities without micromanaging. Now, as the Rosemont Realty Services regional principal, she takes that on-the-job education and oversees 35 buildings with 6.5M SF and a team of about 80 people. She credits some of her determination to succeed from growing up with four brothers. (Life is really always about getting that last roll at dinner.) She says her parents' daily influence taught her the power of unconditional love and courageous strength.

Helen with one of three horses that live on her property; she rides a couple times per week. The OU grad came to Texas and, to get a master’s in finance, worked all day and went to UTD night classes twice a week. Tackling that schedule with a 5-year-old was brutal, but the experience and degree changed where her career was headed, she says. She landed her first commercial real estate gig as a financial analyst for JE Robert and Goldman Sachs. The asset managers were willing to teach her and she soaked it all in as the firm grew into the Archon Group. Through her relationships there, she accepted the opportunity to work at Morgan Stanley and in ’07 when Morgan Stanley purchased Crescen and took it private, she was called on to join that team.

Helen landed at Rosemont almost two years ago. Her role goes beyond asset management and involves leadership. She can’t get buried in all of the details of 35 buildings; instead, she prefers to find the right people and allow them to build their teams and work toward Rosemont’s goals of growing the region. Her advice to young women entering the industry: recognize the opportunities you’re given and seize that moment. Find your strength and how it aligns best with your specialty. Taking on work assignments and building relationships with coworkers can be crucial, too. For Helen, she was the first one to work and the last one out (she still is most days). Helen’s daughter is a second-grade teacher and her son is in the seventh grade. She’s been married to Carlos for 14 years.