It’s not at all unusual to see a crew team rowing along the Malden River. Even the occasional paddle or row boat might not cause a second look. But those familiar with the typical traffic along the river would likely pause at the sight of a motorboat.
A few years ago, however, every morning just before 8 a.m., Michael Keiselbach could be seen pulling his motorboat up to a dock along the stretch of the Malden River where Commercial meets Medford Street. He was commuting by boat every day, rain or shine, from his home in Arlington to his job at Combined Properties in Malden.
After seven years, 15,000 miles on the Mystic River, and weather of all sorts, he retired his commute by water. And now, after over seventeen years at Combined Properties, he will retire from his role as Vice President of Operations.
“I’m moving on to the next phase,” said Keiselbach, who will continue to work at Combined Properties through early spring to retire on June 1, 2012.
Keiselbach joined Combined Properties in 1994 as Property Manager and four years later took on the role as Vice President of Property Management. After ten years with the company, he became Vice President of Operations, the role he holds today.
Responsible for Combined Properties’s property management function on a day-to-day basis, Keiselbach manages a portfolio of over 2 million square feet of first-class office, R&D, industrial, retail, and medical properties. Other roles include tenant relations, quality control, lease administration, construction management, and third-party management.
Before working at Combined Properties, Keiselbach held property management roles with Altid Properties, North Star Management, Brickstone Properties, and The Beal Companies. He is a Certified Property Manager earned through the Institute of Real Estate Management, and has a Master of Arts in Political Science from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Assumption College.
“Mike has been a very important member of the Combined Properties senior team,” said John Pereira, President of the firm. “He has been an asset to me and a great colleague and friend to us all. We wish Mike well in the next chapter of his life. We’ll miss him.”
Keiselbach says that, most of all, he will miss the people with whom he works and also the diversity of tasks that have come with his job. “I’ve been somewhat of a utility infielder, playing or supporting various roles at different times,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to use a wide range of skills.”
Upon retirement, Mike plans to spend more time with his family and doing the things he enjoys most including fishing, reading, and activities with his local parish. He also plans to work a few days a week at his son’s Fitchburg-based residential real estate company in a development role.
“I’m looking forward to working with my son and to having more time to pursue my interests and new challenges,” said Keiselbach.
When asked to reflect upon his days commuting on the Malden River, a story that has entertained friends and co-workers at a company lunch here or holiday party there, he smiles. “That was a wonderful time; an absolute separation from the noise and rush of daily life,” said Keiselbach. “It was always an adventure.”
Mike, we wish you luck in your next adventure.
Pingback: Happy Retirement, Mike! « Combined Properties | The Blog