Adam Simon joined KKR in 2015 and is a Director within the Real Estate team in New York, where he helps lead its commercial real estate lending efforts across the U.S.. Prior to KKR, Mr. Simon held various positions in the real estate industry over the past 15 years.
Mr. Simon received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, is a CFA charterholder, and an active Associate Board member within Teach for America-NY. At home, he is lucky to be married to an incredibly talented wife and father to an incredibly adorable daughter.
We sat down with Adam to learn a little bit more about him and his Associate Board experience.
Have you ever been on an associate board before finding one on CariClub? If no, why not?
No. I hadn’t been looking to join an associate board in the past, but when I decided that it was time for me to get involved in an organization, I was overwhelmed by the options and the idea of going it alone. CariClub made it easy to filter through the options and find an organization that was tackling the types of challenges that I was passionate about.
Why did you decide to join your current associate board?
I was very fortunate to grow up with supportive parents who valued education and ensured I had access to best-in-class teachers and tutors from kindergarten through high school. For my part, I worked very hard and enjoyed school, but candidly my efforts were aided significantly by their focus and financial investment in me, which allowed me to attend a top university (Go Blue!) and ultimately have a productive career in the real estate industry.
To that end, I have always tried to be conscious of the facts of my upbringing, appreciate what a strong educational foundation has done for me, and acknowledge that not everyone had that same access. This always seemed inherently unfair to me. High-quality education for everyone is something that I’m passionate about because I know how valuable it has been for me, and Teach For America-NY is working tirelessly to make sure ALL New Yorkers have access to a high-quality neighborhood schools because future success shouldn’t be defined by where you were born or who you were born to.
What is your favorite part about being on an associate board?
Having the opportunity to be passionate about something outside of my day job, and to experience and manifest that passion around other like-minded individuals with wildly diverse backgrounds and careers.
On an associate board, we discuss the educational landscape and organize events to raise funds to provide TFA teachers with desperately-needed school supplies. It all comes together when we receive thank you letters and photos from the teachers and their students or when we go visit them and watch them make a difference in the classroom.
Were you worried about the financial/time commitment before joining an associate board? Is it as bad as you thought it was?
I didn’t have a great grasp on the financial or time commitment prior to joining, but I don’t find it to be a terrible financial/time commitment and am happy to give both when I can!
How did you get started at what you are doing professionally?
I worked various odd jobs within the real estate industry as a summer intern throughout high school to get my foot in the door, and that certainly helped. However, it all started with a supportive family dynamic and a high quality grade-school education that allowed me to learn important technical skills and develop a deep network of contacts to grow in the industry.
What are three things anyone starting in your industry need to know?
- Learn the fundamentals
- Work hard
- Be nice to people
Tell us, is there anything interesting we should know about you?
I’ve always had a passion for teaching, and if I didn’t choose this career path, I would have loved to have been a teacher. Throughout my professional career, I have always tried to spend extra time at the office mentoring junior associates, and perhaps more interesting, during the recession when work was slow, I enrolled to be a substitute teacher at a local nursery school and happily filled in when I could. If I’m fortunate enough to retire at a reasonable age, I’d love to teach somewhere.
If you’d like to get involved with Teach for America, good news! Teach for America is looking for young professionals to join their Associate Board. If you’re a CariClub member, request an introduction on their profile here. You can also read their spotlight series here.
Interested in learning more about CariClub? Request an invite on our website here.
