Knowing more about the people we work with is the fun side of business. It helps start conversations and strengthens business relationships. We hope you’ll enjoy learning more about your peers in every issue of AZRE.

Kathy Foster

In the mid-1980s, Kathy Foster moved to Arizona, where she now helps companies solve problems, through creative strategies and proactive plans to support their business. When Foster was younger, she thought she’s be a professional dancer or dance instructor and has always wanted to open a non-competitive dance studio for disabled children. Foster danced with a college troupe into her late 30s and most recently joined the board of Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK), where she serves as the vice chair.

Senior Vice President, Colliers International in Greater Phoenix
Years at Colliers: 1 year at Colliers International (20 years in industry)
Primary responsibilities in this position: Helping companies solve problems, creating strategies and future proactive plans to support their business.

Family: Husband, Jack
Sons: Jack, 15 years old, and Aidan, 12 years old
Pets: Baxter (dog), 5 years old

Born/raised: I was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., and lived in New Jersey and Michigan. I moved to Arizona in the mid-1980s.

Favorites
Sports/teams: Football; Steelers and Cardinals
Music: I love all types of music and variety, depending on my mood. I enjoy everything from top 40, to classical music, to the ‘60s and up! Songwriters from the 1960s are my favorite.
Travel destinations: I would love to go to Egypt someday. For now, I enjoy anything with a beach – Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii.
Leisure activities: Contemporary dance, pilates and yoga

What did you think you’d be when you grew up?
I thought I would be a professional dancer or a dance instructor. I always wanted to open a non-competitive dance studio for disabled children. Everyone should have the chance to enjoy the benefits of dancing and performing.

Of what personal or professional accomplishment are you most proud?
Professional: A client recently mentioned he thinks people before profits. I am most proud of having the same high standard of integrity and ethics.
Personal: Although I have always continued to dance, I am proud of performing with a local college in my late thirties. Dancing with women nearly half my age was an accomplishment.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I spent summers in high school working at my family’s oil change business.

Best business advice you’ve been given?
I had a great mentor early in my career in corporate real estate. He always said spend money like it’s your own and make decisions as you would for yourself.

Regardless of the client, type of business or issue, I always become an extension of the company. I don’t think like a broker. I think like business leaders and put myself in their shoes, always exploring every avenue, not just the easiest one.

Advice you’d share with people early in their real estate career:
Starting out in corporate real estate is a great springboard to brokerage. It gives you the perspective and experience to understand all phases of the real estate process, not just the brokerage piece.

Please tell me about your involvement with (AASK). How long ago did you join and why? How much time do you dedicate “after hours” (outside of work) to AASK?
I joined the board for Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) two years ago. Currently, I serve as the vice chair. I have a very dear friend who adopted two children through AASK. AASK has always been very close to my heart. Most people have no idea of the growing issue and large number of kids in foster care. More than 15,300 children are in foster care, many in group homes and shelters. AASK is the largest agency in Arizona solely focused on finding families for Arizona’s foster children.

My personal mission is to raise awareness, increasing the number of foster homes and raising money for non-funded programs such as AASK’s mentor and sibling programs. The mission of AASK and its board is to improve the lives of Arizona’s foster children by ensuring that every child has a relationship with someone who cares.