Zeke Davisson
39 | Chief Operating Officer, Summit Properties
Residence: Chittenden
Career highlight you are most proud of:
The career highlight I'm most proud of is founding and launching a social services agency to support formerly homeless moving into our housing communities or those already in our communities facing housing instability.
Community Involvement:
My community involvement includes being the former Executive Director and current Secretary, Board of Directors of the Kelly Brush Foundation; the President, Board of Directors of Ascend Housing Allies Incorporated; a Member of the Facilities Committee at Champlain College; a Charlotte Rec Soccer coach (girls 3-5 grade).
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont?
I was motivated to live and work in Vermont by, quite honestly, a girl (Vermonter, of course...).
Favorite part of your job:
My favorite part of my job is that I see all the challenges of our current housing market, the root causes of those challenges, and get to be part of so many of the solutions: from financing and constructing new mixed-income communities, to managing a broad portfolio of affordable and mixed-income housing communities across the state, to supporting formerly homeless residents, to promoting regulatory reform and affordable and workforce housing funding in the Legislature. No two days or adventures are ever the same, but they all provide purpose in different ways.
Most inspiring mentor and why:
My most inspiring mentor is my business partner, Tom Getz. His uncanny ability to reframe every challenge, question any presented premise, and seek a better outcome (despite the many constraints of our industry!) makes him one of the best developers in the State.
What is the best career advice you have received?
The best career advice I have received is to be yourself. You can try to emulate others' leadership, problem-solving, and communication styles, but you're always going to be most effective when you present yourself genuinely.
Favorite Vermont escape:
My favorite Vermont escape is Cochran's Ski Area. Whether it's being transported back in time to the core of Vermont ski culture and ethos during the winter or finding myself deep in the woods on a mountain bike with the dog in the summer, that place is singular.
Favorite downtime activity:
My favorite downtime activity is doing house projects, and I'm not going to be sorry about that....
What career goal(s) would you like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years?
The career goal I'd like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years is cracking the nut on how to construct a meaningful volume of workforce housing here in Vermont that meets the needs of such a huge swath of Vermont's working population.
