Brookfield Residential's Adrian Foley Presents at Industry Leaders Program

IRVINE, Calif. - Oct. 27, 2015 - PRLog -- As Chief Operating Officer of Brookfield Residential California, Adrian Foley oversees the entire California business portfolio for Brookfield Residential and is currently welcoming students to the fourth class of the Urban Land Institute popular lecture series, ULI Leaders in Planned Communities, Residential Design & Urban Infill. Co-presented by Martin & Associates, the class is part of a program designed to provide a relevant learning experience for housing industry professionals as well as university students. An impressive roster of industry leaders is scheduled to speak through November 4^th.

Foley, considered the number one creative force in innovative design and opportunity exploration, is responsible for spearheading strategic planning, maximizing investment opportunities and successfully resolving management issues in California’s premier markets, including the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Foley also serves as President of Brookfield Residential Southern California, where he is responsible for strategic planning oversight and management direction for one of Southern California’s most inspired and pioneering homebuilding teams.

As part of the Brookfield team member new hire orientation, Foley urges new team members to do the right thing, collaborate and lead. He encourages new team members to succeed and accept challenges with excitement, to be moved by innovation; to never place blame and to know that the company seeks to grow from within.

Foley shared that he learned the value of hard work through the example of his parents' own work ethic growing up in London, England. At the onset of his career in London, Foley gained incredible exposure to the surrounding architecture and development industry, and chose to work for a public authority. He earned a degree in building construction and started a development company at the young age of 25. He describes the experience of buying, designing, building and selling as magical. He then met his wife and moved to California.

First working for Taylor Woodrow, he joined Brookfield Residential in 1996. The market then was similar to the one in 2012 which according to Foley “was on its knees.” Today, Foley is very proud of the Brookfield Residential name and reputation, boasting a portfolio of $4.5 billion and 1,200 employees throughout North America.

When asked about one of his most memorable projects, Foley cites the purchase of the balance of the community at Playa Vista – the remaining land being approved for 2,300 homes on just over 60 acres. The property had been in constant litigation, and with the assistance of builder partners, Brookfield completed the $265M purchase of this property.

“With the acquisition spanning over eight months, it was a combination of timing and structure that combined to translate into an excellent opportunity for Brookfield,” says Foley. “Just three days from closing on the purchase we sold three apartment sites to The Irvine Company, a number of lots to two builder groups and replenished a large part of the purchase dollars.”

While Foley does expect cycles, he is very excited about the industry and is optimistic for its future with promising household formation numbers and the number of people moving to California.

He is thrilled to see talented youth entering the business and is inspired by the vital role of women in the industry today.

Technological advancements are also going to dominate the future of the industry. Utilizing the REVIT building information modeling software, Brookfield can prepare its new home plans and developments to better visualize the buildings and communities and see them in their completed forms. “This is an exciting look forward for our buyers as they see themselves living in these ‘virtual’ communities,” Foley says. “We look forward to participating in seeing how our industry can better embrace technology in its future.”

For more information on the upcoming ULI Industry Leaders programs, contact orangecounty@uli.org. The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the ULI has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.