A decade of change can make all the difference, at it certainly has for this month’s Keystone spotlight, Edward “Eddie” Leos. His first real job out of college was at Keystone, where he began his career in October 2010 and stayed for two years before leaving in 2012 to work for a competitor.
Over the next ten-plus years, he worked his way up the ranks of association management, holding multiple roles – first entering as a senior manager before being promoted to director, then advanced to regional manager, and onto regional executive director. Eventually, he became a large-scale onsite general manager for four years, serving the Irvine community.
Suffice it to say, he had achieved success in nearly every role on the operations side, gaining familiarity among multiple regions throughout California. But, in October 2023, after this great run, he decided to continue his career back at Keystone, where he first started.
Why make the move? To him, the answer was simple: the people.
Enjoying the Changes of Returning to Regional Manager
Eddie stepped back into the same welcoming culture he experienced 14 years ago and reconnected with many familiar faces. With an appreciation for the family-like atmosphere and focus on work-life balance, he said, “It was a great experience in the beginning and it’s just as great now that I’ve come back.”
Since his return, he’s wasted no time making an impact. Currently serving as Regional Manager, in offices based both in Temecula and Ontario, he oversees the North San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Southeast LA County regions and an impressive 92 associations.
As someone who’s seen his fair share of demographic differences among communities, he is well-equipped to handle the changes association management brings. Regarding the Inland Empire, specifically, he’s noticed a shift in welcoming adults in their late 20s/early 30s to associations versus an older population in regions like Orange County.
One of the unique challenges he’s had to meet head-on is educating this younger demographic of homeowners who haven’t lived in associations before. This is achieved through newsletters, inviting homeowners to board meetings, and delivering welcome packets for those moving into new developments. Thanks to the way Keystone has advanced in technology since he was last an employee, he’s able to easily adapt to member needs and demands, as well as changes in the marketplace.
At the same time, some things are meant to stay the same. Eddie was happy to see the people and Keystone’s environment was as wonderful as he remembered. He credits the open-door policy as a benefit that sets Keystone apart.
This successful balance of combining necessary technological changes and advancements with a core, people-first approach has been reflected by Keystone’s expansion. What began with 150 associations when Eddie first joined the company has now reached 375-plus, with room for further growth.
Valuing the Keystone Difference
Overall, though, Eddie believes that trust is the key to success. He hopes that board members will trust their association management team to handle assigned tasks without feeling the need to do everything themselves. Working collaboratively with transparent communication is what makes HOAs a great place to live.
So, where does Eddie go from here? The constant change is what draws him in – the challenges of encountering new problems and solutions, the back-end research, and knowing every day is different. He says, “Ultimately, I love making people happy. That’s not only for clients but for employees as well.”
As for finding his work-life balance amidst a busy schedule, he enjoys working out and watching movies with his wife. He says, “We just got back from Paris, so we want to watch Napoleon. That’s what’s next for us.”