She is a Focused Woman Personal Peek

Personal Peek
AS SEEN IN
OCTOBER 2007
She is a Focused Woman
By Lucy M. Pritchett • Photos by Ewa Wojtkowska
Deborah Charlton, 51, president and founder of PMR Companies, provides
office, retail, and multi-family residential property management and related
services; offices in Louisville and Houston, Texas. Married to Ron Charlton;
three grown children, April Satterly, Amy Cordoba, and Derek VanVactor.
Who she is: Mother, wife,
grandmother to eight — soon to be
nine — and friend to my extended
family at PMR. Each role has a different
meaning and purpose every day.
Got started: I enrolled in Jefferson
Community College after high school
and was working as a leasing agent at
McNeely Lake Apartments.
What came next: I started a
company with another individual.
When I left it, we had 15 clients. I
moved to other cities to get experience
in different types of property management that I couldn’t get in Louisville.
magazine
clear glass shelves holding them.
Breaks her heart: When
we go in to take over management of a property I sometimes
see some terrible things —
victims of domestic violence,
child abuse, poverty.
Heroes: My parents Herman
and Jane Hagerman. My father
died in August 2006. My mom is
my closest friend.
Pet peeve: People not
following through with
obligations and commitments.
Favorite movie: Brian’s
Song. It is so sad.
What people don’t know: I
am pretty much an open book. I have
been fortunate to be successful and
couldn’t do what I do without a
supportive husband and family.
I work long days and long weeks.
The best part of her job: The
people. The employees, clients, and
residents. My job is to take care of them.
Secret passion: Gardening. For 20
years, I have raised African violets. The
windows in my kitchen are lined with
pencil. I keep my calendar with me
always. When traveling I stash things in
it and file when I get back home.
I also keep a journal to document
conversations and meetings.
It has come in handy for
documentation.
Stays on task: I am very
focused and organized. I think I
inherited it.
Nordstroms. Online or its
Houston store.
Gourmet treat: Cake batter
ice cream with bananas from
Coldstone Creamery.
back to Louisville to be closer to family.
My father was ill. I started doing some
consulting work for clients I had worked
with previously and then in January of
2004, I started PMR. We now have 200
employees and manage 7800 units in
Louisville, Houston, Orlando, Nashville,
Evansville, and Indianapolis.
for Cardinal Realty Services in Boca
Raton, Fla.
Organizational
tool: Paper and
Ethnic food: Mexican.
Buys her clothes:
Recently: I semi-retired and moved
Doing in 1992: District manager
BMW SUV X3. In Houston: 1998
BMW convertible.
Must have: I drink a cup of
pomegranate green tea every
night before bed.
individuals who don’t turn off
their cell phones in meetings. I
see so much of that. When I am
meeting with a client I give them
my total focus and attention.
Advice: My parents taught
I have wanted a Vespa scooter
and my husband just bought me
one on eBay. It is pistachio green.
I want it so I can tootle around
the Highlands.
me and my siblings to be honest
because all we would have is our
integrity and that would follow
us everywhere.
Jump starts her day: I get
up at 6 a.m. have coffee, read the
paper, take a shower, dress, and
head to the office.
With 15 free minutes: I
Can’t get the knack of:
would catch up with
old friends.
Slowing down.
Drink of choice:
The renovation and property
management of Kentucky
Towers.
Dr. Pepper.
Celebrates her
birthday: I have a
friend who lives in Nashville and
our birthdays are eight days
apart. We have known each other
since Girl Scouts in elementary
school. We get together
somewhere every year to
celebrate our birthdays. Last year
we went to Kansas City.
Special pen:
Would be doing… I love
contemporary art. I would be an
art gallery owner. In fact, I have
owned two galleries in the past.
Lives: We moved to a condo in
the Highlands two years ago. I
also have an apartment in
Houston because I am there
three to four days a week at least
every other week if not more.
I approve company invoices
by signing with a calligraphy
pen. It stands out among many
other signatures. I have always
done that.
If caught relaxing: My
phone and Blackberry would
be off.
Prized family possession:
Louisville, it is The Bristol on
Bardstown Road. In Houston, it is
Pappasitto’s Mexican Restaurant.
A video I did for my parents in
1988 of childhood photos and
movies of me and my siblings.
We watch it every year after
eating Christmas dinner.
I wouldn’t take anything for it.
Drives: In Louisville: White
Soapbox: The rudeness of
Favorite restaurant: In
Reprinted with permission from Zion Publications, LLC
Latest purchase:
Color she would never
wear: I don’t like gray.
Scent: Coach Perfume.
China pattern: Kutani Crane
Recent project:
Recent best idea:
I have been working on this for
a while with Lisa Butcher at
Republic Bank. I wanted a way
that we could get instant credit
for money orders just like we
did with checks as rent
payment. We found an Italian
model — The BOD or Business
On-Site Deposit — and we are
rolling it out at all of our
properties. This saves time and
money because no one has to
go to the bank. We don’t take
cash. All of our banking now,
even in other states, is done
with Republic. This is a good
example of an independent
bank willing
to grow with
its customer.
Pampers
herself:
by Wedgwood China.
Wishes she could stop
doing: Gaining weight.
How long things take:
Triple the amount of time you think
you will have to spend on a project.
Manicure
and pedicure
every two weeks.
Perfect Sunday:
Doing nothing.