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In Her Own Words: Elizabeth Martin '99
Elizabeth Martin '99 grew up in Towson and was a 12 year girl at Bryn Mawr. After graduation, she attended Amherst College and earned a degree in Economics, spent time in England and then returned home to Baltimore. Martin stayed connected to Bryn Mawr and many teachers through her mom, former Lower School Teacher Carol Martin, and her son, Bowen, who spent two years at the Little School. Today, she is a leasing and asset advisor for Merritt Properties in Baltimore, and spends most days visiting with tenants, discussing strategies for buildings, meeting new prospects and evaluating their needs from an architectural, financial and legal perspective. Martin was recently named among the Baltimore Business Journal's 40 Under 40!
I could write a book on my Bryn Mawr experience and the foundation it still serves for me daily. At times the challenge of Bryn Mawr was painfully difficult for me, but those periods taught me that challenges can be endured, nothing is too difficult to complete and (almost) anything can be achieved if you truly care to accomplish it. I entered college to find out that I was more prepared than my peers. I entered the job market knowing that I could learn any part of a business if I wanted to, even if it meant I needed to teach myself.
I found a career in Commercial Real Estate through the father of one of my lacrosse teammates and dear friend, Lauren Manekin. I trusted his opinion on potential career interests for me and he knocked it out of the park when he introduced me to the brokerage and investment sales team at Manekin LLC in Columbia. Commercial Real Estate marries economics with creativity, design, construction and a depth of personal relationships– everything that I love. I started as an intern at Manekin, and as a junior in college, I was offered a full time position with them after graduation. A bit later, I took a hiatus in England, worked with the English Lacrosse Association and came back to Baltimore and Manekin to truly begin my career in real estate. In 2011, I transitioned to Merritt Properties and joined the leasing team.
My favorite part of my job is walking through the Merritt doors each day, where the stories and needs of both families and companies await. My colleagues are some of my closest friends. We share principles, hold ourselves to the highest standards and treat each other as family. Beyond the walls of our office, I am afforded relationships with executives in many differing industries. I get to learn about their businesses and the strategies that have been particularly successful as well as lessons about plans that have failed.
I wake up daily feeling empowered by so many of my Bryn Mawr experiences, and know that being a confident and intellectual woman makes me noteworthy and unique in a business that is predominantly male. The support and encouragement from Bryn Mawr and my parents have been the greatest gifts I will ever receive. In school, the expectations of your knowledge are clear. The assignments are given and the assessment of your knowledge is graded. When you leave school though, there are few textbooks and often you need to teach yourself. I wish someone had told me that it is okay to not know the answer all of the time, and if you do not know the answer, be honest. The response, "I do not know, but I will find out" is often perfectly acceptable.
This year has come with some significant lows, having lost some close family members, but it has also been balanced with some incredibly joyous occasions. I was remarried in October, honored by the BBJ in November and in January 2020, I will be inducted into the Greater Baltimore Lacrosse Hall of Fame. I am so honored to not only be nominated by the BBJ, but to have been selected. I have heard from many friends, colleagues and clients since the announcement. Even the quickest congratulatory emails have been so meaningful. My heart is full!
