Colleen Marencik is a Partner at HighCamp. Based in Denver, she joined the firm in August 2021.
Tell us about your career path.
During my last semester of college, I attended a career fair in Chicago and interviewed with some representatives from the SEC. The interview went well, and after I graduated with a degree in Finance, I began working at the SEC in Chicago, where I was an examiner for the next five years. Brad began at the SEC’s Chicago office a few years later, which is where we first crossed paths.
While I was working at the SEC, I was contacted by ACA Group. Shortly after hearing from ACA, I decided to make a change in my career and joined ACA as a consultant. I held that position for almost three years before accepting the role of CCO at a real estate manager.
A few years later, I ended up back at ACA, and Brad and I crossed paths again. By 2016, I was consulting almost exclusively with real estate managers, which was a natural fit because of my previous in-house experience.
After Brad left ACA and began HighCamp, we continued to stay in touch. Eventually, I also left ACA and made my way to HighCamp.
What do you value most about HighCamp? (Or what sets HighCamp apart for you?)
I love working at a small, boutique firm – the kind of place where all the employees know the names of each other’s children, where people care about each other, and where we’re able to work in a fun and supportive environment together.
When I left ACA for HighCamp, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in a firm on both a professional and person level. Working with a small team, like the one at HighCamp, makes this possible, and is one of the aspects of HighCamp’s culture that I value the most.
You recently used HighCamp’s “Me” Stipend. Tell us about that experience.
The “Me” Stipend is an example of one of the amazing employee benefits offered by HighCamp. The stipend program really fosters an individual employee’s growth as a human being.
Brad came up with the idea of the “Me” Stipend after taking on a huge personal challenge that required him to take a short break from work. When he came back, he felt stronger and better, and wanted to encourage all of us to have our own, similar experiences.
Traveling is one of my greatest passions, and the “Me” stipend created an opportunity for me to take my first solo international trip. I’ve traveled internationally many times over the years, but this was the first time I went to another country on my own. I was a little nervous about it, but knew it was an amazing opportunity.
I used my stipend to attend a women’s retreat in Bali. It was amazing to visit with incredible women from all over the world and to experience a new culture. The purpose of the retreat was to relax and learn how to process stress, and I enjoyed daily meditation, rejuvenating massages, yoga, and countless new experiences. I hadn’t felt that relaxed in years, and I returned to work with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration.
What do you see for HighCamp’s future?
Growth, but at a reasonable and responsible rate. I want to see HighCamp continue to flourish with more employees and more clients, but to remain focused on our most important philosophy, which is to provide outstanding customer service to our clients.
