Kids are expensive. Investing in a private school can be one of the more costly aspects of parenting, but sometimes that investment pays off. For Dave St. George, the benefits of putting his kids through a private high school became apparent shortly after they finished.
Just before the Covid Pandemic shook things up in 2020, Dave was considering a change in careers. For 15 years he had worked in real estate and was ready to reclaim his weekends. With the second of his two children living out of state for college, the time for change seemed right.
As an active part of the HOA in his own community, Dave understood the property management business from the side of a homeowner, but had never considered it a career option. In a conversation with the community manager, he was encouraged to look into it. Given his background in real estate and his ability to work well with people, he was convinced it was worth pursuing.
As he explored the profession, Dave was drawn to Action Property Management. The company seemed to be aligned with his own values, so much so that he never even followed up with the management company that served his own neighborhood. In the course of his research, he contacted an acquaintance who worked at Action. Her kids had attended the same high school as Dave’s kids and played on the football team with his son. In the course of their conversation, she mentioned Action’s CEO, Matthew Holbrook.
Dave had met Matthew on several occasions, but never in a professional settings, so he was unaware of Matthew’s occupation. Matthew’s two sons also played high school football on the same team as Dave’s son. As a result, the two dads paths crossed from time to time over a period of several years. The realization that Matthew was the head of the Action team made Dave more convinced than ever that it was the perfect fit for him.
Dave’s contact put him in touch with an executive at Action who helped him get the ball rolling toward a new career. Today Dave is one of Action’s community managers overseeing six communities in North Orange County.
His professional career dates back well before he ever attended one of his son’s high school football games. As his college degree was wrapping up, Dave interviewed with several recruiters on the Vermont campus of Middlebury College in search of a career. After several interviews, one recruiter in particular stood out—this one representing the United States Navy.
Dave St. George
”He became proficient in the management of people, processes, and equipment—skills which have served him well at every stage of life.
At that time in the late 1980s, Officer Candidate School was just reopening after a hiatus. Given the choice between seeing the world or sitting behind a desk, Dave decided that that desks would still be around even after he left the Navy, so he signed up. For the next seven years he served, completing two sea tours and one shore duty tour as an instructor.
As an officer in the Navy, Dave’s duties were diverse. He became proficient in the management of people, processes, and equipment—skills which have served him well at every stage of life. Perhaps the most unique part of his service to our country was when he qualified to serve as Officer of the Deck. This title enabled him to pilot the ship, an experience that few will ever have.
When he left the Navy, Dave was given a small memento of his time at sea. The advanced systems on his Guided Missile Frigate enabled the ship to be steered using only a small brass wheel. As a departing Officer of the Deck, he was presented with this wheel upon his return to civilian life.
With his naval career behind him, Dave set his sights on moving forward. There were many options open to a college graduate with a background as a naval officer, and Dave wanted a job that valued his education. This led him to launch a career in pharmaceutical sales. By combining the GI Bill and a grant from his new employer, Dave was able to earn a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from USC while working full-time.
Dave is proud of his military career and for years has volunteered with both the American Legion and Elks Club as a way of supporting other veterans and his community.
Though he loves his home and the weather in Orange County, Dave also enjoys flying back to visit family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts every summer. The home he stays at has been in his family since 1964. When he gets there, he enjoys the small town feel including college baseball, local concerts, and parades.
A few years ago, as he sat in the stands, Dave didn’t realize that the same bright lights that were illuminating the football field each Friday night were also illuminating a new path for his life. He had no idea that he would soon spend his days working along side another one of the football dads in those bleachers, improving the quality of people’s lives in the various communities that are managed by the team of professionals at Action Property Management.
