Jan Karl, Vice President of Project Development
Every year, the Los Angeles Business Journal releases a special issue dedicated to honoring LA’s most influential women in construction and design. The Journal states “According to labor force statistics, the share of women in the construction industry is only at about 10%, so the women who become standouts in that industry are truly pioneers.” Congratulations to Jan Karl for being recognized by Los Angeles Business Journal as one of 2020’s Outstanding Women in Construction Management and Design!
Jan Karl’s career builds upon a strong foundation in Real Estate Development and Construction. She is Vice President of Project Development at Morley Builders and a Senior Leader on our team. Jan’s determination, perseverance, and strategic focus helps her to understand that business partnerships rely upon open and honest communications. This is the hallmark of Morley’s interaction with clients, resulting in the company’s ongoing success as a construction leader within Southern California.
Jan holds an MBA from Villanova University and a BS from Iowa State University. She has a Masters of Corporate Real Estate through CoreNet Global, is a California Real Estate Licensed Professional, and is a LEED AP BD+C from the USGBC.
Transcending gender barriers, Jan understands the importance of assisting as many women as possible toward success. In the past few years, she has often participated on panels focused on women in the construction and the real estate industry. She recognizes that while great progress has been made over the years, there is still some distance to go. She sees an encouraging future in this industry and is honored to be a part of this positive direction.
Contributions to industry organizations in leadership roles are essential to a successful career. Jan is the Immediate Past President of the Los Angeles Headquarters Association (LAHq) Board of Directors. Jan is the third woman president in LAHq’s 58 year history.
She is a Board Member of the Los Angeles Business Council and serves as Co-Chair of the LABC Architectural Awards Council. Jan actively participates as a past Board Member of the Urban Land Institute and CoreNet Global. She is also past Vice President of the ISPE Board. She has served as a guest lecturer at UCLA.
Jan was recognized by Globe Street Real Estate Forum as a “Woman of Influence 2019” and also recognized by Bisnow at the “Power Women Forum 2019” for Outstanding Excellence and Influence in Los Angeles Commercial Real Estate.
From her Mother, Jan learned the importance of giving back. She is a Board Member of Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles, bringing people together to build homes, communities, and trust. She serves on the City of Hope LARE Council Board and was a Board Member of Affordable Living for the Aging (ALA), an organization designed to assist seniors with critical housing needs.
Jan leads the project development initiatives and marketing team for Morley Builders. She plays a major role in developing strategic partnerships for the company. Her years of experience in real estate, development and construction play a pivotal role in guiding the company to its next era of successful high-performance building through smart, strategic growth.
Two years ago, Jan was invited to serve on the Strategic Management Committee. This enabled her to attend and participate in Morley Builders Corporate Board Meetings. She is the first woman to have served on this committee.
Working to align specific client and project needs to the capabilities of Morley’s in-house teams, she keenly identifies precise project fits. Clients appreciate the investment she makes in long-term relationships guided by extensive experience on the development side of commercial construction.
As a leader, Jan experiences great pride in each completed project and the accomplishments of her team. She is focused on the constant pursuit of opportunities for strategic growth and a drive for excellence. Put simply, to be the best in the business and to be an inspiration for all people seeking careers in the build community.
Jan is proud to be a leader of an organization that is a 100% employee-owned. Employee ownership drives a united front on behalf of all who represent Morley Builders. Morley team members are committed to creating mutual success. Employee ownership is a cornerstone of driving our solid reputation in the industry.
Founded in 1947, Morley Builders is one of the largest Southern California-based general contractors. The company builds commercial buildings, parking structures, multifamily residential and student housing complexes, affordable housing, major civic structures, hospitality, as well as educational and research facilities.
Morley Builders has enjoyed many award winning projects in the past few years including: the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, UCLA Health Training Center, Home of the Los Angeles Lakers, La Plaza Village, Pen Factory, The Arroyo Santa Monica, WREN Apartments, El Centro, Eastown, Water Garden, and Blossom Plaza.
Morley Builders was recently recognized by the AIA LA as Design Advocate of the Year. In 2017, Morley was honored as Builder of the Year by Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles and recognized at their annual Builders Ball.
Morley is experienced in design-build, seismic retrofit, historic preservation, and LEED certified/sustainable projects. Morley Builders contracts its services through two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Morley Construction Company and Benchmark Contractors, Inc. Morley is consistently nationally ranked among Engineering News Record’s Top 400 Contractors.
