IAMC Member Spotlight

As an organization, IAMC fosters relationships that turn into both business partnerships and long-term friendships. The path to corporate real estate varies widely, and our members come from a variety of professional and personal backgrounds.

We thank Keith Winters, Global Manager, Facilities & Real Estate for Modine Manufacturing Company, for sharing his!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
   I’m firstly a husband to Erin and proud father to Ramona and Zia. We currently reside in Bloomington-Normal, IL, home of State Farm HQ and Erin’s 20+yr career. I got my start in southern Indiana and before graduating from Purdue University in 2004, was raised in the bustling metropolis of Friendship, IN; population roughly 130 and steady!
    
2. What led you to a career in corporate real estate?
   In my 7^th year at Caterpillar, our 3PL business moved under private equity to become Neovia Logistics. I inherited responsibility for the Engineering and Security carve-outs, and with no Real Estate resources tapped for the new team, was selected for CRE leadership as well.
    
3. What does your current role entail?
   As Global Manager, Facilities & Real Estate for Modine, my daily action includes new site selection, facility design and construction oversight, and of course lease negotiations of all kinds. I’ve also taken responsibility for Corporate Physical Security to ensure we design our facilities in a way that provides our employees with a safe environment and protects our assets.
    
4. What’s your favorite part of working in this industry?
   The sheer breadth of skill it requires, and adventure it offers. On any given day, I could be negotiating a Mexican lease renewal, designing bridge crane systems for a Canadian site, or engaging service providers to identify key geographies for our next expansion.
    
5. Can you share a CRE or FM project you’re particularly proud of?
   I’m thankful for a diverse portfolio of projects, but I’d have to choose my very first CRE deal with CAT Logistics. I was able to use so many skills; site selection, site design and construction, and building 3 high-volume pick modules all while leading my first lease negotiation. Not to mention the site was for our coolest client, Harley Davidson, and was close enough in Indiana to visit family.
    
6. What’s one skill or insight from your work that other IAMC members might find valuable?
   Plan for change and thrive in it. Just last month, Modine entered into an agreement to spin-off and simultaneously combine our Performance Technologies business with Gentherm. In fact, all three global companies I’ve worked for have had divestitures, mergers, or takeovers. Since our CRE roles are critical for success in strategic moves, we WILL be a key part of the change which can be uncomfortable. But if you embrace and support the transition, you will add a very attractive and strategic Ace up your sleeve.
    
7. What inspired you to join IAMC, and how has it benefited you professionally?
   When relocating Neovia’s headquarters to DFW, we quickly outgrew our space and needed a solution. Ken Goldman (now retired IAMC member) was CRE for an adjacent tenant and, after we struck a buyout deal, he introduced me to IAMC. As for the benefits??? Incredible networking and knowledge-sharing in a friendly atmosphere. The core IAMC recipe generates for its members deep, life-long friendships often well before any professional engagements evolve! It really is like a reunion at the Forums, and we always want new friends to join us.
    
8. Can you share a time when knowledge or connections from IAMC helped you solve a problem or seize an opportunity?
   So many … but one sticks out. When I showed interest in Modine’s CRE opening, an IAMC colleague (hi, Wade Goodsell!) who worked with company leadership found out through other members. He reached out to Modine without my knowledge and insisted that they interview me amongst a very large candidate pool. Once a member, always a helper!
    
9. What IAMC resources or events have had the biggest impact on your career?
   FORUMS. I rejected attending the first one after I joined, thinking it would be the typical sales-heavy and content-light soiree. Then I attended the Quebec City forum in 2014. The value was instant and still compounds 12 years later, so get to that first forum and you’ll see why we all come back.
    
10. How has the IAMC network influenced your approach to industrial real estate?
    The breadth in our membership taught me to branch out far and wide. From tech and logistics to government and FTZ, we have experts in all areas and I leverage them often. In the same way, CRE is adjacent to so many internal areas like facility design, security, even legal. Build your understanding across disciplines and geographies, then lean on IAMC to fill the gaps. Become omnipresent and you’ll never get bored or stuck.
     
11. What’s a memorable moment from an IAMC event that stuck with you?
    Easy. The tuxedoed string trio playing classical pieces at a tranquil Sunday dinner event, then launching into their version of AC/DC’s Back in Black, complete with screaming vocals. The act that followed was so crazy good, we invited them back 10 years later!
     
12. Fun Facts: Let’s get to know you!
    1. What was your first job? Unofficially? Harvesting tobacco in my early teens. Officially, maintenance at a now defunct retail chain called Alco. Started from the bottom!
    2. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I’d like to manipulate time and stay right in this moment.
    3. What’s your favorite way to unwind outside of work? If my kids are around, play a game with them or act ‘cringe’ as they call it. If not, throw in some earbuds and shoot free throws in the driveway!
    4. What’s one thing still on your bucket list? Being in IAMC Member Spotlight was at the top! I’ll have to think of a new one.