Farris Haj

Yardi Employee Profile

By Leah Etling on Dec 22, 2016 in People

When Farris Haj moved to Santa Barbara from Israel in 1984, he wasn’t sure what the future might hold.

But he had heard from his cousin, who was living in Santa Barbara at the time, that it was a beautiful coastal city with warm people and strong educational opportunities.

At age 18, Farris decided to take a leap of faith. So, he packed his bags and moved, knowing he would undoubtedly encounter language and culture challenges.

“I wanted to pursue my higher education here in America, but financially speaking, my family couldn’t  possibly afford to put me through school here. So it was up to me to work hard with complete focus and dedication and come up with the funds to finance my education,” he recalled. It was no easy task, as he spent those college years working thirty-five hours a week whilst taking 16 units a quarter.

Thirty years later, Farris reflected on moving from his country to attaining U.S. citizenship after being inspired by Yardi CEO Anant Yardi’s end of the year address to the company, in which Anant outlined a new community outreach effort. “I am a walking example that success can still be attained in America, and I want to share my life experiences with others in hopes of helping them understand and achieve their goals,” Farris stated.

“One of the reasons that I wanted to tell my story is to express my gratitude to America and to Yardi. I feel that I owe this country so much,” Farris said.

After attending SBCC for two years, the math and computer science major transferred to UCSB, where he worked numerous campus jobs to pay for his studies. His commitment to building an American life was quick – in 1990, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen and described the experience proudly.

“That was a really awesome experience. Seeing President Bush addressing all of us as ‘My fellow Americans,’ incited a deep feeling of pride in me. I had this feeling of awe when we were being sworn in,” Farris said.

After graduation, he tried several different jobs before establishing a career in IT support for small businesses. That background was strongly in his favor when he applied to join Yardi in 2008.

At Yardi, he is a part of the Yardi Voyager™ Construction Management team, currently working as an Implementation Project Manager, and a mentor to other team members.

Construction Management is a web-based, full-service job costing and receivables system designed to help developers and builders manage all types of development through all phases of construction.

While Farris was unfamiliar with the construction and development world before he started at Yardi, he said the training and support he received from his manager and colleagues made it a successful and enjoyable transition. Having a smooth transition when he began working at Yardi made Farris want to reciprocate that experience in his mentorship of his fellow new colleagues.

Over the last nine years, he has supported more than 326 clients with implementation, support or both.

He especially enjoys working with clients, solving their problems and challenges, and staying in touch even after implementations are complete.

Some clients even send him photos of their exceptionally large developments, while in progress.

“I work with wonderful clients. They are embracing and very understanding, which makes it very rewarding when you are able to help them out and make a difference.”

A father of three children, Farris said another thing he appreciates about Yardi is the company’s contributions to community organizations and programs, such as the Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy, which both his daughter and son were, and are, a part of. “I am extremely proud to be a member of a company that contributes so much to our community and the world.”

Farris mentioned his daughter, a freshman attending UCLA, who has just finished her first quarter there and has future plans for a PhD in molecular biology. That is a special thing for Farris, who beams with pride when he talks about his children.

“I hope I can stand in front of young people, especially those from minority groups, and plant some hope in their hearts, that this is the land of opportunity,” he said.

“it is a country that will stand by you as a long as you have dreams and aspirations, and are willing to work hard.”