Stephen Hennessey

Yardi

By Leah Etling on Nov 13, 2012 in People

After 11 years in the utility billing industry, Stephen Hennessey is thrilled that he still has the same client base. After all, his clients have become people he cares about.

“I enjoy working with them on a daily basis,” said Stephen, who was part of the ista Multifamily Services Group (MSG) acquired by Yardi in May 2012.  “The property managers and clients have become my really good friends.”

Making good friends is something that comes easily to Stephen, who often hosts up to 70 guests for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or July 4 at his Newport Beach home. And speaking of home, we found out a little known fact about Stephen that’s quite fascinating – he has lived on the same street for his entire life, though not in the same house.

He bought the place across the street from his childhood home, a convenient location that allows him to look after his elderly mother. It’s also close to the beach, one of his favorite spots to hang out, and he has put much time and effort into the property, including creating a backyard oasis with a giant koi pond. His kitchen is a regular gathering spot for his friends, who get together to host foodie parties and potlucks created around unique culinary themes.

You might think that living on the same street for so long would narrow your outlook on life, but that’s definitely not true in Stephen’s case. He’s branched out with international travel adventures (tropical beaches are a favorite), is constantly experimenting with new dishes in the kitchen, and recently succeeded in taking on a new passion – fundraising for a good cause.

Yardi’s Orange County office is the new home base for Stephen and two of his MSG colleagues. Led by Senior Vice President of Ancillary Services Fritz Schindelbeck, Yardi employees based in Costa Mesa recently participated in a charity walk to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The CHOC walk, held at Disneyland in Anaheim on Oct. 14, raised funds to add beds to the hospital with a new patient tower to be constructed in 2013.

Stephen led all the Yardi walkers in amount of donations collected, and the walkers’ totals were matched by Yardi. This was a place where having many good friends paid off.

“I really networked all my friends and people at work, including our San Diego office and our billing teams in Jacksonville and Atlanta,” he admitted, expressing appreciation for all of the support he received. And proving the power of social media, Stephen’s constant reminders on Facebook, LinkedIn and via text messages helped bring in cash.

Next, he plans to support the Yardi effort to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Yardi employees on the Eastern Seaboard were affected by the super storm, so the company has taken up a collection to help out with recovery needs.

Caring for people comes naturally to Stephen, who started his career in the hospitality industry. Before becoming a utility billing expert, he managed the Old Spaghetti Factory in Newport Beach for almost eight years. The customer service lessons from a restaurant career applied easy to his new career.

“It’s about hospitality – treating everybody as a very important person,” he shared with us. His clients’ utility billing services have been owned by multiple parent companies over the last 11 years, but one thing has remained constant – Stephen is there to help out with anything they might need.

Learn more about Stephen:

What is your favorite type of music? 

I am stuck in the 80’s

If you have an hour of free time to spare, what do you do with it?

Garden, cook & visit Mom across the street

What kinds of food do you like?

All – I love food, my favorite is Filipino

Where is the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled? 

Philippines, swimming with the Whale Sharks.

What do you like best about your job? 

My longtime clients, multifamily clients I have had since day one, they make my day knowing I can help, talk and when we do, it’s like we are all best friends.   ALSO, the best part of the day is knowing I can make someone happy assisting them on the fly and before we hang up.

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or historical, who would it be? 

Tim Burton

What are the words you live by?

Work hard & play hard

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Retired and traveling

What are some things on your bucket list?

Pay off my house

What was your last Do It Yourself project? 

Gardens, landscaping & backyard deck

What online sites do you visit? 

Amazon.com, yahoo.com, facebook.com

If you could have a super power, what would it be? 

Time travel

What’s something about you that few people know? 

I have lived on the same street my “entire” life