Vanessa Jenkins
Preston Development Company
Vice President
When someone works at a small business or on a small team, they end up wearing a lot of hats and doing a little bit of everything. Take Vanessa Jenkins, for example.
As the Executive Vice President of Preston Development Co., Jenkins does it all: She helps run the office, manages human resources, works as a real estate broker, and she handles sales and marketing.
“Everyone’s title here is to do what it takes to make us successful,” Jenkins says. “It’s a very team-oriented, collaborative place.”
Jenkins joined the team in 1991 after working in the medical field for several years. She and her husband moved to Cary in 1986, and she knew she wanted to do something different, but didn’t know what. On a whim, she started working with a construction firm and then in commercial real estate until she found her true passion with Preston Development Co.
Preston is Cary’s premier land development company, which helps plan the infrastructure for communities in the Cary area and beyond. Currently they are developing Chatham Park, a 7,000 + AC. Master Planned Community in Pittsboro, NC.
The job spoke to her because it allows her to influence her local community by providing spaces that feel like homes rather than a group of houses. “To have an impact on how a neighborhood lives is quite gratifying,” Jenkins says. “I love that, but I also love that every day is different when I come into the office. I love the creative aspect and helping create an impact for people.”
Staying involved in the Wake County communities is part of what helps Jenkins do great work. She’s active in the Wake County Homebuilders Association where she has served numerous roles including the 2nd female president to ever serve the association. She has also served her community by participating on the board of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce. Being able to connect her work and her community involvement allows her to make a bigger difference, she says.
Jenkins has a pretty packed schedule, but the North Carolina native manages to find time for herself. She enjoys gardening at her renovated historic downtown Apex home, where she lives with her husband, Scott, and rescued greyhound.
“I really believe our state offers everything you could ever want,” Jenkins says. “We love to travel, but we haven’t had a lot of pull outside of North Carolina. This is home.”
