At Copaken Brooks, our role as an Owner’s Representative begins long before the first shovel hits the ground. Often, it starts with a client who isn’t quite sure what they need. They have a vision, a mission and a purpose, but not yet a plan. That’s where we come in. We help turn a blank sheet of paper into a building that serves people. 

We don’t just build buildings. We help create the future for organizations and the communities they serve. That’s why the phrase “from blueprint to community” resonates with me. It captures the evolution we help guide every day, from rough ideas to real, physical spaces that support missions, serve people and enhance neighborhoods.   

A Partnership from the Ground Up

Take our recent project, The Rise, an active adult community in Lenexa, in partnership with Real Property Group. Right now, we’re in the early stages, just gaining site control, securing city incentives and starting to bring on the right architects, engineers and contractors. This work is foundational. Without it, a project can’t move forward. We know how to structure these early phases with care because we’ve done it many times before. 

What makes a project like The Rise special is the potential to truly impact the lives of its future residents. But to get there, we have to prove the business case, navigate incentives and create a clear roadmap for success. It’s part art, part science and entirely built on trust. 

Decades of Trust in Lenexa

Our relationship with the City of Lenexa spans more than 20 years. In that time, we worked closely with City leadership as Master Developer of Lenexa City Center. In addition, we work for the City as Owner’s Representative for the City Hall/Community Center complex as well as the recently constructed Justice Center. Lenexa has always been a city with vision, willing to make bold choices in service of creating place that are quality environments, sustainable developments and purposefully serving their community. They don’t say yes to everything, and that’s what makes their trust in us so meaningful. 

That long-standing partnership is one of the most rewarding of my career. Not just because of the buildings we’ve delivered, but because of the friendships we’ve built. Success can be measured in many ways, but walking away from a project with mutual respect and lasting relationships is one of the best. 

What It Really Means to Represent an Owner

Most of the time, when an organization hires an Owner’s Rep, they’re about to embark on one of the biggest capital projects they’ve ever taken on. And that means risk: budget risk, schedule risk, reputational risk. It’s our job to help mitigate all of that. 

We help clients align their financial, operational and construction goals. We listen carefully to understand what matters most. Then we build a master strategy for delivery including comprehensive budgets and schedules, based on our real-world experience. From there, we hold everyone accountable, including ourselves. 

We become more than project managers. We become confidants. Translators. Advisors. Our job is to take something incredibly complex and make it digestible, actionable and aligned to the client’s mission. 

Delivering More Than Expected

One of the most rewarding aspects of this work is when clients trust us enough to pull us closer than the rest of the team. When they look to us not just for answers, but for insight. One example that stands out is our work with Village Shalom. When the original project scope came in significantly over budget, we didn’t panic. We rolled up our sleeves, aligned their operational business plan with the budget and worked closely with leadership to revise the plan.  

We restructured the scope, realigned priorities and saw the project through during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were countless challenges, but in the end, the facility opened successfully and is now delivering on its mission. That’s the mark of a true partnership. 

Success You Can Feel

Success in our world is often defined by three things: delivering on time, on budget and on scope. But to me, success is walking into a building we helped deliver and seeing it in use. Not as a job site, but as a thriving community that is fulfilling the Client’s mission and purpose.   

A community center. A senior living facility. A justice center. When people are inside using the space, when it’s fulfilling its purpose and they have no idea who we are, that’s when you know you did your job right. We might not have our name on the door, but we know every inch of that building. That kind of pride doesn’t fade. 

The Copaken Brooks Approach

What sets us apart isn’t just our process. It’s our mindset. We act like owners because we are owners. We understand the stakes. And we believe that our role isn’t just to manage, it’s to guide, advocate and deliver. 

That means fighting for fairness, even when it’s uncomfortable. That means coaching clients when their decisions affect others on the team. That means ensuring everyone crosses the finish line with respect intact. 

Our motto is simple: one succeed, all succeed. Because in this business, real success is shared. 

A Team Built for Trust

I’m proud of the Copaken Brooks development team. After merging my former company, CBC Real Estate Group into Copaken Brooks, the Principals have continued to build our development group into a strong, experienced group of development managers who care deeply about the work and the people we serve. They’re smart, motivated and focused on doing right by our clients, every single time. 

Our younger professionals are learning fast, not just how to manage schedules and budgets, but how to lead with integrity. That’s how we keep earning business, by doing good work, building good relationships and staying accountable. 

Why We Do This Work

To me, this isn’t just a profession. It’s a calling. We get to help organizations bring their missions to life. We get to see the impact of that work in real time. And we get to do it alongside people we respect in organizations that we care deeply about. 

From blueprint to community, our work is about more than buildings. It’s about building trust, creating value and leaving things better than we found them. That’s what being an Owner’s Representative means to me. And it’s why I love what I do.