Chris Parnell, MBA
Dedham,MA
Summary
Dynamic Director of Operations with a proven track record in sales, corporate strategy, and operational excellence while maintaining a customer-first mentality. I excel in creating efficient systems and processes while ensuring regulatory compliance, leading to significant operational improvements and enhanced team performance. I thrive in high-pressure and fast-paced situations; I strive for positive results through the application of my leadership and problem-solving abilities.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Operations
The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman
Boston, MA
06.2022 - Current
- Managed all aspects of New England's highest-volume real estate group. Increased sales volume by over 26% from 2022 to $420 million in sales volume in 2024. (2024 #1 Group Volume - MLSPin, 2024 #1 Large Group by Volume in Mass. - RealTrends, 2024 #2 Large Team for Douglas Elliman nationwide)
- Direct manager and consultant for the company's agents and employees, and oversight of all the company's transactions.
- Created all systems, commission structures, KPIs, and standard operating procedures for all employees and the company.
- Designed and implemented all internal systems, including the internal intranet, commission processing, dashboards, CRM, and deal tracking, leading to over a 75% increase in employee and agent efficiency with the use of technology and AI systems.
- Created and managed the company's corporate strategy, budget, P&L statements, workflows, and standard operating procedures (SOP).
- Led the high-profile client support strategy and execution across all channels, including client experience and retention.
- Oversaw the company's state and federal compliance, risk assessment and management, and legal affairs.
- Compiled and presented all real estate analytics and pricing opinions for larger residential, commercial, and new development properties, using advanced CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) and appraisal techniques.
- Worked with large-scale developers on the entire development process, from building concepts and plans to sell out.
- Panel speaker at the national 2024 Douglas Elliman Summit on operations, systems & processes, and management for the real estate industry.
Director of Operations
Compass - Miller & Co.
Boston, MA
01.2019 - 06.2022
- Worked with Compass corporate offices to create a user-friendly compensation portal on their proprietary CRM backend.
- Managed and oversaw all agents and transactions.
- Owned end-to-end customer support, ensuring high satisfaction and efficiency.
- Assisted team agents with deals and negotiations.
- Controlled print, digital, and social brand marketing and associated budgets.
- Created all market analysis reports and investment proposals.
- Designed systems and processes to increase efficiency and cut costs.
Co-Founder, Partner
Ascend Realty Group LLC
Boston, MA
07.2008 - 06.2022
- Co-founder and managing partner of a Back Bay based real estate & property management firm.
- Lead partner in marketing, advertising, and computer systems setup and usage.
- Hired, managed, and trained a team of employees and real estate professionals.
- Managed finances, budgets, P/L reports, and projects of multiple condo associations, portfolio investment properties, and condo units.
- Managed and oversaw company bank and escrow accounts.
- Transitioned exclusively to a property management company in 2018.
Owner & Managing Partner
DreamVisions Inc.
Boston, MA
06.2014 - 05.2021
- Cryptocurrency mining and investment advisor.
- Seed investor in Ethereum, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency, in June 2015.
- Firm understanding of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and decentralized applications.
Founder & CEO
Luxury Wholesale
Boston, MA
05.2001 - 09.2011
- Developed and operated a B2B e-commerce web-based service connecting wholesalers and businesses dealing in designer goods.
- Grew to over 800 end-user business members with nearly 100% customer satisfaction rating.
Senior Manager
Jacob Realty
Boston, MA
10.2004 - 04.2008
- Senior manager at one of Boston's largest real estate firms.
- Managed and trained a team of 15 agents specializing in luxury rentals and sales.
- Created successful marketing and advertising techniques for three different office locations.
Director of Document Technology
Cambridge Computer Services Inc.
Waltham, MA
09.2003 - 09.2004
- Generated new business and sales in the document technology sector for major corporations.
- Increased sales in digital document management and technologies working with companies such as EMC and Monster Inc.
Manager of IT Development
Turner Construction Company
Boston, MA
10.2001 - 07.2003
- Spearheaded a team to create and deploy Turner Boston's internal intranet.
- Successfully launched the custom built "InTurnerNet" intranet across the Boston Turner Construction office and all satellite work-sites .
- Led a team charged with overseeing construction site security camera systems for all large work-sites.
Education
MBA - Business Management
Curry College
Milton, MA05-2021
Bachelor of Science - Applied Economics & Business Management
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY05-2001
Skills
- Operational analysis and process optimization
- Project planning and management
- Team building, management, and leadership
- Data analytics and problem-solving
- Risk management and regulatory compliance
- Budget management (Incremental, VPB, ZBB, ABB)
- Expert MS Excel and VBA skills
- Advanced proficiency with CRM systems
Certification
- Licensed Real Estate Broker (Massachusetts)
- Member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR), and Greater Boston Association of Realtors (GBAR)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director of Operations
The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman
06.2022 - Current
Director of Operations
Compass - Miller & Co.
01.2019 - 06.2022
Owner & Managing Partner
DreamVisions Inc.
06.2014 - 05.2021
Co-Founder, Partner
Ascend Realty Group LLC
07.2008 - 06.2022
Senior Manager
Jacob Realty
10.2004 - 04.2008
Director of Document Technology
Cambridge Computer Services Inc.
09.2003 - 09.2004
Manager of IT Development
Turner Construction Company
10.2001 - 07.2003
Founder & CEO
Luxury Wholesale
05.2001 - 09.2011
MBA - Business Management
Curry College
Bachelor of Science - Applied Economics & Business Management
Cornell University