A Day in the Life: Senior Ian Doss

The other day I was working in my office when inspiration struck: a new category of post for the blog.  I am really excited about this one (seriously, if you could see me a huge Duchenne smile is on my face… Nonverbal Communication alums, respond back with what that is!).  The idea that has me smiling so much?  The new “A Day in the Life” posts!  I thought it would be fun to have students, alums, faculty, staff, and administrators keep a log of their day, from wake up to bed time.  Why?  For several reasons: For students, I think it is a good reminder for everyone (professors included) to see all of the activities that students juggle throughout the day.  For alums, I think it is a way to learn what certain jobs actually involve.  For faculty, staff, and administrators, I think it is a way to get to know more about what these people we come into contact with so frequently actually do in their jobs.  I already have a long list of people I will be contacting to profile in these posts, so get ready (I may be coming after you)!

Thanks go to senior Communication Studies major Ian Doss who graciously agreed to be the first person to take part!  First, a bit about Ian and why I targeted him for my first post.  He is an Associate at Ad Valorem Solutions (AVS; Latin for “according to value”… you can check them out here: http://advaloremsolutions.net/index.html).  According to Ian, “AVS represents the owners, managers, and developers of some of the largest portfolios of commercial property in California.  Many of our commercial clients own or manage properties throughout the United States and internationally.  They have engaged AVS to represent them with respect to their California holdings; some also utilize the services of our affiliated providers in other jurisdictions.  They have come to realize that a single point of contact can lead to a world of tax savings.”

I asked Ian to take part in this because while some students were catching up on TV over the January break (hey, nothing wrong with that!), Ian was working full time at AVS.  Seriously full time.  He had to come see me about advising and he came in a suit because he was in between meetings!  So, here we go.  A Day in the Life of Ian: January 12, 2011.

6:30 am – alarm sounds

6:45 – get up to shower

7:15 – get dressed for the day (navy blue suit, white shirt, purple tie, brown shoes, & belt)  (Ian didn’t say this, but I am pretty sure that the purple tie was in honor of the Washington Huskies)

7:30 – drive downtown to work

8:00 – pick Dad up from office for meeting in Palo Alto (Ian’s dad is a partner at AVS)

8:50 – arrive for 9:15 scheduled meeting with Cornish and Carey Commercial Real Estate VPs to discuss the appeal settlements that were made this past year, 2010, for two large property portfolios that we represent

9:45 – present the current market data and provide comparables for proof of settlement

10:15 – leave Palo Alto for office in SF

11:15 – arrive back to SF office

11:20-12:00 pm – respond to “441” letters from the Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Sonoma, Marin, Sacramento, and Merced counties assessors office.  (441 letters are letters from the county assessor that request information on our clients, such as leases, rent rolls, operating statements, and rent comps, after we have filed for an appeal on the certain parcel that is being reviewed, so that they are able to see what the property is worth based upon the current market data).

What's the 411? Ian's working on 441 letters, that's what.

12:00 pm – leave office for lunch at Gio’s.  (We go to Gio’s almost every day because my Dad has been going for over 25 years.  When we lived in SF, Gio’s daughter lived in the flat next door to ours so we have known their family for a LONG time).

1:00 – arrive back at the office

1:15-3:00 – continue with 441 response letters

3:30-4:15 – meet with AVS team (my Dad, his business partner Ted, and two other associates, Peter and Jules) to talk about a new data collection program that we are going to be using.

Ian working, okay, he's not actually working here. He's posing for a picture, obviously.

4:30 – leave for home

5:00 – go to the gym for an hour

7:30 – leave house for 8 o’clock dinner reservations with my girlfriend Elena, and Mike and his GF.  (Mike’s a recent Communication Studies graduate… hi Mike!).

9:30 – drive to the Marina to the bars!

12:00 am – left the bar and went home

Wow… that’s a day!  Congrats, Ian, on your position, and thanks for being the first to take part!  Get ready… there will be two more “A Day in the Life” posts coming up this week!  If you are interested in being featured contact me at edoohan@usfca.edu.  It’s pretty cool, huh?  I mean, you’re Duchenne smiling right now, too, aren’t you?  Especially about my “411/441” joke.  Right?