Thought Leadership: Phil Cattanach on Industry Perspectives & Leadership Lessons

Phil Cattanach, President & CEO of Opus Development Company, brought his industry experience and leadership perspective to two recent events hosted by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (CREDA).

During CREDA’s national conference in Denver in early October, Phil participated in the organization’s Investment Management Forum, a select group of development and investment management professionals who meet twice annually to discuss market conditions, emerging trends and investment strategies.

Later in the month, Phil joined fellow industry leader Tom Hotovec for the Legacy, Leadership & What's Next panel discussion hosted by CREDA's Minnesota chapter. The conversation explored their career paths, experiences leading established organizations and approaches to balancing longstanding values with the need to evolve.

For Phil, much of that discussion centered on the enduring influence of our founder, Gerry Rauenhorst. He reflected on lessons learned early in his Opus career, including Gerry's belief that integrity should guide every decision. Phil noted that a commitment to doing the right thing, along with an emphasis on teamwork and giving back to the community, continues to shape our culture and approach to business.

Drawing on his military background and his work experience, Phil emphasized that effective leadership isn't about having all the answers. It requires humility, trust and a willingness to take responsibility when things don't go as planned.

He also spoke about the importance of giving teams credit for their successes and the confidence to tackle difficult challenges together. Those principles remain central to how we lead as we build on our legacy and prepare for the future.