Meet Westwood Shareholder David Bade
Get to know our newest shareholders and associates! We're excited to have them on our team and helping to lead Westwood forward.
“I’m always trying to project myself into my clients’ world, and I am dedicated to their success,” says David Bade. “Half of my career has been on the owner/client side of land development, so I know the value of partnering with teams like Westwood.” David’s dedication leads him to being reliable and passionate about his clients’ most complex projects and challenges. “I’ve had opportunities to work on some of the largest and most complex multi-year commercial projects in the Twin Cities and they really light my fire.”
As a director, associate, and now shareholder, David uses his expertise and voice to help shape the direction of the company, providing input on market plans and future growth opportunities. Something that’s helped him succeed as a leader now was when he joined a Toastmasters club as a young engineer. “You know that joke about extroverted engineers are the ones that look at your shoes?” shares David. “It’s often true that engineers are introverts, but Toastmasters helped me improve my public speaking, dragged me out of my shell, and helped me start to develop leadership skills. I promote it to everyone now, especially young engineers who are just starting their careers.”
In the office, David enjoys the comradery of his team. “Over the years, we’ve developed a strong team mentality, and as we’ve grown together, we continue to be tuned in to what each other is doing and how we can each help,” he shares. “A busy day can be fairly intense at times through my drive to provide the best outcomes, but I try to laugh a lot and get other people to join in some lightheartedness.” One of David’s favorite memories with his team are the office-wide Thanksgiving potlucks. “The socializing, the mountains of food, the fantastic smells wafting through the whole office, it’s pretty special and really highlights our family culture.”
In addition to enjoying working on complex projects, David is also a dedicated musician who plays a wide variety of instruments. This year marks the 20th anniversary for his Celtic-Americana band the Sweet Colleens, where he plays bass guitar and sings. “Music is definitely an important part of who I am.”
