In an era where the average tenure at a company is just over four years, finding someone who has spent two decades at a single firm is rare. Finding someone who did so while rising from an entry-level role right out of high school to the executive suite is nearly unheard of—especially for a leader still in the prime of her career.
Desiree Lowery, our Vice President of Operations, celebrated her 20th anniversary with MDL Group on January 30, 2026! Her journey is not just a personal milestone; it is the heartbeat of our company’s growth and a living testament to our company’s values.
A 15-Minute Meeting that Changed Everything
Desiree’s story at MDL Group began just seven months after she graduated from high school. After a brief stint in the “cash cage” at Kmart, she heard about a secretarial opening at MDL through a friend’s mother who worked in our accounting department.
When she met Co-Founder Carol Ong, the connection was instantaneous. “We just clicked,” Desiree recalls. Within 15 minutes, Carol offered her the job. For Carol, Desiree was a “diamond in the rough” who only ever asked for one thing, an opportunity.
Over the next twenty years, Desiree parlayed that opportunity into a leadership role at one of Southern Nevada’s leading commercial real estate firms. She earned that role by working her way up from administrative assistant to executive assistant, assistant property manager to property manager, Director of Operations, and now Vice President of Operations.
Desiree is dynamic, intelligent, and results-oriented, yet humble. She learned early on what it takes to get the job done—no shortcuts—all while ensuring the MDL core values remain at the forefront of her leadership.” — Carol Ong, Co-Founder
“There is so much I can say about Desiree, but I’ll give you two things. The first is from a client I recently asked about Desiree. He said, “There’s no drama. She has a job to do and knows how to do it and there’s never any drama.” The second is that she cares about all of us. She checks in about our vacations, our pets, how the weekend was and our wounds. She doesn’t leave people behind.” — Hayim Mizrachi, CEO
20 Years of Excellence: A Q&A with Desiree
Q: You started here essentially right out of high school. What is the most important lesson from those early years that still serves you as VP today?
Desiree: Never judge a book by its cover. I learned early on dealing with property owners that the person driving a 20-year-old Toyota might be a high-powered millionaire. Carol instilled in me that you treat everyone, from the janitor to the top executive, exactly the same.
Q: How has the commercial real estate industry changed since your started in 2006, and how has MDL adapted?
Desiree: We used to use tape recorders and cassette tapes for property managers to transcribe notes. Now, everything is real-time via apps and software. But even as we embrace AI and new efficiencies, our growth is still built on the fact that people matter. We always live by the motto that we have more solutions than our clients have problems.
Q: MDL leans heavily on the value of “Family.” Can you share a moment where you felt that most strongly?
Desiree: It was when my parents passed away. Most owners might just send flowers, but the partners here were physically there for me at the house the very next day, delivering flowers and food. They showed up when times were hard and simply asked, “What can I do for you today?” That is living the value. Family always comes first here.
Q: What does “Pride of Ownership” mean to you in work?
Desiree: It’s the simple things. If you walk by a piece of trash, you pick it up. Carol taught me that every building we manage is a reflection of us.
Q: Why have you been with MDL for two decades?
Desiree: Because I’m not just a number here. My opinion and my voice actually matter. I didn’t want to work for a corporate giant; I wanted a boutique environment where doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking, is the standard. It’s much more fulfilling than just chasing the almighty dollar.
The Future: Mentorship and Growth
As MDL Group expands into new markets like Utah, Desiree is most excited about the “growth of the staff and taking everything to the next level”. Her message to the next generation of real estate professionals is simple: the gift of mentorship is priceless. Sage advice that reflects her own ethos.
Carol describes Desiree as, “a person who manages with the MDL core values always at the forefront. Her leadership style is to provide training and development and empower all those around her to do their best, be their best, and give their best.”
“You don’t have to be a leader to mentor,” she says. “You can mentor up or down”. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she remains committed to keeping that cycle of mentorship going, ensuring the next 20 years of MDL Group are as bright as the last.
Join us in congratulating Desiree on 20 incredible years! And reach out to our Property Management team to see our “Pride of Ownership” in action.
