Freddie Mac Keeps Responsibility In House

Accountability is at the heart of Freddie Mac's real estate department.

"The people who work in this department are employees of the company, they're dedicated to the company, they have their responsibilities and they are accountable for their decisions," said William Menda, vice president of administration and corporate properties at Freddie Mac. "It's a simple concept."

Six directors handle the company's approximately 1 million square feet of owned space and 400,000 square feet of leased space. One manages acquisition and disposition and outsources specific brokerage support; a second manages facilities-related functions and oversees a core team of building engineers reporting to him, while outsourcing some of the maintenance and repair operations, and a third manages design construction services. The three other directors handle a variety of administrative functions in the facilities management realm: security, meetings, travel and amenities management, and corporate procurement.

Since the company owns most of its portfolio, Menda's group is responsible for all aspects of the operations, including cafeteria management, catering, events, mailrooms and copy centers.

Despite outsourcing maintenance, food service providers, security guards and other day-to-day functions, the department remains extremely centralized. "We never outsource the accountability for either acquiring the space or managing the space," Menda emphasized.

In its leased properties, on the other hand, the company develops partnerships with the management companies that the landlord uses.

Much of Freddie Mac's property is located at its headquarters in McLean, Va. The company is a year shy of completing a 400,000-square-foot expansion of its corporate headquarters.

Even in the new home, Menda's philosophy will remain the same. "We maintain a core group of people with a variety of practitioners of facilities-related functions to get the necessary support in terms of numbers, expertise, and specialized consulting," he said.