High Altitude Achievements: Career Development Alumni Spotlight

Megan O’Brien ‘12

Climbing Peaks with Perseverance Leads to Success

Megan O’Brien ‘12 didn’t realize how her family and UD’s entrepreneurial program would impact her career trajectory until she became a founding partner of OCC Industrial, a Denver-based industrial development firm.

Once graduated from UD, Megan was confronted with a bare job market. She eventually found a role as a commercial real estate writer after applying to over 100 jobs she recalled.
“I started in this role at a bank and found I loved the complexity and had passion for the real estate industry,” she said.

From there, she spent seven years working directly for the founder of a small industrial development company. There, she had a chance to watch, learn and participate in every aspect of commercial development for 30 projects.

“That was a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from someone who had done this for a long time,” she said.

It’s clear an entrepreneurial gene was evident in her early on, as Megan’s skills and knowledge she gained as her career progressed eventually led to her and her partner’s establishment of OCC Industrial in 2022.

“My mom, dad and brothers all had entrepreneurial ventures in their past and I chose UD because of their leading entrepreneurial program,” she said.

In her current job, she is responsible for assembling a winning team, consisting of lawyers, civil engineers, construction managers and brokers, that help her complete a project on time and within budget.

She’s involved from start to finish as an OCC co-partner – from envisioning new property ideas, to managing the design, to orchestrating the sale of the building.
For Megan, strategic thinking, empathy and perspective-taking have helped her navigate complex negotiations and unite teams toward common goals.

“By considering others’ perspectives and taking the time to ensure our motivations are aligned, I am able to work my hardest to achieve an optimal outcome for each party involved and ultimately, each project,” she said.

Embracing the uncomfortable is also crucial for her.

“You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable,” Megan stated.

Throughout her career highs and lows, she found it important to celebrate the highs and stay resilient through the lows. She also believes it’s important to always maintain a positive outlook and encourages young professionals to find joy in the triumphs and challenges of a career.

As for the future, Megan sees many opportunities in the industrial development sector. The growth of AI, e-commerce, onshoring trends, sustainability efforts and automation advancements provide an opportunity for her to innovate and create value in new, exciting ways.