and Kicked off 5 Wild Years Ending with MoveZen, Named as One of Charlotte’s Premier Property Management Offices.
By: RE Hunter, CEO
When I first sat down with Catherine Pitney in 2020, I still wasn’t aware that it would end with one of my best business decisions. Her fruitful, but short, event planning career had just been upended by COVID-19, and she was applying for a property management role that would thrust her into one of the most turbulent periods small business and the rental industry has ever seen. Eviction moratoriums, emergency regulations changing weekly, tenants and landlords alike in panic mode—it was absolute chaos. And here was Catherine, ready to step back into an industry she hadn’t worked in full-time for twenty years, right as it was being turned completely upside down.”
On paper, it might have looked like a long shot, but within the first few minutes of our conversation, I knew I had a special opportunity.
Catherine told me about arriving in San Diego to attend college at San Diego State University as a young immigrant born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, with nothing but a suitcase and a dream. Heading to college (daunting in itself) in a new country and navigating an entirely unfamiliar landscape, she quickly earned her degree in Psychology and Marketing with an emphasis in Consumer Behavior. She talked about how much she enjoyed her early career in commercial property management right out of college, managing shopping centers while building a foundation in an industry she clearly loved. Then life took her to Charlotte in 2000, where she spent over a decade as a full-time mom, staying connected to her customer service roots through part-time work at the Harris YMCA.
Now, in her 50s, she was looking at reentering an industry that had transformed almost completely since she’d last been involved. Let alone making the shift from commercial to residential property management. New technology, new systems, new expectations—basically everything except the fundamental need to solve problems and take care of people was now dramatically different. So different in fact, that we lost significant staff during her tenure due to the inability to modernize their work processes.
What struck me most wasn’t her resume. It was her energy. Catherine is an incredibly upbeat, positive presence that influences those around her for the best. She was sharp, articulate, and radiated the kind of quiet confidence that doesn’t need to announce itself. I remember thinking, “This person is going to thrive, no matter how challenging things get.”
I had no idea just how right that instinct would prove to be.
Building Something Remarkable
When Catherine joined our Charlotte office, we were managing just a handful of properties. It was a small operation with big potential, but it needed the right person to unlock it. Catherine didn’t just manage that office—she transformed it into one of our flagship locations.
How did she do it? The same way she’s approached every challenge in her life: with determination, flexibility, and an unwavering commitment to doing things right.
Catherine is tough but measured. She’ll have the hard conversations when they need to happen, but she does it with a fairness that people respect. She’s friendly and approachable, yet firm when the situation demands it. She’s decisive without being impulsive, consistent without being rigid. And perhaps most importantly, she’s honest, upfront, and genuine in every interaction—whether with team members, property owners, or tenants.
Those qualities matter in any industry, but they’re absolutely critical in property management, where you’re constantly balancing competing interests and navigating situations that require both empathy and clear boundaries.
Leading Through Change
One of the things I admire most about Catherine is her adaptability. She came back to an industry that looked almost nothing like the one she’d left, and instead of being intimidated by that, she embraced it. She learned new systems, adopted new technologies, and brought a fresh perspective shaped by all her experiences—from commercial real estate to event planning to raising a family.
Our company is known for relentless innovation and constant evolution. That environment isn’t for everyone. But Catherine has not only kept pace with that change—she’s been a driving force behind it in Charlotte. She’s proven that being open-minded and flexible doesn’t mean abandoning your principles; it means applying those principles effectively in whatever landscape you find yourself in.
I’ve watched her become an anchor for our Charlotte team and an incredible influence on our people, particularly young women entering the industry. She leads by example, showing what it looks like to be both excellent at your job and decent to the people around you.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Under Catherine’s leadership, our Charlotte office has earned recognition that reflects the standard of service she’s built. Most recently, the Charlotte office earned the Charlotte Observer’s “Charlotte’s Best Property Management Companies” Bronze rank among an extremely competitive field of commercial and residential property management companies. MoveZen was the only residential company awarded in 2025—a testament to the culture and excellence she’s created. See more.
As a result of her rocket-like growth that led us to promote her to head of property management for all 7 of our family-owned NC and SC locations, she’s also been instrumental in our company’s broader success, including our recognition on the Inc. Magazine Inc. 5000 list last fall, which honors the most well-run private companies in America. See more.
But honestly, the awards are just external validation of what those of us who work with Catherine already know: she’s an industry leader in property management, someone who has influenced countless young professionals and built something truly special through a combination of skill, character, and relentless commitment to her customers and team.
The Takeaway
Catherine’s story reminds me that the best hires aren’t always the most obvious ones. Sometimes you meet someone whose path has zigged and zagged, someone who’s taken time away or changed directions, and you have to look past the resume to see the person.
In Catherine’s case, that young woman who arrived in San Diego with a suitcase brought more to our Charlotte office than twenty years of continuous industry experience usually would have provided. She brought resilience, perspective, emotional intelligence, and a work ethic forged through navigating bold decisions and challenges.
When she’s not managing our Charlotte office with characteristic excellence, Catherine is doing what she loves most—spending time with her family, working in her garden, making home improvements, reading, cooking, or taking long walks with her dogs. She also recently began plans to close on an NC mountain getaway, to enjoy the fruits of all that she’s accomplished
Catherine and her influence on our award-winning, innovative company are a testament to the remarkable things that happen when talent, character, and opportunity align.
