Jenna Coddington

Managing Broker

The Paragon Group

Age: 38

Current city of residence: Richland

How long have you worked there? 9 years

Briefly describe your company:

The Paragon Group is the real estate division of Paragon Hospitality Group. We specialize in commercial and residential investment sales; and commercial, multifamily and residential property management across Washington state.

Our corporate office is in Richland, and we have branches in Kirkland and Tacoma.

Education: Please list your degrees and professional certifications:

Master of Business Administration, New York Institute of Technology, 2007.

Bachelor of Arts, communications, Washington State University, 2005.

Licensed real estate instructor, Washington state.

Licensed real estate managing broker, Washington state.

Briefly describe your job and how you got into it:

I manage the day-to-day running and growth of The Paragon Group real estate firm. My role is management of the property management team, both real estate branches, business development and training/advisement of our real estate brokers.

After 10 years in communications and marketing for several government contractors and a local media firm, I joined Paragon Corporate Housing in 2013 as the director of marketing.

In that role, I occasionally assisted our then-property manager when needed. When the role opened up in 2015, I stepped in to help temporarily and fell in love with it.

Since then, I've gotten my real estate license, managing broker's license, and increased our business from a small, local manager of single-family homes to a statewide agency with 17 (and growing) sales agents.

We manage more than 500 residential units, multiple storage unit facilities and commercial properties.

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? 23 years

How did you earn your first dollar?

Babysitting neighborhood children.

What professional lessons, if any, have you learned during the pandemic?

The importance of building an adaptable team committed to our purpose. We can do our jobs pretty much anywhere, so long as we all step up to the challenges.

What was your dream job as a child?

Medical doctor

Tell us about your community involvement/community service:

I'm a proud member of the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and love using my real estate knowledge to help obtain land for future affordable housing.

I volunteer for the Tri-City Association of Realtors' Education Committee, designing classes that will make our local agents the most competent in the state.

I previously served on the Mid-Columbia Symphony board, the White Bluffs PTO and enjoy fostering dogs for Mikey's Chance while they wait for permanent homes.

How do you achieve work-life balance?

Thankfully, my role with Paragon allows a fair amount of work-from-home opportunities so I can spend extra time with my family even while I work.

Two of my three children are school aged, so I get a lot done while they are in class.

My husband is tremendously supportive and always handles life when work takes me away. We recently moved into a multi-generational home, with my mother-in-law sharing a home with us.

It's been amazing to have the extra help of a dedicated and active grandparent.

Do you have family? Pets?

I am married to my middle-school sweetheart (and high-school and college), Craig. We've been married for 17 years.

We have three children: John, 13, Abby, 8, and Oliver, 5. We also have one dog, Pumpkin, who is a chow/shepherd mix and the best girl ever; and one guinea pig, Malia.

What brought you to the Tri-Cities? Did you grow up here?

My family relocated here when I was in seventh grade from Ohio.

I met the love of my life at Carmichael Middle School, and we have built a life together. After we graduated college (me from Washington State University and him from the University of Washington), we lived in the Washington, D.C., area for a few years to start our careers and then moved back here to build a family.

What's your dream vacation?

Hiking the fjords of Scandinavia

Favorite sports team, if any.

Sounders and Seahawks

Favorite music?

1970s and 1980s

Most disliked food?

Parmesan cheese

What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

I have never consumed a cup of coffee