BOMA Love Story: Jeff Niles & Diana Cuevas
1. At what BOMA event did you first meet? Was it "love at first luncheon"?
JEFF: The first time I was formally introduced to Diana was at the 2009 Gala in Downtown by a former colleague. I truly felt the connection at another event months later at the Sundowner, after the event she wanted to go pick up some frozen yogurt so I invited myself. She picked up 2 massive quarts that she had called in, I grabbed one and then asked if I planned on getting anything. I would later find out this is an addiction of hers.
DIANA: I was formally introduced to Jeff at the 2009 BOMA Gala. However, I must confess that I already knew who he was as he attended a Community Service Committee Meeting the month prior and I thought he was super-hot. He walked in LATE wearing a very sharp suit. So I would say. It was “love at first committee meeting.” More of a reason why all members should join a committee!
2. Were you both on a committee together? Which one?
JEFF: Community Service since day 1. In my opinion, the best group of people year in and year out. It’s one of the only committees that I see add new faces, but has a strong core of people that I have seen since I started in 2009.
DIANA: Yes, Community Service for one year before dating.
3. Who made the first move? Was it another BOMA member that made the connection?
JEFF: Diana will not admit this, but the official first kiss came from her as we partied after the 2010 BOMA Gala. We danced, laughed and had a great time with a group of friends. As I was closing out my tab, she swooped in and laid one on me. Another tidbit that only a few know, a random woman walked up to me that night inside a restaurant and told me I had fallen in love that night…true story.
DIANA: JEFF kissed me. True story. Don’t believe otherwise! We went out with a group of mutual friends from BOMA (mostly all committee members) after the 2010 BOMA Gala. That’s when Jeff made the first move, but to be fair we were BOTH flirting with each other all night.
4. Do you think you would have found each other if it weren't for BOMA?
JEFF: No. I had just moved from OC and knew no one down here, so I just took on my new challenge and worked…all of the time. Without BOMA, there is a 0% chance of us meeting….but we did and have a BOMA baby as well, Aston Win Niles.
DIANA: No way.
5. In your opinion, is an organization like BOMA an ideal place to not only make professional connections, but personal ones too? Would you predict that other members will connect the way you did? (no names, please!)
JEFF: Yes, it is a natural progression as many people engage in the events, meet new people and have a common industry understanding. My 3rd day in the business I was out to dinner with a bunch of executives, my president at the time looked me in the eye and told me not to date any clients....I looked around the table laughing because each one was married to a service provider or property manager. I believe personal connections happen at every luncheon, but they tend to become more apparent at the after hour events…drinks accelerate the process.
DIANA: It is a great place to make professional connections that lead to GREAT personal relationships. BOMA love is a great example, I am extremely grateful to BOMA for giving me the opportunity to meet my husband.
But, I can also honestly say I have developed some amazing friendships through BOMA as well. Being in the same industry really makes it easy to relate to people you meet in this organization. Working together in committees with BOMA members allows us to spend time with other professionals on a personal level. This really helps foster friendships and relationships that otherwise would not exist.. It what makes my “work” events really fun and inviting.
I predict, there will be many more friendships, marriages and BOMA babies to come from BOMA San Diego!
JEFF: The first time I was formally introduced to Diana was at the 2009 Gala in Downtown by a former colleague. I truly felt the connection at another event months later at the Sundowner, after the event she wanted to go pick up some frozen yogurt so I invited myself. She picked up 2 massive quarts that she had called in, I grabbed one and then asked if I planned on getting anything. I would later find out this is an addiction of hers.
DIANA: I was formally introduced to Jeff at the 2009 BOMA Gala. However, I must confess that I already knew who he was as he attended a Community Service Committee Meeting the month prior and I thought he was super-hot. He walked in LATE wearing a very sharp suit. So I would say. It was “love at first committee meeting.” More of a reason why all members should join a committee!
2. Were you both on a committee together? Which one?
JEFF: Community Service since day 1. In my opinion, the best group of people year in and year out. It’s one of the only committees that I see add new faces, but has a strong core of people that I have seen since I started in 2009.
DIANA: Yes, Community Service for one year before dating.
3. Who made the first move? Was it another BOMA member that made the connection?
JEFF: Diana will not admit this, but the official first kiss came from her as we partied after the 2010 BOMA Gala. We danced, laughed and had a great time with a group of friends. As I was closing out my tab, she swooped in and laid one on me. Another tidbit that only a few know, a random woman walked up to me that night inside a restaurant and told me I had fallen in love that night…true story.
DIANA: JEFF kissed me. True story. Don’t believe otherwise! We went out with a group of mutual friends from BOMA (mostly all committee members) after the 2010 BOMA Gala. That’s when Jeff made the first move, but to be fair we were BOTH flirting with each other all night.
4. Do you think you would have found each other if it weren't for BOMA?
JEFF: No. I had just moved from OC and knew no one down here, so I just took on my new challenge and worked…all of the time. Without BOMA, there is a 0% chance of us meeting….but we did and have a BOMA baby as well, Aston Win Niles.
DIANA: No way.
5. In your opinion, is an organization like BOMA an ideal place to not only make professional connections, but personal ones too? Would you predict that other members will connect the way you did? (no names, please!)
JEFF: Yes, it is a natural progression as many people engage in the events, meet new people and have a common industry understanding. My 3rd day in the business I was out to dinner with a bunch of executives, my president at the time looked me in the eye and told me not to date any clients....I looked around the table laughing because each one was married to a service provider or property manager. I believe personal connections happen at every luncheon, but they tend to become more apparent at the after hour events…drinks accelerate the process.
DIANA: It is a great place to make professional connections that lead to GREAT personal relationships. BOMA love is a great example, I am extremely grateful to BOMA for giving me the opportunity to meet my husband.
But, I can also honestly say I have developed some amazing friendships through BOMA as well. Being in the same industry really makes it easy to relate to people you meet in this organization. Working together in committees with BOMA members allows us to spend time with other professionals on a personal level. This really helps foster friendships and relationships that otherwise would not exist.. It what makes my “work” events really fun and inviting.
I predict, there will be many more friendships, marriages and BOMA babies to come from BOMA San Diego!