Dynamic Duo: Alumni Brothers Revitalize Neighborhoods
Dynamic Duo: Alumni Brothers Revitalize Neighborhoods
Thursday, February 05, 2015
The Chanty, the official blog of the East Carolina University Alumni Association, recently featured Chris and Kelly Edwards of The Edwards Companies in a piece showcasing their success and contribution to the Triangle area and Downtown Raleigh real estate market.
"As passionate alumni of East Carolina, we're extremely humbled by our university's recognition of our work here in the Triangle." says Kelly. "We look back on our time in Greenville with great fondness and are proud graduates of the ECU MBA program."
Below is a transcript of the post which originally appeared in The Chanty and can also be seen by clicking here.
Dynamic Duo: Alumni Brothers Revitalize Neighborhoods
By Sara Strickroot
Twin brothers Chris Edwards ’02 and Kelly Edwards ’02 are finding success as co-owners of Raleigh- based real estate firm The Edwards Companies. “We specialize in property management, property maintenance, real estate investments, and real estate brokerage,” says Kelly.
Through The Edwards Companies, the twins focus on revitalizing neighborhoods. “We consider what we do an artwork in many ways, no matter if we are working on a flip or a rental property to build our portfolio,” says Chris. “We leave our signature on any project we touch. We focus on vintage real estate with an eye towards doing what is environmentally friendly. Our hope is that when you drive through one of our neighborhoods you will be able to say, ‘that’s an Edwards Companies home.’”
“We found a mentor who took us under his wing and taught us many of the things that have led to our business growth. It was seeing his long-term success that kept us going even when things became challenging,” says Chris. “We are still very close with our mentor today but spend a good deal of time teaching others how to start and grow their business just as he did for us.”
The twins had many family members graduate from the various colleges ECU has to offer, including the College of Business, the Brody School of Medicine, the College of Allied Health Sciences, the College of Health and Human Performance, and the College of Engineering and Technology. Ultimately their decision to attend the College of Business for their MBAs was an easy one. They were members of the Campus Crusade for Christ organization during their time at ECU.
“This has typically been the school of choice for many of our family members. At family reunions we jokingly refer to it as Edwards Carolina University,” says Chris. “We both knew that the combination of the skills we would gain from ECU’s MBA program plus our strong work ethic would make the university the right choice for us.”
“It’s no secret we are proud PIRATES! We love ECU and what the university stands for. It has opened doors for us that we could have never dreamed of. Some of our fondest memories are from our days at East Carolina. We look forward to continuing to give back to the place that gave us so much,” says Kelly.
The Edwards twins are still very involved with ECU today. They will be speaking at the College of Business Leadership Conference this March & April and they are involved in the COB Alumni Mentor Program.
They are also the co-owners of Edwards Insurance and Financial Strategies, a Raleigh-based insurance and financial services firm with five offices located throughout the Triangle.
Stay tuned for more about the twins as their success continues to grow!
Read more articles about twin brothers and real estate investors of Raleigh, NC, Kelly and Chris Edwards, by visiting www.TheEdwardsCompanies.com.