Once in a Blue Moon
Real estate is a notoriously unpredictable market. Housing bubbles grow and eventually burst. Interest rates plummet and then skyrocket. Investors make a fortune — or lose everything.
Amidst all of this chaos, Damien Bradley ’02 is a pillar of stability. He brings nearly two decades of accounting expertise to Blue Moon Capital Partners (BMCP), an advisory firm specializing in senior housing community investments. As the director of accounting and finance at BMCP, Damien oversees all financial reporting measures, ensuring that senior leadership is fully informed of the company’s financial health, and that clients understand the trajectory of their investments.
Damien joined BMCP when the firm was still in its infancy – he was only the seventh employee added to its payroll. This proved to be a pivotal moment in his career, however, as he became the architect of BCMP’s accounting department.
“I was attracted to the company’s vision and was ready to take on the challenge of building up the accounting department from inception,” he said. “The role has changed quite a bit over my five years now, but it is exactly that type of dynamic atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
“My career goals are never fully set and I am always setting new targets for myself. I enjoy the challenge of chasing those targets and learned a long time ago to never limit my own expectations.”
When he isn’t busy meeting with clients in his office off of Boylston Street, Damien hits the pavement, exploring the ins and outs of the city’s vibrant restaurant scene.
“I’ve lived in Boston for about 15 years now, but I also enjoy getting back to western Massachusetts to visit family and friends on the weekends,” he said.
A Leap of Faith
While mathematics and numbers came naturally to Damien during high school, he never considered accounting to be a likely career path. He ended up taking “a leap of faith” into the field, he said, after a family member suggested it.
That leap of faith ended up paying dividends. At Elms, Damien mastered the fundamentals of business under the guidance of professor William Donovan, who always “set high expectations for his students.”
“I felt I was very well prepared going to business school after graduating from Elms,” Damien added. “I believe that that educational foundation has served me well.”
Damien’s experience with numbers wasn’t purely academic, though. As a starting guard for the men’s basketball team, he racked up 1,158 points over four years. This achievement led to his induction into the Elms Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008, where he was honored as the first male inductee.
After graduating from Elms, Damien earned his MBA degree, as well as his CPA certification. Despite the exam’s notorious difficulty, Damien recommends that all accounting majors think about passing it as soon as possible.
“It really opens up future career prospects that would not be available otherwise,” he said. “Young grads should remember that those universal traits of hard work, diligence, and approaching everything earnestly will go a long way.”
This story was published in the spring 2020 issue of Elms Magazine.