Real Estate: CARL L. HARDEE
PRESIDENT AND CEO, LAWSON COS., NORFOLK
Published
Hardee has been with Lawson more than half of its 50 years, becoming president and CEO in July 2016. He oversees a 198-employee company with 4,600 apartment units across Virginia, with 1,200 units in development.
Hardee graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1987. A U.S. Army veteran, he serves on TowneBank’s Portsmouth/Suffolk board and loan committee, Southeast Virginia Community Foundation’s board and Virginia Housing’s Rental Advisory Board. In June, Lawson was named a Top 50 Affordable Housing Developer by Affordable Housing Finance magazine.
PERSON I ADMIRE: My father, Ernie Hardee. He taught me valuable life lessons even when I didn’t ask for them. (I didn’t realize until later in life that I needed the guidance on these unprompted lessons.)
WHAT I’VE LEARNED: I was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer after returning from the first Gulf War. I’ve learned that every day is a blessing. My goal is to have a positive impact on everyone I encounter because God gave me the gift of today.
