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My three sonsBy Pamela Cotant
"It couldn't be a better situation," Keller said. "It's been a win-win situation." Today the four Kellers work together and sometimes separately as part of a number of businesses that are collectively referred to as the Keller Real Estate Group of Madison. Now 79 and reducing his workload, Bob Keller can laugh when his sons, Tom, 48, Dave, 44, and Dan, 41, sarcastically respond and chuckle when their father is asked about his current responsibilities. Bob Keller doesn't seem to mind being the butt of his kids' jokes and it's apparent he has an easy-going relationship with his boys who in turn respect him. The Keller brothers also joke among themselves. For example, Dave Keller ribbed the youngest brother, Dan Keller, about purchasing a condominium at Nolen Shore rather than at his project. Dave and Tom Keller are completing Madison's Monroe Commons, which combines condominiums and commercial space, including Trader Joe's grocery store. It's been a long process and unquestionably their most difficult project. Dan Keller took his brother's jab in stride and later said his purchase of a condominium at Nolen Shore allowed him to purchase a unit sooner and live Downtown. Bob and Dave Keller also live in Madison while Tom Keller lives in Middleton. Dave Keller used the operation of a restaurant to describe the role each family member plays in Keller Real Estate Group. Dave Keller said he would be the person who works the front of the house, greeting customers. Tom Keller works on financing and analysis. "Dan would make sure the dishes get out on time," he said. Bob Keller said he "keeps the people happy till we get them all upset." The Keller brothers have ownership in the family's brokerage, management and development businesses and on any day, any Keller might be answering phones, showing apartments or sweeping leaves off the sidewalk if the work needs to be done. They have three other employees. "You don't mind doing somebody's job for a little while," Dave Keller said about working at a family business. "We don't really have titles. I'm a Keller." Bob Keller, who sold the Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal door-to-door starting at age 9, began selling real estate in 1950 for a firm that no longer exists. Then in 1953 he formed his own company, called Keller Real Estate, and sold homes and lots. Not long after that he started selling some income property and eventually sold commercial real estate. Then in the late 1950s, Keller ventured into development when he sold 25 single-family lots and built a house on one of them -- an experience that made him realize he didn't want to build any more homes. As Bob Keller began to sell more commercial property, he started buying properties himself and that led to property management. In the 1990s, he partnered with Joe Krupp to build Wilson Bay, an apartment building, and seven years ago they collaborated on Bedford Court condominiums. Not long after, Bob Keller developed City Place apartments and then Tuscan Place -- a mixed use building with apartments and commercial space. Bob Keller, whose office has always been within four blocks of the Capitol, has operated out of a 1931 Art Deco style office building he has owned at 448 W. Washington Ave. for 14 years. Keller's four sons, including the second-oldest, Jim, 46, all graduated from Edgewood High School. Then one by one, they all came to work for their father except Jim, who does language translations through his own business in Los Angeles but is a partner in some of the Keller developments. Tom Keller attended college with the idea of becoming a professional musician, but soon realized it made more sense to study business and also did some commercial brokerage work for his father. Later he joined Joe Gallina when he formed Gallina Real Estate. Dave Keller also attended college and then did some commercial brokerage work for his father. He then worked for the Alexander Company. In 2001, Tom and Dave Keller stopped working for others to form Keller Development and developed DeForest Town Square. Later came Monroe Commons, and they have other projects in the works. Tom and Dave Keller also worked with their other brothers and two cousins to develop Washington Court -- an apartment project that combined old and new construction a block from the Keller office. Dan Keller attended technical college and then came to work for his father, first doing sales and now handling property management for Keller Management Co. These days, a number of property management hours are spent on Whitcomb Square, a 66-unit senior apartment complex on Madison's West Side. In addition, Dan Keller owns some rental property on his own. Other family members also have connections to the Keller businesses. Bob Keller's first wife, Jane Keller, who died in 1984, and his sister, Mary Louise Copenhaver, served as secretaries. Bob Keller, who later married Catherine Kestle, manages Park Village, a Beaver Dam shopping center off Highway 33. The center, which includes a ShopKo, McDonald's, Piggly Wiggly and other stores, was started by Bob Keller and his father, Clarence Keller. The late Clarence Keller was once the mayor of Beaver Dam. Besides the business, the Kellers share an interest in tennis and will sometimes play against each other at family get-togethers. Kestle plays in national tournaments. The Kellers get along and said they don't have big disagreements because they each have areas they manage. It doesn't mean they don't try to influence how something is done. "We're not afraid to stick our nose in somebody else's tent and give our 2 cents worth," Tom Keller said. Family members can give their opinions but the person in charge of that area has the final say. "Some of the time they listen, some of the time they don't," Dan Keller said. Pamela Cotant is a Madison freelance writer. pcotant@mailbag.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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