Turning Pain into Passion: The Drive Behind a Survivor’s Giving Spirit

Play and work with joy is a mantra Michael Van Every lives by. In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel and Amber are joined by Michael, who was injured in a house fire as a child. Growing up, Michael knew he was different from his peers but never let that stop him. Over time, he found his own voice through playing sports, from the support of his parents, and believing in himself.

Now, Michael is the President and Managing Partner of Republic Urban Properties and is deeply committed to giving back. His journey has led him to reconnect with the Regional Burn Center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where he was once a patient. Through fundraising events and advocacy efforts, Michael is dedicated to helping survivors overcome their emotional and mental battles. His unwavering dedication is a moving testament to the power of resilience and the human spirit.

Meet Michael Van Every

Michael Van Every is the President and Managing Partner of Republic Urban Properties, the Bay Area flagships of the Republic Family of Companies. Mr. Van Every works with Federal, State and Local governments on the creation and development of ‘smart growth’ projects, such as master-planned communities near transportation hubs; urban mixed-use projects near major employment centers; and innovative, public-private partnerships. The Republic Family of Companies is known for developing institutional-quality real estate throughout the United States, from land development, to historic adaptive reuse to shopping malls.

In his 25 years of working experience representing major institutional and private real estate developers in the greater Bay Area, Van Every has earned the reputation as a man with the leadership, the knowledge, the experience, and tenacity to see complicated projects through from land acquisition to completion. Under Van Every’s leadership, RUP has gained national attention for its Transit Orientated Development (TOD) projects at key transit stations working as the premier public-private partner with many transit authorities across California.

Since 2006, as the managing partner of RUP, Van Every has been involved with the planning, financing, construction and delivery of 1,238 multifamily units and 145,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space. In addition to the multifamily pipeline, RUP has approximately 380 hotels rooms, 151,000 square feet of office, and 120,000 square feet of retail in various stages of development. The estimated hypothetical market value among projects is projected at $1.5 billion in value.

A third-generation San Jose native, Van Every holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University at Fresno. Van Every is an active member of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and he serves as a Board Member on San Jose Stage Company. Michael is married and lives with his wife Jennifer and Jacob in the Willow Glen Neighborhood of San Jose.