mark winkleman mark winkleman

Transcription

A R I Z O N A ’ S
P U B L I C AT I O N
F O R
T H E
C O M M E R C I A L
R E A L
E S T AT E
I N D U S T R Y
MARK
WINKLEMAN
ARIZONA LAND
COMMISSIONER
Featured Brokers
Gee Gee Entz &
Patti Gentry
Senior Vice Presidents at
Coldwell Banker Commercial
Company Profile
Thomas Title & Escrow
Frank Busch and
Diane Carpenter
Contents
6
6
Issue 10 • 2008
15 24 27
Cover Story
Mark Winkleman
Executive Publisher
Mandy Purcell
[email protected]
Arizona Land Commissioner
Publisher/Editor
Carol Perry
12
Making Headlines
[email protected]
Editor
Tara Fink
15
Featured Brokers
Gee Gee Entz & Patti Gentry
Coldwell Banker Commercial
21
24
People & Properties
Executive Q&A
Sherry Sentgeorge
AZCREW
Commercial Executive magazine
27
32
Company Profile
News You Can Use
The Key To Being Predictably Lucrative
34
Industry News
Creative Director
Bob Olsen
[email protected]
Graphics Assistant
Caprice Perry
Contributing Writers
Charlotte Christian
Kerry Duff
Kathleen O'Brien Thompson
Shannon Selby
Photography
photobyjl.com
Linda Lee Story
© 2008 by MP Magazines LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be
reprinted or reproduced without publishers permission.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons
quoted and not necessarily those of CEM.
CEM is a monthly publication.
America’s Third Most Livable Big City
P.O. Box 10398
Phoenix, AZ 85064-0398
Phone: 480-946-0398
fax: 480-946-1416
www.cem-az.com
4
Letter from the Publisher
O
One of my favorite authors, Tim Sanders, has released a new book titled Saving the World at Work: What
Companies and Individuals Can Do to Go Beyond Making a Profit to Making a Difference. This is one of
those books that is a “must read” today. The general theme is that we all have the ability to improve our
lives and the lives of others through service.
This month we are pleased to feature Land Commissioner Mark Winkelman, who through his work with
Arizona State Land is making a huge difference in public education. Read all about how Mark and his
team are accomplishing so much for this state.
We also highlight Gee Gee Entz and Patti Gentry of Coldwell Banker Commercial. These two highly
successful women manage to find time in their very busy schedules to make a difference through their
work with Heart Ball, Arizona Kidney Foundation, Phoenix Symphony, Sun Angel Foundation, and
Barrow Neurological Foundation.
Although Thomas Title & Escrow is a young company, they sure aren’t acting like one. Frank Busch and
Diane Carpenter, in their first year in operation, have accomplished feats that others, who have been in the
industry much longer, only wish they could achieve.
This morning, Mandy and I attended the Valley Partnership Friday Morning Breakfast. We had the
opportunity to hear the challenges of a family living with a blind child. They discussed the daily struggles
they face trying to teach their child everything from basic safety to buttering pancakes. Many of you are
aware that the Valley Partnership will soon be hosting their November 8th event for the 21st Annual
Community Project - Foundation for Blind Children. This organization brings folks from all over the valley
to make a difference in the lives of families in our community. To learn more about this organization or to
get involved, visit www.valleypartnership.org.
Enjoy this issue and then go out today and “save the world!”
Mandy Purcell
Executive Publisher
[email protected]
Carol Perry
Publisher
[email protected]
Subscribe at
www.cem-az.com
5
Mandy Purcell Carol Perry
Cover Story
ARIZ
6
Photo, Jean Louis Husson
By Kathleen O'Brien Thompson
Mark Winkleman
ONA
Phoenix Vice Mayor Peggy Neely
states, “Mark is extremely
knowledgeable in real estate matters,
both commercial and land. His
expertise in the industry has allowed
him to change the way the Arizona
State Land Department does
business. He has streamlined the
process which has allowed projects to
occur that otherwise may not have.
Mark always finds a positive way to
address issues and is a pleasure to
work with.” Cities and counties have
also noticed the changes. But doing
something important for Arizona’s
future is what is most satisfying to
Winkleman and his staff.
History in the Making
At the eastern edge of Mesa and
Apache Junction is a 275 square mile
tract of land with one owner: the
7
MARK WINKLEMAN presides over
an agency of 150 people. As
Arizona’s Land Commissioner, he
is the face of that agency. He
provides the overall direction and
vision, but emphasizes, “I’m not
the person doing the day-to-day
work. My staff doesn’t get nearly
enough credit.” Yet the land
department’s activities are visible.
Under Winkleman’s direction, the
classroom site fund (which was
set up by the legislature to fund
teachers’ salaries and help reduce
classroom size) went from zero to
a $100 million contribution this
past fiscal year.
Land Commissioner
Arizona State Land Department.
Superstition Vistas is the project
Winkleman is most excited about.
Directly in the path of growth, the
area has “land that is perfect for
development and some that should
never be developed,” according to
Winkleman. When asked who will
decide how the land is developed, he
mentions the Superstition Steering
Committee, a group of roughly 15 or
20 members whose mission is to
provide vision and planning for the
project. The goal is to be a model for
what can be done and to create
something unique. Thoughtful and
well-planned development of this
land could yield billions of dollars for
public education for Arizona,
preserve important scenic and
ecological areas unique to the state,
and provide a model for responsible
future development of all of Arizona's
state trust lands.
The project involves collaboration
between several groups, including:
the Sonoran Institute, Salt River
Project, Pinal County, Town of Queen
Creek, City of Apache Junction, City
of Mesa, and Florence with support
from East Valley Partnership and the
Arizona State Land Department.
While all of the committee members
Planned perfection, Superstition
Vistas is a project that brings pride
to Winkleman and to the Arizona
State Land Department
8
will have input, some of the best
consultants in the country have also
been hired. Robert Grow, the
founding chair emeritus of Envision
Utah, and widely considered the
father of the “smart growth”
movement, has signed onto the
project. Winkleman is pleased that
forward thinking experts are being
brought in. For economic analysis
feasibility and land planning
sustainability, RCLCO, Fregonese
Associates and EDAW were also hired.
Century Planning
The preliminary idea is to create
an entire city of up to one million
people, with the Superstition
Mountains as the backdrop.
Winkleman describes the planning as
holistic. “We have the rare opportunity to plan from scratch because we
are the sole owner. We can be strategic when planning infrastructure and
the transportation corridor. The hope
is that we do something better than
Self Funded – The Most
Critical Issue to Taxpayers
Thoughtful and well-planned development of
this land could yield billions of dollars for public
education for Arizona, preserve important scenic
and ecological areas unique to the state, and
provide a model for responsible future
development of all of Arizona's state trust lands.
9
If Superstition Vistas is the most
progressive and exciting thing that
Winkleman is involved in, then
funding for the Land Department is
the most frustrating. The department
generates hundreds of millions of
dollars for the benefit of the state,
but unlike most trusts, they don’t
fund their own operation. In tougher
financial years, their budget is cut –
limiting their ability to move
forward. Winkleman’s real estate
background provides him with the
ability to see long-term and he
believes that “fortunes will be made
in the down market.” Continuing to
provide opportunities for purchasing
or leasing state land is part of that
optimistic outlook. But without the
necessary staff and budget, it makes
planning and development much
different, from Winkleman’s
perspective. “Even though I don’t
have a quarterly profit I need to
make,” he states, “public education
and the other beneficiaries we help
fund, look to us to generate revenue.
A reduced budget means less revenue.”
Several propositions have been put
forth to change the Land Department
to self-funding, but due to the way in
which they have been packaged
(added to other propositions that
have not garnered enough support),
the initiative has not passed. The
proposal is one that Winkleman
believes to make both common sense
and business sense. “We can take a
percentage of the revenue we
generate to support ourselves and our
operations based on a business plan.
It would take the burden off of the
taxpayers and would enable us to
generate even more money for
education,” Winkleman states
emphatically.
Photo, Jean Louis Husson
what’s been done in the past,” he
says. The committee has evaluated
communities such as Irvine Ranch in
Newport Beach, California, where
100,000 acres were master-planned.
The Superstition Steering Committee
wants to formulate a new model for
development, due to the massive size
and duration of a project that could
potentially span a century.
Although the development process
will naturally evolve, pains are being
taken to consider every eventuality –
such as the possibility that the community will one day be able to
generate its own electricity.
Winkleman has personally spent a
great deal of time on Superstition
Vistas. “I think it is one of the most
important projects we have. All the
surrounding counties are participating
and they have all given time and
money. It’s a real cooperative effort
and I’m optimistic we can come up
with a new and better plan,” he states.
10
‘Surprising’ Success
Good Neighbors
Prior to his appointment as State
Land Commissioner by Governor
Janet Napolitano, a friend and former classmate at University of
Virginia Law School, Winkleman was
president of MGS Realty Partners.
The company owned and operated
several office buildings. His experience in real estate spans over 25
years and also includes working with
other real estate companies where he
purchased, operated, managed and
sold commercial properties valued in
the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Projects included the Arizona
Biltmore Hotel, Biltmore Fashion
Park, Arizona Mills, First American
Title Building, National Bank Tower,
and Town & Country Shopping
Center. In addition, he was a partner
in the Real Estate Group of the law
firm Streich Lang. Winkleman was
certified as a real estate specialist by
the Arizona State Bar, has been a frequent speaker at various real estate
panels and published several articles.
Ironically, Winkleman is the first
land commissioner to have a real
estate background. Since 2003, he’s
had the responsibility to act as a
trustee in the management of over 9
million acres of State Trust Land,
500,000 acres of which is located in
major Arizona cities. Winkleman’s
initial goal of maximizing revenues
from the disposition of urban lands
through the auction process has
proven successful. The Land
Department has achieved sales in
excess of $1.6 billion. This unprecedented total far exceeds the
combined sales of the preceding 88
years. Winkleman is modest about
his success and in fact, is surprised
by it. “I had no experience in government, but in some ways, I think that
has been an advantage in getting
through the bureaucratic process.”
Winkleman’s key to success in the
community has been his approach.
His combined law and real estate
business experience has given him
the acumen to work well with the
real estate industry and Arizona’s
cities. He clearly states his mission as
a fiduciary is to generate revenue for
his beneficiaries. Additionally, his
goal is to work with neighbors of the
state’s land to accomplish things
together, not compete. “I’ve always
held the belief that it is important to
not step in and say, ‘We’re the state,’
if you treat us like adjoining property
owners, then we can work together,”
he comments.
A case in point is the excellent
relationship his department has built
with the city of Phoenix. However,
relationships can also be built with
the more challenging jurisdictions.
The end result can be a win-win
situation when cooperation is the key
tenet. Concentrating on
complementary goals is the answer,
but can take time. An annexation in
Fountain Hills and an expected
annexation for Cave Creek are prime
examples. The latter has been in the
process for five years. Winkleman
says his department is also working
on developing the same positive
relationship with Scottsdale that they
have achieved with Phoenix.
Fly Guy
Mark
Winkleman
Future Politico?
When the inevitable question of whether or
not Winkleman would pursue a future career
in politics arises, he is quick to reply that he
doesn’t see that as part of his career path.
Even though he finds
public service gratifying
in many ways,
Winkleman believes the
outdated laws and
conflicting interests
that he faces day-to-day
have been enough to
quell any future plans.
“I never imagined
myself in government. I
was asked to take on
this position and I
believe we have made a
real difference, but
politics is not for me.”
In the meantime, while
he holds his current
position in Arizona
state government, he is excited
by the challenges of his job, “We
live in a wonderful place – with
wonderful opportunities to
come,” Winkleman says, as he
looks at a floor to ceiling map of
the Arizona State Trust Land and smiles. ●
Mark on his 18th birthday
and his close friend Tom
Rystrom celebrating the
state championship
Arizona State Land Department
1616 W. Adams
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 542-4621
[email protected]
11
One of the greatest benefits of the position,
according to Winkleman, is being able to get out and
see the wealth of land that he manages. It
would be unrealistic to see the immense
tracts of land he oversees by car, so he often
has the privilege of taking helicopters. One
of the more nerve-wracking experiences involved a visit
to the Marine base in the southwestern part of the
state. Winkleman was flown over the land in an official
search and rescue helicopter. Everything was fine until
the pilot banked hard right and the only thing keeping
him in was a frayed seat belt. “I was looking straight
down at the ground flying past me and then back at
the seatbelt…I remember praying that it would
hold,” he laughs.
Perhaps the best test of his nerves (and his
stomach) was his flight in an F-16 out at Luke Air
Force base. “Arizona has a lot of land out there,
and the Commander wanted me to see the impact
of development on their mission,” he explains.
The day gave him a greater understanding of their
activities, but it was also, “one of the coolest
things I’ve ever done in my life!” Winkleman goes
on to describe the feeling of sitting in the cockpit
ready for take-off, knowing he was about to go
hundreds of miles per hour. In fact, he got up to
210 mph with a vertical climb that left him feeling
like he was rising 90 degrees. Ten seconds later,
the aircraft was at 15,000 feet when the pilot
flipped the plane upside down. Winkleman
admits, “Now, I’m wondering if I’m going to
puke.” After the pilot had fun with him,
Winkleman was allowed to fly the
plane. Later, the pilot told Winkleman
that they had pulled 8.8 g’s, which
didn’t surprise him. He knew they had
previously broken the sound barrier. “I
think they like to test you, but I didn’t
black out or throw up,” he adds. The
best revenge, though, was that
Winkleman knew some of the
landmarks better than the pilot.
Maria Baier, City of Phoenix Councilwoman for
District 3 and fellow alumni of the ‘F-16 club,’ has
become a friend outside of their professional
responsibilities. What she likes best about Winkleman is
that, “He knows good Canadian whiskey and plays a
mean guitar!” Of course in reality, Baier has worked
with Winkleman on several significant public policy
issues and has been impressed with his work. “Mark is
progressive in his thinking and professional in his
conduct. The state has benefited immensely from his
public service, and it is a privilege to work with him.”
The Big Deals and the Brokers Who Made Them Happen
Making
Headlines
Coldwell Banker NRT
negotiates $1,925 million
sale of Tempe Marine in
Chandler, Ariz
Tom Semancik of Coldwell Banker
Commercial NRT represented the
buyer, Leighton Roberts II Revocable
Trust in Phoenix, Ariz 480-949-9537.
Leighton Roberts represented the
owner, McGraw Real Estate Holdings,
LLC 480-612-1700
Tom Semancik
Tempe Marine, 1800 N Arizona Ave
Chandler, AZ, 14821 SF, Price $1,925,000.00, Type: Retail
Loop 101–I-10 Commerceplex
CB Richard Ellis Negotiates 12,900Square-Foot Lease at Loop 101 & I-10
CommercePlex in Tolleson, Ariz.
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has negotiated a 12,900square-foot lease at Phase I of the Loop 101 & I-10
CommercePlex in Tolleson, Ariz.
Pat Feeney and Dan Calihan of CBRE’s Phoenix office
represented the building’s owner and developer, EJM
Development Co. of Los Angeles, Calif., and the tenant,
Regal Distributing Company of Lenexa, Kan., in structuring the two-year lease agreement. The exact financial
terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Transwestern Arranges New 10-year
Phoenix Lease
Transwestern has announced that its Phoenix office has
12
arranged a new $7 million, 10-year lease, on behalf of
Transwestern Investment Company.
The new lease secures 20,258 square
feet of space located at Three
Gateway, 410 N. 44th street in
Phoenix for GSA – Transportation
Security Administration.
Phoenix Gateway Center is a class
“A” office park comprised of three
properties totaling 432,592 square
feet situated on
12.57 acres of
Jim Achen, Jr.
land. The property completed upgrades to its common areas in 2008.
“We were pleased to secure this
long-term lease for our client. With
more than 80,000 square feet leased
at Gateway this year alone, this first
class office park has a superior location, which continues to attract solid
Bill Zurek
tenants despite the challenging economic environment,” said Jim Achen Jr., Senior Vice
President.
Jim Achen Jr. and Bill Zurek, Senior Vice Presidents
with Transwestern’s agency leasing team represented the
landlord Transwestern Phoenix Gateway, LLC. The tenant,
GSA – Transportation Security Administration was represented by Timothy Pavek of Carpenter/ Robbins.
Bill Alter, of Rein & Grossoehme
Commercial Real Estate negotiates the
sale of two portfolios in Texas.
The sale of a two-property self storage portfolio in Texas
consisting of 1,562 units and 149,000 square feet. The
properties were located in Corpus Christi and Austin and
were operated under the name of Central Self Storage.
The combined sales price was just over $9,800,000 and
represented a combined cap rate of approximately 7.3%
based on actual economic occupancy of approximately
65%. Both properties were owned by entities controlled
by an investor in Mill Valley, CA and were purchased by
Greg DiDonna
Kyler Kienholz
Josh Cook
Real Estate Lending Services
602-553-7445 – Direct
[email protected]
Real Estate Lending Services
602.553.7475 -Direct
[email protected]
Mortgage Banking Manager
602-553-7467 – Direct
[email protected]
Presented by
Promenade Branch
16435 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 140
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
480-612-6500 Phone • 480-612-6510 Fax
Making Headlines
Esplanade Branch
2525 E. Camelback Road, Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602.553.7444 Phone • 602.553.7449 Fax
Lincoln Branch
6500 N. Scottsdale Road
480-374-6800 Phone • 480-374-6818 Fax
E.B.S., Inc. from San Diego, CA. They will now be operated under the trade name of American Self Storage.
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, LLC represented both
buyer and seller in the sale transaction.
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial Completes
Sale of v3 Corporate Center
CB Richard Ellis Negotiates $7.25 Million
Sale of Mesa Executive Park in Mesa, Ariz.
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, LLC & Lee &
Associates, announced they have jointly completed the
sale of the V3 Corporate Center located at 1048 N. 44th St.
in Phoenix, Arizona. Granite Capital Investments, Inc.
from Dublin, CA purchased the 40,026-square-foot, Class
A office building for $10.5 million.
Built in 2006, this multi-tenant building was 100 percent leased at the
time of sale and included unique
improvements such as flat screen televisions in the restrooms, on-site fitness facility and a large rooftop
bar/patio. Tenants of the property
included V3 Landmark Engineering,
Meridian West
Development,
Eric Wichterman
Pinnacle Design
& Blockbuster Video. Meridian West
HQ, LLC of Phoenix was the developer and seller.
Eric Wichterman and Ann Sondrol
with Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial,
LLC and Steve Kohls with Lee and
Associates collaborated to market the
property and represented both parAnn Sondrol
ties in the sale.
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has negotiated the sale of
Mesa Executive Park, an 80,067-square-foot office complex located at 1255 W. Baseline Road in Mesa, Ariz.
Bob Young, Steve Brabant, Glenn Smigiel and Rick
Abraham of CBRE’s Phoenix office represented the seller,
KBS Realty Advisors of Newport Beach, Calif., in structuring the $7.25 million transaction. The buyer was Wilson
Property Services Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz.
Mesa Executive Park is a suburban office park consisting of four, two-story buildings, interconnected by elevated walkways and lush interior courtyard landscaping. The
property’s location, at the southwest corner of Baseline
and Alma School roads, offers convenient access to the
area’s numerous restaurant and retail amenities, as well as
the U.S. 60 freeway, one-half mile away.
Built in 1982, Mesa Executive Park was 61 percent
leased at the time of sale. Its diverse tenant mix includes
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Maricopa County Environmental Services and Southwest Behavioral Health Services.
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial Completes
Sale of Litchfield Park Plaza
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has negotiated the sale of a
27,576-square-foot warehouse building located at 1976 E.
Fifth St. in Tempe, Ariz.
Andrew Brigham, Bill Bayless, Barry Gabel, Mindy
Korth and Mark Dancer of CBRE’s Phoenix office represented the seller, 5 G’s Realty Company of Phoenix, Ariz.,
in negotiating the $2.62 million transaction. The buyer,
Russell Sigler Inc. of Tolleson, Ariz., was represented by
Jim McCabe of Realty Executives in Phoenix.
Built in 1983, Russell Sigler Inc. moved into the singletenant industrial building this month. The company,
which provides commercial and residential air conditioning contractors with equipment, parts, supplies and technical support, has additional locations in Nevada, New
Mexico and Texas.
continued on page 19
Regina Creel
Kathy Camacho
Relationship Manager, Vice President
602-553-7490 – Direct
[email protected]
Deposit Services – Scottsdale Branches
480.612.6525 – Direct
[email protected]
13
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, LLC, announced it has
completed the sale of Litchfield Park Plaza I, a five-building office complex located at 501-555 E. Plaza Circle Drive
in Litchfield.
Giurland, Inc., from San Fransisco, purchased the 23,691square-foot property through its advisory agent, PSAI
Realty Partners, also of San Francisco, for approximately
$3.8 million from LPPI, LLC, from Modesta, Calif.
Ray Harris, Eric Witchterman and Ann Sondrol with
CB Richard Ellis Negotiates Sale of 27,576Square-Foot Warehouse Building in
Tempe, Ariz.
A Trusted Name For
Real Estate Investment Funds
I
Acquisitions
I
Leasing
I
Property
F
For nearly three decades, Cole has been acquiring, improving and managing
high-quality, retail real estate across the United States. Cole related entities
currently own approximately $3.2 billion in assets in 45 states.
Call us today if you are selling, interested in leasing or developing
retail properties.
Management
I
Development
Acquisitions
John J. Cona
Director of Acquisitions
[email protected]
602.778.8762
Development
Jeff Simpson
Senior Vice President of Investments
[email protected]
602.778.8775
Leasing
Brett K. Sheets
Vice President of Leasing
[email protected]
602.778.8791
© 2008 Cole Capital Advisors, Inc. All rights reserved. The
tenants and properties pictured, which may contain illustrative
renderings of properties, are illustrative of the types of tenants
and properties that have been acquired by Cole Companies.
Cole is not affiliated or associated with, is not endorsed by,
does not endorse, and is not sponsored by or a sponsor of the
tenants or of their products or services pictured or mentioned.
The names, logos and all related product and service names,
design marks, and slogans are the trademarks or service marks
of their respective companies.
2555 East Camelback Road
Suite 400
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
www.ColeCapital.com
888.677.2653
Presented by
By Christia Gibbons
Photos by Linda Story
Featured Brokers
Gee Gee
Entz
&
Patti
Gentry
Gee Gee Entz and Patti Gentry
are the rare exception to the
rule that money and friendship
don’t mix. In addition to closing
$900 million in commercial
real estate transactions over
the years, these two women
have managed to forge a
solid friendship, one that
began at IBM.
I
came to work at IBM when Gee
Gee was on maternity leave and I
specifically remember the day
she brought [her daughter] Lori in,”
Gentry says. She was awed. “Gee Gee
was this great figure at IBM and I’d
heard about her.
The two women, currently senior vice
presidents at Coldwell Banker
Commercial NRT in the Esplanade, have
parlayed their success at IBM into pioneering careers in an industry mostly
filled with men.
“
15
Senior Vice Presidents Gee Gee Entz
and Patti Gentry
Entz went from IBM to CB Richard
Ellis and spent 15 years there before
joining Coldwell Banker in 1997.
Gentry followed Entz to CB Richard
Ellis but eventually landed at Bank of
America, selling commercial foreclosured properties in the wake of the
RTC scandal. She subsequently
launched her own company, with the
Phelps Dodge Tower as her only
client. Along with CB Richard Ellis,
she leased 95 percent of the building
and started weighing her options.
Entz stepped in to try to convince
her friend to come to Coldwell
Banker Commercial in 2003. “She
could have gone anywhere with her
experience, and her qualifications as
a saleswoman,” Entz said.
After carefully evaluating her situation, Gentry said she came to
Coldwell Banker Commercial for the
work environment, the quality of the
peer group and, “I saw it as a place I
could achieve my goals.”
Gee Gee and Patti first partnered
in 2004, around the time they were
individually working on the 900-acre
Williams Gateway Trade Zone. They
completed three sales worth $75 million on the project.
Don Brigham, executive vice president and Coldwell Banker’s designated broker, says, “Both women are
experienced, professional commercial real estate people; both are very
knowledgeable about office leasing.”
Brigham says he marvels at their
working relationship. “It’s an unusual
partnership. They split everything no
matter who does what work,” he
says. “I’ve never seen them argue.”
“I think it’s out of respect,” he
adds. “They just respect each other.”
Entz concurs.
“We respect each
other, we’re friends,
we work very well
together and it’s just
been excellent.”
Gee Gee Entz
Patti Gentry
16
6
Gentry adds that they read each
other well and “we don’t question
each other’s decisions. We have confidence in each other.”
When Patti tosses out the word
“pioneer” to describe her friend and
partner, Gee Gee says she never
thought about the risk involved in
being a woman in the almost exclusively male world of commercial real
estate. “That’s how stupid I was,” she
chuckles.
Their years of friendship provided
a handy backdrop to keep up with
each other’s careers. All along the
way, they’ve hiked and gone on skiing
trips together.
Both are committed to finding balance in their lives; creating time for
family, friends and taking vacations.
Gee Gee enjoys long weekend vacations and has recently spent time in
Sun Valley, Oregon, Montana,
California and Colorado. This summer she took her daughter Lori, who
is married and lives in San Francisco
with her husband, to the Aspen Food
& Wine Festival.
In addition to travel, Entz enjoys
throwing exquisite dinner parties,
and entertaining. “I like to cook and
entertain,” she says. “It’s about honoring people with a pretty table setting, good food – lots of wine.”
Patti likes to plan one big trip a
year with her husband, Harrison,
traveling to places that reflect their
interests. While visiting the Vatican
last year, they toured an exclusive
room filled with the robes of former
popes. On another vacation, they
spent an hour freezing in the Hanoi
Hilton, the infamous Vietnamese
prison. “I have a curiosity about how
other people live and curiosity about
history and art history,” she says.
“My goal, before I’m too old, is to see
the world.”
A single mother, Gee Gee raised
her daughter Lori, while climbing the
corporate ladder. In addition to her
daughter and her career, she managed to find time for worthy causes.
She is a past chairman of the Heart
Ball and is still very active as an advisor, on the Woman’s Board of the
Arizona Kidney Foundation, where
she served as President and
Chairman of the Authors Luncheon
as well as key Committee member
positions for the Heard Museum, and
Phoenix Art Museum events.
Nan Howlett, the chairwoman of
this year’s Heart Ball, describes Entz
as “unbelievably bubbly and energetic. There’s no project too big, too
complex or too expensive.”
“Gee Gee has a wonderful heart
and always has a kind thing to say
about everyone,” Howlett says.
Entz says her charity work is a
“great way to give back to the community and stay in touch with
people.” She also is involved with
business professional groups and
Charter 100.
Gentry also feels compelled to
serve the community. “I’m like Gee
Gee, I’m involved,” she says. “I
Gee Gee and
daughter Lori
Patti participating
in the Rock n Roll
Marathon
Gee Gee at
her desk
17
learned philanthropy from my grandfather who said, ‘Those who have
need to give back.’ ”
Several charities benefit from
Gentrys passion and commitment.
She once walked 20 miles a day, for
three straight days to raise money for
breast cancer awareness.
She also works with the Sun Angel
Foundation. Lisa Love, Arizona State
University athletic director, says
Gentry “has been incredibly successful in leading the effort, particularly
the fund-raising for female athletes.”
An annual campaign started two
years ago has raised more than
$250,000 for the university’s 12 women
varsity teams. “She’s been able to
ring the bell and men and women
alike have answered the call,” Love
points out. “She has boundless ener-
gy. She sees it, visualizes it. Patti
doesn’t settle.” Gentry also is president
of the Burns Family Foundation.
Gentry and her family support causes
in the community that they feel a
personal connection with.
Entz and Gentry share a philanthropic interest, both serving on the
prestigious board of directors for the
Barrow Neurological Institute.
The two friends also take time to
take care of themselves through hikes
in the desert, spinning classes, and
for Gentry, walking her Cavalier King
Charles Spaniel, Davidson.
Both talk of the great risk that
comes in a profession where transactions can take six months to a year,
and the importance of the right mentality to stay the course.
“I like the independence of sales,”
Gee Gee says. “You’re managing your
own business and creating your own
goals and opportunity. The
best of the best go
into commercial
real estate; you’re competing against
a sophisticated, knowledgeable group
of people.”
Gentry adds, “You take the risk and
get a huge reward.”
“We’re two independent people, not
a piece of the puzzle, not like one
person needing to be propped up,”
Entz says of their partnership. “Ditto
to that,” Gentry adds. “We’re both
very independent, but know how to
get along together.”
Women bring different abilities to
the transaction table, the two say. “I
think it has more to do with how we
listen,” Gee Gee says. “That’s why a
client wants us. We can read people
well.”
Gee Gee Entz and Patti Gentry
Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT
2525 East Camelback Road #150
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-224-6000
Don Brigham says he’s compiled a long
list of the sage advice the two women
have offered over the years, often
referring to it during team meetings.
He lifts his folder and plucks out a few
thoughts from Entz and Gentry on
what it takes to succeed in the
commercial real estate arena:
> Make time for family
> Read eight books a year
> Exercise
> Join business-related groups
> Learn to read a financial statement
And his favorite bit of wisdom
learned from Entz and Gentry?
“ Don’t learn tricks of the trade,
learn the trade.”
18
Making Headlines
continued from page 13
food and beverage markets. Other
tenants at the property include
Arizona Tile, Chep USA, ParcelPort,
Trane, Big D Flooring, Copper State
Battery, Mygrant Glass and Hardigg
Industries.
Loop 101 & I-10
CommercePlex
is currently 81
percent leased.
Located in proximity to the Interstate 10 and Loop 101
interchange, the 222,288-square-foot Loop 101 & I-10
CommercePlex offers tenants freeway access to virtually
anywhere in the Valley. Each of the project’s three multitenant buildings are equipped with grade-level and dockhigh loading, as well as ample truck maneuverability. By
Mindy Korth
Grubb & Ellis|BRE
Commercial Completes
Sale of Camelwest Plaza
Andrew Brigham
Bill Bayless
Barry Gabel
incorporating other best of class features, such as skylights, ESFR fire protection and 277/480 volts of power,
the project appeals to a wide variety of tenants. Loop 101
& I-10 CommercePlex is located at 10297, 10199 and
10115 W. Van Buren St.
Plans call for Regal Distributing Company to open its
new location at Loop 101 & I-10 CommercePlex this
month, where it will serve regional and national customers
in the core healthcare, facility management and quick
Mark Dancer
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial,
LLC, announced it has completed the sale of Camelwest
Plaza, 1951 and 2001 W. Camelback Road in Phoenix.
California-based Fenway Properties purchased the
173,388-square-foot office development, which includes
two four-story buildings and two three-story parking
garages for $9.5 million. Koll Bren Fund V, managed by
Koll Bren Schreiber Realty Advisors of Newport Beach,
was the seller.
Built in 1986, Camelwest Plaza is located on 5.15-acres
and is adjacent to one of the new light-rail stations that
19
Announcements • Press Releases • Promotions • Awards • Community Info
CB Richard Ellis Announces Another
LEED® Accredited Project Manager
The Phoenix office of CB
Richard Ellis (CBRE) announces
Allyson Calvert, a senior project
manager, has earned her LEED®
accreditation from the U.S. Green
Building Council. LEED stands for
Leadership
in
Energy
and
Environmental Design.
Calvert, who joined CBRE in
2001, has 14 years experience in
project management, supervising a Allyson Calvert
variety of capital and tenant
improvement projects for institutional clients. She is currently responsible for a number of
medical office projects, including the 500,000 square-foot
LaSalle medical portfolio in metropolitan Phoenix. Other
significant assignments include the design and construction of a 50,000-square-foot executive office and call center for American Express in Singapore, as well as tactical
and strategic planning for its 1.8 million-square-foot portfolio in Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
A resident of Phoenix, Calvert has a bachelor’s degree in
interior design from Northern Arizona University. She
also holds the American Society of Interior Design (ASID)
professional designation and has earned her National
Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).
Calvert joins Tracy Randall and Kamy Goldfarb, two
another project managers in CBRE’s local market, who
also have earned their LEED® accreditation.
Highlighting CBRE’s commitment to environmental sustainability, its project management staff accounts for more
than 25 percent of the company’s LEED® accredited professionals worldwide.
GPE Commercial Advisors: A New
Approach to Commercial Real Estate
GPE, an established name in the Phoenix commercial
real estate market, recently announced the formation of
GPE Commercial Advisors - a commercial real estate company specializing in sales, leasing and consulting.
GPE Commercial Advisors expands GPE’s already substantial foundation of market share, experience and
resources. Under the direction of industry leader David M.
Genovese, the company is uniquely positioned for one of
the nation’s fastest growing and diverse markets: Phoenix.
20
Mr. Genovese explains the company’s approach to real
estate as “a mix of traditional and innovative strategies
designed to provide clients with the understanding and
competitive advantage required to assure their success. He
goes on to say, “We strive to give our clients the expert
knowledge, research and resources to allow them to adapt
and be successful in the ever-changing commercial real
estate market.”
GPE Commercial Advisors breaks into the market with
high-profile agents Nicholas A. Pelusio, Kathleen M.
Morgan, Trisha A. Talbot, Jack Duva, Sarah Weddle, Julie
Johnson, Melynn Wakeman, and Jennifer Pliska. The list
of veteran agents will continue to grow as GPE continues
to expand. The community can expect GPE Commercial
Advisors to assemble the best team of agents and representatives in the Valley.
GPE Commercial Advisors and any of the agents may be
reached at (480) 994-8155 or online at www.gpe1.com.
Opus West Hires Jon Barthelme As Real
Estate Manager
Development leader Opus West Corp. has hired Jon
Barthelme as a real estate manager in the company’s
Phoenix headquarters office. In his
new position, Barthelme manages
all phases of the real estate development process for office and
industrial projects in the Arizona
region, which includes Arizona,
Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
Barthelme’s specific responsibilities include leasing, site acquisition, project feasibility and entitleJon Barthelme
ments for Opus West projects such
as Glendale Corporate Center, a
300,000-square-foot for-sale and for-rent Class A office
development along the Loop 101 freeway in Glendale,
Ariz.; the 131,000-square-foot, one-story Northgate
Corporate Centre, located on I-17 just south of Bell Road
in Phoenix; and the 181,000-square-foot Chandler Airport
Center in Chandler, Ariz., a two-building property along
the Loop 101 freeway that was recently named the Spec
Office Building of the Year by the Arizona Chapter of the
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
Prior to joining Opus West, Barthelme was part of the
brokerage team for Bloomington, Minn.-based United
Properties’ land/industrial brokerage department.
People & Properties
Barthelme holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational
behavior and management from Brown University. He is a
member of the National Association of Office and
Industrial Properties (NAIOP) and the Brown Alumni
Association. He also serves as a volunteer for Hope for the
City, the Boys and Girls Club, and Catholic Charities of
New Orleans’ relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina.
CB Richard Ellis Asset Services Scores
Quartet of TOBY Awards from Building
Owners and Managers Association
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Asset Services has captured
four prestigious TOBY Awards from the Phoenix chapter
of the Building Owners and Managers Association
(BOMA).
The award, which stands for The Office Building of the
Year, recognizes CBRE’s property management skills
under the following categories:
Office Building Less than 250,000 Square Feet
Lincoln Towne Centre, located at 4150 and 4250 N.
Drinkwater Blvd. in Scottsdale, Ariz., consists of two, fivestory class A multi-tenant office buildings totaling 221,815
rentable square feet.
The property is managed by CBRE’s Real
Estate Manager Meg
Gibbons. The project
is owned by The
Lincoln National Life
Insurance Co. of Fort Lincoln Towne Centre, Scottsdale, AZ
Wayne, Ind.
Office Building Less than 500,000 Square Feet
Phoenix Plaza – Tower I, a 20-story, 418,613-square-foot
class A multi-tenant office
tower, is located at 2901 N.
Central Ave. in Phoenix, Ariz.
Diana Rivers, senior real
estate manager, oversees the
building’s operations for
CBRE. The property is owned
by a pension fund.
Phoenix Plaza, Phoenix, AZ
Ensemble® Real Estate Names Patrick
McDonough Chief Business Development
Officer
Patrick McDonough has been named chief business
development officer for Ensemble® Real Estate, a leader
in the development and management of medical office
facilities. McDonough is responsible for business development in new markets.
“Despite the current economic situation, the medical
office facility segment of the commercial development
industry continues to do well,” said Randy McGrane, managing director of Ensemble. “With so many new opportunities to explore, we brought in Patrick to aggressively pursue these opportunities and expand our operating market.
His experience in healthcare facility development and as a healthcare
provider gives him a unique perspective on the industry.”
“I am pleased to have this opportunity with Ensemble, whose reputation in healthcare development
and management services is well
known and respected nationally,”
McDonough said. “Our ambitious
goal is to build a significant national Patrick McDonough
operating platform over the next several years.”
Even in today’s cautious credit environment, Ensemble
is well positioned to expand into new markets, which
include Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Washington, Texas
and Florida, McDonough said.
Ensemble currently has properties in Arizona, Southern
California and Nevada.
Prior to joining Ensemble, McDonough was regional
vice president for the Dallas office of Lauth Property
Group, a privately held real estate developer based in
21
Collier Center,
Phoenix, AZ
Office Building Less than 1
Million Square Feet
Colliers Center is a 24-story,
567,163-square-foot
class
A
multi-tenant
high-rise
in
Downtown Phoenix. Located at
201 E. Washington St., the building is managed by CBRE’s Real
Estate Manager Jami Vallelonga.
The building is owned by a pension fund.
Renovated Office Building
Mesa Financial Plaza, located
at 1201 S. Alma School Road in
Mesa, Ariz., is a 16-story,
306,571-square-foot class A
office building. Built in 1986,
the high-rise underwent a
multi-million dollar renovation
earlier this year.
Marii
Covington-Jones, real estate
Mesa Financial Plaza,
manager, is CBRE’s manager on Mesa, AZ
site. BPG Properties LTD, of
Philadelphia, Pa. is the owner of Mesa Financial Plaza.
“Each of these property managers should be commended for their hard work,” said Afton Carmien, managing
director of CBRE’s asset services in Phoenix. “To receive
one award is an accomplishment, but four is a tremendous
achievement and a testament to CBRE’s unique expertise
in every aspect of commercial real estate management.”
People & Properties
Indianapolis, Indiana. McDonough was responsible for all
Lauth healthcare developments in the states of Texas,
Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.
He has nearly 15 years of healthcare experience on the
provider side of the industry having held senior positions,
including chief operating officer, with several public
healthcare companies in Los Angeles and Memphis,
Tennessee. McDonough also served as the CEO of the prestigious Susan G. Komen Foundation.
www.Ensemble.net.
Welcomes Michael Franks
Don Brigham, Executive Vice President and Designated
Broker for Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, welcomes
Michael Franks to the company.
Michael Franks has joined the
winning
Coldwell
Banker
Commercial NRT team specializing in retail brokerage located at
the Camelback Esplanade.
Michael started his commercial
real estate career with Coldwell
Banker Commercial in Dallas,
Texas. He moved to Phoenix in
Michael Franks
1988 and worked for the Pederson
Group followed by more than five years with Marcus &
Millichap. He comes to us directly from Crossroads Real
Estate, Inc., Scottsdale. He is a graduate of the University
of Arizona.
Michael Franks can be reached at Coldwell Banker
Commercial NRT Esplanade office, 602-224-6000.
Welcomes Dominic Perry
Don Brigham, President and Designated Broker for
Coldwell Banker Commercial, welcomes Dominic M.
Perry to the company.
Dominic M. Perry, CCIM, has joined the winning
team as an office sales and leasing
specialist located at the Camelback
Esplanade.
Dominic was most recently
awarded the Certified Commercial
Investment Member (CCIM) designation by the CCIM Institute. The
designation was awarded during
the Institute business meetings
Dominic Perry
April 10 in Newport Beach,
California. He will be focusing on
general office and medical properties in the East Valley
and Scottsdale.
“His enthusiasm is very contagious,” said Don Brigham,
Executive Vice President and Designated Broker for
Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro LLC. “Dominic has a
unique ability to recognize his clients’ needs and takes the
22
extra step to ensure expectations are exceeded.”
Perry holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Washington with a major in American
History.
Dominic Perry can be reached at Coldwell Banker
Commercial NRT’s Esplanade office, 602-224-6000.
Colliers International-Greater Phoenix is
pleased to announce two new brokerage
associates.
Nate Melchior has joined Colliers International as an
associate working with Bob Deininger and Mike Milic in
the Scottsdale office. The team
specializes in office, industrial and
land sales and office & industrial
leasing in the North Scottsdale,
Falcon Field, and Northwest Valley
markets.
Blake Diers has been promoted
to associate with the Landlord
Advisory group, working with
Brian Raczynski and Tim Watters
Nate Melchior
in the Phoenix office. The team
specializes in landlord advisory services for institutional
clients, including acquisition, disposition, and leasing of
office space.
The Shops At Pecos Ranch Breaks Ground
In Chandler
Construction has begun on Chandler’s newest specialty
retail shopping center, The Shops at Pecos Ranch, located
on the northeast corner of Dobson and Germann roads.
The center will be home to Chandler’s first aiSpas,
Affordable Indulgence Spas, a membership based salon
and spa, offering resort salon and spa services, as well as
med-spa services. Other tenants coming to the center
include Mini-Skool Early Learning Center and 1st
International Bank & Trust. Many other restaurants and
shops will be opening in the center as well.
Most businesses will be opening their doors near the
end of the third quarter next year.
The 87,134 sf center will feature upscale architecture
and design. Special attention is being paid to the
ambiance of the center by offering many outdoor seating
areas with water fountains and lush landscaping, including over 60 palm trees.
For leasing information, please contact Prudential CRES
Commercial Real Estate at 480-451-907
To have an item of interest included in an
upcoming edition of People and Properties,
email all submissions to [email protected]
Making Headlines
Metal Southwest. The 36,424 square
foot cold storage facility is located at
2100 West McDowell Road in
Phoenix, and sits on 2.78 acres zoned
A-2. Tom Young and Patrick Sheehan
were the NAI brokers on the deal.
Freestanding Alma Elliot,
LLC Acquires Prestine
Cleaners Building
Ray Harris
Trevor Klinkhamer
Alissa Leon
will open in 2009. The property was 70 percent occupied
at the time of sale.
Trevor Klinkhamer, Ray Harris and Alissa Leon with
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, LLC, along with former
Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial, LLC brokers Dennis
Desmond and Nathan Thinnes represented the seller during the transaction. Mark Lucescu, with Lucescu
Realty in Newport Beach also represented the seller. The buyers represented themselves.
NAI negotiates $2.5 million
purchase of E&B Storage
NAI has negotiated a $2.5 million
purchase of the E & B Cold Storage,
LLC by NAI’s client Liberty Iron &
Tom Young
Freestanding Alma Elliot, LLC paid Patrick Sheehan
$711,000.00 to purchase the 2,800
square feet single tenant dry cleaning and laundry facility
with a covered canopy situated on approximately 12,675
square feet of land on a pad in the Pollack Paseo de Oro
Shopping Center, located at 3025 North Alma School Road
in Chandler, Arizona.
Alan Zell, Bryan Ledbetter and Donna Reece of ZELL
Commercial Real Estate
Services, Inc. of Phoenix,
Arizona. represented the
Seller, Guenter Burgard,
while Chad Tiedeman
of Phoenix Commercial
Prestine Cleaners Building
Advisors represented the
Buyer in this transaction.
Correction: On page 19 of last months Making Headlines,
Commercial Executive magazine printed the rendering of a building CBRE is marketing at 2502 E. Washington without a headline.
23
Executive Q & A
By Kerry Duff
AZCREW
Commercial real estate
professionals that want their
finger on the pulse of the industry require continuous business development and the
opportunity to meet new people and exchange ideas. AZCREW, an association
dedicated to furthering the success of women in real estate, provides these critical
opportunities to enhance professional growth.
AZCREW President Sherry Sentgeorge talks about the focus of the organization and the
advantage of membership for commercial real estate professionals. Sentgeorge has been
a member of the group for
Q: What exactly is AZCREW?
related to our industry such as develseven years and is a
A: AZCREW is an organization that
opment in downtown Phoenix, how
promotes the advancement of women
to put a deal together from start to
business development
in commercial real estate by providfinish, financing and real estate laws.
professional for the
ing networking, business development, leadership opportunities and
Q: How is the organization strucbanking industry.
professional education. It was formed
in 1985 and was one of the founding
chapters of the national Network of
Commercial Real Estate Women
known as CREW Network. The
national organization is currently
comprised of 66 chapters and more
than 8,000 members.
Q: How many members does the
AZCREW chapter have and how
often do you meet?
A: AZCREW has about 170 members
in Phoenix and 100 members in our
Tucson office. Our local chapter
meets the third Tuesday of each
month at the Arizona Biltmore Resort
for a networking and lunch meeting.
We have a speaker at each gathering
and they talk about different topics
24
tured?
A: The president and executive board
manage the organization. It consists
of the president, president-elect, secretary/treasurer and an assistant
treasurer. We also have a variety of
program committees -- finance, golf,
membership, special events, sponsorship, public relations and others -that meet once or twice a month and
then report to the board. The board
of directors is comprised of the executive board members, former president and six officers.
Q: How do you solicit members?
A: Anybody can come to one of our
meetings, but women interested in
joining AZCREW have to apply to
become a member. We do it this way
CREW Network
Member Profile
> Average 14 years of commercial real
estate experience
> Nearly 76 percent are presidents,
CEOs, partners or senior managers of
their companies
to give benefit back to the
membership. Our members
want to know they are networking with professionals
in the commercial real estate
industry. That’s what it’s all
about. AZCREW is the association of choice for the most
powerful and influential professionals in the greater
Phoenix area. We represent
every discipline within commercial real estate including
law, brokerage, leasing, property management, finance,
title/escrow, development,
corporate real estate, asset
management, engineering etc.
Q: Based on the recent
downturn in commercial
construction, what’s the
graduate degrees
buzz among members at
networking events?
60 percent report annual incomes in
A: We all seem to be facing
excess of $100,000
similar challenges. The
industry has slowed down
72 percent have given a referral to
tremendously, so marketing
another member in the last 12 months
is a huge focus for everyone
right now. Everyone wants
54 percent reported receiving a
to network and find a market
that hasn’t been tapped.
referral from another member in the
They’re also looking at
last 12 months
what’s worked in the past
and trying to decide if it’s
applicable to their business
model today.
It’s all about communication right now and
there’s no magic bullet to
day and talk to these young women
make it better. We need to maintain a
to give them an idea about the differpositive attitude and look for new
ent avenues they can pursue in comopportunities.
mercial real estate.
It’s important to show these young
Q: How would you describe the
women that they have opportunities
commercial construction industry
available to them in this industry.
as a whole right now?
A: I describe it as being in a holding
Q: Do you have a career program
pattern. Commercial real estate is
for women in college?
stronger than residential at this time,
A: Not at this time, but we are lookbut most companies are working off
ing at getting involved in colleges in
backlogs or having projects put on
the future.
hold. My theory is that it’s an election
year and there are not too many big
Q: Is the number of women
decisions made during election years.
working in this industry rising or
However, this year might be worse
declining?
than other years.
A: The number of women working in
this field is growing. A comprehenQ: What are AZCREWS goals for
sive look at women in the industry
the future?
published last September by
A: AZCREW will grow and develop
Commercial Real Estate Women
as any solid company would. It’s a
Network found that the percentage of
dynamic organization.
female professionals in commercial
real estate has grown to 36 percent
from 32 percent over the past five years.
> Nearly 90 percent hold college or
>
>
>
Q: What are the benefits
of membership?
A: Some of the many benefits enjoyed
by our members include local, regional and national networking opportunities, access to local and national
directories with contact information
for over 8,000 members and a
monthly newsletter with member
profiles, a calendar of events and
national industry news.
Our members also have access to
job listings not typically advertised as
well as have the option to attend four
conferences a year.
25
Q: What is the CREW Career program?
A: CREW Careers is a national program that introduces juniors and
seniors in high school and their parents to the commercial real estate
industry. We have volunteers from
the industry such as brokers, developers, finance people, marketers, real
estate attorneys, healthcare real
estate specialists, etc. come in for a
Featured Broker Nomination Form
Criteria for Nomination:
● Active commercial real estate broker
● Minimum of five years in the industry
● A top producer who is in the top 15 percent of
the company or area
● Respected by peers in the industry
● Active in the real estate community
● Dedicated to the industry and involved in
professional activities such as committees,
associations or boards
Nominee Name:
Company: Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Who Will Be
Email:
The Next
Submitted by (required):
Featured
Name:
Broker?
Company:
Phone:
Email:
Reason for Nomination: (You may attach a separate sheet to submit more information)
26
Please fax or email to:
480-946-1416 • [email protected]
Arizona’s Publication
for the Commercial
Real Estate industry
Company Profile
H I S T O R Y
I N
T H E
M A K I N G
Diane Carpenter, Vice President and Frank Busch III, Founder/President
allowed them to be nimble in the market.
Brian Heintzelman of Grubb and Ellis|BRE
Commercial LLC doesn’t quite agree that their
success is such a surprise. “Success in the
commercial real estate industry is based on 3
things: market intelligence, service levels and
cultivating relationships. Thomas Title &
Escrow is superior in providing all three. I not
only look forward to each opportunity to
work with their firm, but look forward to
their continued growth and success, as well,”
states Heintzelman.
27
What is the most surprising fact about
Thomas Title & Escrow? “Our success in this
market in such a short period of time,” states
Vice President Diane Carpenter. A boutique
company that provides title insurance, real
estate settlement and corporate escrow
services for businesses both nationally and
internationally, Thomas Title & Escrow is
defined by its model which is best described in
one word: flexible. More than anything else,
this model has proven to be one of the key
factors that defines the organization and has
Company Profile
History
in the
Making:
$100
Million
Transaction
Although the organization is still in
its infancy, the business has been
profitable since its first full year in
business. In fact, the close of last
year saw the company’s largest transaction to date, and one of Arizona’s
largest in 2007 as well. The acquisition of Imix Group, LLC by
California Portland Cement Company
for an amount that was reported to
be over $100 million, required the
escrow team to track dozens of creditors and execute over 40 payoffs
at closing. The ability to execute
on a transaction this complex is
a credit to Frank Busch’s vision.
Vision and a New
Business Model
Frank Busch, President and
Founder of Thomas Title &
Escrow, realized there was an
opportunity in the industry
to establish a unique type of
company – one that would focus on
the commercial market. His idea of
starting a business, coupled with his
small company/big transaction
approach, became a reality when it
opened its doors on August 1, 2006.
From the beginning, Busch believed
he had a competitive advantage: all
of his rivals were large direct underwriters. His company has the ability
to offer its commercial clients multiple national underwriters, resulting
in both a service and a pricing advantage. “As an agent, with multiple
national underwriters, our structure
is a huge benefit; conversely, most of
28
our competition consists of large title
companies that can only offer one
underwriter and, consequently, one
set of underwriting guidelines,” states
Busch. Clients have much to gain
from this approach. Busch continues,
“From an insurance and risk standpoint, knowing the view of one
underwriter versus another and then
choosing the best fit allows us to get
the job done and our clients realize a
real service advantage. From a pricing standpoint, there is also an
advantage, not huge, but there are
differences. Because we can offer
products from multiple underwriters,
we can often provide
the best deal. Our
clients can get three
quotes by calling us versus calling
three different title companies,”
Busch explains.
Before founding Thomas Title &
Escrow in 2006, Busch served as the
Corporate Counsel of First National
Bank of Arizona and First National
Bank of Nevada, which have been in
the news due to the recent takeover
by federal regulators. After obtaining
his law degree from the University of
California, Hastings College of the
Law, and prior to joining First
National Bank, Busch was a corporate and securities lawyer in the
Phoenix office of Snell & Wilmer
L.L.P., where he negotiated and
structured corporate financings and
mergers and acquisitions. Having
had no title industry experience
before starting his company, Busch
believes it was his outsider’s perspective that has enabled his firm to
survive in a market where many
other title firms have shut their doors.
Key Player
‘Small but
Sophisticated’
Another key ingredient to Thomas
Title & Escrow’s success in such a
short time is the high level of sophistication that the staff brings to its
daily tasks. Every employee has at
least an undergraduate degree from a
major university, which is unheard of
in the title industry. The organization’s team leaders have years of
experience in both title and escrow.
Prior to joining Thomas, senior team
members had experience working for
large title companies with exposure
to all kinds of transactions. The
team’s prior work history with different underwriters, coupled with
experience in handling large, complicated deals plays a major role in the
firm’s success. Clients find them an
invaluable resource. “Thomas Title &
Escrow is one of the most proficient
title companies I have worked with.
Every detail counts when we are trying to get something funded, and
they always step up and deliver great
results. Specifically, their technology
is phenomenal and the customer
service is unlike anything I have ever
seen,” states Dave Kotter of Integrity
Capital. Busch has seen the results of
his vision and the talent of his team
recognized early on. The Title Report,
one of the leading publications of the
title insurance industry, named
Busch a “Top 40 under 40” award
winner in 2007 and First American
Title awarded his firm with its prestigious Outstanding Agent designation
in 2007, its first full year of operation.
SYNERGY
Busch and Carpenter speak very
highly of one another and have gotten to the point of finishing one
another’s sentences. “There is a synergy among our team that enables us
to give high quality service and a
high quality product. We truly have a
cooperative environment with the
primary focus being client service
and expertise. We are all over-achievers who pride ourselves in our
knowledge and the ability to search
for answers,” she says. Attorney
Donna Ong of BuchalterNemer com29
If the company is the brainchild of
Busch, then the specific title and
escrow expertise comes from the
incredible talent that surrounds him.
He recalls that in the very beginning,
the organization was touting the credentials and experience of seasoned
industry veteran Diane Carpenter.
Prior to joining Thomas Title &
Escrow, Carpenter had served as a
manager in the commercial services
divisions of two major title insurance
companies. Her vast experience
includes serving in one of the largest
commercial offices of First American
Title, and executing complex transac-
tions for a wide
range of projects,
including multifamily, hospitality, commercial,
industrial and large vacant land
transactions. She has also managed
and coordinated complicated joint
development agreements with
numerous homebuilders. However,
Carpenter believes that just as important as all of the industry experience
that she brings to her role as vice
president, are her previous entrepreneurial forays. Her background as a
business owner has proven to be
invaluable in building the success of
the company.
▲
Company Profile
ments, “My experience with Thomas
Title & Escrow has been nothing less
than stellar. Each member of the
Thomas Title team – from the escrow
agents to the title officer to the president – is not only extremely
professional and knowledgeable, but
also readily available to address the
simplest, or more complex, question
or concern.”
24/7 File and Document
Access
Synergy between the Thomas Title
& Escrow team and its clients also
occurs through the state-of-the-art
technology that the company
employs. Ryan O'Donovan of Everest
Holdings states that, “Their web portal allows us and our partners direct
access to title documents and saves
time. We have been very pleased with
the level of service from them.”
Busch adds that a vast majority,
“probably 99%,” of their clients, uses
the online portal which has a
“breadth that is rare in the industry.”
Through the password-protected,
online portal, advisors and their
clients are able to access orders,
obtain file status, find transaction
details and download transaction
documents at any time. Clients have
described the portal as cutting edge,
but more importantly they love the
benefits. Another benefit has been
the “green” sustainability factor.
Busch points out that the title industry is famous for printing and
30 © 2008 by MP Magazines LLC
Frank Busch, along
with his sister Molly
Busch, Director of
Business Development
reprinting documents as updates and
changes are made. The 24-hour
access that the portal provides means
that clients and their advisors can see
changes and read transaction details
without having to waste reams of
paper. Only the final documents need
to be printed. Carpenter believes
their office has already seen a savings
from this “green” practice.
International Presence
In 1996, Busch, who is fluent in
Spanish, completed a semester of
business courses at the Universidad
LaSalle in Mexico City. In 1999, while
working at the Mexico City office of
the international law firm of Baker &
McKenzie, he completed one semester of Mexican legal studies at the
Universidad Iberoamericana. He
credits these experiences in Mexico,
along with the many personal relationships he developed during his
time abroad, as the impetus for offering Mexican title insurance and
escrow services. Thomas Title &
Escrow offers title insurance policies
and escrow services backed by major
American title insurance companies
for Mexican transactions. Benefits
include the fact that all escrow funds
remain in a U.S. bank until disbursement and title policies are
enforceable in the United States.
They also provide protection against
fraud, recording errors, liens and
boundary line disputes. The company
is currently handling the escrow
work for a development in Mexico
and Busch has personally visited the
subdivision in San Carlos three times
over the past year. The process for
completing Mexican closings is quite
▲
The Busch Family
different. To date, they have met with
various “notarios” and bank contacts
to set up a system for American
clients. The process has been focused
on the escrow side of the transaction
because title insurance is not as common in Mexico as it is in the U.S.
Homebuyers have the option of using
the escrow services without purchasing title insurance. However,
Carpenter encourages buyers to purchase title insurance and have access
to various underwriters, just as they
would during the procedure in the
United States.
Above The Clouds
“As the market and demands
change, so does our ability to provide
expertise and service,” comments
Busch. Right now they are handling a
growing amount of commercial foreclosure work and short sales. He
adds, “Clients are accustomed to calling our title and escrow people when
an issue arises, no matter what type
of help is needed.” Busch believes
this will help him to complete his
five-year plan “to be the top commercial office in Phoenix Metro.” A few
years ago, Busch had the rare privilege to climb above the clouds when
a family friend arranged for permission to ascend to the very top of the
Golden Gate Bridge. Similarly, he
hopes to take Thomas Title & Escrow
to the very top of the industry. So far,
he’s off to a great start. ●
14500 N. Northsight Blvd., Suite 133
480.222.1116 x 207
www.thomastitle.com
News You Can Use
The Key
To Being
Predictably
Lucrative
by Denise Lones
What’s the Number
One thing real
estate agents don’t
like about the
business? Time and
again I hear the
same answer: The
unpredictability of
income.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
There is a rampant delusion out there
that real estate is a “feast or famine”
business. Every day agents say, “I
don’t know if I’ll be making any
money in March because of the fluctuations in the market.” If you’ve ever
said anything even remotely similar, I
have a question for you:
If this is true, then how is it that I
know many agents who turn business
away because they don’t have time to
handle it all? It’s not market conditions.
32
News You Can Use
Up or down, these agents have a
steady stream of buyers and sellers.
And no matter where the market is
this time next year, I guarantee it will
be the same for them.
So what’s their secret? Is it a
“killer” marketing software program?
Is it “power” sales tactics that use verbal mastery to sweet talk people? Is it
tons of expensive advertising?
It’s none of these things. But its
power is so amazing that universities
should offer degrees in how to master
it. What is it?
Self-Control!
success is all about people, systems,
and follow-through. To book Denise,
please call 1-877-211-6472 or visit.
Copyright© 2007, Denise Lones. All
rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at
800.704.FROG(3764) or email
[email protected];
http://www.FrogPond.com
So what are the keys to Self-Control?
1. Say YES.
Self-control means saying “yes.” “Yes” to sending monthly
mailings on a regular basis. “Yes” to implementing systems
that put your daily tasks on “autopilot.” “Yes” to education.
“Yes” to your annual client appreciation party. “Yes” to only
sending out the very best marketing. “Yes” to sending out an
Annual Client Review.
2. Say NO.
But mastering self-control also means saying “no.” “No” to
clients that waste your time. “No” to ridiculous offers. “No”
to people who treat you with disrespect. “No” to scams,
gimmicks, and unethical advertising. “No” to CUTTING YOUR
COMMISSION!!!
3. Do what you say you’ll do.
I’m always amazed that I have to mention this, but the
business world is riddled with people who say they’ll do
something and then don’t do it. If you return phone calls the
exact minute you promise to, keep appointments on-time, and
provide exactly what you promise when you promise it—
you’re already ahead of 90% of businesspeople out there!
4. Follow-Up and Follow-Through.
Do you return phone calls faster than any other agent? Do
you send requested information the very same day? Do you
make additional phone calls to verify the information was
received? Do you provide extra service touches both before
and after the sale?
5. Adaptability.
Self-control also means you don’t “freak out” when
something is not working. You just drop it and quickly do
more of what is working. This doesn’t mean that your
emotions aren’t important. They are. But you cannot be a
successful businessperson if you are a frenzied wreck every
time something goes wrong. Things happen. Life is
unpredictable. Plan on unpredictability. Practice in your mind
how you’ll react on the day when everything falls apart. See
yourself with “grace under pressure” as you pick up the pieces
and begin to rebuild.
33
The most successful agents are not
necessarily the best salespeople, or
the most outgoing. They are the ones
with the most self-control. Self-control governs success. It ensures you
do things consistently over time. The
size of your goals doesn’t matter. The
length of your business plan doesn’t
matter. What you do is what matters.
One of the best ways to implement
self-control is accountability. I have
clients who call me just to tell me
what they’re committing to accomplishing by the end of the week. Don’t
ever underestimate the power of just
telling someone what you will do.
This means you can’t use excuses to
yourself—because you’ve already
promised someone you’ll do it.
Another helpful measure is to manage your time. And I really mean,
manage your time. Schedule phone
time. Schedule road time. Schedule
lunch. Heck, schedule 15 minutes of
goof-off time. I know it’s impossible
to predict every minute of every day,
but at least have a solid plan of what
you’re doing —even if circumstances
prevent you from doing the task.
So if you’ve ever complained about
the unpredictability of your income,
take heart! You can have more business than you can handle if only you
commit to self-control and all its
responsibilities. The road to self-control
may be rough at times, but the
rewards of implementing it are
worth it!
Denise Lones, President of the
Lones Group Inc. is dedicated to
helping people find innovative ways
to increase their business and still
have “a Life”. She draws from her
professional and personal experiences
and believes that the key to business
Industry News
America’s Third Most Livable Big City
“The City has invested in its downtown infrastructure and is now poised for vibrant growth. With the
streamlined entitlement processes and zoning flexibility, the City encourages quality development.”
Shelly Allen, Town Center Development Director, City of Mesa.
Mesa’s Town Center is a mile
square with the boundaries of
University Drive on the north,
Broadway Road on the south,
Mesa Drive on the east, and
Country Club Drive on the west.
Once considered a quiet suburb,
Mesa is now a thriving city with its
own identity. Its Town Center offers
true mixed-use development, including commercial properties, retail
shops and restaurants, the Mesa Arts
Center, two significant museums, city
government offices, educational facilities, and industrial development.
Several historic residential districts
are located in this area, encouraging
the urban work/live concept. The
modern infrastructure encourages
activity on safe and clean streets. The
Town Center currently represents a
$2 billion economic district, yet there
are many more opportunities to be
realized.
The Future Looks Bright
Why drive when you can live,
learn, work, play and grow in an
urban community full of possibilities? That is a question more people
are asking, with two recent studies
reporting one-third of the population
would choose to live in a transit-oriented development if the choice
existed. As well-educated members
of the creative class continue to
move into downtown Mesa,
employers will naturally follow. In
addition to a productive workforce, businesses will be lured to
the downtown area by the more
than 4,000 available parking
spaces, the railroad located
to the south, and the
METRO light rail system,
which will offer service to
Sky Harbor International
Airport within 20 minutes.
Fast Forward To 2020
As we look to 2020, we
can expect to see continued growth and prosperity
in downtown Mesa. Mesa’s
visionary leaders have laid
34
the foundations for the future and
the future is starting now.
Specific projections over the next
decade include:
Office - The area’s accessibility,
land availability, labor force, parking,
and increased amenities will attract
large back-office and corporate projects.
Retail – Main Street and side
streets will attract grocery stores,
drugstores, hotels, movie theatres,
childcare facilities, along with a variety of other shops and restaurants.
Entertainment - The Mesa Arts
Center is the heart and soul of downtown. Executive director Johann
Zietsman is a visionary who has a
passion for education and outreach
and who will continue the Center’s
innovative and successful programs.
According to a recent article on
www.ArizonaNotebook.com, Mesa
Mayor Scott Smith states that the
goal of the city council is to add
“community” to the Arts Center.
Smith adds that the Mesa Arts Center
is truly a community asset and that
the city’s goal is shifting from concerts to adding a variety of other
By Charlotte Christian and Shannon Selby
events that will attract larger numbers of visitors.
Outdoor activities in downtown
Mesa will flourish with the
amphitheatre, parks, public festivals
and expanded farmers market.
Another major league baseball spring
training team or minor league baseball team could be attracted to
downtown.
Residential - A minimum of 4,000
people will live in new mixed-use
projects.
Passenger Rail - The existing
heavy rail line on the south border of
downtown, which connects Tucson to
Flagstaff, is capable of carrying
future passenger traffic. Electricpowered scooter stations throughout
downtown, reminiscent of baggage
cart stations, will allow people to make
connections to work, live and play.
Education – Many students will
study in downtown Mesa through
Mesa Community College, Northern
Arizona University’s downtown campus or the public school system’s
magnet high school.
2008–2010: Office, Education
& Industrial Growth
Slowing market conditions are
tempering expectations, especially in
housing; however, we see several sectors that are less affected, including
back-office, industrial and education.
Driving the growth opportunities for
these property types are abundant
free parking, three freeways within a
three-mile radius and an educated
workforce. Industrial redevelopment
will begin to occur along the southern boundary of downtown, driven
by the proximity of rail and freeways.
A 26-acre vacant land parcel in the
heart of downtown affords the City a
unique opportunity to fulfill a vision
for the mixed uses of education,
commerce and residential in its core.
With its lifestyle amenities and current infrastructure, this site invites a
master planned community that will
enhance the lifestyle of many of its
future residents.
2010–2015: Housing is Back—
More Urban Housing as
People Rethink Lifestyles!
During 2010-2015, the housing
market will rebound and demand for
urban villages will increase due to
high gas prices, long commute times
and a shift in workforce demographics. This demand will result in denser
residential development on mixed-use
sites. Infrastructure, including light rail,
arts and culture venues, and educational facilities, will re-create pedestrian villages that will brand Mesa the
“Downtown of the East Valley.” More
people will take advantage of the
opportunity to live, work and play in
a safe and clean environment.
2015–2020—A True Urban
Village Built on Accessibility,
Activity and Wellness
As 2020 approaches, downtown
Mesa may find itself the center of the
heavy rail line that connects Flagstaff
to Tucson carrying passenger traffic.
Light rail, two airports close by, convenient freeways, and other modern
infrastructure provide Mesa with a
unique opportunity for a true
urban core. Mesa’s commitment to
its citizens for accessibility, activity
and wellness, along with its “strive
and thrive” business spirit, translates
into incredible opportunities for
investors and a renaissance in downtown Mesa.
Charlotte Christian is a senior vice
president and Shannon Selby is a vice
president, with Colliers International,
specializing in urban mixed-use development and redevelopment in city
centers. Their focus is bringing together financial partners and developers
for mixed-use sites, incorporating residential, hospitality, retail and office
components.
Phone: 602.222.5000
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.colliers.com/phoenix
35
On
On
The
The
Market
Market
On The Market
Available for Lease
■ Free Standing Building
Available
■ Good Parking
■ Circle K on pad site
■ Health Club
■ Woodcraft
■ 4 Star Asian Restaurant
■ Office Buildout Space
For Sale • For Lease • Wanted
■ Space sizes range from 2,880
to 7,200 sq.ft.
■ Rents starting at $7.80 psf + nnn
Contacts:
Patrick Cassidy
Daniel Pollack
Michael Pollack
480-888-0888
POLLACK PLAZA
NWC of Elliot Rd. and Arizona Ave
■ Four Freestanding, Divisible
Buildings with Enclosed Yards
for Sale or Lease
■ Building 1: 20,136 SF
■ 1/2 Mile from Loop 101 and
Northern Avenue in Glendale
Airpark
■ M-1 Zoning, City of Glendale
Contacts:
Louis G. Finocchiaro, SIOR
Vice President
602.224.4458
[email protected]
John Pompay
602.224.4422
[email protected]
GLEN HARBOR
COMMERCE PARK
SWC Northern & Northern Glen Harbor Blvd.,
Glendale, AZ
36
On The Market
Available for Lease
■ Fry’s anchored center
■ Beautifully maintained center
■ Co-tenancy include: What-ABurger, Taco Bell, Shepler’s
Western Wear, Washington
Mutual Bank, Ashlee’s, Pizza
Hut, UPS Store,
■ Plenty of parking
■ One mile north of hwy 60
■ High density area
LINDSAY
MARKETPLACE
■ Space sizes range from 5,100
to 25,000 sq.ft.
■ Rates start at $9.00 psf + nnn
Contacts:
Patrick Cassidy
Daniel Pollack
Michael Pollack
480-888-0888
SWC of Lindsay & Broadway, Mesa AZ
Available for Lease
CACTUS VILLAGE
SWC Cactus & 32nd St., Phoenix AZ
■ Savers Anchored
■ 1 block west of hwy 51
■ Free standing building
available
■ Co-tenancy include: Savers,
Chase Bank, What-A-Burger,
Aqua Touch, Curves for
Women, Diamondback
Laundry
■ Good parking
■ Space sizes range from
2,544 to 20,000 sq.ft.
■ Rates start at $7.20 + nnn
Contacts:
Patrick Cassidy
Daniel Pollack
Michael Pollack
480-888-0888
For more information call 480-946-0398 or email us at [email protected]
37
On
The
Market
On the Market is an advertising section comprised of full color formatted ads
that are specifically designed to affordably promote your available property.
WESTERN NATIONAL BANK
Local
Knowledge.
And a Track Record to Prove it:
+ Named one of Arizona’s 2007 “Companies to Watch” by the
Arizona Small Business Association (only bank)
+ Named one of Arizona’s 2007 “Best Places to Work”
by the Business Journal
+ Named 2007 “Bank of the Year” by Southwestern
Business Financing Corporation
+ Named one of Arizona’s 2008 “Hot Growth Companies”
by BizAz (only bank)
NOW 3 Locations –
Esplanade Branch
2525 E. Camelback Road, Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Promenade Branch
16435 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 140
Lincoln Branch
6500 N. Scottsdale Road
Ph. 602.553.7444
Ph. 480.612.6500
Ph. 480.374.6800
www.wnbank.com
WESTERN
NATIONAL BANK
COOL
CLEAR
BANKING
Chandler
Mesa
Alma/Ray Central Ctr.
Alma School Village I
Alma School Village II
Chandler Business Plaza
Chandler Crossing
Dobson Plaza
Goodyear Plaza
Mervyns Plaza
North Park Plaza
Paseo Del Oro
Pecos Village
Pecos Square
Pollack Business Park
Pollack Business
Park North
Pollack Business
Park South
Pollack Chandler Mercado
Pollack Professional Plaza
Pollack Plaza
Sunshine Plaza
Warner Plaza
Waterfall Shopping Ctr.
Alma School Plaza
Gilbert Plaza I
Gilbert Plaza II
Lindsay Marketplace
MAP Plaza
Main Street Plaza
Safeway Marketplace
Sun Valley Plaza
Sunset Commerce Ctr.
Trailside Center
Village Grove Plaza
Peoria
Cactus Village • SWC 32nd St. & Cactus Rd. • Phoenix
2,544 SF Free Standing Building • 20,000 SF Available
Phoenix
Cooper Plaza
Glendale
Flowing Wells Plaza
Glendale Central Ctr.
Glenfair Plaza
Excellent Rates and Locations!
Olive Plaza
7th Avenue Plaza
Bethany Plaza
Bethany Square
Cactus Village
El Monte Plaza
Tower Plaza
West Thomas Business
Center
Westview Plaza
Gilbert
Grocery Anchored Spaces • Free Standing Buildings
Pad Sites • Restaurant Spaces • Office Spaces
Furnished Hair/Nail Salons • Large Boxes • End Caps
Tucson
Whether you are Leasing, Buying or
Selling, we are Ready to Deal!
Tempe
Lindsay Marketplace • SWC Broadway & Lindsay Rds. • Mesa
Apache Central Center
Food City Plaza
Marcos de Niza Plaza
Peter Piper Plaza
Royal Palm Plaza
Southwind Plaza
From 5,000 to 25,000 SF Available
Brokers Always Welcome.
For Leasing Information:
(480) 888-0888
Corporate Office: 1136 W. Baseline Road • Mesa, Arizona 85210 • www.pollackinvestments.com

mark winkleman mark winkleman

Transcription

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