Commercial Investment Real Estate Spring 2020 | Page 20

CCIM Q&A
By Nicholas Leider
CONTINUING
TO SERVE
Berry’s (left) military-bred can-do attitude has helped in the commercial real estate industry.
J
ackson Berry, CCIM, CPM, is a man-
aging broker with Red Compass Real-
ty in Grand Junction, Colo. While cur-
rently a commercial real estate professional
in his hometown, Berry’s path to this career
took him to the other side of the world. Af-
ter serving in the U.S. Air Force, he tapped
into the CCIM Institute’s Vets in Real Estate
program, which, in partnership with the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, offers vets
the opportunity to fund their education to-
ward earning the CCIM designation through
the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Berry, growing up in Grand Junction,
attended Ricks College (now Brigham Young
University-Idaho) to pursue a degree in mu-
sic. But after a two-year mission in Russia,
he switched tracks and focused his studies on
international relations. After transferring to
BYU, Berry joined the Air Force ROTC pro-
gram, graduating in 2002 as a second lieu-
tenant. Berry deployed to Qatar in 2004 to
support military operations in both Iraq and
Afghanistan. Three years later, he transferred
into the Air Force Reserves, where he remains
a reservist assigned to the European region.
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COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE
We spoke with Berry about his time in
the U.S. Air Force, what led him to seek the
CCIM designation, and what goals lie ahead
of him.
CIRE: WHEN YOU WERE FINISHING UP
YOUR SERVICE, HOW DID COMMERCIAL
REAL ESTATE FIND ITS WAY ON YOUR RA-
DAR? HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER
IN THE FIELD?
JACKSON BERRY: My paternal grandfather,
Jack Berry, ran a farm and ranch real estate
business in Grand Junction starting in the
1970s. My dad managed properties and did
the accounting, and, growing up, I helped
mow lawns and make repairs at the proper-
ties from time to time. It was a natural fit for
me with a degree in international studies in a
small town where that kind of degree doesn’t
have much use. By the time I moved back to
town, my grandfather was no longer in busi-
ness, but I came across a commercial broker,
Dick Scariano, who asked me to come work
for him. I got my license and worked for him
for about six years before branching out on
my own. He’s a smart man and taught me a
lot of valuable lessons in the business.
CIRE: YOU FINISHED THE FOUR MAIN
COURSES FAIRLY QUICKLY EN ROUTE TO
EARNING CCIM DESIGNATION IN 2017.
WHAT LED YOU TO THE PURSUE THE PIN?
BERRY: From the beginning, I knew that
I wanted to get into investments, so CCIM
Institute’s courses and the designation were
goals from back in 2007 when I started in
real estate. I even took the CI 101 course
online and began my experience portfolio
that far back because I was assisting with
the management of office buildings with
Mr. Scariano. At the same time, I was also
interested in the Certified Property Manager
designation. I earned that in 2015, using that
to fast track the CCIM designation. When I
learned that the institute was going to accept
GI Bill funding (or now Post-9/11 GI Bill),
I jumped at the opportunity. I had already
used some of the benefits toward an MBA,
but I felt the CCIM designation was more
focused on where I wanted to go with my
SPRING 2020