Commercial Investment Real Estate Spring 2020 | Page 21

CIRE: AS BOTH A CPM AND CCIM, YOU ARE DISTINGUISHED AMONG CRE PROFESSION- ALS. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN THE IN- DUSTRY FOR, SAY, THE NEXT TWO YEARS? WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS? career. I set a target to complete the courses and take the test in as short a time as possi- ble and went for it. CIRE: MILITARY SERVICE IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH DISCIPLINE AND DETERMINATION, BUT WHAT OTHER SKILLS DID YOU LEARN IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE THAT POSITIONED YOU FOR SUCCESS IN CRE? BERRY: In the military, you can’t wait for other people to do your job — you have to figure it out and make it happen; otherwise, nothing gets done. I worked in a field that was analytical and required putting togeth- er pieces of information to formulate rec- ommendations to decision-makers. In real estate, there are often a lot of loose ends that need to be chased down and pulled together. Once the facts are assembled and a little critical thinking has been applied, the decision-makers are the investors who need to make purchase and disposition decisions. Military commanders like you to anticipate their questions several layers deep, and I have found investors to be the same way. If I can present information in a clear way and be ready to answer ques- tions two or three layers deep, I’m in pretty good shape. Berry credits his military experience for developing critical thinking skills. CIRE: WHAT DOES THE CCIM VETERANS PROGRAM MEAN TO YOU? HOW IM- PORTANT ARE PROFESSIONAL OPPOR- TUNITIES FOR VETERANS LOOKING TO TRANSITION INTO CIVILIAN LIFE? BERRY: I feel like the certificate programs are better for veterans who have a specific trajectory like me. While an MBA provides great general business knowledge and works for many people, I felt that focusing specif- ically on commercial investment real estate gave me an advantage in a specific niche. I didn’t need to move to a location where a real estate degree was offered, and I also had an opportunity to network with sea- soned professionals. BERRY: I’m working to develop and en- hance existing real estate income streams for a large local nonprofit called Hilltop, which provides independent living options for brain-injured adults called the life ad- justment program (LAP) and many other community programs. (Red Compass Realty is a for-profit subsidiary of Hilltop Health Services corporation. We work together to generate income for the not-for-profit ac- tiv ities in Grand Junction.) I enjoy working through the management challenges and slogging through the financial gymnastics to create opportunities in our small market. Over the next two years, I hope to raise $1 million dollars for a new LAP campus, and, over the next 10 years, to create a series of syndications that fulfill housing needs in Grand Junction and offer wealth creation options for people in our community. Nicholas Leider Senior content editor for Commercial Investment Real Estate Contact him at [email protected]. CCIM Development Specialty Track The CCIM Development Specialty Track program is one of the industry’s leading continuing education concentrations, providing developers, investors, and consultants with a comprehensive understanding of the entire process of development from due diligence to disposition. The program content is structured around the Real Estate Development Matrix developed by Daniel Kohlhepp, Ph.D., of the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Upcoming Courses RE Development: Property Redevelopment Apr. 22 & 24 | Online Instructor Led RE Development: Land Banking May 6 & 8 | Online Instructor Led RE Development: Land Development May 26 & 28 | Online Instructor Led RE Development: Building Operations June 22 & 24 | Online Instructor Led RE Development: Building Development June 23 & 25 | Online Instructor Led Advanced CRE Development Practices June 29 – July 1 | Chicago To learn more, visit www.ccim.com/dev-track or call [phone], opt 2 CIREMAGAZINE.COM COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE 19