Member Spotlight: February 2015

Each month, ICBR honors one of its members in a special Member Spotlight. This month, we recognize ICREX Committee Co-chair, Greg Folz. Greg is a broker with Woodward Commercial Realty, Inc.

 

ICBR: Why are you an ICBR member? What do you look to gain out of your membership?

Folz: I’m a member of ICBR because I see the value in attending the annual Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors Conference as well as utilizing ICREX to support my business. I always look forward to rekindling old relationships from my years of being a broker in Indianapolis at the ICBR conference.

ICBR: Describe a time you used an ICBR member benefit, and how it helped you or your company.

Folz: I use ICREX on a daily basis. In our region, ICREX is the dominant site to use as a reference for property searches, market data, comps, etc. Information coming from ICREX is reliable and typically more accurate and thorough than competing websites.

ICBR: What designations/awards/recognition have you received?

Folz: In 2013, I received our company’s award of Top Leasing Agent. Everyone gets lucky every once in a while.

ICBR: How did you start your career in commercial real estate/development?

Folz: I started in property management because I knew I would get exposed to many aspects of the business and understand the ins and outs of how to work with property owners, tenants, vendors, contractors, asset managers, etc as well as expose myself to the financial part of it. After a couple of enjoyable years spent with a team managing 6 buildings within the Keystone at the Crossing Office Park and a large industrial portfolio, I was given the opportunity to work with some of the best industrial brokers in the Indy area. I took it and enjoyed every day of it. To this day, Industrial brokerage is still my concentration and I owe a lot of my success to the guys that paved the path.

ICBR: Do you have any mentors? If so, who? How has he/she inspired you?

Folz: My dad. Besides being an amazing father and role model, he’s very well respected by everyone that knows him. We work in completely different industries, but his work ethic, business acumen, creativity, and optimism are just a few of his qualities I strive to follow as I work with people. At the end of the day, I am broker selling a service. He’s always taught me not to look at it that way, but to always remember that my job is to help people…and I love using my skills to help people.

ICBR: What is the most important thing you have learned by working in commercial real estate?

Folz: You have to work extremely hard and always be on your toes in order to make a dollar in our industry. Commercial Real Estate is filled with experts just as good as everyone else and therefore I have found that being efficient, confident, and putting forth tremendous effort, is of utmost importance.

ICBR: What is your current professional goal(s)?

Folz: Short term, I just concentrate and work hard. With that, I believe things will fall into place. I create a “vision board” every year and keep it in plain sight. Being a husband, father to 2 kids, and a broker, things always seem busy and time flies by. My vision board helps me keep an eye on what’s important to me, personally and professionally.

ICBR: What is your most recent accomplishment?

Folz: A notable accomplishment was our recent completion of a new 70,000 SF state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for PGP International at the Vanderburgh Industrial Park. Our team’s efforts brought the new industry to Evansville in which has resulted in generating over 40 brand new skilled-labor jobs.

ICBR: Do you have any special skills, interests or hobbies?

Folz: Business related, I really enjoy marketing and strategy. Figuring out new and efficient ways to get the job done and helping clients is key in our fast paced and busy world. And personally, I really enjoy the outdoors and playing golf, soccer, and tennis. Now that my 5 year old daughter and other nieces/nephews are playing soccer, I’ve recently discovered a passion for coaching…or maybe it’s because I’ll have four “little – Folz’s” on my Under-5 soccer team this year.