Member Spotlight: January 2015

Each month, ICBR honors one of its members in a special Member Spotlight. This month, we recognize incoming president, Drew Augustin. Drew is the Managing Broker at Alliance Commercial Group in Indianapolis.

 

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

Augustin: I want to be proud of my industry and help with its educational development and professionalism.  Through “Mother ICBR”, I want to help encourage the educational advancement of its members to get designated as a CCIM, SIOR, CPM, ALC, and CRE. Through my membership I hope to further build my network of alliance partners to better serve my clients.

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

Augustin: I hold both the SIOR and CCIM designations and was awarded REALTOR of the year in 2000.  I am the past President of the Indiana CCIM Chapter; the Indiana / Kentucky SIOR Chapter and the Building Owners and Managers International (BOMA) – Indianapolis Chapter.  I was also the past President of NAI Olympia Partners in Indianapolis, IN.

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

Augustin: I answered a 3×5 postcard pinned to an IUPUI bulletin board in the summer of 1975 (had to take  the Statistics 101 class over again due to a failing grade at IU Bloomington) from MS Management…it turned out to be the Melvin Simon Company, the country’s largest shopping center developer. I first began as a financial analyst, then an operations director, then went into lease administration and then on to new center development.

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

Augustin: As it relates to personal values, without question, my Dad serves as my mentor. My father was an extremely hard worker, honest as the day is long and held the trust of many people.  As to business, it would be Bob Houk, the finance partner of the original F.C. Tucker Company. Through Bob I learned business organization and the practice that doing the right thing, over and over again, will eventually lead to success.

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

Augustin: Communicating with people can be very difficult.  It’s not always what you say, it is what others hear.  I pride myself by being as factual and precise while driving home a point (I am a high “C” and “D” on the DISC personality chart), but surprisingly not all people are in agreement.  I have learned and prefer to communicate face to face with others so I can see their body language and know if I need to go deeper with discussion to reach an understanding or agreement.

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

Augustin: Advance the members of ICBR in their awareness of the value proposition of our association.  A lot of this is awareness, but I also want members to be proactive and help others develop in their professionalism.  On the same level of importance, and as a proud father, I want to help both my son, Bryan, and my daughter, Brooke, advance in their careers in commercial real estate.

ICBR: What is your most recent accomplishment?

Augustin: We started our own commercial real estate firm in 2011 called Alliance Commercial Group, LLC. I am proud to say that all of our past clients have followed us and we have all had our best income years in our careers.  We want to grow our firm and are actively looking for more income producing brokers.

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

Augustin: As to skills…I have managed to fool my wife for 39 years.  As to interests, I enjoy motorcycles.  I have been out to Sturgis, South Dakota’s annual motorcycle rally, three times now (crowds over 200,000.. wild and crazy riders) partying, camping and riding the ridges of the Black Hills National Forest and the San Juan  Mountains.  I also enjoy golf (carry a 7.5 index), averaging about 50 rounds each year.  I also love water sports including skin diving. I got my certification in 1991 in the rock quarries of Bloomington, Indiana.