The Vanguard - Our Fathers of Commercial Real Estate

To honor the fathers of our industry is to honor the men who have given women like me a chance to learn and flourish, not just beneath them, but alongside them, to lift us up, and cheer on our successes.  

I have had many mentors who are incredible fathers, working endless hours to support their families, but also bringing me under their wings, showing me the ropes, and always being available when I needed additional advice or support. I would not be the broker that I am today without their continuous support, and pep talks, often accompanied by a strong cocktail when I fell down, or was out of my depth. Some very special fathers, and men in my life, who I will be forever grateful to are Jarrad Katz, Scott Gragson, Michael Stuart, Scot Marker, Ryan Martin, and Dan Doherty—all of whom have played a vital role in my success, and who I am as a businesswoman today.

I have also been incredibly lucky to work with and learn from a dynamic father-son duo. We have one of the highest pedestrian traffic counts, and highest grossing restaurant sales volumes listings on the Las Vegas “Strip,” which is owned by Larry Siegel and his son, Evan Siegel.  As the former Chairman of the Board, and CEO of the Mills Corporation, I like to think of Larry as the “God-Father” of outlet malls—his list of accomplishments in retail are endless, as is his reputation for a refreshingly honest approach to deal making. His son Evan, a father himself, is the perfect complement to his dad, equally personable, yet easy going, with an unforgettable memory.

While I may be biased, my favorite duo is the one I get to work with every day, Brian Sorrentino, and his daughter Isabella. Brian has been my mentor for the last seven years and has refined my brokerage capabilities substantially. To say Brian is uniquely talented understates just how creative his deal making really is. He thrives on understanding the process, knowing the “why and how” of the way things work, and not just in our industry, a sometimes longwinded, but always educational experience. While there can be a lot of ego in our industry, Brian’s humility and big picture thinking gives him the ability to avoid letting ego dictate the negotiation. Because of this, he is well respected by me, our colleagues, and our clients. He truly is one of the good guys, and both Isabella and I are lucky to have him on our side.

Isabella joined our team four years ago, and there is no doubt she is her father’s daughter. She is hard working, intelligent, and has incredible instincts. However, her industry insight started much longer than four years ago. Growing up, she and Brian would travel together to her soccer tournaments around the country. On those trips, Isabella would soak up the constant inflow of business conversations, often accompanying her dad to scout new concepts, and meet people in “the business.” While Brian never ‘expected’ Isabella to follow in his footsteps, she found a lifetime of exposure to her dad’s business dealings led her to have particularly strong abilities in sales and marketing while attending school at USD—commercial real estate seemed like a natural fit. Like her father, Isabella’s instinct and ability has been proven time and again in her short career thus far, even earning her CCIM designation in just 3 years. When I asked Brian what he was most proud of when it comes to Isabella’s work ethic, he said, “She is creative, she doesn’t settle, she doesn’t repeat mistakes, and when you put those together, you wind up with something special.”

With ties following the footsteps of working in the family business, the work ethic of the Sorrentino’s is something special, and runs deep in their blood. Like Isabella, Brian was raised in and around his family’s business. His parents were Burger King franchisees, and he will proudly tell you how he had their drive-thru window time down to 16 seconds during the lunch hour, a Chick-Fil-A-esque feat in and of itself. Providing some insight into just the kind of person Brian is, his parents shared a story from his childhood: Since an early age, Brian was never forced to go work with his dad, he just did it. It is something that he has carried with him throughout the rest of his life. No matter what the task is, he always puts in 100% effort, and somehow always finds a way to have fun doing it! Apparently, one day at work, Brian was so focused on completing a task, that his manager fired him when he refused to start at a new task before completing the one at hand—Brian was 9 years old, unpaid, and a perfectionist. To this day, he must complete every job, even if it almost gets him fired.

Along with Brian, the rest of the men mentioned in this blog are not just fathers to their children, but also fathers to our industry--growing, supporting, and advising those who work alongside them, elevating the level of service and experience in brokerage and deal making. Thank you all for the roles that you have played in our careers. It has been an honor and a privilege to learn from, and work with you. Cheers!