IAMC Member Spotlight

As an organization, IAMC fosters relationships that turn into both business partnerships and long-term friendships. The path to corporate real estate varies widely, and our members come from a variety of professional and personal backgrounds.

We thank Marcus Rose, Director of Real Estate for NFI Industries, for sharing his!

1. Tell us a little bit about you.

I am the Sr. Real Estate Manager at NFI. I grew up in Madison Heights, VA, and attended Furman University for my undergrad education.

2. Tell us about your path to corporate real estate.

My path to real estate was somewhat unique. I started my career in Property Management with CBRE in 2011. Having very little knowledge of career paths within real estate, my goal at the time was to obtain enough foundational knowledge to then become an office/retail broker ($$$). After three years of property management, I took a transaction management position within CBRE that serviced one of their top national clients. As I encountered both the advantages and disadvantages of working on the client-service side within CBRE Corporate Services, my interest in corporate real estate grew significantly. I was particularly drawn to aspects such as strategic planning, organizational structure, and the art of creative deal-making.

I was very fortunate to join NFI in 2019, which has positioned me in a true corporate real estate role. NFI is a fully integrated third-party supply chain solutions provider. Privately held by the Brown family since 1932, the company generates more than $3.9 billion in annual revenue and employs over 17,000 associates. NFI owns and operates more than 70 million square feet of warehouse space alongside a dedicated fleet of 5,000 tractors and 14,300 trailers.

3. What is the scope of your responsibilities at your organization?

Our exceptional real estate team at NFI encompasses a range of expertise including Construction, Development, Property Management, Leasing, and Accounting. I'm part of a smaller team of five professionals whose responsibility is to oversee all leasing and customer-driven development activities across both NFI's owned and leased properties. Specifically, my role involves overseeing leasing initiatives and pursuing new opportunities for NFI's operating company, which encompasses a vast portfolio of 35 million square feet spread across 180 properties. Over the past four years, a significant portion of my focus has been dedicated to lease administration and leveraging technological resources to enhance our operations.

NFI strategically operates in key distribution hubs across the United States and Canada, including a substantial presence in secondary and tertiary markets. Our assets span a wide spectrum, ranging from 5-acre trailer yards to expansive 1 million square foot warehouses.

4. What is your favorite part of your role or the industry as a whole?

I find it rewarding to uncover creative solutions for our operations when conventional methods aren't applicable. Additionally, I've taken pleasure in assisting with the development of a more structured transaction management process within our current framework at NFI.

5. What is one skill specific to your job could you share with the rest of the membership?

In my role, I find persistence to be essential. Managing multiple stakeholders throughout transactions and navigating deals that may encounter multiple setbacks can be a significant challenge.

6. Tell us about a CRE or FM project in which you played a role of which you were particularly proud.

One project that stands out to me involved a facility operated by NFI on behalf of a customer through a lease agreement. Unfortunately, the customer experienced a downturn in their business, necessitating the termination of all labor associated with that operation. However, seizing an opportunity presented by a new customer pursuit, we were able to repurpose the facility by taking on a sublease for the space previously occupied by our former customer. This strategic move allowed us to rehire a majority of the employees who had previously worked at the facility. This was a great outcome that allowed our local team to maintain a majority of their employees.

7. What led you to join IAMC?

I joined IAMC on the recommendation of my manager Troy Adams, who has been a long-standing member of IAMC. IAMC has been very helpful in my career, particularly through my first couple of years with NFI, which happened to be in the middle of the pandemic. Having a network of colleagues who were willing to help me solve issues I was dealing with became very valuable.

8. Fun Facts: Tell us about one thing you have on your bucket list.

Skydiving over Palm Islands in Dubai.