The Leader - January/February 2009 - (Page 64)

CAr eer developemen t by Jennie Lazarus Sam Hunter, Assistant Commissioner, Applied Science, public buildings Service, General Services Administration GSA’s Sam Hunter: A lonG And vAried CAreer A career in real estate became Sam Hunter’s goal as a young man working for IBM’s Real Estate and Construction Division. Little did he know that his career path would take the turns that it has over the years, eventually assisting in the creation of the Office of Applied Science within the Public Building Service (PBS) of the General Services Administration (GSA) and later being chosen to head the organization on a permanent basis in 2004. He oversees the national programs for the Environment, Sustainable Design, Workplace, Energy, Child Care and Research under the umbrella of Expert Services as well as the Regulatory and Knowledge Management groups. “When I left IBM, I was sure I wanted to pursue a career in real estate, but I wasn’t sure where or doing what,” Hunter describes his career path. “I told my wife that over the next few years, I wanted to learn as much as I could about the business, which might mean changing jobs a ‘few times.’ But I promised her I would make a decision by the time I was 40, and settle into a career. During that period I worked for developers, building owners, brokerage firms and corporations.” Settling down at age 40 didn’t quite work out the way Hunter envisioned. According to Hunter, “I have continued to spread my wings, but I have decided that learning new roles and taking on new challenges is what I really love the most.” Hunter’s career has taken him from major corporations, into consulting firms, and now into the Federal government. Pointing out defining moments in his career, Hunter states, “The first came when I was hired by the Hughes Aircraft Company as their first Director of Corporate Real Estate. The organization was growing at an incredible rate, and it became my responsibility to provide the real estate expertise to move them forward. It was an awesome responsibility for someone who hadn’t turned 40 yet. And more incredibly, they completely trusted me to do the job. It was a vote of confidence I will always appreciate and never forget. The second was in 1984 when I made a commitment to become actively involved in IDRC and subsequently CoreNet Global. Over the years I have served as a board member and as an officer. The organization has provided me with the knowledge, experience and confidence to stay with and advance in an industry I love.” Hunter offers his sage advice to those entering the profession. “First, continue to expand your network. Don’t just meet people. Develop relationships. It has always amazed me how often the lady sitting next to you in church or the guy that you coach Little League with is somehow connected to the industry. Secondly, keep up with the industry and with technology. There are myriad periodicals and papers available to help you, as well as the ultimate tool, the Internet, which many of us didn’t have as we grew up in the industry. CoreNet chapter meetings, Discovery Forums and Summits are great places to expand your horizons and build or tap your network. Don’t limit yourself to the discussion groups, spend time browsing through the booths at the EXPO. Skip the freebie squeeze toys and listen to the presentations.” Hunter adds how CoreNet Global has been instrumental in his career development. He says, ”It has provided the education, the network and the experiences I have needed to grow both personally and professionally. I have met and interacted with people I would never have had access to, such as authors, politicians, entertainers, and leaders of corporations. CoreNet Global has not only been good for me personally, it has been instrumental in defining and establishing the role of the corporate real estate executive. I have enjoyed watching many young people move through the ranks of committee and board positions to become leaders in CoreNet and the industry.” It’s a good thing Sam Hunter didn’t limit himself by settling down at age 40. Corporate real estate and CoreNet Global are so much richer for his presence in the industry. 2 0 0 9 tH e le Ade r 64 jAnuAry / februAry

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leader - January/February 2009

The Leader - January/February 2009 Contents Leadership Message from the CEO Real Estate in the News Mergers and Aquisitions Assessing Green Building Performance Measuring Space You Actually Use Global Trends in Sustainable Real Estate Whirlpool’s Lee Utke Northmarq’s Kevin Farrell Plastics: Hoping for Resiliency in Resins Regional Profile: Heartland Holding Strong Industry Profile: Ascendas Brings New Age Business Space to Asia-Pac Industry Tracker From the Applied Research Center Discovery Forum Findings Capital Corner Career Development Young Leader Economic Development in the News Learning Spotlight Connect With CoreNet Global Index of Advertisers A Look Ahead In our Next Issue Calendar of Seminars

The Leader - January/February 2009

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