Sam Dul, an estimator here at Willmeng, recently completed NAIOP’s 2016 Arizona Developing Leaders Mentor Program. We are so proud of him!
Each year, 12 young real estate professionals are taken under the wings of seasoned industry veterans and are provided with the opportunity to deepen their industry knowledge and develop invaluable relations. Willmeng CEO, James Murphy acted as a mentor for the 2015-16 program.
“The program really helps you get a glimpse into the entire commercial development process… by providing courses that give perspective from all professions involved including architect, contractor, developer, broker and banker,” said Dul. “It’s also an excellent conduit to network and meet other young professional as well as veteran high performers in the CRE industry.”
The yearlong program allows students to attend educational seminars within the commercial real estate industry and complete a full-scaled development project that teaches them about real estate transactions from start to finish.
This year, the young professionals were split into three teams of four and were tasked with transforming a lot on the northwest corner of McDowell Road and Central Avenue. They had to buy the land, plan the architecture, price the lease and complete an exit sale. At the graduation ceremony, the young professionals presented their cases to a panel of three judges. Dul was on the winning team! Team Canvas won with a $131 million development that included elements of Downtown and Midtown culture.
The overall quality of the presentations was truly amazing. Given the great reputation of the judges, including the likes of Bob Hubbard and Chris Mackay, this program is unbelievably powerful and complete. It was a pleasure to participate [as a mentor],” said Murphy.
