Commercial Industrial Brokers Society honors 'rising star' Gary Friedman

The proudest celebrant at Commercial Industrial Brokers Society (CIBS) annual meeting recently was undoubtably Sheldon Friedman, the group's president a decade ago. The man better known as Shelly was first to congratulate the society's 2010 Rising Star recipient-his son Gary. At age 47, Gary's star is rising in a new career - one that parallels his father's. In February 2008 the younger Friedman joined Schacker Realty after a quarter century in software developement and project management. Gary's decision to enter commercial real estate "came as an absolute, total surprise," said Shelly, who today is director of leasing at Heartland Development. "Over the years we never discussed his coming into this business but I'm delighted he has. I'm not at all surprised he's successful." In less than three years, the younger Friedman, a managing director, has completed 38 transactions totaling 340,000 s/f with an aggregate value in excess of $21 million dollars. Among Gary's first deals was a 22,000 s/f wrap-around lease at Heartland Industrial Park. Shelly's take on negotiating with his son: "Glad to see him, but I treated Gary exactly as any other broker," said Phil Shwom, Schacker's chief. "Shelly is enormously respected across the industry, and Gary is already building the same reputation."