Q & A with Tracy Metzger the Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Brokers, Inc.

Name: Tracy Metzger Title: President Company/firm: TL Metzger & Associates Years with Company/firm: 12 Years in field: 25 Years in real estate industry : 25 Address: 18 Broadway, Albany NY Telephone: 518426-5211 Email: [email protected] URL: www.tlmetzger.com Real estate organizations/affiliations: CIREB,GCAR, NYSCAR During the last 10 years of your career, which professional accomplishment, honor or achievement was most meaningful to you and why? In October of 2008, TL Metzger & Associates won the Small Business of the Year award from the Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. The recognition was not only for our growth as a company but for our significant involvement in the community. Which project, deal or transaction was the 'game changer' in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? The game changer was my decision to locate the commercial office in downtown Albany in 2000 which has provided the company with significant exposure and business. There are no others brokers in downtown. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? With 25 years of transactional experience, I bring added value to every new lease or sale transaction having worked with many of the landlords and municipalities over the years. I am also very involved in the economic development community keeping a close watch for new opportunities and assisting clients with important contacts. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? Learn the business from a seasoned broker who can provide you with the wisdom to navigate all the paths necessary to close a transaction. Relationships are key to securing new business and creating a network of expertise you can count on when needed. How do you manage the work/life balance? The work/life balance changes over time. I was able to have a more equal balance as I learned to prioritize, focus and delegate. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? I have always had a strong desire to help others which is really what a broker does. We help facilitate communication, collaborate when necessary and seek out the right solutions. How are you using social media to promote yourself, your products and / or your firm? We have always promoted the properties we represent via various industry websites and have an awesome company website that has proven to be a tool used by many in our community as it is a gateway to so much information. We just started using Linked In to network and promote our properties as well. Where would you like to be 10 years from today? Alive and well.