Tyler Huffman | Vice President | BG Capital
Years with company/firm: 6
Years in field: 8
Years in real estate industry: 9
Real estate organizations/affiliations: The Union League of Philadelphia Real Estate Club, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
My greatest professional accomplishment took place this past year when my team closed over $158M in transactional value. This was the largest year to-date in the company’s history for overall financing and transactional activity.
What is your most notable project, deal or transaction?
My most notable deal/transaction this past year was the closing of our construction financing for a 172,000 s/f ground up new construction coldstorage industrial building in Philadelphia, PA. We closed a total loan amount of $72.58M with OceanFirst Bank contributing $42.5M as the senior lender and Nuveen Green Capital contributing $30M as a C-PACE (Mezzanine) lender. This is the largest size C-PACE deal to date in Pennsylvania history. (C-Pace financing is utilized for buildings with extensive energy efficiency improvements.)
How do you contribute to your company and/or the industry?
Currently, as the head of our Capital Market’s department here at BG Capital I serve as the lead originator for all debt and equity products as well as the team lead on the brokerage side of the business for the disposition and acquisition of all assets under company management. I work extensively with the largest institutional lenders, brokers, and funds in the commercial real estate landscape to help position our company to the forefront of the industry.
Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career?
The strongest points of influence in my career so far have been the network of mentors and seasoned professionals I have chosen to surround myself with for guidance and advice on how to carry oneself within the industry. The managing partners of my company, Joe Byrne and Daniel Govberg, have been instrumental and key resources in my growth both professionally and personally.
What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as successful as you are today?
Some early challenges I faced coming out of school was an overall lack of applicable knowledge I possessed. I felt extremely unprepared and overwhelmed when I was first getting started within the commercial real estate industry due to the little preparation, I felt I received in my educational programs. I think the best way one can overcome these early challenges is by consuming as much industry material as possible and getting to know who and what deals are being done in your local market. Having a firm understanding of the local economics of your environment helps put the pieces of the puzzle together from a larger macro perspective.
What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time?
Outside of the workplace I enjoy spending time with my friends and family as much as possible. Also, I am an avid Philly sports fan and try to attend as many home football and basketball games as possible.
What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college?
Be patient and take time to explore all the different avenues commercial real estate has to offer before ultimately deciding on what specific field within the industry you want to settle and focus on. There are so many terrific opportunities available in real estate and you would be surprised at what you find to be the most fulfilling in the end.