Following in Dad's CRE Footsteps
Most dads get a special visit from their offspring on Father’s Day, but we found four DFW commercial real estate execs who can run into their kids on the weekday 9 to 5 circuit, too. We got the skinny on just how influential these dads were on their sons.
CBRE broker John Ellerman partners with his dad, vice chairman Jeff Ellerman (on a team with Scott Hobbs, Robert Blount and Ashley Tanton). John tells us his dad has always been his role model, and he aspired to follow his dad into commercial real estate from a young age. After a stint at Cassidy Turley (now DTZ), he joined his dad’s team at CBRE and says he’s blessed to learn from the best in the business. His dad has taught him that determination, grit and character will lead to success. “He gave me a poster when I was a kid that still hangs on my wall: On the road to success, you can be sure of one thing...there’s no crowd on the extra mile,” he tells us.
CBRE associate Cameron Deptula says his dad, Transwestern principal Robert Deptula, helped him grow professionally and as a man. He entered the real estate business because of the people he met while going on hunting/business trips with industry icons with his dad and folks like CBRE EVP Phil Puckett and Greenway Investment Co principal Jerry Stool, among others. “My dad would always warn me that I only see the fun side of the business, but the true reality is being a broker is no easy task. Of course, I thought he was lying. That all changed the day I came to CBRE,” Cameron tells us. “Being surrounded by the best of the best, I quickly learned just how grueling the industry is and how much hard work and dedication it takes to set you apart from the rest of the pack.” He’s pushed to be his best every day, he says, by the desire to meet the needs of his clients and not letting his father down.
Beyond his realm of influence on Cameron, Phil Puckett’s own sons (Campbell and Neal, surrounding him here) have joined him at CBRE. Campbell tells us he saw how much his dad enjoyed work and thought he’d give it a shot, too. After industry internships, he knew it was a good fit. Neal, too, says internships were crucial to his choice, but says his father’s influence was strong in his career path, as well. At an early age, he was taught that success is strongly correlated to character, work ethic and the will to keep on pushing through when times are tough.
Davidson Bogel Real Estate’s David Davidson Jr. grew up listening to his dad talk about how much he enjoyed his work, even when things were slow. While he didn’t grasp it at the time, he gets it now. David (center between his dad, Davidson Real Estate’s David Davidson Sr. and his sister, Erin Bardin, at Children’s Medical Center in the Davidson Family Foundation room in honor of David’s mom, Candy Davidson) tells us one of the many things he’s learned from his dad over the years is that you can “always make one more phone call.” He and his dad are closing a big deal today, he tells us. Alas, no more deets on the deal, though.
