We Salute These Veterans In CRE
As America prepares to celebrate men and women who have served our country tomorrow, Bisnow recognizes these eight men who returned to North Texas from service to begin careers in real estate.
Herb Weitzman
Weitzman executive chairman Herb Weitzman served in the Army shortly after graduating from Highland Park High School in 1957. He joined the Army and trained at Fort Bliss in El Paso. The Vietnam War had just begun and Eisenhower—a highly decorated war hero—inspired boundless patriotism. Herb says the military shaped his life and instilled a further degree of discipline and focus to his mindset.
Don Plunk
Emory Associates CEO Don Plunk was drafted into the Army in 1959 and served until 1962. He worked as a engineer, among other things. During his military service, Don learned occupational tools and goal-setting that were of great benefit in his career in engineering land development when he returned to the private sector.
Calvin Mullinax
Stream construction manager Calvin Mullinax (left) served in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2006. He says it taught him to make quick decisions, be a leader, adapt quickly, listen and carry out directions and give proper direction to accomplish a goal. Without his military background, Calvin tells us he would not be where he is today.
Sam Kartalis
NOVUS Realty Advisors member Sam Kartalis served as a Navy lieutenant out of Newport, RI, and on board a destroyer escort, USS Hammerberg DE 1015, from 1959 to 1962. Sam was chief engineer and qualified to navigate the ship. He thinks serving our country should be required for all young men and women because he says it helps you grow intellectually and teaches you leadership and the meaning of responsibility.
Robert Grunnah
NOVUS Realty Advisors member Robert Grunnah served in the Air Force in Texas, Florida and various missions in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. Training, persistence, self-discipline and structure benefited Robert both in his military and commercial real estate careers.
Mark Hayes
Stream senior associate, Mark Hayes (here with his oldest daughter, Peyton), served as a Navy SEAL from 2002 to 2008. Mark served in Iraq, the Philippines and Thailand. Mark tells us his background in the Navy allowed him to act on real-time information, know when to cut his losses and operate effectively with delegated authority.
Ben Livingston
PMRG intern Ben Livingston (right) served in the Marine Corps from 2008 to 2013 in Cherry Point, NC, with missions in Okinawa, Japan, and Guatemala. Ben ended his active service as a sergeant after participating in anti-drug trafficking missions. "Like the Marine Corps, I have found that working in commercial real estate requires the ability to work within a team and to maintain a task-completion mindset," Ben tells us.
Robert Storm
Mercer Co marketing coordinator Robert Storm served in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2016. Robert served in Camp Pendleton, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Syracuse, NY, Camp Lejeune, NC, and Fort Worth.
