Top Execs Talk First Jobs

CapasGroup founder Brad Capas tells us that his family owned a restaurant in Key West that proved to be more than a first work experience for him—it was a way of life. “We lived on the floor above the restaurant, and it seemed like I was always working—washing dishes, busing tables, or doing any number of odd jobs whenever extra hands were needed,” he says. As he got older, the rule was that he had to check in with his dad before going out. “On countless occasions I spend the next several hours not on my date, but rather flipping burgers or shucking oysters.”

Dezer Development prez Gil Dezer tells us that he got his start in the working world quite a bit further north than his current home base in South Florida: he used to valet park cars and hand out flyers on the street in New York City. Gil's the one in the center, snapped during last year's groundbreaking for Porsche Design Tower Miami, which these days is 90% sold.

Position: Stiles EVP
Background: Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and went to college at Elon University in NC. Before joining the family business in '05, he worked all through high school and college on charter and private sport fishing boats in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, St Thomas, Panama, Ascension Island, and Brazil. 
Picture taken: On his boat, plumbing Davy Jones' locker
Currently focused on: Growing Stiles in key markets throughout South and Central Florida, as well as Charlotte. Also concentrating on growing third-party business in each service division.  
On working with family: Family is everything. Not many people have the opportunity to work with their father, who's been my mentor since I was little.
Favorite pastimes: Fishing and golf. Nothing beats the ocean.
Favorite music group: Zac Brown Band.
Favorite vacation: Nova Scotia for bluefin tuna fishing. Fished three days and caught eight out of 12 tunas between 600 lbs and 1,000 lbs. I will never forget the sheer size of the first fish we released. 
Favorite food: After going to school in NC, it's hard to turn down some good, old Southern BBQ. 
Startling fact: In 2001, while fishing in Guatemala, Ken and his father caught and released 88 sailfish in one day, fishing out of the Fins and Feathers lodge. At the time, it was the world record for most sailfish caught in a single day. 

Snapped at ICSC Florida last week in Orlando: Rialto Capital's Christopher Suarez, Crossoan & Co's Dan Colachicco, and Franklin Street's Greg Matus. Greg tells us that most retailers at the show were upbeat about the market. “A lot of retailers talked about how they want to be in South Florida, either to grow their footprint, or enter for the first time,” he says. Grocery is very hot right now, and the competition to find good locations in South Florida is as strong as it's ever been. Development is also back: “There were a lot more developers who attended this show than in the past few years,” Greg says. “They all came with plans for their next project and are looking for tenants.”