Name/Title/Company: Reece Friedner / Commercial Marketing Director / Certa Pro Painters

Briefly tell us what you do, and length of time in the CRE industry: Industrial Broker for Colliers, 2 years.

Number of Years in NAIOP Wisconsin?: 1 year.

What project or professional or personal accomplishment are you most proud of?: I, along with my team provide painting, concrete floor coatings, and other aesthetic maintenance services to the commercial real estate industry. 

Where did you grow up, go to high school or college?: My first job in college I worked for a biotech startup running all of their marketing and public relations efforts. In the two years I was in that role we grew from a 12 employee, 500 thousand dollar a year company into a 250 employee 25 million dollar a year company. I'm not taking credit for this growth but I'm very proud of my development from a glorified social media intern at a small business to a marketing director in all but name for a much larger company. 

Where did you grow up, go to high school or college?: I grew up in a small town in northern Minnesota called Lindstrom. I have two younger sisters, one is a junior at Iowa University and the other is a junior in high school who hopes to be a Wisconsin Badger which will make the annual rivalry game very exciting. I graduated from Marquette last year with a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and Marketing.

Who introduced you to NAIOP Wisconsin and how has the DL All Star program contributed to your success in the industry as a young professional?: I introduced myself to NAIOP but Katie Coyle has been very helpful in introducing me to others within the association and making sure it's a beneficial membership. The DL all star program contributed to my success in the industry by facilitating relationships between myself and multiple developers, bolstering my goal of increasing CertaPro's new construction projects as well as introducing me to other developing members of the industry who are hungry to grow. 

What advice would you give today, to you five years ago?: Invest in mask and hand sanitizer production. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?: I hope to be a large part of the CRE industry who knows everyone within it.

What are you currently reading for fun?: The Emperor series. The books explore Julius Caesar's life, motivations, and methods of collapsing the Roman Republic.

Favorite vacation spot?: Greneda, Spain