Andrew Ackerman, general manager of the Sands Investment Group's Atlanta office.
ATLANTA – Andrew Ackerman is distinguished not only by his leadership role in production, but also by his thought leadership in the industry. As General Manager of the Sands Investment Group's Atlanta office, he built a business that not only thrived beyond production, but also helped fuel the growth of other brokers – from $ 0 GCI to several million USD in production. He is also one of the leading authorities on the C-Store and is recognized as such.
Andrew has been in the commercial real estate business for over 10 years and has established himself as one of the leading experts in investment sales in the convenience store space. He has closed more than $ 1 billion in volume over the past 18 months, including multiple portfolios in excess of $ 20 million. He has also helped build a team that competes nationally in the auto, industrial and medical office space space, and has advanced many of the strategies that have helped the company grow and expand across the company.
As part of SIG's SIGives initiative, he has led a partnership between his office and the Special Olympics of Georgia and has been an active volunteer in local and national competitions.
His entry into the real estate industry was a natural step after college football as he had a great platform that made him feel like he could compete every day while still being part of a team that wasn't just yourself yourself but also your other team members or employees can grow. He told GlobeSt.com that his entrepreneurial character was very attractive in the industry as no two deals are alike and "you always learn".
As for his goals? In the long term, he wants to build a business that one or both of his daughters would one day be proud of. He hopes to "continue to lead the industry and expand not only his knowledge and skills, but the people around him".
When asked for advice for the next generation, he said, “Do it well … this is a marathon, not a sprint. Not every day is going to be your best, but if you show up and get the job done day in and day out, you will achieve your goals. Never lose the fact that the market is driving the industry. You're never as smart as you think when the market is great, and you are never as bad as you think when the market is terrible. "
GlobeSt.com's first "People to Watch" series sheds light on people from all commercial property disciplines who have influenced and continue to influence the industry. Look forward to many more profiles of tomorrow's managers.
