Associate Marc Hale joined DarwinPW Realty when Darwin and PW Commercial merged in 2022. During his time at PW Commercial Real Estate, Marc established himself as one of the top young brokers in the area. After only four years at PW Commercial, Marc was named the firm’s top producer in 2019 and has transacted over 100 million dollars worth of real estate in that time.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?
Hale: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved away when I was 18 to play junior hockey. I went to college and played hockey at New England College (NEC) in New Hampshire for two years. After spending a few years on the East Coast, I returned to the Midwest and finished college at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. After college, I attended Law School at Valparaiso University in Indiana and settled in Chicago shortly after that. Thanks to hockey and college, I was fortunate enough to live in nine different states and meet many people from different walks of life all over this beautiful country of ours.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: When you were young, what did you aspire to be?
Hale: Like many young kids obsessed with hockey, my goal was to become a professional hockey player in the NHL. When I finally realized I lacked the necessary speed, size or skill to make it to the NHL, I quickly turned my attention to becoming a sports agent. With my father being an attorney, I always had an interest in law and a propensity for arguing (much to my mother’s dismay). This goal led me to law school after college and working for a sports agency during law school and for some time after graduation. However, the NHL lockout of 2012-13 put a halt to those plans.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: How did you get your start in the industry?
Hale: I want to say my path to the real estate world was a quick one, but this is not the case. After the NHL lockout ended, I started working with the director of scouting for the St. Louis Blues, and my goal shifted from being a sports agent to becoming a scout for an NHL team. Working as an attorney in Downtown Chicago and doing some part-time scouting, I got the idea of becoming a real estate appraiser as a way to work for myself while I chased a scouting role with a team. This new path led me to being connected with the Eisenberg Foundation, and I attended their career day. I spoke with many real estate appraisers who all had one message: become a broker.
The career day was an eye-opening experience and was the first time I learned what a commercial real estate broker does and, more specifically, what the world of industrial real estate is all about. I realized many of the skills I gained working for a sports agency translated well to the brokerage world. After roughly a year and a half of what seems like countless phone calls and interviews, I landed a job as a commercial real estate broker with Paine Wetzel.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: Did you have a mentor who helped you get on your feet, or is there someone you turn to now for support?
Hale: When I started at Paine Wetzel, I was fortunate enough to be paired up with Ed Wabick, a veteran in the industry who has helped guide many brokers to successful careers. There is no book or course you can take to learn all there is to know about the world of industrial real estate. Thankfully, Ed went out of his way to include me in his day-to-day business dealings, which is how I learned what it takes to be a successful broker in this highly competitive industry.
When Paine Wetzel and Darwin Realty merged, I was fortunate to meet many new, seasoned, and successful brokers. George Cibula is another veteran in the brokerage world I have been lucky enough to learn from. The knowledge and track record George has as both a broker and owner of real estate has brought an invaluable new perspective.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: What does a day in your life look like?
Hale: A real estate broker’s to-do list can seem never-ending, and no two days are the same. As a result, getting an early start is crucial to ensure I use my time as efficiently as possible before the phone starts ringing. Some days, I am out of the office meeting with clients, prospects, and showing properties. Other days are spent in the office making calls to source new deals and leads for our listings, sending and answering emails, updating our clients, and handling the countless other tasks that can pop up on a daily basis. However, I always try to end my day whenever possible by spending time with my family and being there when it’s time for our daughter to go to bed.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: What do you like most about your job?
Hale: The ability to help our clients achieve their real estate goals and guide them through what can be, at times, a complex process is one of the most rewarding parts of our job. Whether it is a family capitalizing on the value of an asset or a company moving into a new facility to expand and grow, being there from the first meeting to discuss their real estate goals to the final step when the transaction is completed is what it’s all about.
Another exciting aspect of our job is the wide variety of people we meet and work with. I enjoy meeting different types of people from many different backgrounds and learning about their specific business or industry. Many of our clients are the suppliers or producers of the countless products we use in everyday life. Understanding how those products are produced and supplied to us has been a fascinating part of my job, and I seem to learn something new every day.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: Looking to the future, what do you hope to achieve/work on that you haven’t already?
Hale: Even though I have been in this position for seven years, I still have much to learn and achieve. I am very fortunate to work at a company like DarwinPW Realty, where I am learning the ins and outs of property ownership. Over the next few years, I aim to become an investor in our real estate portfolio.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: How do you spend your time away from the office?
Hale: When I’m not working, I spend as much time with my wife and young daughter as possible. Watching my young daughter grow up in front of our eyes is a gift that keeps on giving. We love to spend time at our family’s summer home in New Buffalo to unwind and recharge for the week ahead. I have also continued working with the St. Louis Blues Amateur Scouting department as an area scout here in Chicago. This has allowed me to stay connected to the hockey world since this was such an important part of my life growing up.
Illinois Real Estate Journal: What is your favorite place that you have traveled to? Where do you hope to go next?
Hale: I have been lucky enough to see many parts of this country and the world; however, nothing in my mind compares to Israel. I was fortunate to have friends in Israel, and before I graduated law school, I spent six weeks living in Ashdod, which is just south of Tel Aviv. Getting a chance to live halfway around the world with the amazing people of that country is something I will never forget. Since my wife is Italian, Italy is next on our list.