As part of our series, CRE Future Leaders, we caught up with Scott Benedetto, an investment manager at CenterPoint Properties. Benedetto joined CenterPoint in 2012 as an investment analyst supporting acquisitions nationally and is now responsible for national dispositions and sourcing and executing acquisitions in Chicago and Houston. He sits on the Marquette University Center for Real Estate advisory board.
Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up, where did you go to school?
I grew up in Glenview, Illinois as the older middle child between two older brothers and a younger sister. I attended Loyola Academy and then Marquette University in Milwaukee where Dr. Mark Eppli in the Real Estate Program trained me.
When you were young, what did you aspire to be?
I was never attracted to a specific field, but I always wanted to be in business. I spent time with my dad and would follow him to meetings and was eager to learn more
How did you get your start in the industry?
Through Marquette—I attended a national NAIOP event with the Real Estate Program where CenterPoint won Developer of the Year and I met the team. They were hiring later in the year, I applied, and was fortunate enough to come aboard and begin my career.
Did you have a mentor who helped you get on your feet, or is there someone you turn to now for support?
My father—I grew up touring buildings and seeing the deals he was involved with, which drew my interest in the business early on. He has been instrumental in my success thus far and has guided me though life’s obstacles.
What does a day in the life of Scott Benedetto look like?
Each day is different; I spend a majority of my time on dispositions as the company continues to right-size our Chicago portfolio and sell non-strategic assets. The remainder of my time is spent in Houston as we continue to expand on our East Side port strategy.
What do you like most about your job?
I am always working on multiple projects at once, and two days are never the same. Our national platform provides perspective of the overall industrial real estate industry and macro drivers on the capital market and user side.
Looking to the future, what do you hope to achieve/work on that you have not already?
I hope to continue to refine my skillset as I grow into a transactional role with a national perspective at CenterPoint.
How do you spend your time away from the office?
I spend a lot of time with my wife and my close friends from high school and college. We travel a lot together and I attempt to play golf as I continue to grow in my career.
What is your favorite place that you have traveled to? Where do you hope to go next?
I spent my honeymoon in Greece and came to appreciate how simple life was. I hope to continue to see more of Europe and potentially South America.
