Stan Gale of the Gale Co.

Growth for the Gale Co. has taken a peculiar track. The Florham Park, NJ-based investor/developer and service firm was founded in 1985 (as the Sammis Co.). Run today by president Mark Yaeger and chairman and CEO Stan Gale , the firm quickly established itself as a regional player. Over the years, it spread its reach beyond the Garden State as far north as Boston, as far south as Washington DC and as far west as Incheon, Korea. Incheon, Korea? Yep. In March, Gale unveiled plans to joint venture with the city of Incheon and Korea-based Posco Engineering & Construction on a $12.5-billion urban center to be called New Songdo Intelligent City. (Click on: GlobeSt.com EXCLUSIVE: US/South Korea JV Sets Sights on $12B Urban Center .) In scope and international impact, it is without question the most ambitious project Gale has ever tackled. Not bad for a firm still trying to shed its regional reputation. But, says Gale, it makes sense when you consider the types of properties it has under its development belt, which includes Boston’s 1.1-million-sf One Lincoln St.–now leased to State Street Global. In fact, Gale tells GlobeSt.com that it was the Lincoln building that set the wheels in motion for Incheon, and the deal comes on the heels of the firm launching a new national strategy–reported exclusively on GlobeSt.com this past February. Click on: GlobeSt.com EXCLUSIVE: G&W Forms $200M Investment Fund, Changes Name –as well as a $200-million investment fund. Neverthless, he admits that, strategies aside, some good things–like the Incheon deal–come simply by answering the phone. He sat down recently to discuss the forces of strategy and good fortune.

GlobeSt.com: You’ve been more than regional for a while, even though you’re just now unveiling your national strategy.

Gale: The announcement is actually the continuation of a process that started many years ago, when we chose to balance our efforts between the investment world and the services we provide–management, leasing and construction. That balance has allowed us to develop relationships with tenants on one hand and investors on the other, and the development of those relationships has been a major catalyst behind expansion into other regions.