"I always had an interest in finance," he says. "In every other equities market, you have to have money to make money." He found real estate to be different, and, he says, he didn't have much when he started.

But he had what it took.

"He's a great example of someone who's very driven and focused and takes care of his clients," making sure his clients get a high level of service, Van Vleck says. "Another thing that has made Gary successful is he has very strategically built a (staff) around him that contributes to his success."

This includes Scott Robertson, a commercial real estate adviser who has worked with Tasman for about four years, and Shawn Stoneburner, a junior adviser who graduated college in December, she says. Tasman probably has doubled or tripled business since he started building that staff a few years ago, she says.

Tasman's successes don't come without challenges. "To me, the biggest challenge is staying abreast of the rapidly changing market, and that's also the biggest opportunity," says Tasman.

One such change is real estate becoming more global. At one time, he says, "To learn a market, you had to be present in the market. Now, because of the availability of the data, people can study other markets without being there," with the help of large data services and the Internet. "It's made real estate less local and more global, which increases the liquidity of it, which increases the value of it."

What does he enjoy most about his job? "I think consummating the deal," he says. "I love bringing people together."

Tasman's longer-term goals include "continuing to invest in real estate for my own account, and I'll be in a position to help younger people, kind of grow them into the business."

He has already started doing that with Shawn Stoneburner and his brother Brandon Stoneburner, an intern. "We are training them," Tasman says.

Other support staff include: Carol Arnold, business office manager, and Celia Cutcher, marketing coordinator.

Tasman has been with Grubb & Ellis|VIP since it was formed in 1998. He started in real estate in March 1984 after graduating with a major in finance and a special emphasis in real estate and economics. Currently, he covers Southwest Florida for users and user properties, and the southeastern US for investment properties.