GlobeSt.com: What have been some of the key turning points in your career?

Peek: I have been really fortunate to work with a handful of great companies and several brilliant real estate minds during my career. However, I would have to say that joining the real estate team at First Florida Bank in 1983 was a major turning point for me.

First Florida was the dominant real estate lender on the west coast of Florida. Our team banked an elite group of office, retail, multifamily, industrial, and residential developers and builders including Paragon Group, Sembler Company, Vantage, Lincoln, Bob Sierra, Al Austin, Charlie Rutenberg, Suarez Housing, and Westfield Homes.

We performed our credit, appraisal, and real estate underwriting internally, so I received a very granular, first-hand, behind the scene look at the operating models and philosophies of some of the best real estate minds in Florida. My boss, Larry Heard, had a brilliant mind and was one of my most important mentors. The diversity of my experience in multiple product types has been a big positive for me.

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

Peek: I would say the downturn in 1991 was the most challenging for me.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Peek: In 1991, there was a total meltdown in the real estate banking world and major real estate lenders had their hands full with troubled assets. Citicorp Real Estate recruited me to work on restructuring troubled credits, credit enhanced bond deals and defaulted counter party risk agreements. It seemed like a logical move and chance to work for a world class organization. It proved to be a great place to be during the downturn and was an amazing learning experience.

ORLANDO—Scott “Skipper” Peek has seen the best of times and worst of times in the capital markets. He's worked with some of the brightest minds and has built a reputation for being a bright mind himself.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Peek, VP of commercial sales and development at Tavistock Development Co., to get his thought on key turning points and challenges in his career. Stay tuned for part two of this interview, in which Peek will share the opportunities he sees in the commercial real estate market.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get your start in commercial real estate?

Scott “Skipper” Peek: I was a finance major at University of Florida and I developed a keen interest in real estate after taking a real estate class from Dr. Clayton Curtis. After a brief stay at Data Dynamics in Los Angeles, I joined Georgetown Development out of Miami.

GlobeSt.com: What have been some of the key turning points in your career?

Peek: I have been really fortunate to work with a handful of great companies and several brilliant real estate minds during my career. However, I would have to say that joining the real estate team at First Florida Bank in 1983 was a major turning point for me.

First Florida was the dominant real estate lender on the west coast of Florida. Our team banked an elite group of office, retail, multifamily, industrial, and residential developers and builders including Paragon Group, Sembler Company, Vantage, Lincoln, Bob Sierra, Al Austin, Charlie Rutenberg, Suarez Housing, and Westfield Homes.

We performed our credit, appraisal, and real estate underwriting internally, so I received a very granular, first-hand, behind the scene look at the operating models and philosophies of some of the best real estate minds in Florida. My boss, Larry Heard, had a brilliant mind and was one of my most important mentors. The diversity of my experience in multiple product types has been a big positive for me.

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

Peek: I would say the downturn in 1991 was the most challenging for me.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Peek: In 1991, there was a total meltdown in the real estate banking world and major real estate lenders had their hands full with troubled assets. Citicorp Real Estate recruited me to work on restructuring troubled credits, credit enhanced bond deals and defaulted counter party risk agreements. It seemed like a logical move and chance to work for a world class organization. It proved to be a great place to be during the downturn and was an amazing learning experience.