Grady Brame

Golf Fore! Good

Stirling Properties hits a hole-in-one
with its Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament

16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament

The 16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament was held earlier this month at University Club Plantation in Baton Rouge. More than 120 golfers participated in the scramble event and were treated to a great day of food, fun and fellowship—along with a little friendly competition—all for a good cause.

The tournament was a huge success, raising $30,000 for local nonprofit organizations! In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation received $10,000 from the proceeds. The remaining proceeds were distributed to various local charitable causes.

Representatives from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation and LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation were on hand to receive a check for their contributions. Grady Brame, Executive Vice President of Stirling Properties (and resident golf expert!), presented a check to Todd Stevens, President and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center; and to Rick Perry, President and CEO of Tiger Athletic Foundation, during an awards celebration and cocktail reception following the tournament.

Todd Stevens, Jimmy Maurin, Grady Brame

Todd Stevens, Jimmy Maurin, Grady Brame

What happens on the golf course does not stay on the golf course—here’s a recap of the days’ activities. The 1st Place Low Net was won by Steven Serio, Tyler Marquette, Lance McCardle and Colin O’Flynn. The Low Gross winning team included Paul Geyer, Rick Perry, Grady Brame and Jimmy Maurin. Additional awards were presented for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Low Gross and Low Net as well as 4 Closest to the Hole prizes, Longest Drive, and Highest Gross Score (we won’t name any names!).

A heartfelt thanks to all of our friends and supporters that participated and contributed to the Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament. This event would not be possible without you.

“The 16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament was a tremendous success, and we were once again able to donate to worthy nonprofit organizations that are truly making a difference in our communities. We are grateful for the generosity of our tournament sponsors and thank everyone that came out to support us. We hope to see you again next year!” said Brame.

The Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament has contributed more than $184,000 to numerous organizations over the past 16 years, with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation being the majority beneficiary of proceeds. Since 2004, $117,000 has been donated to the center in support of its cancer research and care-giving efforts.

#StirlingProud

16th Annual Stirling Invitational Golf Tournament Sponsors

Additional sponsors include Economical Janitorial Supplies, Grass Unlimited, Calcasieu Mechanical Contractors, Robert Refrigeration, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, Thermal Products, Angelos Landscaping, Big Easy Parking Lot Maintenance, Chrestia Staub, Cost Segregation Services, Inc. (CSSI), Gulf South Electric, ITS Fire Alarm Security LLC, Massengale Grounds Management, Netchex Payroll Services, Precision Concrete Cutting of Louisiana, Republic Services, Inc., Star Service Inc., Trimark, Unit Design, Jones Fussell, BH Management Services, CBL & Associates Properties Inc., CSRS, Inc., Malone Roofing, Premier Service Team, Real Estate Tax Group, LLC, River Parish Disposal, LLC, Robert Levis Development, Southeastern Waterproofing, First Bank & Trust, Moran Construction Consultants.

A huge shout out to Fidelity Bank, Brad Jongbloed and his team, for sponsoring lunch.

UPDATE: Tee It Up with Grady Brame, Executive Vice President at Stirling Properties

UPDATE: Due to a processing error some subscribers may have difficulty accessing the video associated with this blog post. To view the video in its entirety, please click here.  We apologize for any inconvenience.  grady-teeitup We all know that Grady is a huge golfer. But did you know that he has played among some of golf’s greats, including Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and David Duval? He’s played in three U.S. Amateur competitions with Tiger Woods. Although they weren’t actually playing against one another, according to the scorecard, you could say that Grady beat Tiger! Grady has played amateur golf around the country and says “the more success you have, the more opportunities you will receive.” He believes much of what he has learned on the golf course is applicable to the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. So we thought it would be fun to sit down with him to get a little insight on both. Where does your passion about golf & real estate come from? “The love of golf runs in my family! My father was a scratch golfer, and his father played too. We have a long list of relatives that play. Both of my sons share a love of the game, and my oldest son has taken it to a professional level.” Grady’s attraction to golf is fueled by the thrill of competition and the determination to get better. That same logic drives his love for real estate, and got him started in the industry. “I was attracted to Stirling Properties because it was exciting and a new opportunity for me—commercial real estate was fun! I loved the idea of building new projects. The industry was challenging, but we were successful. Over the years, I’ve learned so much, and I feel that my experience really adds value to our Stirling team. Golf has given me personal achievement and fulfillment, Stirling Properties has given me professional fulfillment.” In your opinion, how are golf & commercial real estate similar? They are both competitive. I compete on the golf course to win, and I compete at the office to make a project or a real estate deal successful. In golf, you’re competing against fellow golfers, yourself and the course. In CRE, you compete against other developers contending for the best sites and negotiating with tenants on leases to get the best deal to make a project prosperous. In golf and CRE, the outcomes—or score—will tell you if you’re on the right track. At Stirling Properties, we separate ourselves from the competition by continually striving to improve. Grady Golfing What golf etiquette can you apply to commercial real estate?

  • Respect: Golf is an honorable game. You play by the rules, not because there is a referee or umpire enforcing them, but because it’s the right way. At Stirling Properties, we’ve always done things the right way. We treat employees, clients and tenants with respect. We’ve always been honest, held ourselves to high ethical standards, and never take shortcuts. Now, that’s paying back in dividends. A famous golfer once said, “In golf as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.”
  • Managing Expectations: I consistently see golfers on the course expecting to beat their last score, or play better than their handicap on every hole. They set unrealistic expectations, and are usually disappointed. We always want to be the winner and put our best forward, but we need to remember not to oversell our position for investors, employees or lenders. People rely on us for projections and budgets. Predicting the future with absolute accuracy is like hitting a hole-in-one. But we have a great team in place that has been able to manage the process without overselling or setting unrealistic expectations.
  • Mastering the Fundamentals: Sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella noted, “A golfer has to train his swing on the practice tee, then trust it on the course.” Stirling Properties has stayed relevant and ahead of the competition for more than 40 years, because we are good at what we do. We trust our skills and instincts. We extensively evaluate every project at hand for the best possible outcomes. Sometimes, it’s about quality, not quantity.
  • Control the Controllable: We will never have absolute control. In golf, there will always be the threat of wind, an ill-fated bounce or some little imperfection on the course that we have no control over. The same is true in CRE. You have to be adaptable. Do your best to manage what you can’t control, but build in contingencies for projects or deals so that if you do have a bump in the course, the deal can still work.

Any advice for young people entering the CRE industry? For anyone new to Stirling Properties—or the industry—my first suggestion is to listen and learn. You can learn a lot more from listening to others than talking on your own. You can acquire much from the people that have experience in this industry, both how to succeed and how to fail. Learn from their triumphs and mistakes! A lot of professional golfers have an entourage of coaches and experts helping them to perform.

Click here to listen to what Grady has to say about the importance of teamwork: 
 #StirlingProud

October 18, 2016|Blog, Commercial, Corporate, Involvement|

Tee It Up with Grady Brame, Executive Vice President at Stirling Properties

grady-teeitup

We all know that Grady is a huge golfer. But did you know that he has played among some of golf’s greats, including Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and David Duval? He’s played in three U.S. Amateur competitions with Tiger Woods. Although they weren’t actually playing against one another, according to the scorecard, you could say that Grady beat Tiger!

Grady has played amateur golf around the country and says “the more success you have, the more opportunities you will receive.” He believes much of what he has learned on the golf course is applicable to the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. So we thought it would be fun to sit down with him to get a little insight on both.

Where does your passion about golf & real estate come from?

“The love of golf runs in my family! My father was a scratch golfer, and his father played too. We have a long list of relatives that play. Both of my sons share a love of the game, and my oldest son has taken it to a professional level.”

Grady’s attraction to golf is fueled by the thrill of competition and the determination to get better. That same logic drives his love for real estate, and got him started in the industry.

“I was attracted to Stirling Properties because it was exciting and a new opportunity for me—commercial real estate was fun! I loved the idea of building new projects. The industry was challenging, but we were successful. Over the years, I’ve learned so much, and I feel that my experience really adds value to our Stirling team. Golf has given me personal achievement and fulfillment, Stirling Properties has given me professional fulfillment.”

In your opinion, how are golf & commercial real estate similar?

They are both competitive. I compete on the golf course to win, and I compete at the office to make a project or a real estate deal successful.

In golf, you’re competing against fellow golfers, yourself and the course. In CRE, you compete against other developers contending for the best sites and negotiating with tenants on leases to get the best deal to make a project prosperous. In golf and CRE, the outcomes—or score—will tell you if you’re on the right track. At Stirling Properties, we separate ourselves from the competition by continually striving to improve.

Grady Golfing

What golf etiquette can you apply to commercial real estate?

  • Respect: Golf is an honorable game. You play by the rules, not because there is a referee or umpire enforcing them, but because it’s the right way. At Stirling Properties, we’ve always done things the right way. We treat employees, clients and tenants with respect. We’ve always been honest, held ourselves to high ethical standards, and never take shortcuts. Now, that’s paying back in dividends. A famous golfer once said, “In golf as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.”
  • Managing Expectations: I consistently see golfers on the course expecting to beat their last score, or play better than their handicap on every hole. They set unrealistic expectations, and are usually disappointed. We always want to be the winner and put our best forward, but we need to remember not to oversell our position for investors, employees or lenders. People rely on us for projections and budgets. Predicting the future with absolute accuracy is like hitting a hole-in-one. But we have a great team in place that has been able to manage the process without overselling or setting unrealistic expectations.
  • Mastering the Fundamentals: Sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella noted, “A golfer has to train his swing on the practice tee, then trust it on the course.” Stirling Properties has stayed relevant and ahead of the competition for more than 40 years, because we are good at what we do. We trust our skills and instincts. We extensively evaluate every project at hand for the best possible outcomes. Sometimes, it’s about quality, not quantity.
  • Control the Controllable: We will never have absolute control. In golf, there will always be the threat of wind, an ill-fated bounce or some little imperfection on the course that we have no control over. The same is true in CRE. You have to be adaptable. Do your best to manage what you can’t control, but build in contingencies for projects or deals so that if you do have a bump in the course, the deal can still work.

Any advice for young people entering the CRE industry?

For anyone new to Stirling Properties—or the industry—my first suggestion is to listen and learn. You can learn a lot more from listening to others than talking on your own. You can acquire much from the people that have experience in this industry, both how to succeed and how to fail. Learn from their triumphs and mistakes! A lot of professional golfers have an entourage of coaches and experts helping them to perform.

Listen to what Grady has to say about the importance of teamwork:

[vimeo 187254033 w=640 h=360]

#StirlingProud

October 18, 2016|Blog, Commercial, Corporate, Involvement|

Stirling Eight United Plaza LLC Acquires United Plaza VIII in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

United Plaza VIII Aerial

Stirling Properties to Exclusively Manage and Lease the Class A Office Building

Stirling Eight United Plaza LLC, an entity comprised of local investors led by Stirling Properties, acquired United Plaza VIII from Wink United Plaza LLC on November 25, 2013. Built in 1993, the 3-story, Class A office building is located at 8641 United Plaza Boulevard in the United Plaza Office Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Stirling Properties’ Sales and Leasing Executive Scott Macdonald represented the buyers and Branon Pesnell of Beau Box represented the sellers.

The exclusive management and leasing of the 52,606 square-foot, 91% leased United Plaza VIII will be handled by Stirling Properties.  The ownership group which acquired United Plaza VIII, now owns four buildings  in United Plaza Office Park – United Plaza I, United Plaza II, United Plaza VIII and United Plaza XII – totaling over 500,000 square feet with a combined occupancy of 97%. All of these buildings are exclusively managed and leased by Stirling Properties.

“Our acquisition team seized a tremendous opportunity in a market that we know to be a strong performer,” said Grady Brame, Executive Vice President of Stirling Properties.  “The acquisition of United Plaza VIII is an excellent investment for the building ownership group and demonstrates Stirling’s commitment to Baton Rouge and our belief in the area’s future growth.”

For more information regarding United Plaza VIII contact:

Stirling Properties Celebrates Team Members at Annual Stirling Honors Event

On Friday, March 15, Stirling Properties recognized employees and commercial agents at the company’s annual Stirling Honors meeting and recognition luncheon at Tchefuncta Country Club in Covington. Along with the introduction of Stirling’s newly-formed Stewardship Committee, the 610 Stompers performed and Brett Patron, Executive Director of the 610 Stompers, discussed their journey as an entertainment group to a 501 (c) (3) charity. Stirling Properties’ Commercial Brokerage Division presented the award for Top Commercial Agent and Most Transactions to Rhonda Sharkawy, Senior Retail Leasing and Development Executive in the New Orleans office.  Scott Macdonald, Sales and Leasing Executive in the Baton Rouge office, received the award for Most Improved, for having the highest production level improvement over the previous year. Other award recipients received recognition for production levels based on individual 2012 production achievements. Also recognized were:

  • Ruby Award 2012:

Rhonda Sharkawy – New Orleans Office

  • Emerald Award 2012:    

Gaines Seaman – Metairie Office

Scott Macdonald – Baton Rouge Office

  • Diamond Award 2012:     

Ryan Lang – New Orleans Office

Joe Kramer – Covington Office

  • Platinum Award 2012:   

Ryan Pecot – Lafayette Office

Will Barrois – Covington Office

  • Gold Award 2012:              

Charles Cornay – Lafayette Office

Beezie Landry – Covington Office

Lee de la Houssaye – Covington Office

  • Silver Award 2012:

Anne Dixon – Shreveport Office

Rick Skelding – New Orleans Office

  • Bronze Award 2012:         

Dottie Tarleton – Baton Rouge Office

Joe Gardner – New Orleans Office

John Arthurs – New Orleans Office

Mike Immel – Lafayette Office

Roger Bajon – Covington Office

Beth Cristina – New Orleans Office

Stirling Properties also recognized employees and agents who achieved special anniversaries with the company. Awards were given to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 year milestones.

  • 30 Years: Grady Brame, Executive Vice President – Covington Office
  • 25 Years: Ben Hocke, Senior Project Manager – New Orleans Office
  • 20 Years: Henry Holmes, Joseph Lee and Harold Staub, Engineers – New Orleans Office

For more information on how to donate to or request an appearance from the 610 Stompers, visit www.610Stompers.com.

Revolution Burger Co. to Open in Hammond Square this August

HAMMOND, LA – Stirling Properties, developer and property manager of Hammond Square, announces that Revolution Burger Co. is coming to Hammond Square.  Revolution Burger will open in the former Huey’s Diner location this August.

ThHammond Squareis fast, casual restaurant specializes in a proprietary seasoned patty. The Hammond Square location will be the debut of the Revolution Burger Co.

“We are thrilled to bring the gourmet burger concept to the Hammond market,” said Grady Brame, Executive Vice President of Stirling Properties. “Revolution Burger Co. will be an excellent complement to the Hammond Square restaurant line-up.”

Revolution Burger’s menu includes several specialty burgers as well as a “Create Your Own” offering, where customers can customize the bun, patty, and toppings. In addition to burgers, they will specialize in craft beers, hot dogs, shakes and fresh cut French fries which can be enhanced with a series of toppings. The interior decor will be bright, vibrant and active with an Urban-American theme accented by a graffiti art mural that tells the story of the American Pop Culture Revolution.

Jason Doyle, CEO of Revolution Burger Co., said, “We’re excited to join the Hammond Square community. We feel that Hammond is lacking an affordable gourmet burger restaurant. With Revolution Burger Co., we hope to fill that niche and bring a fun, hip place where patrons can enjoy an all-American quality meal.”

Additional leasing opportunities and outparcels are still available at Hammond Square.  For more information, contact Rhonda Sharkawy, rsharkawy@stirlingprop.com, at (504) 523-4481 or Beezie Landry, blandry@stirlingprop.com, at (985) 246-3781.

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