Wise beyond his years. (Profile of the Week).

MICHAEL WEISER

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE DIVISION

GH REALTY SERVICES INC.

As 29-year-old Michael Weiser makes his way to GFI's offices on 50 Broadway every morning, he takes the time to look up and read his favorite billboard that declares, "Sometimes stopping to smell the roses has nothing to do with stopping or roses." It is this billboard that serves as a reminder to Weiser to be sure to keep his priorities in check--not always an easy task.

It has taken a great deal of hard work and long hours (there is even an occasional all-nighter) to double the revenues of the realty division of GFI Capital Resources Group, Inc., in 2002 from the previous year; and he plans to do everything in his power to continue this streak.

He recently expanded his team of 11 brokers/loan officers to 24, and will be hiring a few more. "For 2003, our goal is to once again double the prior year's (2002's) revenues, which we are well on track to do. In addition, through focused calling and targeted marketing, we have landed numerous high profile sales and finance assignments, that obviously contribute to revenue growth.

At the same time, we have stayed very focused on the local debt market and increased our volume through new alliances with local financial institutions," he says.

Although Weiser is busy orchestrating the continued growth of GFI's realty division, he doesn't lose sight of how important his family is to him. He gets home to his three children, and in time for his wife to get to her night classes at Brooklyn College where she is working toward her PhD in psychology. A highlight of each evening is reading bedtime stories to his kids, he says. The billboard Weiser passes each morning may serve as a reminder to "stop and smell the roses" but this is a young man with a deeply instilled value system who has carefully crafted priorities.

Weiser began his real estate finance career at GFI Capital Resources Group, Inc., a company that just celebrated its 20th year in business, shortly after graduating from Brooklyn College with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. He joined the company as a loan officer in GFI's Business 'Capital Division, which specializes in corporate financing, asset-based lending and equipment leasing. "I saw an opportunity to come in on the ground floor. The opportunity to start a new division was a great learning experience, and it was humbling. I realized I had to learn the business so I taught myself" he says.

Weiser's business savvy combined with creativeness and professionalism, resulted in him being promoted to executive vice president for the finance division of GEI's Realty Services, Inc., a position that he has held for the past two years. His daily responsibilities include overseeing loan originations, maintaining direct client relationships with various lenders and financial institutions while still maintaining close contact with his loan officers and clients.

His strong analytical and negotiating skills with lenders and financial institutions that help ensure successful closings, has made him a standout in the industry. He has a complete understanding of the many facets of property acquisitions and management, as well as his clients' investment objectives that allow him to negotiate the right loan products for his clients.

He attributes his success to networking and generating business through referrals, rather than cold calling; although he says cold calling is still the backbone of origination. "Referrals turn out to be a slightly warmer call," he jokes.

"There are so many facets to the business," he says. "You have to know how to originate, how to do loans as well as maintain your client base and interacting with the sales force."

In addition to all of these responsibilities, Weiser trains the sales force himself. "I tell them, if you don't know something, let the client know there is someone who does." He also asserts that they stay in front of their clients, in good times and in bad.

Although Weiser realizes that it takes a great deal of hard work and long hours to be successful, he cautions his rookies to not overdo it. "I tell them, 'there's no joy in being a workaholic. You don't want to find yourself 40 years old and burned out."'

Weiser is a successful business executive who has not lost sight of one of his favorite Hebrew sayings, which he eloquently translates: "The garments of a dead person have not pockets," he says. "in other words, whoever has the most toys, doesn't win." he explains. However you look at it, Weiser is a winner in every sense of the word.