In 2017, Smeltzer earned the Power Broker award from CoStar, one of the top recognitions in commercial real estate for the entire DFW market. Also, The Fort Worth Business Press named him to its 2017 40 Under 40 class. The recognition honors young professionals making a difference in their community and industry.Read more about the award here.
He attributes his vision for Commercial Real Estate from various jobs before and after college…
- Working in a movie theater helped develop an eye for retail and reaching a captive audience.
- Working in restaurants to pay for college developed a core understanding for the importance of location and lay-out of an eating establishment.
- Living and working in Mexico and Ecuador reinforced an appreciation for cultures and how cultural differences can be a critical aspect to any deal.
- Working closely with Doctors and Medical Staff after Graduate School at a local Pathology company fostered a needs-driven understanding necessary to satisfy even the most selective, thorough and busiest of clients.
- Working at a Fort Worth Development company introduced the site design, construction and development aspect to this business.
PATH TO VISION COMMERCIAL:
Roger entered the Commercial Real Estate Industry through an internship with local developer and general contractor Innovative Developers, Inc. Working with the developer equipped Roger with an understanding of the development and construction processes which has greatly enhanced his ability to locate great sites for clients.
His first brokerage position was as a Director at Alliance Commercial. While at Alliance Commercial he gained experience marketing properties both for lease and sale. Roger joined Strategic Commercial as a Senior Director with Janice Landers in 2007.
They worked together on leasing an 80,000 square foot shopping center in Fort Worth. Occupancy had slipped to around 50% by the beginning of 2007 and through diligent marketing and targeting efforts, the center’s occupancy exploded to 95% occupancy by the end of the year.
He was named Partner at Strategic Commercial in 2009 and continued to lease existing projects as well as develop successful relationships with several national restaurant chains.
After finishing his International MBA degree at the University of Memphis, Roger worked in the Healthcare Industry for several years gaining experience working with many physicians and company owners. Roger, his wife (Claudia), three sons (Roger III, Joshua David and Samuel) and daughter (Abigail) live in Grapevine. Roger also is fluent in Spanish. After college he worked in both Mexico and Ecuador. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker and a member of CCIM, ICSC, CIB, and NTCAR. Roger has served on a local Planning and Zoning Board.
Roger’s client profile in various specialties:
- Developers and owners of shopping centers – Kimco, World Class Capital, Mr. Tayor Gandy
- Industrial companies – Commercial Metals, Intrepid Directional Drilling, Jerry’s Cabinets
- Office-based companies – Shalyn Clark Insurance Agency, Vector Marketing, Hired Hands
- Physicians – Dr. Helen Bui, Dr. Mark Holton, Dr. Alan Cooper,
- Retailers – Sprint, 1-800-Flowers, 9-Round, Mathnasium, Apple Annie’s.
- Restaurants – Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Dickey’s BBQ, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Subs, Chicken Express, Sushi Nikko
