2008 Woodie Awards
Into the 'real' world
By: Justin Berndt
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Sports
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This is the first installment in an occasional series remembering some of Central Michigan University's most established former student-athletes.
A majority of athletes learn far more than the rules of the game when they're playing sports.
It happened to George Ghattas, a former tight end for the football team from 1994 to 1998, who now works as a commercial real estate broker in Chicago for Marcus & Millichap. He's a part of a company that made $20.5 billion in investment transactions for private and institutional investors in 2006.
Ghattas said he sees many similarities between playing football and the real estate business.
"They both are highly competitive, whether you're the starter or the third stringer, you're vying for the same position and it's the same way in real estate," Ghattas said. "We're vying for clients and whether you're competing on the field or in real estate you have to perform. You take your knocks in football and you pick yourself up and it's the same way in real estate."
Ghattas grew up around real estate and, in addition to playing football, managed student rental properties with his brother while he was at CMU. In fact, it was quite obvious to some of his teammates where he'd end up.
"He was a smart guy, I saw it from football that he had a good head on his shoulders," said Mike Cipa, a friend of Ghattas and former CMU center. "I think we all knew from freshman year football was going to end up in the business world someday. He took care of business on the field and took care of what he had to off the field, too."
While it may have been obvious to others, Ghattas, who majored in communications, said the real estate world seemed distant to him until he left CMU and headed for the Windy City.
"I thought I wanted to work in sports, but those jobs were tough to find so I ended up taking a job in Chicago managing hospital fitness centers," Ghattas said. "I decided it was time to switch gears. I think what inspired that was working downtown and working with people who were real estate executives."
A majority of athletes learn far more than the rules of the game when they're playing sports.
It happened to George Ghattas, a former tight end for the football team from 1994 to 1998, who now works as a commercial real estate broker in Chicago for Marcus & Millichap. He's a part of a company that made $20.5 billion in investment transactions for private and institutional investors in 2006.
Ghattas said he sees many similarities between playing football and the real estate business.
"They both are highly competitive, whether you're the starter or the third stringer, you're vying for the same position and it's the same way in real estate," Ghattas said. "We're vying for clients and whether you're competing on the field or in real estate you have to perform. You take your knocks in football and you pick yourself up and it's the same way in real estate."
Ghattas grew up around real estate and, in addition to playing football, managed student rental properties with his brother while he was at CMU. In fact, it was quite obvious to some of his teammates where he'd end up.
"He was a smart guy, I saw it from football that he had a good head on his shoulders," said Mike Cipa, a friend of Ghattas and former CMU center. "I think we all knew from freshman year football was going to end up in the business world someday. He took care of business on the field and took care of what he had to off the field, too."
While it may have been obvious to others, Ghattas, who majored in communications, said the real estate world seemed distant to him until he left CMU and headed for the Windy City.
"I thought I wanted to work in sports, but those jobs were tough to find so I ended up taking a job in Chicago managing hospital fitness centers," Ghattas said. "I decided it was time to switch gears. I think what inspired that was working downtown and working with people who were real estate executives."
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