Martin Fahsel’s father emigrated from Germany after WWII with little education and $24 dollars in his pocket.  Admiration for his father’s journey and eventual business success has had a profound influence on Martin.  It’s no wonder his self-described strongest leadership quality is determination.

As Commercial Real Estate Lending Manager at BB&T (now Truist) for 22 years, Martin uses this determination to help his clients achieve economic success.  “Work harder than your competition,” he advises his junior colleagues.  Part of this work is continually learning from the most knowledgeable members of the real estate community, which is why Martin values ULI.  “The networking and learning options are second to none!” he says, describing the organization.

Originally from Atlanta, Martin attended Georgia State University before embarking on a career in commercial real estate financing.  Continuing the family tradition, his son Bennett now attends GSU while his other son, Alex, is an undergraduate at UGA.

Though Martin has achieved many of his life goals, one continues to elude him: becoming a rock star.  He plays guitar and keeps abreast of music industry chatter – the last book he read was Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of the Black Crowes.  Considering Martin’s work ethic and determination, he may yet achieve his dream.