Fox leads new business development initiatives at the commercial real estate company, which he joined in 2013; since then, he’s led the acquisition of more than $172 million in investment properties. In 2022, Fox acquired the company from the Gershman family and reorganized the business for longterm sustainability. “We had to accomplish this all while working hard to enhance the level of service to our clients,” he says. “The analogy we used was changing the tires on a car while it’s moving.”
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2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Gershman Commercial Real Estate is a full-service commercial real estate services firm. We have spent a lot of time and energy reorganizing the business model around our service lines (sales/leasing, property management, accounting, maintenance, project/construction management and asset management) to be able to deploy those services independently and with a lot of flexibility. Seeing how our clients have embraced this platform over the last 12 months has been very rewarding.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? Having the entrepreneurial freedom and flexibility to find new ways to provide service to our clients. The company itself has been serving the St. Louis commercial real estate community for 75-plus years. In October 2022, my partners and I were successful in acquiring the company from the Gershman family. The way the firm is now being owned and operated makes it feel like a startup. To me, that gives us an opportunity to do things unique to our market, and that’s very exciting.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Engaging the right real estate professional or services team should be results driven, and less about the personal relationship or perceived brand of a company. The right partner can have a big impact on a property’s performance or a company’s bottom line. The industry is built on relationships but results should matter just as much.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? Purchasing the company from the Gershman family and reorganizing the business for long-term sustainability. We had to accomplish this all while working hard to enhance the level of service to our clients. The analogy we used was changing the tires on a car while it’s moving.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? Looking back, I think it’s the risks I didn’t take and admiring the risks others did take that taught me the most.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? Take a risk. That risk doesn’t have to be monetary. Risk your time and take on a business venture or a level of responsibility that may seem to challenging. Even failure will have its upside in experience.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? It’s connectivity. The degree of separation between our business and community leadership is very small. People at all levels are generally very accessible. In the St. Louis region you can just about grab a coffee with anyone. That is unique to a city of our size.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment? Private sector leadership that is more visible and vocal. Business leaders and companies willing to be a public voice for change in our region. It’s starting to happen and the change is positive.
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis? Mayor Cara Spencer, though it’s hard to say she’s under-the-radar after the tragic tornado event that struck North City. Her approach to community engagement and focus on improving basic city governance is refreshing, and I think is having a real positive effect.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Molly Studer, now a principal and co-managing partner of the firm, has played a critical role since joining the company. She led the effort to reorganize our service lines and her leadership over the property services side of our business is integral to our continued success.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? Mission Realty Advisors is a 501(c)3 founded in January 2023 in response to the growing impact of commercial real estate on the ability of today’s nonprofits to continue and broaden their missions. MRA is designed to provide consulting and expertise in all components of the commercial real estate process to nonprofits that may not have direct access to these services.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? St. Louis
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Bachelor of Science is Business Administration from the University of Missouri St. Louis. Majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? I started my career as a property manager. Literally it was a baptism by fire but I learned so much about how commercial buildings operate. I also learned to not like snow, fires, and floods, so I moved to the transactional side of the business fairly early in my career. That experience, however, was very beneficial and I think a differentiator for me.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What’s your hobby/passion? My family. We have four kids, now in their late teens to early twenties. Their hobbies have become my hobbies for the most part and spending as much time together as a group while they are all here in St. Louis is a real joy. Although I am trying to play a little more golf.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Any book by Malcolm Gladwell will make you think differently. My favorite is still his first, The Tipping Point. His podcast, Revisionist History, is also fantastic.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? Exercise and prayer. Usually some reflection, a trip to the gym, a long run, or even a long walk can help.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? I used to skydive in my early 20’s and spend a lot of time camping and hiking.
