Get to Know Our Team: Neal Bowman, SIOR

Neal Bowman, SIOR, Senior Broker

I am a native of... Fort Wayne, IN

I worked with our affiliate company Maintenance Management from 2001-2008 and Sturges Property Group since 2016.

Tell us about how you got started in the Sturges family of companies.

Our CEO, Barry Sturges, knew I was looking for a career in commercial real estate and thought I would be a good fit for Maintenance Management. I’m grateful for that opportunity; the foundation of selling commercial building repair, maintenance, and construction services is a skill set that has been valuable to my 25+ year career in real estate.

How have you seen Sturges and Fort Wayne evolve over the years? 

Sturges continues to make gradual additions to the list of solutions we can provide commercial real estate owners and decision-makers. Our list of complementary companies plays a significant role in many of my deal opportunities and the services I can provide to my client base. 

As investors look beyond major metro markets to find opportunities, Northeast Indiana offers affordability, availability, price growth, and more. Higher-end employers can be successful here and we have the quality-of-life attributes that can help them attract and retain employees. To navigate the complexities of ownership, investors will seek a full-service approach to real estate/brokerage, and Sturges Property Group can provide those services.

What do you think sets Sturges Property Group apart from other firms in the area?

We have built a positive reputation in the region as a deal-making leader. Our growth mindset and ability to acquire, develop, and merge complementary companies to offer high-end solutions allows us to connect more people to our brand than the competition. 

What has kept you with the Sturges family of companies for all these years? 

I take full advantage of our brand awareness in the region to position myself for deal-making success. Sturges's leadership has allowed me to become my own sales manager with a team of three licensed brokers supported by our best-in-class complementary services, including property management, accounting, and marketing departments.

What do you love about being a broker? 

I love the continued need to know what is happening in today’s marketplace and the myriad of deal opportunities, their structure, their financing sources, their specific tenant/investor profiles, and the motivation behind them. Whether it's leasing small retail space to a local coffee/baked goods provider or selling a shopping center to an out-of-state investor, both require careful planning to limit controllable mistakes, and the outcome can lead to powerful and lasting relationships for long-term success.    

Do you have any big projects on the horizon you can tell us about?

My Team is close to securing a large lease agreement for office space with the State of Indiana. Securing this lease will allow us to offer for sale a large, stabilized investment-grade asset.

Sturges has been in business for 50 years. What do you think the next 5, 25, or even 50 years look like for the Sturges family of companies? 

We will maintain our positive reputation by participating in community events and philanthropic activities. As people notice our continued commitment to the region, they will feel more connected to our brand and be more likely to choose us over our competitors.

Rapid Fire Questions

• Favorite Fort Wayne activity… Concerts at The Clyde Theatre
• Favorite neighborhood of Fort Wayne… Wells Street Corridor
• Famous person you would love to meet… Coach Cignetti
• Favorite cocktail… Tailgate Bloody Mary
• My real estate superpower would be… "The Indispensable Broker" - A single point of contact for everything related to commercial real estate.