Angelina Scarcelli has benefited from the advice of others throughout her career in commercial real estate, so as she takes on the role of president for Commercial Alliance Las Vegas this year, she aims to expand educational offerings.
“That includes presenting classes that offer important information and continuing education specifically designed for commercial real estate professionals,” said Scarcelli, a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and Certified Property Manager (CPM). “I want to do more to mentor the next generation of people entering the profession.
“I also look forward to promoting initiatives by CALV and others to increase diversity and encourage more community service in our industry.”
Tell us about your rise through the ranks in Southern Nevada commercial real estate.
I got into the real estate industry somewhat by chance in 2000 after moving to Las Vegas with my family that year. A temp agency helped me land my first job with Healthcare Realty Trust, a medical office real estate investment trust, or REIT.
From there, I worked my way up the ladder, taking on increasingly more prominent roles working for several other real estate firms and developers, including jobs with the Ribeiro Corporation and Plise Companies. Before joining Colliers International, where I work today, I worked for Sperry Van Ness, where I oversaw property management operations while also focusing on tenant and owner relations and business development. I joined Colliers in 2013 and now direct the firm’s property management divisions in Las Vegas and Reno.
What’s been the most difficult challenge you’ve faced in your professional career, and how did you overcome it?
Given I’m a cancer survivor, I have been faced with numerous health issues throughout the past seven years of my professional career, but always tried to maintain the balance of both continuing on my path of growth within our commercial real estate industry while attending to my personal health needs. It was not always easy. There were many times when I wanted to give up. But something inside me said I needed to give myself grace and just keep going. I have been very fortunate to be supported by both my colleagues and family, and for that I am extremely thankful.
Tell us about your charity work and why it’s so important to you.
The American Cancer Society has a place in my heart, so my charitable give for last year was participating in its national ResearcHERS campaign. I also support several other local nonprofits, often through my work with groups like CALV, IREM and CCIM. One example that I enjoyed was co-chairing the annual CCIM wine event in 2019 that raised money and awareness for local charities such as Project 150 and Spread the Word Nevada.
What advice do you have for young women, or any person, really, looking to break into the business?
The path may not be easy, but just keep going and never give up. Envision your goals and see them as already being achieved in your mind, then stay committed and work hard to get there. You may stumble along the way and there will be hurdles to overcome, but be patient with yourself and just keep moving forward.
What has been the best business advice you’ve received?
One of my mentors early on in my career while working at Healthcare Realty Trust told me that I should never compare myself to other people and the path they are on. My biggest competition should be me, and I should not measure my success based on the path others have taken. Everyone has a different path to success and a different timeline to achieve it, and that’s the beauty of it. There’s no one “right” way to get there. That really resonated with me, and I have kept that mindset throughout my career.
What effect has COVID had on commercial real estate in Nevada?
Like every business, this ongoing pandemic has had a huge impact on the commercial real estate industry and how we conduct business on a daily basis. Fortunately, at least here in Southern Nevada, we’ve done well to weather the storm.
Some sectors of our industry are doing remarkably well, especially considering the circumstances. For example, the industrial sector has been booming here and nationwide. Of course, the continued rise in e-commerce has a lot to do with that. Retail and office have certainly faced their share of challenges during this pandemic with business closures, people working from home and other issues, but both of these sectors are bouncing back pretty well lately here in Southern Nevada.
If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be?
I love living in Southern Nevada, but there are always areas that need improvement. My hope for Southern Nevada is we continue to stay strong in our sense of community for the betterment of everyone, no matter what issue it pertains to. As we in Southern Nevada know after facing adversities in the past, such as October 1 and the pandemic, we are so much stronger together as one united community.
What’s the biggest issue currently facing Southern Nevada or its residents?
That’s a tough one, since we’re facing several big issues here, from the constant need to improve education to dealing with drought in our fast-growing desert community. The water shortage has a significant impact on Southern Nevada and on the real estate industry. In addition to dealing with the drought and improving education, homelessness is a big issue in our community that also has an impact on our industry.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People being extremely negative. I think it’s imperative in any situation to stay positive, although sometimes things can seem dark. Being negative in a situation only makes things worse, not better.
What is something that people might not know about you?
Given my battle with cancer, I was unable to carry my own biological child, so my 4-year-old son was born via a surrogate. He is my miracle.
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