Maria Elena Poyer is an Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Management Officer with Bank of America Merrill Lynch's Commercial Real Estate Banking division, where she's worked for three years. Maria recently moved to Seattle and joined NAIOP Washington State to build her professional network. She's also been featured on popular TV shows playing a well-known but unusual instrument. Read on to learn more about Maria, and be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn and introduce yourself at an upcoming event!
What do you like best about your industry?
Tangible results. It’s rare in the finance industry to be able to see or touch the results of your work. In commercial real estate, you get the opportunity to help clients build projects that could one day even be iconic, which excites me.
What motivated you to join NAIOP?
Having recently moved to Seattle from San Francisco, I was excited to continue networking in one of the largest chapters! NAIOP offers an unparalleled opportunity to network with the current and future leaders of the commercial real estate industry. I am looking forward to all that I will learn through my time in Seattle and within NAIOP.
What would you be doing if you weren't in commercial real estate?
I would be an environmental scientist. The myriad challenges facing our environment are daunting, and environmental science is a pressing field of study that requires motivated people to find creative solutions. Fortunately, being passionate about environmental issues wasn’t a limiting factor in my decision to pursue a career in commercial real estate. I believe the commercial real estate industry has the ability to help build and maintain holistic communities that can shape how we interact with environment today and in the future.
What do you do for relaxation and recreation?
I like to cook new cuisines, but my mainstay is Mexican food. I travel whenever I have a chance, and am currently working on my golf game. Also, I take pride in being very active and am a part of a body building/weightlifting community, R.A.W.
Tell us about an interesting book you’ve read recently.
The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports and Investing by Michael J Mouboussin was a fascinating read and encouraged me to think about the different angles one could utilize to reach success. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good business read with the added benefit of storytelling, similar to Michael Lewis’s works.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in our industry?
Two pieces of advice I strongly value are an openness and commitment to networking and a passion for your work. Networking can provide opportunities, but if you don’t love what you do it can be difficult to put in the work required to achieve success.
What is the number one item on your bucket list?
I went skydiving last month, so I cannot say that anymore! I would like to travel to a South African private game reserve to see the various region-specific wild life in their natural habitat.
What's an interesting or unusual fact that most of your fellow NAIOP colleagues probably don't know about you?
Throughout high school and college I played the harp professionally, and was featured on various TV shows such as Glee and How I Met Your Mother. To this day my harp sits in my living room, reminding me of what can be achieved through perseverance and passion.
Click here to follow Maria Poyer on LinkedIn.
As NAIOP WA's 875th member, Maria received this opportunity to be featured on the NAIOP WA blog and in our newsletter, as well as a ticket to Night of the Stars 2017. Who will be our 900th member? Join today for your chance to be featured and receive a special event registration bonus.