2002, Volume 2PAGE 5

All Those Chairs Could Come in Handy For Belz's Busy Real Estate Analyst

It is certainly appropriate that one of Gwen Flaniken's hobbies is collecting old chairs. As hard as she works, she definitely needs a place to sit down.

Gwen is the Real Estate Analyst at Belz Enterprises, one of the state's largest landholders. Her job involves "whatever our company is interested in – that would include anything from office property to shopping centers," she said. And not just in Tennessee, but Florida, Puerto Rico and other locations as well.

In short, if it involves land, it involves Gwen. If you're going to make a list of her responsibilities, you had better bring a legal pad because the list is lengthy. It includes performing valuations on Belz-owned property as well as prospective property, maintaining the property files which include all improved and unimproved properties, working with the accounting department in providing leasing activity information for quarterly reports, maintaining a database that tracks leasing activity, and well, you get the picture. She's got a lot to do.

"During budget season there are a lot of long days and weekend work," she began, "but I like the job and I like the company. The work is varied – it's not the same thing every day – which makes it more enjoyable."

Gwen grew up in Memphis and nearby Somerville. After earning her MBA from the University of Memphis, she moved to Tampa, Florida in 1986 and worked there as a commercial real estate appraiser for seven years before returning to Memphis. She joined Belz in 1994.

She is an ardent walker and enjoys gardening, but her real passion is antiquing. She frequents local shops, attends numerous auctions, and travels throughout North Mississippi and West Tennessee searching for old treasures, particularly McCoy and Weller pottery, Fiestaware and furniture, especially chairs.

"I have small chairs, big chairs – all kinds," she says. "I've just about run out of space in my house for them. I even have some hanging on the wall."

Gwen also is an avid sports fan and closely follows Tennessee's Lady Vols. She also enjoys golf . . . which brings us to another one of her jobs. She is the coordinator of the annual Belz Golf Tournament.

Whew! Get one of those chairs ready.

Photo at top:

1. Gwen Flankiken