For the better part of two years, I had the pleasure of working with Eric McGrew on certain real estate transactions, most of which were located on the west coast of Florida. In each of the deals, most notably the close of a multi-million dollar contract on St. Pete Beach, Eric was the driving force in procuring the deal, obtaining investors in addition to himself, and pushing the deal forward to closing. As one might expect, deals of that magnitude develop unexpected wrinkles and hurdles. Eric was instrumental in developing the strategy to complete the transaction, he moved the process forward, and utilized his connections to procure large institutional investors based out of New York’s financial district. The deals that Eric orchestrated were complex and sometimes nerve wracking but, at all times, it was a pleasure to work with him. I found him to be extremely hard working, to be the driving force behind deals and not only a great client but a trustworthy businessman. If I can expound further on Eric’s qualifications, please feel free to contact me at 941-954-4691 or via email to bromanoff@nhlslaw.com. –Burton M. Romanoff Attorney at Law Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A.
As a long time Commercial Real Estate practitioner, I have experienced highs and lows when cooperating with other agents and brokers. One of the highlights of my career has been meeting and working with Eric McGrew. I worked with him for more than a year, almost on a daily basis, on one particular deal. Between us we were able to put together a $50 million dollar purchase contract for a beach front resort property and contiguous site, suitable for re-development on St Pete Beach, Florida. Through Eric's connections the deal was presented to Starwood Capital Group, which subsequently acquired the sites, retaining Eric as an equity partner. Throughout the year of negotiation, many lawyers, keeping the Sellers and Buyers happy, Eric was completely involved. He showed patience and wisdom and we finally completed a very complicated deal. In all respects I found Eric to be professional, honest and hard working. I would be happy to work with him any place and any time. It is my pleasure to highly recommend Eric McGrew to you. You may contact me at 727.580.9083. e-mail to rsiegle724@aol.com. –Roy Siegle Senior Broker Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT
I have had the pleasure of meeting and doing business with Mr. Eric McGrew, in his capacity as a transactional real estate broker and syndicator. Mr. McGrew presented a deal structured as a joint venture, between Avanti (The Harvard Endowment Fund Manager), as the Capital Partner, and J&J Homes Inc., who would subordinate the existing land to the venture, and provide development management services. The aggregate value of this deal structure exceeded $50 million. Mr. McGrew presented a deal which was creative and provided an excellent return for us. However, after much consideration, we acquiesced; since we made the decision corporately to sell the land out-right; instead of entering into a Joint Venture. As such, during this process, I found Mr. McGrew to be very professional in both his demeanor and communication. All the material that was presented to us was done so in a precise and thorough, yet concise manner. Without hesitation, I would recommend Eric McGrew to you. I have found him to be extremely professional, honest, and always conducts himself in an ethical manner. Please contact me at 727-504-6789 with any questions or concerns. –Robert Melsom President The Melsom Group, LLC
In 1977, I appointed a group of distinguished Delawareans to the "Why Not Delaware" Committee. This Committee assisted the Delaware Insurance Department in attracting and encouraging Insurance companies to come to Delaware. This group has been referred to as the "Blue Ribbon Committee of Blue Ribbon Committees" in this State. Eric McGrew's professional position as President of the Pratt Insurance Company, Inc., and his strong support of the Delaware Insurance Department along with his position as Executive Vice President of the Delaware Insurance Agents' Association, lended itself well for him to be considered and appointed to the prestigious aforementioned Committee. Mr. McGrew agreed to serve as the chairman of a committee exploring the State Of Delaware Workers Compensation self-insurance fund and the handling of the excess workers compensation coverage. That Committee offered its report, and its recommendations were followed by the Delaware Insurance Department. Mr. McGrew helped the Department in designing specifications for the New Castle County School District as it related to the liability insurance coverages for those various schools. Mr. McGrew was and is a friend of the Delaware Insurance Department, a distinguished business leader of the community, and a person who we, in Delaware, are proud of. –David H. Elliott Insurance Commissioner State of Delaware Department of Insurance
I have known Eric McGrew since 1990 when we collaborated on the successful development and market introduction of a new consumer product. As my partner he was involved in all aspects of the business. He developed and implemented our strategic plans for marketing and distribution, and negotiated license and distribution agreements. Eric’s extreme level of competence and great way of dealing with people contributed significantly to our product’s success. Although I no longer have a business relationship with Eric, I frequently seek his advice on business matters relating to my current business of developing and marketing new medical devices and IP. His insights and level-headed thinking have been particularly useful to me in identifying and evaluating market opportunities and in crafting licensing agreements. Being able to tap into Eric’s marketing and sales experience has helped my business. In all of my dealings with Eric I have found him to be not only extremely honest, competent and professional, but also innovative, hard-working and a great guy. I would not hesitate to partner with Eric in another business if the opportunity arose. For me, this is the highest possible recommendation. Please do not hesitate to call me if you need additional information 727.452.3767. –Bob Van Wyk Surgical Device Inventor Cutting Edge Medical Device Consulting
I am an architect and urban planner of 30 years’ experience with a consulting practice in downtown Carmel, California. I have known Eric and his wife Lisa for more than 6 years in professional and social contexts. Eric excels at due diligence identifying core and subtle requirements for success, evaluating market conditions and timing, and establishing strategies for acting on competitive advantage. Eric’s commercial and income property investment syndication, development and marketing expertise, coupled with his personable nature and absolutely trustworthy character would make him an indispensible asset to any development team pursuing large scale development projects. Eric and I worked together in the Carmel/Pebble Beach/Monterey Peninsula region exploring progressive development concepts for development of 28,000 acres of Fort Ord Reuse Authority land within 5 municipal, 2 university and 62 governmental jurisdictions. We also explored creative approaches for developing affordable housing on an underdeveloped site which Eric identified within the city limits of Carmel by the Sea. Eric devised an impressive solution to the complex problem of obtaining a reliable water supply on property with stringent water availability constraints. I am happy to provide further information if required. (831) 236-0817 –Carl M. Maxey Architect AICP
