Major(s): French Language and Literature
What is your current role? What was your journey in arriving there?
Sole Proprietor of The Serwer Company, LLC — a Retail Real Estate consulting and brokerage company, specializing in the representation of brand and designer name Manufacturers/Tenants (occasionally Landlords/Owners) in the Factory Outlet Center component of the shopping center industry.
Lifelong experience in chain retailing, from working sales floors at minimum wage to Regional Operations, Merchandising, and VP-General Manager positions with bottom line responsibilities. Included taking a year and a half break 4 years after 1970 Wes graduation, in order to pursue playing music for a living (saxophones). Started over in 1974, from hourly to Regional level in 7 years in one company. Then, ran Carters’ Childrenswear Retail business for 9 years, eventually shifting to the Landlord side, and then out on my own during the 90’s. Back to tenant representation for Polo Ralph Lauren as a consultant, then VP-Real Estate — another 8 years or so. Now 25 years as an Independent.
What do you enjoy about your work? What do you struggle with?
Strategic positioning of retail chains according to their brand profiles has rewarded me with the opportunity to do probably over 1,000 real estate leasing deal negotiations in my industry. While extremely challenging at times, learning to negotiate for a living provided many more highs than lows, successes vs failures. While having experienced nothing but growth for about 35 years, today — post pandemic — represents a great challenge in an era where the combination of Internet shopping growth and over-development of shopping centers, has presented a retraction in the industry — while many of the same companies enjoy the Internet growth as well.
How did your time at Wesleyan influence your career choice/journey?
This one is difficult. If anything, my time at Wesleyan probably convinced me I was not slated for more than a B.A. degree, while Wesleyan also provided enough experience to suggest I pursue what I’d either already done (Retail jobs in high school and early WES years), or what I thought I’d succeed in (again Retailing, or Music — the latter not slated to success).
Additionally, various positions in my fraternity at the time enhanced my preparation and desire to get to the working world.
Beyond all that, as blessed as I was to be chosen for Wesleyan, I was quite happy when I graduated and could get to work — in a mail order Retail Merchandising position at $7800 a year back then.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about entering your industry?
Pursue real Business courses wherever you can — beyond basic Economics courses provided at Wesleyan. Get proficient academically in Retail Finance, Merchandising (both product and numbers), Corporate Operations and Field Operations.
If you’re still academically inclined, get an MBA.
Updated February 27, 2024
