PETER H. COLLINS

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PRINCIPAL, FORGE CAPITAL PARTNERS, TAMPA

Founded in 2001, Forge Capital Partners is a commercial real estate investment company. It has successfully sponsored five real estate-oriented private equity funds and executed over $1.2 billion in commercial and multifamily residential real estate transactions. Forge’s family of funds employ over 40 people and have had a long history of investing in low/moderate income areas across the Southeast. “By focusing on these areas, Forge’s investments have created over 100,000 new jobs, increased the tax base of these communities and provided lower-cost goods and services,” Collins says.

EDUCATION: Florida State University (BS, MBA)

FIRST JOB: Chief of staff to a Florida State Senator

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I’m an Eagle Scout. I served on the National Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Foundation, was on the Board of the Southern Region Executive Board for the BSA and am the immediate past President of the Greater Tampa Bay Area Boy Scout Council.

HOBBIES: I’m an avid golfer, hunter and private pilot.

INDUSTRY TREND: Commercial real estate is always going through some sort of change. Chains like Trader Joe’s, Aldi and Whole Foods are expanding with smaller, more flexible urban formats to fit into infill and mixed-use developments. Grocery stores are investing in infrastructure like dedicated parking for online pickup and micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) to support e-commerce. Some grocery-anchored centers now include dark stores or hybrid fulfillment areas that aren't open to the public but support online orders. Aging grocery-anchored centers in urban areas are being redeveloped into mixed-use projects with residential, office and retail components.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER
“A golf course architect.”