Meet R.J. Agee

Meet R.J. Agee, the leader behind CVP Development, and learn where he came from, what he’s accomplished, and where he is going.

“I very much embrace the philosophy of servant leadership. If you take care of your team, your team will take care of you. Investing in the personal and professional growth of those around you is the surest way to build an awesome culture and an organization filled with dedicated, fulfilled people.”

“I have a few personal achievements of which I am proud. First and foremost, I am the father of two wonderful children, Robbie and Charlotte. When I was in college, I was elected and served as the student body president of my alma mater, the University of Missouri at Rolla (now the Missouri University of Science and Technology). Much more recently, I was honored to join the Academy of Engineering Management at S&T. I have also completed two marathons and three half-Ironman triathlons.

“The deal that I am proudest of was a build-to-suit development for Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW). Everything about this deal was complex, from the engineering to the approvals to the lease negotiations with a governmental entity. In the end, though, the team was able to deliver a successful outcome that benefited my employer, the City of Philadelphia and the employees and ratepayers of PGW.”

“Maybe try being a plumber instead? In all seriousness I would advise them that the days of easy money are behind us. President John F. Kennedy popularized the phrase ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ and that has certainly been the case for industrial real estate over the past decade, culminating with the post-COVID boom in demand for industrial space. I will certainly never see an upcycle like that again in my lifetime, with growth stoked by a jet-fuel mixture of insatiable demand and historically low interest rates. I still believe there are tailwinds for industrial real estate and there are plenty of good deals left to be made. But to be successful in the next decade, you’re going to have to work harder and you’re going to need to be more intentional about the deals that you chase.”

“I have several goals for the firm, but I think they can all be wrapped up into a single theme — measured growth. I would love to grow the team to 10-15 people over the next decade. And to do that, we need to accomplish other goals like taking care of our clients, finding and executing quality deals, and delivering quality facilities. My favorite part of my career is to build a team and support them, and I would love nothing more than to do that at CVP.”

“I grew up in a small town just south of St. Joseph, MO. I went to a very small school and graduated with 50 people in my class. I am blessed with wonderful parents and an extremely happy childhood. I loved playing sports, and I would go from baseball to football to basketball and then back again. But I also liked videogames and computers. By middle school I built my own computer and ran my own bulletin board service (BBS), a server with a modem connection that allowed users to share files, send messages, and play games.”

“I probably shouldn’t admit this publicly, but my first real job was working at a tanning salon while I was in high school. The owner was a family friend of mine and needed some help. It was an easy job — greet customers, accept payments, wipe down beds. My next job was working maintenance at a golf course and that is usually the answer I give when people ask.”

“I love endurance sports — running and cycling in particular. I love the outdoors and really enjoy hiking. I prefer sleeping in a bed, however, so I’m not the biggest camper. I love to spend time at the lake and do watersports with my kids. I am terrible at golf, but I play as often as I can. And I love to spend time with my Golden Retriever, Daisy.”

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious.” — Vince Lombardi