SitusAMC Power Pro: Whitney Wheeler

Name: Whitney Wheeler 
Title: Director, Special Servicing 
Location: Remote 

Day-to-day: I manage real estate loans, predominately defaulted ones. The Special Servicing group is assigned these loans because there is an issue with them, usually with the property or the borrower, or a combination of the two. We try to identify the issues and address them for our client, whoever that client is.  

Favorite part of the job: I really like it when I can cut a deal that is a win for my client and for SitusAMC. That is when I get excited. With the specially serviced assets, there are situations where certain fees are collected that go to the special servicer. When we resolve a deal that makes our client happy and we get a good fee, that is a win. 

Inspiration: I am motivated by the fact that I absolutely hate to lose. It would take a psychologist a while to figure it out, or maybe not, but maybe it’s because I grew up in Texas, played sports, and was steeped in that type of competitive mentality. But I hate to lose. 

Job requirements: Patience and persistence are absolute necessities for this job. 

First job: My first job was doing manual labor and taking care of people’s yards in my neighborhood. I knew everybody in every house in my neighborhood growing up. I loved the fact that neighborhood dads trusted me enough to take care of their yards and I was also making some decent money. I took that job seriously too, I did not want to disappoint them. 

Hometown: I grew up in El Paso, Texas. I don’t think there is a better city to grow up in!  I’m not kidding. It’s called the Sun City because it gets maybe 360 days of sun a year. As a kid, I was outside, unless I was sleeping. Behind my house was a desert, about eight square miles, where all the neighborhood kids rode bikes, played army, and built forts. We would just disappear in the morning and show back up at home at 5 for dinner. We had so much fun and freedom. 

Fondest Memories: There were so many kids around my age in the neighborhood, we just loved to disappear into the desert for the day. We rode our bikes everywhere, that was part of the fun in the desert. It was also over 100 degrees, a lot, but we just kept on going. 

Downtime: I have a new granddaughter and I enjoy spending as much time as I can with her. I have two sons, so it is really nice having a little girl around. I also love to play golf and hunt. I only hunt birds though, I will not shoot anything I will not eat.  Golfing and hunting are also something I can enjoy with my two sons. 

Advice to your younger self: Don’t freak out.  I think of the lyrics from a song by Modest Mouse, Float On: “…we’ll all float on ok….” It’s important to keep your cool and not allow your insecurities or whatever else is going on take over your head. Most of the time, it does work out, you just have to keep your head down. 

Personal Motto: “Leave it on the field.” If you give 100 percent and still get beat, it’s not because you didn’t try your hardest, it’s because you got beat. There is always going to be someone a little tougher, a little faster, or a little smarter. If you give 100 percent and leave it on the field, you don’t second guess yourself or the result, it’s just the way it ends up sometimes.