NATHALIAH NAIPAUL CCIM

Nathaliah Naipaul's family was very instrumental in instilling this commercial real estate leader with a passion for both real estate and entrepreneurship. Naipaul was raised in Trinidad and grew up watching her father build his own company from a single neighborhood shop into one of the largest supermarket chains in the country. While working in her family business as a young child, Naipaul came to a revelation: She, too, wanted to work for herself and run her own business.

Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, Naipaul began working in the commercial development industry at just 21 years of age. She played a key role in building the property development division in her family's business, landing both regional and national tenants such as Courts, Starbucks, KFC and Ashley Furniture.

After she moved to Texas, Naipaul continued to serve as an advisor to her family while managing her two fitness centers in Trinidad, operating a UPS franchise in Houston, and raising her young children. This was a tricky balancing act, but Naipaul never lost focus on providing top service to her clients.

Eventually, Naipaul made the move to real estate, becoming a Certified Commercial Investment Member. She spent several years with Blue Diamond Realty, gaining experience in commercial development, brokering land deals, and dabbling a little in selling luxury homes.

This confirmed what Naipaul already suspected: She wanted a career in commercial real estate. She has achieved that goal, today serving as the chief executive officer and partner of XAG group, a property management, brokerage, development, and private equity firm serving the Houston market. Naipaul and her partner created XAG Group in 2017. She currently manages a portfolio of more than $200 million and has closed more than $85 million in assets.

"I enjoy all aspects of this industry," Naipaul said. "Creating long-lasting relationships, attending networking events, mentoring CRE professionals, seeing new businesses open and prosper and being actively involved in projects from start to finish."

Under Naipaul's leadership, XAG Group has consistently grown, with the company's staff count increasing by half-a-dozen members. It has also seen the addition of 12 major commercial projects to the firm's portfolio, one of which will expand XAG Group's reach into the Youngsville, Louisiana, area.

"I attribute my success to my honesty, integrity and a genuine passion for my work," Naipaul said. "I wholeheartedly enjoy my job, and that has made it feel more like a fulfilling hobby rather than work. Every day, I maintain a positive attitude and work hard, putting in the necessary effort and hustle to succeed."

In addition to her work at XAG Group, Naipaul also takes time to mentor both the new additions to her company's staff and students at the University of Houston who are qualified real estate agents and working to earn their CCIM designations. Naipaul says that her goal is to give guidance and help the younger generation build their own successful careers and grow their personal wealth in commercial real estate.

When not working or mentoring, Naipaul says that she looks for joy in the smaller moments of life, such as enjoying a nice meal, physical fitness, and spending time with loves ones.

City of McAllen Retail & Business Development Director Rebecca Olaguibel has served her community with a passion for service, economic development, public relations and marketing for over 15 years.

As the primary point of contact for retailers and developers considering McAllen, she’s worked closely with international, national, regional and local investors, community leaders, stakeholders and colleagues to build relationships and foster a strong economic environment by facilitating retail growth in McAllen.

After graduating from University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Olaguibel’s career began in at Wells Fargo bank before transitioning to the Laredo Chamber of Commerce. In 2007, Rebecca began working for the City of McAllen where she has been able to successfully drive consumer traffic and position McAllen as destination for investment, opportunity, and prosperity.

Part of her success can be attributed to her decision to immerse herself in industry research and connecting with mentors who provide insight, positive feedback and advice, but the job has still come with its fair share of challenges, like recent economic downturn, changing consumer habits and negative media coverage of McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley region. Olaguibel said her motivation stems from those she works with.

“I’m surrounded by very smart, motivated and creative people who inspire and encourage me each day,” she said. “[Their] … momentum is my driving force and motivation.”

Olaguibel is a member of ICSC, TML, TCMA, TEDC and TxEDC.