Alexandra “Alex” Altwein
Vice President, Wade Interests Inc.
By Antonio Gutierrez
Photography by David Teran
When Alexandra Altwein submitted her resume and application to Wade Interests Inc. 19 years ago after seeing a classified ad for a receptionist-assistant position, little did she know she had just made a major career move that would drastically alter her future.
At the time, she was studying criminal justice at UTSA and needed a job to support herself while in school. But after a few months on the job, she soon found that commercial real estate was quickly becoming her newfound passion.
“I was a sponge, fascinated with the whole industry,” she said. “After a year, I moved to lease administration by just observing from the background, listening, and learning something new every day. That’s how it all evolved.”
Today, she is vice president of Wade Interests Inc., where her focus is leasing and managing the firm’s multiple retail centers and land tracts, among other key duties. For more than 28 years, Wade Interests, Inc. has been changing the face of Central and South Texas with its unique approach not only to developing, but also site locating, constructing, leasing, and managing retail commercial properties, according to the company’s bio.
Led by Richard “Dick” Wade, the company offers a range of diversity and knowledge in retail commercial development. A professional engineer, Wade commenced Wade Construction in 1977 and, so far, has completed more than 1,000 construction projects. Early in his experience, he identified a need for fully integrated services for his clients, and thus, Wade Interests, Inc. was created.
Altwein cites Wade as her mentor, who has encouraged her to spread her wings and soar. “He has believed in me and allowed me to move my way up through the company,” she said. “He’s been my cheerleader and has now helped me become a leader.”
Prior to becoming vice president, Altwein was also assistant property manager after a stint as lease administrator for several years. That role included managing more than 20 shopping centers in San Antonio, Austin, Georgetown, New Braunfels, and Houston, along with various tracts of land in those cities. Altwein certainly had her hands full with “collecting rent, handling tenant calls for leasing and answering their questions, making on-site visits and even overseeing things like parking lot asphalt repairs.”
As vice president, she pours her heart and soul into her job and continues to enjoy the personal interaction with clients more than anything. “I love when I get a call from a potential client, who is interested in looking at one of my spaces,” Altwein said. “They get excited when I call them back and am willing to show them the space. From there, we go through the negotiations and the build-out. It’s a great feeling when you’re able to help them be successful, and they’re planning their second or third location. I help them build their dreams.”
Her clients, she said, range from large national retailers to mom-and-pop businesses, including pharmacies, pizzerias, insurance, and retail office space companies. “I love working with both,” Altwein adds. “Local tenants, of course, hit close to home.”
The Eagle Pass native’s strong work ethic and integrity were instilled in her by her parents, who were entrepreneurs. The family owned a Mexican restaurant after moving to San Antonio, and she and her brother had to pitch in to help with the business. From the time she was a freshman in high school until she graduated, Altwein had to rise at 5 o’clock every weekend to head to work, where she did everything from handling the cash register to food preparation to helping oversee the kitchen staff.
“That’s how I learned to hustle, and I’ve always had a leadership spirit,” she said. “It made me realize working hard really pays off, even though it sounds cliché to say that, but it does.”
12950 Country Parkway, Suite 100
San Antonio, Texas, 78216
(210) 490-9000 | alex@wadeinterests.com
