There was a time in his life when Greg Garrett would not blame anyone for calling him sketchy. “I was a bad kid, shoplifting when I was 6, driving my grandmother’s car at 11, facing grand larceny charges at 15 that almost landed me in reform school.”
But he was also so focused on success that he started his own tree trimming business at 16 and was elected SCA President at Hampton High. “I led an effort to convince the city to appoint a paid and voting student on the school board. It lost 4-3.”
Thanks to a family fund, Greg was able to attend the University of Richmond, but he dropped out after one year. “I came home at 19 to help my mom in the family real estate agency after my dad died of cancer at 60. I bought ten homes and helped clients buy and sell 20 others in my first year. I never went back to college.” He hasn’t stopped hustling since.
As a young business owner, Greg realized that to spread his entrepreneurial wings, he couldn’t put all his eggs in one municipal bucket. “I already knew a lot of people in Hampton, so I decided to open my own real estate company in Newport News.” He became so ensconced there that Mayor Jessie Rattley made him at age 25 the leader of a commission to address the city’s drug problem. “Over the years I considered running for office myself, but frankly I just got too busy with work and family to devote my time to one city. And now I have a wonderful new wife (Michelle) and a 13th grandchild on the way.”
Greg also has three lines of business. There are six divisions within Garrett Realty Partners, from traditional sales to lending, titles and property management, with offices in Newport News, Williamsburg and VA Beach. “You have to be on the southside too to be successful.” He’s also at Virginia Beach Town Center with one of two locations of IV Nutrition, the other in Suffolk. “I believe that good health is critical,” says the 65-year-old Garrett. IV Nutrition’s website describes its IV drips as a “fast and effective way to replenish your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.” Greg is eying a third center on the Peninsula.
He’s also in Norfolk’s Ocean View with “Sailtime Virginia,” one of four services he offers pleasure boaters including training and chartering. “We encourage groups of families to share one boat, and we take care of it for them.” He loves to be on the water and doesn’t understand why Hampton Roads’ bays and rivers aren’t as busy as Annapolis’.
In fact, there is a lot about our region that frustrates Greg Garrett, who is a member of both major area chambers and was recently chair of Greater Peninsula Now. Pointing to the significant new investments at Jefferson Lab, in offshore wind, bridge-tunnels and more, he thinks our best days are just ahead. “We have tremendous potential here.” He acknowledges our geographic and historic divisions, but what really riles him is the lack of appreciation for what every city and citizen has to offer. “It’s not good to have rich and poor communities who look up or down on each other. Virginia Beach and Chesapeake need Portsmouth and Newport News to thrive. The region is so much more important than each individual locality.”
Smart business leaders see it, says Greg, which is why he loves being around them. Two decades ago, he was founding chairman of the eastern Virginia chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization. Today it has 90 members across Hampton Roads. Seeking the advice and experience of even more high achievers, he helped establish a Young Presidents’ Organization chapter in Virginia with most members in Richmond and Hampton Roads. “I learn so much from these interactions.” One thing he’s gleaned is the value of a mega-region along I-64, the study and implementation of which is underway through RVA757 Connects. “Between our corporations and universities and populations, we have a lot to offer the world if we join forces in meaningful ways.”
This eternal optimist rejects those who paint a bleak future based on past failures. “I don’t buy it. We have wonderful people here and tremendous assets. Maybe we need to look at how we define success because there is plenty here to attract and retain productive residents.” Greg appreciates all of them, regardless of their race, gender or religion (and he is active in his, finding the Lord at 15, a discovery he credits for his teenage turnaround). “I don’t have a desk or office at any of my companies,” he says. “I have a leadership team with very talented and motivated individuals who oversee our operations. It works well.”
His latest venture is as chair of the Future of Hampton Roads, an evolving legacy group of local men and women who, through this publication and other activities, intends to provide an oomph to more regional interaction. “We have a generational changing of the guard occurring in our local governments,” says Garrett. “We must give them the time, fair compensation and respect they deserve to do their jobs in a collaborative manner.”
Thanks to his business acumen and enthusiasm, no one seems to create more opportunity than Garrett himself, who has 150 people spread among his various interests and at least that many who serve with him on boards that among other causes helps incarcerated kids and orphans and drive business development in Central America, but most importantly, push his home region forward. Get to know Greg Garrett. He’ll make you a Hampton Roads believer in no time.
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