Her Story
About Mary
Mary Gentile is the President and Founding Partner of LQ Commercial Group and President of LQ Commercial Property Management in Fort Myers, Florida. Since co-founding the company in 2004 and launching its Property Management Division in 2006, she has helped build a respected commercial real estate organization focused on protecting investments, simplifying ownership, and maximizing long-term asset value for clients throughout Florida. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Mary oversees asset management, business development, leadership development, operational strategy, marketing initiatives, and the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence to enhance business performance while maintaining a people-first approach.
Mary began her career in commercial real estate with Simon Property Group, where she advanced from a marketing role to Marketing Director after earning her certification through the company's leadership program. Her career evolved from marketing and visual merchandising into operations and property management, with experience managing shopping centers across Virginia, New York, Ohio, and Florida. She later transitioned into executive leadership, helping grow LQ Commercial into a trusted commercial real estate firm. A recognized thought leader, Mary is passionate about combining innovation with relationship-driven leadership, believing that technology should strengthen—not replace—the human connections that drive successful organizations.
Committed to professional excellence and community impact, Mary holds an International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Professional Property Management degree, the Certified Retail Property Executive (CRX) designation, Certified Shopping Center Manager (CSM) certification, and multiple AI certifications and micro-credentials. She serves as President of the CREW Southwest Florida Chapter, participates on CREW Network's National Corporate Council, and is actively involved with organizations including BOMA, ICSC, the Horizon Council, and the Florida Small Business Development Center. Mary also co-founded the Southwest Florida HI + AI Innovation Hub, a nonprofit dedicated to providing AI education and training to small and medium-sized businesses. Her leadership has earned numerous accolades, including the Global Street Women of Influence Award in 2023, reflecting her commitment to innovation, servant leadership, and strengthening both businesses and the communities they serve.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mary
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being open to opportunities, embracing change, and never being afraid to grow beyond my original role. I started my career at 17 with Simon in what was intended to be a six-month marketing position, but by stepping up when new opportunities arose, I expanded into marketing, visual merchandising, and eventually operations across multiple markets. Every experience prepared me for the next chapter, ultimately leading me to co-found LQ and build a business focused on creating lasting value for our clients.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I always try to expose interns to various aspects of the real estate industry through shadowing and hands-on experience with brokers, marketing, accounting, property managers and facility teams so they can see what they like. Property management is hard because there is no specific training or classes like residential CAM license. We train residential professionals into commercial roles if they are willing to learn. Property managers must remain a calming presence and resource between tenants and owners without taking issues personally since calls usually come when there are problems or emergencies.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Training and onboarding new property managers is challenging in commercial real estate with no formal classes available. We succeed by training residential professionals for commercial roles over the past five years. Property managers serve as intermediaries between tenants and owners and must remain calm resources during challenging situations.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are service, collaboration, innovation, and creating opportunities that positively impact others. I believe true success is measured by the difference we make in our communities, which is why I'm passionate about supporting organizations like CREW, BOMA, the Horizon Council, the American Red Cross, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity. I'm especially proud of co-founding the Southwest Florida HIAI Hub to provide AI education for small and medium-sized businesses, and of being recognized with the Global Street Women of Influence Award in 2023. Those experiences have reinforced my commitment to giving back, empowering others through education, and helping both businesses and communities thrive.
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