Cresa SVP Sandy Fishlock stays under the radar, the quiet force behind big deals like 609 Main at Texas. We sat down with the woman who cycled through quite a few careers before landing in real estate.

Sandy (showing off her standing desk and questionable taste in reading) tells us she started as a physical education and science teacher—sports are in her blood. (Her mom was a senior Olympic swimmer, and her dad played baseball until he was 76.) She moved from Rhode Island to Houston in '82 and traveled extensively in the US selling photographic papers. She earned her law degree in 1992 while still working full-time, but quickly realized she didn’t want to litigate for the rest of her life. A personality profile suggested real estate brokerage, so she figured she’d give commercial real estate a shot. Cushman & Wakefield gave her an opportunity in 1999.

Sandy joined Cresa in March and has been enjoying its tenant-only platform and more collaborative feel. Because of her background, she says some of her favorite deals are repping law firms, like the one she just found a home for in the Galleria. She also says one of her most memorable deals was selling the land for Hines’ 609 Main at Texas. It didn’t seem like such a significant transaction at the time, when Texas Tower was on the site, but now watching 609 Main come out of the ground makes her proud to be a part of it. (Pictured, she’s at 609 Main’s mat pour a few weeks ago.)

Sandy’s wild card background isn’t the only way she’s just a little different from other brokers. She went to school in Sweden and speaks Swedish fluently. She’s traveled all over Europe and skiied above the Arctic Circle. She spends her time at work, working out at The Houstonian, playing golf (here she's with PGA golfer Fred Funk), or volunteering. She says she'll do anything physically challenging... except bungee jumping. On her bucket list: Hang gliding.