Jack Wilkinson, a Spring 2019 graduate of the Program in Real Estate at Virginia Tech, has recently accepted a position at First Bank & Trust in their management associate program. In just a short time with the bank, Wilkinson has developed a true passion for lending.

“I’m currently in a training program at First Bank & Trust, my goal is to eventually become a commercial loan officer and I couldn’t be more excited about how great First Bank & Trust is—they have taken care of me and trained me excellently from day one,” said Wilkinson.

Wilkinson was exposed to the Real Estate industry at a young age, as his father, Patrick Wilkinson, has worked in the industry for 25 years. He attributes his interest in the industry to his father.

“I have been around the Real Estate industry my entire life because my father has always been an agent, broker, landlord, wholesaler, flipper, property manager, and really anything else that has to do with this industry,” said Wilkinson. “He’s the main reason I studied Real Estate in college and will always be a reference for me as I further my career at the bank. I also attribute my work ethic to the things he instilled in me while growing up. He taught me to work hard, do what’s right, and never take any short cuts.”

Along with his father, Jack also credits the Program in Real Estate with helping him to develop a deeper knowledge of the industry.

 “The Program in Real Estate gave me a vast knowledge of the real estate industry,” said Wilkinson.  

Wilkinson expressed how the Program was successful in preparing him for life as a professional in the real estate industry:

“I am currently in the credit analysis portion of my training program and am able to use many of the things I learned at Virginia Tech to help me when underwriting loans,” said Wilkinson. “When I do become a commercial lender, I won’t only use the knowledge I acquired while at Virginia Tech, but I will also use the many connections I made with other people in the industry and my classmates in the Real Estate program.”

Equipped with knowledge from his time at the Program in Real Estate, his training with First Bank & Trust and his life-long passion for the real estate industry, Wilkinson is well on his way to becoming a commercial loan officer.

“I couldn’t be more pumped about it. First Bank & Trust is a great place to work with excellent mentors,” Wilkinson said.