Accredas Investments CEO Aldy Damian has added another major project to his ever-growing portfolio after recently partnering with Fleet Farm to add a new Chase Bank location in the highly visible intersection of County Line Rd. and Appleton Ave. in Milwaukee. The intersection has been a hot spot for activity in the last 50 years, with over 78,000 vehicles coming through on a daily basis.
The opportunity to place a bank at this ideal location had been a close competition between Bank of America and Chase Bank. After years of planning and city council meetings, Chase Bank won the bid, and construction is now complete under Aldy Damian and Accredas Investment’s oversight. Damian was able to close a deal to develop the intersection after years of blockages caused by city legislation. After a fruitful negotiation with Frank Steeves, the executive vice president of Fleet Farm, Damian secured the rights to develop the location, along with an additional 22 locations held by Fleet Farm.
Aldy Damian was effusive in his praise for Fleet Farm’s brand and organization. “Fleet Farm is one of the largest employers in the state of Wisconsin and supplies hundreds of smaller businesses in industries like agriculture, apparel, building products, sports and recreation, and automobile maintenance,” he said. “Fleet Farm really is an amazing retailer. If Fleet Farm doesn’t have it, you probably don’t need it.”
Damian was understandably enthusiastic about Fleet Farm’s participation in the building project, as the company’s aid was crucial to getting development off the ground, despite the fact that no building project has been completed at this intersection in over 50 years. Despite the unfavorable odds, Damian has learned the value of perseverance over the course of his memorable life and career.
Before his current career as a real estate developer, Aldy Damian was an entertainment executive, known for producing records, having a worldwide distribution deal with BMG Music, and managing the entire catalog of Death Row Records, including hits by Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Insane Clown Posse, Dr. Dre, Tupac, and Mack-10. He also co-founded with MCA Records president Jay Boberg, and served as executive vice president of Liberation Entertainment, where his catalog included multimedia projects such as Daniel Boone, The Invisible Man, and VH1’s Behind the Music specials.
Prior to his work behind the scenes as an executive, Aldy Damian was a touring musician, playing drums to back up acts like The Cult and Billy Idol. He also played drums in the Los Angeles-based hard rock band Eyes, which featured vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, who served as Journey’s lead singer from 2006-2007. After years of opening for bands such as REO Speedwagon and receiving airplay from MTV, Damian built a network of contacts that served him well as a media executive.
After his time in the limelight, he transitioned to a career in real estate. He began negotiating a steady stream of commercial real estate deals with organizations such as Walgreens, Dollar Tree, TJ Maxx, and Smart & Final. His promising career in real estate was almost cut short after he experienced a devastating neck injury in a skiing incident 10 years ago. After a series of cervical disc replacement injuries, Damian spent years in a painful rehabilitation process. His perseverance and the love of his family ensured that he did not lose focus during this long process.
Today, a post-recovery Aldy Damian has continued his work in the commercial real estate sector, amassing a portfolio that exceeds 1.5 million square feet of transactions. The new Chase Bank location at the intersection of County Line Rd. and Appleton Ave. is just the latest on his list of local community developments.
