A Gator in Gotham’s capital markets

Aaron Wessner (MBA ’01) had a clear goal: build a career in capital markets in the Big Apple. At the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, he found the network, training and opportunity to make that leap.

For Wessner, his experience at UF was a crucial steppingstone in his journey to one of the world’s most competitive financial markets.

Building a foundation: from the University of Miami to UF’s MBA Program

As an undergraduate at the University of Miami, Wessner answered to two names: Aaron Wessner and Sebastian the Ibis.

For two years, Wessner proudly wore white feathers and yellow feet as the man inside the mascot costume for the Miami Hurricanes.

“That experience became a part of my personal journey. Even now, many years later, people in my professional world still remember me as the University of Miami mascot,” he explained. “I always tell students to find and not be afraid to share something that makes them unique. It’s often what sticks with people.”

After acquiring his undergraduate degree, Wessner looked to the University of Florida to strengthen his academic and professional business skills.

He enrolled in Warrington’s traditional MBA program, looking for an immersive, on-campus experience.

“I wanted to be on campus every day, and commit to making a jump,” he said.

Wessner was particularly impressed by the range of skills and areas of expertise exhibited by his peers. Within his cohort, he learned alongside former Army helicopter pilots, entrepreneurs, traditional corporate professionals and more.

“I thought the curation of that class by the admissions department was really impressive. Learning from and working alongside such a diverse group of successful people was big part of my MBA experience.”

During the program, Wessner developed both technical business skills and a network that would shape his career and vision for what was possible.

“Part of the reason I was so excited to be admitted to the MBA program was that Florida is a large, well-respected public university that attracts high-quality students and benefits from a strong alumni network.”

Prior to attending the Warrington College of Business, Wessner was working in corporate business consulting within the Miami office of Andersen Consulting, which has since rebranded to Accenture.

During this time, Wessner was exposed to finance and capital markets while staffed on projects with large corporate banking and logistics clients. He also dipped his toes into real estate through family friends who owned apartments and a retail center in Miami.

Wessner always had an interest in real estate, and his introduction to the business started with basic property management activities and grew into leasing, acquisitions and capital markets over time. 

“Weekends during those early years often involved painting apartments, landscaping work and dealing with tenants. To this day, that experience helps shape how we think about investment partners and property managers,” he said. “We look to work with firms that proactively seek solutions and serve our residents and commercial tenants with a ‘whatever it takes’ culture. Despite the advancement of technology, real estate remains a hands-on business where effort and good customer service matters.”

As Wessner continued to straddle the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds, he realized that an advanced degree could help him pivot into larger, and more finance-focused pursuits.

Starting a career in CMBS and capital markets

Warrington’s strong on-campus recruiting allowed Wessner to reconnect with Arthur Andersen representatives to secure a role in New York after graduating.

Equipped with his MBA degree, Wessner moved to New York in the summer of 2001.

“I recall packing my car and driving from Gainesville to New York, where one of my MBA classmates introduced me to a group of his friends that were looking for a roommate,” he reminisced. “That first apartment was nothing special, but I was the first Gator to live there and over the years attracted other Gators to join us as roommates rotated through. That was a very memorable time, and one of those roommates ended up introducing me to my wife.”

Against the backdrop of 9/11, the fall of Arthur Andersen, and the original Internet bubble burst, Wessner had a hectic start to his post-MBA professional career.

“It was a very intense transition from Gainesville to New York,” he said. “I was fortunate to have had a real estate background at the time.”

While at Arthur Andersen, Wessner was selected to join the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) group, which was rapidly expanding at the time. CMBS combines both finance and real estate, making it a good fit for his background and skill sets.

It clicked immediately for Wessner, and he found his professional passion.

“After Arthur Andersen went away, my colleagues and I were fortunate to have the opportunity to continue working within CMBS at EY, which was growing its advisory business, particularly in structured finance,” he explained.

“Looking back, I was fortunate to have joined the CMBS business at a time when it was emerging and growing,” he said. “My real estate background helped me stand out amongst my peers and accelerated my professional advancement.”

As the industry matured, Wessner continued his CMBS career at Fitch Rating and moved into structured finance capital markets at Merrill Lynch, where he was during the 2008 financial crisis.

“The world experienced the great financial crisis driven in part by mortgage-backed securities,” Wessner explained, “I learned a lot during that time, seeing the up and down of a market cycle and how leverage and financial complexity can exacerbate a downturn.”

As markets recovered from the financial crisis, Wessner received a call from Cantor Fitzgerald to join the team that would issue Cantor’s first CMBS deal in 2011 during the emergence of the “CMBS 2.0” era.

He continued working within Cantor’s real estate structured finance business, where his role expanded to include credit facility management and high yield debt placement before helping the company grow its efforts on the equity side of the business.

Now in his 15th year at Cantor, Wessner serves as Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets for Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management at the company’s New York City headquarters, where his group oversees approximately $20 billion of assets under management.

A proud Gotham Gator

For Wessner, his time at the University of Florida changed his life.

“I was raised in Florida and am grateful to have started my professional journey in the Sunshine State. That said, I wanted to go to New York and take my chances within the finance capital of the world,” he said. “My time at the University of Florida opened that first door and made such a goal possible.”

When he first arrived in New York, he became an active member of the Gotham Gators, the official UF alumni club for the greater New York City area. Through Gotham Gators, Wessner was able to connect with his UF peers and professionals while living in Manhattan.

“The Gator alumni network has been critical in my professional and personal growth,” he said. “I knew that the UF alumni network would be a valuable part of my time in New York and beyond.  Not to mention, it sure made watching Gator football away from Gainesville more fun.”

Paying it forward

Inspired by his experience connecting with fellow alumni and serving as a teaching assistant and mentor during his time at UF, Wessner sought ways that he could make a greater impact.

“I’m now at a point in life where I want to give back to the school that gave so much to me.”

He reached out to the Kelley A. Bergstrom Real Estate Center, housed in the Warrington College of Business, to learn more about the program and find ways to get involved. Wessner has since served as a regular guest lecturer at UF, member of the Center’s advisory board and mentor for students looking to break through in finance and/or real estate.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my professional experiences with students and professors and very much enjoy discussing deals on campus. The feedback has been very positive and both groups like incorporating ‘stories from the trenches’ with academic fundamentals,” he said. “For those Gators with New York aspirations, I’m happy to help them consider the move and perhaps open that first door.”

Advice for students entering real estate and capital markets

As someone who entered the post-MBA job market at a tumultuous time, Wessner sympathizes with the current challenges and considerations facing students in a professional environment impacted by interest rate shocks, geopolitical uncertainty, remote work and the emergence of AI. 

At the 2026 Trends and Strategies Conference in Orlando, Wessner had the opportunity to speak with students directly. 

“Some students are a bit nervous right now,” he said. However, “UF’s highly regarded reputation, strong academic programming and mentoring opportunities have prepared them to enter the workforce with confidence in what lies ahead. I remind them that markets go through cycles, and I believe that the experience and network they developed at UF will serve them well. They’ll be just fine.”

For the class of 2024-2025 William R. Hough Master of Science in Finance graduates, 100% earned job placement. Similarly, the class of 2024-2025 Nathan S. Collier Master of Science in Real Estate graduates earned 94% job placement, according to the college’s latest reports.

“Students of this caliber will have opportunities; it’s just a matter of stepping forward and seizing them,” he said. “Doors will open and it’s up to them to walk through.”

Further, Wessner encourages students to embrace the importance of creating industry relationships and start networking with fellow professionals early in their careers.

“Your reputation and your network are critical to future success,” Wessner said. “Both need to be continuously developed.”

Wessner’s journey, from student to Managing Director, reflects his personal commitment to advancement. While his title has changed over the years, his appreciation for the foundation he built at the University of Florida has not.

Now, after 25 years in New York working within both the debt and equity sides of the commercial real estate sector, Wessner feels fortunate to have participated in nearly every segment of the business. From accounting, to CMBS bond ratings, to securitization and lending and now capital formation and property ownership, Wessner is grateful for it all.

That said, he’s not done yet, and looks forward to continuing helping students in and outside of New York open doors and create opportunities.

As for being a former college mascot at an in-state rival, Wessner’s loyalty is clear: “I’m a Gator— but wear a split jersey when the Hurricanes and Gators compete. Fellow Gators understand and sympathize with my unique situation!”