As NBC and “Trumpies” gear up for yet another season of real estate billionaire Donald Trump’s reality TV show “The Apprentice,” the roster of season four contestants includes a handful with real estate backgrounds.
NBC last week released the names of this season’s cast, hand-picked for the first time by co-executive producer Trump himself.
“I’m thrilled with the results,” Trump said in a statement. “This is the best reality show cast I’ve ever encountered. They have it all: beauty, brains and big bucks.”
And of course, real estate experience.
Four of the 18 cast members picked for season four are real estate professionals: there is one Realtor, one real estate developer, a designated broker and the founder of a company offering title and inspection services, mortgage lending, and lease-option housing.
The real estate pros will stand alongside a Rhodes Scholar, NFL player, financial journalist and inventor, to name a few. Contestants range in age from 22 to 41, and several of Trump’s prospective job candidates reportedly are already millionaires.
Among the real estate all-stars is Clay Lee, a 29-year-old Realtor from College Station, Texas. Lee, originally from the small town of Stephenville, Texas, has been involved in real estate his entire life, according to his bio information released by NBC.
Lee attended Texas A&M University for three years where, during his freshman year, he realized his passion was real estate and began working as a Realtor’s assistant. A year later, he moved his real estate license to Century 21 Beal, where he has worked for almost nine years. Lee specializes in new construction.
Then there is Felisha Mason, a 29-year-old real estate developer from Kansas City, Mo. Mason, who is also a pilot, earned a bachelor of science in aviation human factors and systems from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, then traveled to Atlanta where she was contracted to do research for the Federal Aviation Administration.
In 2001, Mason assisted in the growth of an Illinois-based real estate company. She has since started her own development companies, including 4010 Washington, Mason Management and Mason Hotels.
Mason reportedly owns real estate throughout the United States, and recently purchased a 100-room hotel development in Lafayette, La.
Also on the real estate roster is Jennifer Wallen, a 31-year-old real estate company owner from Anthem, Ariz. Wallen received a bachelor’s in public relations and political science from Murray State University. She moved to Arizona in 2000 to launch her own real estate company called Hot Realty, and is the designated broker overseeing more than 70 agents and employees.
Wallen also recently opened a second business, “Off the Hook Sushi & Martini Bar,” a trendy local restaurant.
Melissa (no last name available), a 30-year-old real estate investor from Tampa, Fla., rounds out Trump’s real estate candidates.
She founded Mosaic Co., offering title and inspection services, mortgage lending and lease-option housing, after many years of buying, selling and rehabbing properties. She recently acquired several apartment buildings in Florida and is currently expanding into the hospitality and senior housing industries.
The number of real estate candidates shrunk this season from six last season, which ended with the hiring of Kendra Todd, the show’s first female and Realtor contestant to win the apprentice title.
Todd, 26, is a Realtor with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Delray Beach, Fla. She obtained her undergraduate degree in linguistics from the University of Florida, and upon graduation became the founding editor-in-chief of a lifestyle magazine in South Florida.
Todd assisted in the development of My House Real Estate Inc., a real estate marketing company that specializes in condominium conversions and land acquisitions. She also has been featured as a radio personality on “My House,” a Florida real estate investment talk radio show.
In her new job working for Trump, Todd chose to stay close to home and develop a mansion in Palm Beach, Fla., over working with the Miss Universe beauty pageant. She shared some of her early job experiences with audience members during Inman News’ Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco in July.
Season four of “The Apprentice” premieres Sept. 22 on NBC at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Other applicants for the latest job opening in the Trump organization include:
- Josh Shaw, 30, beauty company owner;
- Rebecca Jarvis, 23, financial journalist;
- Brian Mandelbaum, 23, print company executive;
- Toral Mehta, 29, investment banker;
- Chris Valleta, 27, marketing executive;
- Kristi Caudell, 24, sales executive;
- Randal Pinkett, 34, consulting firm owner;
- Jennifer Murphy, 26, ad sales manager;
- James Dillon, 27, sales executive;
- Alla Wartenberg, 31, salon and spa chain owner;
- Markus Garrison, 41, inventor;
- Mark Lamkin, 35, wealth manager;
- Marshawn Evans, 26, recent law school graduate;
- Adam Green, 22, risk manager.
***
Send tips or a Letter to the Editor to jessica@inman.com or call (510) 658-9252, ext. 133.
