An iconic figure in real estate development, Gerald D. Hines, relates lessons learned over his half century career to an admiring industry audience. Leveraging know how in mechanical systems and project management, and not a small amount of chutzpah, Hines opened a one man office in 1957 Houston, intent on buying, renovating and managing his own buildings. From this tiny start up, the Hines development business has grown into an international powerhouse, controlling $22 billion in assets, and employing 3,300 people in 245 cities dealing with hundreds of millions of square feet of commercial, residential and mixed use projects.