Daily Lobo spotlight

Brian Cassutt

Graduate student

Finance

Daily Lobo: What do you plan to do when you graduate?

Brian Cassutt: I'm actually doing what I'm planning on doing. I work for a real estate developing firm, Infill Solutions. We mostly work with town-home plots in already-developed neighborhoods. We did a project called the Richmond Street Studios. I don't know if you have seen them, right behind the Wells Fargo. Real modern studio.

DL: Are you planning on staying in New Mexico?

BC: Absolutely. I'd love to stay in Albuquerque. Actually, I really hope a lot of young people stay here in Albuquerque. I think it is a great place to start a career. It's a growing city, and there are not a lot of those out there. There is a lot of opportunity. I see Albuquerque as a blank canvas, and young people could accelerate here in this atmosphere and get opportunities here that they may not get anywhere else. But they have to be willing to stay in New Mexico.

DL: Why do you think a lot of people want to leave New Mexico?

BC: I think people see that it's not the most exciting place in the world right now, but actually, if you look a little deeper, there's a lot going on here economically. There is just a lot of growth and a lot of opportunity for you to grow with that growth. Albuquerque is going to be a force in the next 15 years. We are going to see a lot of things happening here. I think a lot of people want to leave just to see something new, and they don't think that there is anything for them, but I think there will be a lot.

DL: What do you like to do here in Albuquerque?

BC: I work and go to school here. I really love to be here on campus. I live Downtown. It's a great place to be.

DL: What do you like about campus?

BC: Just a pretty atmosphere. Really relaxed. Can't beat this. I'm really lucky to be here instead of at work. It makes me miss college a lot. I don't get too many days like this.

DL: If you could change anything about Albuquerque, what would it be?

BC: It's such a great city. I don't know. There seems to be a lot of resistance to change here, and underlying all the progress that we've made and all the new things that are happening here, there is an attitude that this city isn't good enough, and I'd like to see that change. I'd like to see people believe that Albuquerque can be one of the most sustainable U.S. cities. I'd like for people to believe that Albuquerque is good enough to expand and develop and do new and interesting things.

DL: What do you think makes people resist these changes?

BC: Well, a lot of it is legitimate concern for the culture and the land, and I think a lot of it is being the land of ma§ana, not believing it can be done, not believing that Albuquerque can be something better and just being complacent with the status quo. One thing you can see a change in Albuquerque is in the urban areas, and it's been pro-positive. You've seen a lot of change in Downtown and in the Nob Hill area and sort of a renewed interest in public transportation.

~Aaron Nieto