No regrets: after achieving his desired nest egg by age 50, Mark Erwin has spent the last 25 years focused on family, helping elect Clintons and writing.

AuthorMildenberg, David
PositionNC TREND: Q&A - Interview

Among the first people to receive copies of Charlotte real-estate developer Mark Erwin's fourth book, The Powers, were President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton during a July campaign stop. The book, published by New York-based Skyhorse Publishing, describes 12 principles to transform a life from ordinary to extraordinary. "I told them, 'I believe you still have a chance,'" Erwin says.

Writing and politics are two of his passions, nurtured after ending a 13-year partnership with famed Charlotte developer John Crosland Jr. in 1991. After developing dozens of shopping centers, Erwin had made enough money to focus on family, faith, politics and philanthropy. Bill Clinton named him an ambassador to the east African island republics of Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros from 1999 to 2001. Now 72, Erwin discussed his career and the book, which includes anecdotes about John Belk, Wayne Huizenga, George Shinn and other businesspeople with N.C. ties. Comments were edited for clarity.

HOW DID YOUR BREAKUP WITH CROSLAND WORK OUT?

When we split in 1991, we had 60 partnerships and six corporations.

It took five years to amicably divide all of that, and we never went to court or had a serious argument. We just worked on it and we trusted each other. It worked out great, which is pretty rare when partners go in different directions.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO KEEP IT PEACEFUL?

We had a lawyer, Bailey Patrick, who we both used. We each trusted him 110%, and we knew that he'd never do either of us any injustice. He did a fabulous job. And we had a numbers guy in George Rohe, a former tax partner at Price Waterhouse [now PricewaterhouseCoopers]. We knew his ethics were beyond reproach.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WHY DID YOU SLOW DOWN YOUR REAL-ESTATE CAREER?

I was working 15 or 16 hours a day, while I also had two young children and a...

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