Think you’re stuck in traffic too much? Consider that commercial broker Matthew May often drives 170 miles across L.A.’s congested roadways on a given day.

Whenever clients are interested in properties, May, the president of May Realty Advisors of Sherman Oaks, hops in his car with prospective buyers. Just one day last week, May stopped at 18 retail centers in Sherman Oaks, Pacoima, Hollywood, Porter Ranch, Mission Hills, Northridge and Panorama City. All in all, he spent five hours behind the wheel.

“It’s good, old-fashioned hard work and it’s fun,” May said.

Last week’s drive wasn’t nearly his longest. Several years back he took a client on a tour of nine shopping centers being sold in a portfolio. May and his passenger started the journey in Lancaster at about 2 p.m. and ended in Palm Springs at 1 a.m. Then, May drove back to Los Angeles, doubling the 130-mile trip. But he didn’t mind.

“You get on an adrenaline rush,” he said.

On the Waterfront

Cathy Thomer is a most unlikely engineer. Her only experience was helping her two elementary school daughters build model derby cars.

But Thomer, an executive assistant at Thomas Properties Group, emerged as the winner of the second annual paper yacht contest in the fountain of the City National Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, where Thomas’ offices are located.

Thomer’s boss, Tom Ricci, executive vice president of development services, had suggested that his division enter the contest, which was sponsored by another City National Plaza tenant, engineering firm Psomas. The entry fee was $50, with proceeds going to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

After scouring the Web, Thomer came up with the winning design: a rectangular base with twin sails attached. She assembled the yacht with help from a dozen colleagues.

But she didn’t test it, fearing the craft would sink.

On contest day, Thomer’s boat made it across the 50-foot-wide fountain in 30 seconds, thrashing second-place finisher, Ben Pohn of Psomas, whose yacht took more than one minute to cross.

“We all figured our yacht would sink,” Thomer said. “We were flabbergasted that we won. We’re going to be back for next year’s paper yacht contest, now that we have a reputation to uphold.”

Staff reporters Daniel Miller and Howard Fine contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].