Chandler Converse Jr. Managing Director CBRE Cleveland
During his 28 years in commercial real estate, CBRE’s Chandler Converse Jr. hasn’t sought recognition. He hasn’t chased after industry awards. And he doesn’t clamor to get his name in trade magazine stories or on real estate Web sites.
What Chandler has done is serve his clients. And he’s served them well. It’s why he’s developed a reputation as one of the hardest-working and honest commercial real estate professionals in the industry.
“Chandler has been a quiet leader within the industry for a long time,” said one of his nominators. “He avoids the limelight and does not seek recognition. Although he has been the premier tenant advisor here for many years, he has been a behind-the-scenes confidant to professionals across the spectrum of commercial real estate.”
Today, Converse, a managing director with CBRE’s Cleveland office, is one of the leaders of the company’s Northeast Ohio region. He is known throughout this region for his expertise in complex transactions involved law firms. He’s completed nearly 2 million square feet of these transactions during his time at CBRE. Overall, Chandler has closed about 10 million square feet of commercial transactions at the company.
His peers credit Converse with introducing to the Cleveland area the fundamentals of multi-disciplined, analytical tenant-representation services.
“He takes great pride in understanding the trends, and maintaining relationships with colleagues and clients alike,” said a nominator.
Some of Converse’s most significant assignments include represents Huntington Bank, Jones Day, JP Morgan Chase, KeyBank, Merrill Lynch, Thompson Hine, Ulmer & Berne and Tucker Ellis & West.
It came as little surprise to his peers that Converse was able to earn recognition as a top-producing broker in 2010, even during one of the most challenging commercial real estate markets ever. Doing this in 2010, though, was just the start. Converse earned the same honor in 2011, during another tough year for the industry.
The NAIOP also honored Converse in 2010 when the association named him its office broker of the year. In that same year, the Columbus Board of Realtors gave Converse its Top Transaction Award.