Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Here’s a look at the career of Hall of Fame member Kevin James, principal of Black Gate Partners in Columbus, Ohio.
Kevin James has established himself as an expert in the Midwest commercial real estate industry during a 20-year career. Before starting Black Gate Partners in 2017, James was a top-producing investment sale broker at Colliers International|Columbus working with top-tier clients such as KIMCO, RPAI, InvenTrust and many others. He was a member of the Colliers retail Steering Committee and Colliers Retail Investment Group.
“We are in a tough business and everything is challenging; that is what makes it exciting, though. You have to have persistence to be successful,” James said. “I enjoy connecting with new people and redeveloping properties to have a positive impact on communities.”
James is a past member of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Development Board and active member of the Columbus chapter of A Kid Again. He has also volunteered regularly for Habitat for Humanity and has mentored real estate students at The Ohio State University.
James was the top overall Columbus Producer at a previous brokerage firm in 2010 and he has been identified as a “Power Broker” by Costar for the past eight years. He has closed more than $600 million in investment sales and leased more than 3 million square feet of retail space on behalf of both owners and tenants.
What’s the secret to his success in this business? “Pretty simple: just hard work,” James said. “I have tried to learn as I go and continually try and improve.”
Away from the office, James likes to fill his time with anything outdoors, including hiking, fishing, boating and spending time with his family.
