Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class in its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Here is a look at the busy career of our newest inductees, Keith Brandt, executive vice president of Industrial Commercial Properties LLC in Cleveland.
Keith Brandt is a problem-solver. This has served him well during a career in commercial real estate that has lasted more than 28 years.
But while Brandt’s analytical mind, stemming perhaps from his previous studies in engineering, has helped him build a thriving CRE career, this industry veteran is the first to admit that commercial real estate is not just a science. There’s an art to closing deals and serving clients, too.
Combining both sides of the business — the analytical and the artistic — is what has led Brandt to become one of the busier CRE professionals in the Cleveland market.
“Real estate is not just a science. There is an art aspect that is critical,” Brandt said. “I feel that my ability to understand real estate from both a financial aspect but also from a psychographic perspective has been a critical factor in my career growth.”
Today, Brandt serves as executive vice president of Industrial Commercial Properties LLC in Cleveland and is busy spearheading a national initiative to identity redevelopment opportunities for regional malls and other retail properties.
Before joining ICP, Brandt was the managing director and market leader for CBRE’s Cleveland and Akron offices, where he was responsible for driving the growth strategy for all advisory service lines of business. During his tenure, these CBRE offices experienced record revenue growth.
He also previously worked as senior vice president of retail, office and residential leasing and asset management at Forest City Realty Trust. Under his leadership, Brandt’s team generated more than 300 transactions annually and annual revenue of $307 million for 28 retail properties.
“The most rewarding aspect of this business is creating meaningful change through real estate in the communities in which we live,” Brandt said. “It is very rewarding to start with a blank canvas and have the ability to change consumer behavior and local trends based on the transactions that you consummate.”
Brandt points to working with the public sector to develop real estate in blighted areas as some of the most rewarding work of his career. The resulting projects, he says, make a positive difference in their communities.
How has Brandt built such a successful career? It’s all about his willingness to learn from others.
“As I started in the commercial real estate industry, I attempted to be a sponge and absorb as much information and knowledge as I could early in my career,” Brandt said. “Even after more than 25 years, I continuously ask questions and am looking for ways to learn and expand my real estate knowledge base. I have always taken accountability for my career growth and felt it was critical to confirm that my career goals aligned with the career path that the company saw in me.”
Brandt also pushed his employers for assignments and leadership opportunities that would help him grow his skillset. His goal? To always learn more about the industry.
“In a results-oriented business, it was critical to capitalize when these opportunities were presented,” Brandt said. “I learned very early that success comes from providing solutions regardless of the economic climate. ‘Leave the excuses at the door and bring solutions to the table.'”
Brandt doesn’t focus entirely on work, though. As he says, his family is always first, and his three children keep him and his wife busy. When he does have time away, one of Brandt’s biggest passions is fishing in the local Ohio rivers on the coldest winter days Northeast Ohio has to offer.
