Jim Pettinger
CEO
Realogic
Chicago
Jim Pettinger, a distinguished 32-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, has made an indelible mark on the sector through his transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Pettinger has spent the majority of his illustrious career with Realogic, a Chicago-based commercial real estate consulting and advisory firm. Initially joining the company as its third employee in 1993, he served as Chief Operating Officer for 26 years before ascending to the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2019. His promotion followed the departure of co-founder and former CEO Sal Caldarone, who left to launch rSquared CRE, a proptech start-up and spin-off of Realogic.
Under Pettinger’s stewardship, Realogic has evolved from a fledgling start-up into a best-in-class consulting powerhouse. The firm’s impressive client roster spans some of the most prominent names in commercial real estate, finance, and capital markets, as well as smaller owners and investors. Pettinger attributes much of his success to his dedication to continuous learning.
“I really enjoy developing and fine-tuning Realogic’s corporate and technology strategies,” Pettinger said. “Commercial real estate and proptech are constantly evolving, so we must continually adjust our strategies. This requires me to continually learn—to read, watch, talk to industry peers, and research topics ranging from property sectors and capital markets to the economy, proptech, and geopolitics.”
Pettinger has played an active role in many of Realogic’s consulting projects, lending his expertise to financial modeling, due diligence, underwriting, lease abstraction, and other assignments as needed. Since he joined Realogic, the firm has achieved a remarkable track record:
• Trained over 5,000 commercial real estate professionals in DCF applications, financial modeling, and lease review.
• Modeled billions of dollars in partnerships and joint venture waterfalls.
• Worked on commercial real estate projects in 15 different countries.
• Covered more than 20 asset classes and product types.
• Performed due diligence or underwriting for over 10,000 assets.
• Modeled development projects encompassing hundreds of millions of metric tons of steel.
Pettinger has also been instrumental in driving technological innovation at Realogic. As COO, he oversaw the development and launch of several groundbreaking proptech solutions, including:
• Realogic Abstract (now rAbstract), a proprietary lease administration and abstraction software widely used across the industry.
• Realogic Budget, a property budgeting solution now owned by rSquared CRE.
• Realogic Tools, an Argus DCF Excel extension.
Additionally, he leads the development and refinement of Realogic’s suite of off-the-shelf Excel models for commercial real estate development and acquisitions, ensuring they remain cutting-edge tools for industry professionals.
Pettinger’s impact extends beyond business growth and technological advancements. He has made it his mission to mentor and develop young talent, helping dozens of aspiring commercial real estate professionals launch successful careers.
“I enjoy mentoring and teaching young people who are just starting out in commercial real estate,” Pettinger said. “It’s very rewarding to see our team members grow both professionally and personally. I’m proud that so many industry leaders began their careers at Realogic, and I’ve maintained close relationships with many of them over the years.”
Outside of work, Pettinger treasures time with his wife of 23 years and their two sons. A water enthusiast, he enjoys unwinding at the family’s vacation home on a lake in central Wisconsin, where he finds balance and inspiration amidst nature’s beauty.
