Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. This year, despite its challenges, is no exception. Today we look at the career of new inductee David Miller, senior vice president and principal with the Southfield, Michigan, office of Signature Associates.
David Miller has played a key role in some of the most important commercial real estate transactions in the Detroit area. This includes the seven years he worked on repositioning and leasing Michigan’s tallest and most iconic office tower.
Tackling this project during the most challenging times in Detroit’s history, Miller and a colleague worked with ownership, building management and marketing staff to replace a major tenant and successfully reposition the nearly 1-million-square-foot building for sale.
This was a big deal. But it’s far from the only transaction Miller has completed during his career of 32 years. This industry veteran has completed more than 1,400 transactions and more than $2 billion in volume since 1988.
With numbers like that, it’s not surprising that Miller has racked up several industry awards. He’s ranked as Signature Associate’s top office sales professional nine times and has been named a top ONCOR Sender/Co-Sender from 1996 through 2000. He was named the ONCOR Manager of the Year globally two times and was named a CoStar Power Broker for 13 consecutive years.
What has kept Miller active in commercial real estate for more than three decades? He points to the constant challenge of creating opportunities for his clients. The job doesn’t get old, because Miller is taking on a steady stream of new transactions each year.
Miller pointed to a few transactions as some of his most memorable and enjoyable. This includes the marketing and selling of the 400-acre, three-parcel resort complex Bobo Island in Ontario, Canada; overseeing a countrywide search resulting in a 940-acre assemblage of land for a manufacturing plant; and, of course, teaming up with a colleague to reposition and lease-up that 1-million-square-foot office tower.
“Most importantly, I have enjoyed working with the clients and brokers on these and other assignments,” Miller said. “This business does not get stale. It is what you challenge yourself to make it.”
Miller has taken several steps to succeed in the commercial real estate industry. This includes getting involved with his company, industry and community. He served as SIOR president for the state of Michigan and volunteers his time with other committees in his community.
“I understood from the beginning that this is a golden-rule business,” Miller said. “This applies to clients and competitors, whom I think of as ‘industry colleagues.’ Doing everything you can every day for those you serve and work with will benefit you greatly and develops trust and cooperation.”
