CRG, a national real estate development and investment firm, announced the hiring of Geoffrey Kasselman, SIOR, LEED AP, as partner and senior vice president, workplace strategy. Kasselman will oversee national accounts and lead all client-related initiatives for the company’s expanding industrial, office and data center project delivery platform.
“Geoff brings dynamic thought leadership, an impressive client track record and national cache to CRG’s industrial and commercial development activities,” said CRG president, Shawn Clark. “His extensive experience originating institutional-grade projects around the country, together with his ‘future-proofing’ approach, enhances confidence with our clients and investors alike.”
Kasselman will also provide customers of CRG—Clayco’s real estate platform—with strategy for the future of their workplace and technology in real estate. Over his 32-year career, Kasselman has completed more than 1,000 transactions worth more than $1 billion of aggregate value.
Prior to joining Kasselman spent six years at Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) as executive managing director and national leader of the firm’s industrial practice group. During his tenure at NKF, he oversaw substantial growth of the group while also completing several notable transactions around the U.S. including a 1.1-million-square-foot e-commerce facility in Atlanta for ASOS and a 617,000-square-foot, omni-channel, build-to-suit facility near Cincinnati for DWR, a Herman Miller company. Kasselman also completed notable projects around the country for Cummins, CAT, Assemblers, Hydrofarm, AMI/Alside, Hussmann, Kitchen United, Camaco, Gotham Greens and many others.
Kasselman, a LEED AP, is also known for his prior role as the 2017 global president of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), the largest non-profit trade organization of its kind, and for his keen business-futurist persona. Kasselman has given several high-profile keynote speeches on an array of forward-looking disruptive technology topics to industry and business audiences around the world. He also sits on various tech advisory boards, provides mentoring to select “proptech” start-ups and owns an energy procurement firm.
“CRG’s entrepreneurial culture, Midwestern roots and impressive track record of delivering meaningful projects for Fortune 500 companies throughout North America makes this a very exciting role,” said Kasselman. “I look forward to enhancing CRG’s world-class team and Clayco’s integrated platform by providing innovative solutions and energy best practices to notable clients throughout the country.
The hiring of Kasselman comes at a time when tenant demand for modern logistics facilities is at an all-time high and consumer demand to purchase goods online is driving e-commerce globally, while supply of such properties is constrained in most major markets. Retailers are demanding industrial facilities that can accommodate the latest automation technologies and properties that can accommodate increased trailer storage and car park requirements to compete in today’s logistics environment.
