J.D. Salazar Founder and Managing Principal Champion Realty Advisors Downers Grove, Ill.
J.D. Salazar is a pioneer. He ranks as one of the most successful Hispanic industrial brokers in the Chicago area and across the nation. And as the founder of Downers Grove, Ill.-based Champion Realty Advisors, Salazar also heads what has become the most successful 100-percent Hispanic-owned industrial brokerage company in the United States.
His peers have recognized this. In 2009, the Chicago Latino Network honored Salazar as one of Chicago’s top Latino professionals. In 2007, Chicago United named Salazar as one of Chicago’s Business Leaders of Color. And in 2005, he was one of 10 business and civic leaders to represent Illinois on a tour of the USS Ronald Reagan.
Of course, Salazar isn’t just a top Hispanic industrial broker. He’s one of the country’s top brokers, period. His numbers serve as evidence of this. During his 26-year career, Salazar has completed more than 10 million square feet of transactions. And these transactions have totaled more than $750 million value.
Salazar has also led Champion Realty Advisors to its own success. During the last five years, for example, Salazar has worked long hours to transform Champion into a key player in the transportation/logistics arena. It’s been one of the keys to Champion’s success even during one of the most challenging times in the commercial real estate industry.
Outside of his career, Salazar has worked hard, too, to support his community, most notably through his work with the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Salazar has served this worthwhile cause as a member of the organization’s board of directors since 2002. He is also the past vice chairman of the board of the depository. During his time with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Salazar has stayed true to his commitment to diversity, spearheading efforts to bring more diversity to the board of this important Chicago institution.
Salazar has earned several important real estate awards during his years in the industry. In 2009, Midwest Real Estate News named Salazar its Top Tenant Broker, while one year earlier Illinois Real Estate Journal gave Salazar its Award for Excellence. And in 2007, the Chicago Association of Realtors gave Salazar its Silver Honor Award.
