Danny Nikitas, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the company’s Chicago office, announced the strategic hiring of highly regarded industry veterans Mark Robbins, Chris O’Leary and Jeff Lindenmeyer.
Effective immediately, Robbins, O’Leary and Lindenmeyer become Principals based in Chicago and will focus on Avison Young’s collaborative approach to representing office tenants across the United States and globally. In addition, Jordan Mellovitz joins as a Senior Associate and Justin Decker becomes an Associate. Both will work as a team with the three new Principals.
Robbins, O’Leary, Lindenmeyer and Mellovitz bring a combined total of 65 years of commercial real estate experience to Avison Young. All but Decker, who is new to commercial real estate brokerage, join the company from Cushman & Wakefield in Chicago.
“Mark, Chris, Jeff, Jordan and Justin bring to Avison Young an extremely talented team of veterans and energetic up-and-comers to help an already growing Chicago tenant representation effort,” comments Nikitas. “The high-level client base and client service business this group has developed, and continues to build, will fit admirably with our Principal-led culture. We are ecstatic to have them join Avison Young and look forward to their contributions on all levels.”
Past and current clients of the team include: DLA Piper, Trunk Club, NORC at the University of Chicago, BDO USA, ION Trading, Lending Solutions Inc., Segall Bryant & Hamill, Unum, and MARC USA.
Avison Young opened its first U.S. office in Chicago in January 2009 and has expanded steadily since then. With the five additions, says Nikitas, the firm is poised to further expand its footprint in the downtown and suburban Chicago office markets while assisting clients on a national and international basis.
“We felt joining Avison Young was the right fit for us because the company has an outstanding Principal-led culture and full-service platform that will enable our existing and new clients to achieve and exceed their office leasing goals,” states Robbins. “Speaking for Chris, Jeff and myself, we are thrilled to become Principals and hold ownership positions in the firm while working with Avison Young’s proven industry leaders across the U.S., Canada and overseas.”
He adds: “We all welcome the opportunity to grow our careers in such a dynamic and innovative organization. The ongoing growth of Avison Young throughout North America and now Europe has been exciting to witness. Avison Young’s culture of collaboration across offices and service lines will be a tremendous asset in providing the highest caliber of service possible to clients.”
Over the past five-and-a-half years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 62 offices and from 300 to more than 1,700 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of Avison Young opening a new office in Frankfurt, Germany on December 1, 2014; Avison Young acquiring Miami-based Abood Wood-Fay Real Estate Group (dba Colliers International South Florida) on December 1, 2014; and Avison Young acquiring Orlando, Florida-based MCRE, LLC (dba Morrison Commercial Real Estate) and opening a new office in Orlando on November 13, 2014.
