Robert Thornburgh is the new chief executive officer of SIOR.
Thornburgh, a veteran commercial real estate specialist based out of Los Angeles, California, brings more than 25 years of industry knowledge and leadership experience to his new position. He comes to SIOR from Kidder Mathews, where he was a shareholder and regional president of brokerage for many years.
During much of his professional career, Thornburgh served as the CEO at Heger Industrial, a real estate firm with a 60-year legacy in the Los Angeles market. Additionally, he has also served as SIOR Global President and sat on the SIOR Board of Directors. He has also been consistently recognized across the commercial real estate industry for his emphasis on innovation and his passion to help others achieve their goals. In 2020, Thornburgh was honored as a “Best Boss” by ALM Media.
“It is with immense pleasure that I accept the role of SIOR Chief Executive Officer,” said Thornburgh. “Being an SIOR has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career, so I am thrilled to have this unique opportunity to contribute in forward-thinking ways to this amazing organization and the broader commercial real estate industry that I care so deeply about.”
Thornburgh began building an early foundation for a career path in real estate. Prior to leading Heger Industrial, he worked with R3 Investment Group in the 1990s – an investment company he still owns to this day. In 2017, Heger merged with Kidder Mathews. As part of the merger, Thornburgh joined the company’s executive leadership team where he was influential in expanding the firm’s presence across the West Coast.
He proudly holds four of the most respected designations within the commercial real estate industry – SIOR, CCIM, CPM and FRICS. This is a distinction that less than one percent of all global commercial real estate practitioners maintain.
Thornburgh takes over as CEO as the organization celebrates its 80th anniversary and commemorates a designation that has signified the highest standard among industrial and office professionals since its inception. He was selected for the position out of a number of highly qualified candidates, vetted by both executive recruiting firm Korn Ferry and an SIOR CEO Selection Committee led by Craig Meyer, SIOR. Established in 1941, SIOR now extends to 48 chapters worldwide, consisting of more than 3,400 members in 42 countries.
