Avison Young opens first New Jersey office

Leading Canadian commercial real estate firm continues its aggressive expansion in U.S. by opening 16th location outside Canada; Jeffrey L. Heller becomes Principal and Managing Director, New Jersey

TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Mark E. Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services company, announced today the opening of its first New Jersey office to further grow the firm's presence and business-line coverage throughout the Tri-State area.

The newest American office marks Avison Young's 16th location outside of Canada and an additional step in the firm's aggressive growth and expansion strategy.

Over the past three years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to, now, 34 offices in 30 markets and from 300 to more than 950 real estate professionals across Canada and the U.S.

Effective immediately, Jeffrey L. Heller joins Avison Young as a Principal and Managing Director of the New Jersey office. A 26-year commercial real estate industry veteran, Heller will focus on overseeing the growth and development of Avison Young's presence in New Jersey, as well as servicing new and existing clients and managing the day-to-day operations of the office. He was most recently an Executive Vice-President at CBRE in New Jersey.

"The opening of our first office in New Jersey is an important part of our strategy to establish a strong presence in key markets throughout the U.S.," comments Rose. "One of the largest office and industrial markets in the country, New Jersey presents significant opportunities to effectively introduce Avison Young's differentiated approach to principal-led client service."

Rose continues: "Jeff Heller has an established track record and high-quality reputation in the local market and, with his leadership, we are strongly positioned to gain market share in New Jersey as we look to aggressively deepen our bench and further expand our industry relationships here."

Earl Webb, Avison Young's President, U.S. Operations, states: "Following the successful establishment earlier this year of our New York City office, this latest announcement reflects the definitive strategy we have for the creation of a strong Tri-State market presence. We look forward to the contributions Jeff will make to our organization, and are confident that his expert knowledge of the local market will lay a strong foundation for Avison Young's growth in New Jersey."

Today's announcement comes on the heels of Avison Young opening its third Los Angeles office last week as a result of the firm's acquisition of Los Angeles-based Starrpoint Commercial Partners, Inc.

"There are significant synergies between the New York and New Jersey markets, and we are very pleased to be moving forward on our plans to strategically expand our Tri-State footprint," notes Arthur J. Mirante, II, Avison Young Principal and Tri-State President. "A strong New Jersey presence will play a key role in further developing our client relationships throughout the New York Metropolitan Area, and having Jeff on board, with his deep understanding of local market fundamentals and dynamics, will provide us with a competitive advantage in continuing to build on the momentum already established."

With the opening of new Avison Young offices in New York, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Charleston, South Carolina in the last few months, and the continued growth of the firm's offices in Los Angeles and other key markets, the company is establishing its local corporate infrastructure through the assemblage of a hand-selected team of the industry's leading professionals. Recruiting efforts are focused on Avison Young's core business lines, including capital markets/investment sales, asset management, transaction management, leasing, project/construction management, property management, and consulting and advisory services.

Adds Greg Kraut, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the New York City office: "A proven leader, Jeff is a top producer who employs a sophisticated approach to his business process that is highly compatible to Avison Young's client-centric service model. As we continue to grow throughout the region, we are enhancing our intellectual capital and resource capabilities in order to provide high-level solutions and results."

A top-producer at CBRE, Heller has served as a regarded advisor and agent to a high-profile list of corporations and investors on a local, regional, national and international basis. With extensive multi-market experience representing clients in the acquisition and disposition of corporate facilities, agency representation, lease negotiations and financial analysis, he has consummated more than 200 transactions with a net aggregate value in excess of $750 million over the past five years. Before joining CBRE, Heller served as an Executive Director in the New Jersey office of Cushman & Wakefield for 15 years.

"I have been impressed by the talent Avison Young is assembling in the Tri-State area and throughout the country, and by the quality of the firm's leadership in Mark Rose, Earl Webb and Arthur Mirante - respected industry executives who have forged accomplished careers and reputations for their ability to build organizations focused on fostering an entrepreneurial and collaborative culture to achieve excellence," states Heller.

"Having been fortunate in my career to have had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of top-tier companies locally, as well as nationally and internationally, I am excited to join Avison Young in a management role, while leveraging the firm's extensive national and international platform to deliver the highest-quality services to our clients," he says.

A member of SIOR, Heller has been recognized with numerous awards and designations, including the prestigious Colbert Coldwell Circle Award from CBRE, which recognizes excellence for top production. He is also a recipient of both the CoStar Power Broker award and the Partnership in Economic Development Broker of the Year award.

Heller holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College in Ohio. He has served as a member of the Development Board for Family Services of Morris County, as well as on the board of trustees for both the Colonial Symphony and the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan MS Society.

Centrally located along the East Coast, New Jersey is the most densely populated state and boasts the largest warehouse and distribution market (and one of the largest office markets) in the country. The Port of New York and New Jersey is the third largest port market in the U.S. and is the driver of significant space demand throughout the Garden State. Known for its concentration of pharmaceutical giants, as well as its role as an important secondary market for New York City's financial sector, New Jersey offers extensive highway infrastructure and one of the mostly highly trained workforces in the U.S.

In February, Avison Young was named a winner of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies program for 2011, sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post and Queen's School of Business.

Founded in 1978, Avison Young is Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services company. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Avison Young is also the largest Canadian-owned, principal-managed commercial real estate brokerage firm in North America. Comprising more than 950 real estate professionals in 34 offices across Canada and the U.S., the full-service commercial real estate company provides value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-residential properties.

•Editors/Reporters: please click on link to view and download photo of Jeffrey L. Heller
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For further information/comment/photos:

New York Media Relations:
• Emily Dell, Account Supervisor, Beckerman PR: (201) 465-8008
• Elliot Baum, Principal and Vice-President of Marketing, New York, Avison Young: (212) 729-7465

Avison Young Media Relations:
• Sherry Quan, National Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young:
  (604) 647-5098; cell: (604) 726-0959
• Mark Rose, Chair and CEO, Avison Young: (416) 673-4028
• Earl Webb, President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: (312) 957-7610

www.avisonyoung.com

Avison Young is a winner of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies program for 2011, sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post and Queen's School of Business

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SOURCE Avison Young (Canada) Inc.