Avison Young opens new office in Las Vegas

Leading commercial real estate firm opens ninth location outside Canada as part of
strategic plan to expand its services across U.S.; Joseph Kupiec joins as Principal

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2011 /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 a newly-formed office in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The newest American office marks Avison Young's ninth location outside of Canada and represents the next step in the firm's aggressive growth and expansion strategy.

Effective immediately, industry veteran Joseph E. Kupiec joins Avison Young as a Principal and Managing Director of the Las Vegas office to help launch the company's brokerage business in Nevada. He was most recently Executive Vice-President, Managing Director of Grubb & Ellis' Las Vegas office.

"Las Vegas is an important market for Avison Young as we expand our activities in the Western U.S.," comments Rose. "The hiring of Joe Kupiec is in line with our strategic plan to expand our commercial real estate services with high-quality leaders across the nation. We are excited to have Joe on board to develop and grow our presence in the Las Vegas market. He has developed strong client relationships during his career and is committed to providing clients with superior advisory services. We are pleased to have him on our management team."

Rose says Avison Young is in the process of recruiting other senior brokers and executives to fill the company's service-delivery needs across the U.S., and that plans for the company include further acquisitions and partnerships to grow the Avison Young brand internationally. The company opened its first Western U.S. office in August in Los Angeles.

Fueled by the success of its Canadian operation, Avison Young has been pursuing an active acquisition and expansion strategy since late 2008. Over the past three years, the company has grown from 11 to 25 offices and from 300 to more than 800 real estate professionals across Canada and the U.S.

"Joe Kupiec is a proven leader in the Las Vegas area and brings to Avison Young a wealth of experience in office, retail, industrial and multi-family management and leasing," says Earl Webb, Avison Young's President, U.S. Operations. "The opening of a Las Vegas office is part of a much larger plan to be a very active player in key Western U.S. markets. The Las Vegas market is especially important as we build a national multi-family platform, and is also a market where we intend to establish a retail, office and industrial management, leasing and capital markets presence."

The new Las Vegas office will be located in the Hughes Center at 3753 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 200.

"Having worked with Mark Rose earlier in our careers, I am thrilled to be reunited with Mark, a true visionary in our industry, and to join the outstanding team he continues to assemble," says Kupiec. "In addition, I look forward to helping lead the growth of Avison Young in the Las Vegas market. Avison Young's commitment to its long-term growth strategy and its vision to build the leading international commercial real estate services firm is something I am excited to be a part of."

Kupiec continues: "To be joining a company that has fostered strong relationships with many companies in North America, and to be working alongside other innovative-thinking professionals across the country, is something I very much look forward to."

With 23 years of experience in all aspects of the commercial real estate industry, Kupiec joined Grubb & Ellis Las Vegas in 2002 as Executive Vice-President and Managing Director. While directing all activities relating to the firm, he expanded the company's investment, multi-family, industrial, retail, land and management services divisions during his tenure there.

Prior to Grubb & Ellis, Kupiec was Vice-President of Asset Management for the Dunn Companies where he was responsible for guiding, directing and coordinating all activities related to a substantial retail portfolio. Prior to the Dunn Companies, Kupiec worked for the Howard Hughes Corporation in the office and mixed-use division and was responsible for operations management for the Hughes Center and Hughes Airport Center properties.

Kupiec holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and an Associate of Arts degree in general studies from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Membership associations include: Nevada Development Authority (NDA); National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP); Building Owners and Managers Association of Southern Nevada (BOMA); International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC); Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce (LVCC); and City of Henderson Chamber of Commerce (HCC).

Founded in 1978, Avison Young is Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services company and the only national, Canadian-owned, principal-managed real estate brokerage firm in the country. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and ranked among Canada's leading national commercial real estate organizations, Avison Young is a full-service commercial real estate company comprising more than 800 real estate professionals in 25 offices across Canada and the U.S. The 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 Joseph Kupiec
http://www.avisonyoung.com/library/pdf/Media_Releases/Temp/Joe_Kupiec.jpg

SOURCE Avison Young (Canada) Inc.