Avison Young opens new office in Memphis, Tennessee

Fast-growing commercial real estate services firm opens third office in Tennessee;
Shane Soefker and Jacob Biddle become Principals

TORONTO, Dec. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - Mark E. Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm, announced today the opening of a newly formed office in Memphis, Tennessee.

The newest American office represents Avison Young's third office in Tennessee, 50th office in the U.S., and an additional step in the firm's ongoing aggressive growth and expansion strategy.

Over the past seven years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to, now, 74 offices in 66 markets and from 300 to more than 2,100 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Warren Smith, Managing Director of the firm's Nashville and Knoxville offices, will oversee the new Memphis office's strategic direction and overall growth strategy.

Effective immediately, Shane Soefker and Jacob Biddle become Principals of Avison Young's Memphis operations. Both join the company from Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors in Memphis, where Soefker was an executive vice-president and principal and Biddle was a vice-president. Together, they will oversee the new office's day-to-day operations and continue to serve new and existing clients. In addition to continuing their success in capital markets in the Memphis, Mississippi and Arkansas markets, Soefker and Biddle will also focus on growing the Memphis office's investor and occupier services for corporate, institutional and private clients. 

"We are delighted to be expanding our rapidly growing Tennessee operations into the burgeoning Memphis marketplace. By opening an office in Memphis, we're now extending our reach throughout the state," comments Rose. "Shane and Jacob are highly respected and well-established commercial real estate industry leaders. They will ensure that our Memphis operation grows organically by executing the highly successful strategy that Warren Smith and his team have implemented since joining Avison Young in September. Shane and Jacob, while sharing their comprehensive market knowledge with colleagues and clients alike, will also assist in attracting and retaining market leaders as we continue to grow in the Mid-South and beyond."

Rose continues: "Moreover, Shane and Jacob's long-term client and business relationships will be of immense value to Avison Young's valued clients and business partners. We're also thrilled to have Warren Smith leading the way for us in Memphis in conjunction with his stewardship of our Nashville and Knoxville operations."

Avison Young opened its first Tennessee offices in Nashville and Knoxville on September 2, 2015 with 82 members joining the company from Cushman & Wakefield | Cornerstone.

Earl Webb, Avison Young's President, U.S. Operations, states: "Although we have not been in Tennessee long, we have gained an understanding of clients' full-service commercial real estate needs throughout the state as they look for new ways to grow their businesses locally, nationally and internationally. Warren, Shane, Jacob and many forthcoming new recruits will strive to provide creative and unique solutions in all asset classes as we help our clients solidify and expand their property holdings. Furthermore, the new Memphis office will complement our Nashville and Knoxville offices and serve as a vital link to other Avison Young locations across the southern U.S. and the rest of the country."

Effective immediately, Avison Young's new Memphis office is located at Clark Tower, Suite 2700, 5100 Poplar Avenue in East Memphis.

"We couldn't be more pleased to open a Memphis office with two stellar professionals who share our collaborative culture and aspirations to serve our clients throughout Tennessee, across the country and around the globe via the client-centric Avison Young platform," notes Smith. "With the addition of the Memphis office spearheaded by Shane and Jacob, we become the only commercial real estate firm to span the entire state under common ownership. We are eager to harness the combined abilities of our professionals from Knoxville to Memphis, offering our clients a level of service that is unprecedented in Tennessee."

Today's announcement comes on the heels of Avison Young opening a new office in Mexico City on December 2, 2015. 

"Jacob and I are thrilled to be launching Avison Young's Memphis office," says Soefker. "In today's commercial real estate climate, Avison Young is a rising global leader and known for promoting a Principal-led culture and collaborative environment that is unique in this industry. We look forward to working with our new colleagues across the U.S., Canada, and in Mexico and Europe."

"I believe that Memphis and the Mid-South region are prime for commercial real estate growth," adds Biddle. "Memphis will continue to attract new users and investors because of the vibrant and entrepreneurial business climate that we are all working hard to cultivate."

Known as "America's Distribution Center," Memphis serves all regions of the country from its central location. It is the largest city in Tennessee, the third-largest in the U.S. Southeast, and the 20th-largest in the country. FedEx, a Fortune 500 company, was founded in Memphis and has its global headquarters and one of three global superhubs in the city, largely explaining why it has the world's second-busiest cargo airport. Additionally, two other Fortune 500 companies, AutoZone and International Paper, have headquarters in Memphis. Healthcare, biomedical research, education, transportation, distribution and logistics are Memphis' largest industries, injecting more than $5 billion a year into the local economy.

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Biographies

Shane Soefker
Shane Soefker brings more than 20 years of commercial real estate experience to Avison Young, most recently with Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors in Memphis, where he was an executive vice-president, principal and leader of the capital markets group, and directed investment sales, debt/equity placement and other investment advisory services. Soefker has experience in all aspects of commercial real estate, including the industrial, office, retail, multi-family, hospitality and healthcare sectors. He brings extensive knowledge of organizational management, business development, acquisitions, asset management and development as well as vast experience in hard asset and debt acquisitions, development and capital formation.

Soefker's prior experience includes serving as a senior managing director of Cushman & Wakefield's South Florida offices, principal at Flashpoint Capital Partners, senior vice-president at Banyan Street Partners, and vice-president of Flagler Development Company, where he was in charge of its 6-million-square-foot (msf) South Florida portfolio and has been involved in more than 7 msf of development projects. Soefker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Christian Brothers University and a Master of Arts degree in real estate from the University of Florida with a concentration in finance and development. Soefker previously sat on boards for NAIOP, the Broward Alliance, Beacon Council and the Chamber of Commerce. He has served as a member of the executive committees for the advisory board for the University of Florida Center for Real Estate Studies and the South Florida Chapter of NAIOP. He also holds the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.

Jacob Biddle
Jacob Biddle brings 13 years of experience in all aspects of commercial real estate to Avison Young, most recently as a vice-president at Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors in Memphis, where he was part of the capital markets group. While there, he focused on investment sales, special-asset services, and debt and equity finance while advising clients on maximizing the value of their real estate holdings by applying advanced financial strategies. Prior to joining Commercial Advisors, Biddle was an associate at DRA Advisors, LLC, a New-York based institutional real estate investment firm. During his time at DRA, he acquired institutional experience in acquisitions/dispositions, lease structuring and administration, financial modelling, and portfolio management.

Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,100 real estate professionals in 74 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties.

• Editors/Reporters
Please click on link to view and download photos of Shane Soefker and Jacob Biddle:
http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Jacob_Biddle.jpeg
http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Shane_Soefker.jpeg

For further information/comment/photos:

• Sherry Quan, Principal, Global 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

• Warren Smith, Managing Director, Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, TN, Avison Young: 615.727.7409

• Shane Soefker, Principal, Avison Young: 901.239.6666 

• Jacob Biddle, Principal, Avison Young: 901.326.8376

Avison Young's new Memphis office is located at: Clark Tower, Suite 2700, 5100 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38137

www.avisonyoung.com

Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and has demonstrated its commitment to the program and successfully reapplied for the designation as a Gold Standard winner in 2014. 

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SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

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