In other general corporate restructurings, Mike Spears, a vice president, will serve as Colliers' manager, coordinating clients' services between Colliers Atlanta and other Colliers' international offices. Russ Jobson and Steve Grable, both vice presidents, will take on additional leadership responsibilities in the office and industrial service groups.

"This is part of a natural progression of leadership within our firm," says Cardwell who joined the firm in 1978 after a six-year stint at locally based Tharpe and Brooks. As chairman, Cardwell will take on a more active brokerage role, he says, running Colliers Cauble's financial services and investment sales group. He will continue to serve on Colliers Institutional Board in 2004.

Mathews joined Colliers Cauble in 1991; Zimmerman in 1999. "This leadership transition supports the concepts used to build this company," says Mathews. "We operate a flat organizational and ownership structure because we are convinced it empowers our people to provide distinctive value to our clients." He adds, "Everyone in our organization is a stakeholder in the success of the firm."

The company's 31 brokers each have an average 17 years experience in commercial real estate. "Only two of the 18 partners have ever left the firm, and they returned to Colliers Cauble within a few years," says Mathews.