ATLANTA-Sperry Van Ness|Atlanta Real Estate Partners is changing its name to Grub & Ellis. Principals Paul and Bob Johnson are switching allegiances—and bringing their team of five brokers with them.
The Johnsons join Grubb & Ellis as senior vice presidents of the Private Capital Markets group. The brothers are bringing Korey Prefontaine on as an associate vice president, Chris Dundon, Steven Bush, and Ryan Williams as senior associates, and Daniel Yi as an associate.
"I'm excited that Paul, Bob and their team have decided to be part of our efforts to increase our investment sales capabilities," says Brett Hunsaker, executive vice president and managing director of Grubb & Ellis' Atlanta office. "Their experience and local market relationships give us an instant advantage in meeting the needs of clients and prospects as the investment market re-emerges."
Recognized as one of the top brokerage professionals serving private clients in Atlanta, Paul has been involved in transactions valued in excess of $1 billion. He brings more than 36 years of commercial real estate experience, including founding Boston Real Estate Partners with Bob in 1993, establishing Cushman & Wakefield's Boston office in 1985, and achieving top-producer status at Coldwell Banker Commercial, which he joined in 1980.
Paul began his career in 1974 by founding his own real estate firm. He is a member of the Self Storage Association and the Georgia Self Storage Association, and will contribute to Grubb & Ellis' Self Storage practice group. Paul founded Sperry Van Ness|Atlanta Real Estate Partners with Bob in 2005, when their firm, Atlanta Real Estate Partners became affiliated with Sperry Van Ness.
“This environment is times 10 worse than the savings and loan crisis was,” Paul tells GlobeSt.com. “The future for the next three to five years is truly going to be providing service to the REO special services. We knew that we didn’t have enough bullets in our gun. Grubb helps us step up our game in this cycle.”
Bob brings more than 25 years of commercial real estate experience and has executed nearly $900 million in transaction volume. Bob specializes in local and national investment sales, office and flex space lease and sales, and self-storage facilities. From 2007 to 2009, he was recognized as a Top 20 producer among Sperry Van Ness' more than 800 brokerage professionals. He began his career in 1985 with Cushman & Wakefield.
“We wanted a platform that offers more service lines for our clients, but moving to Grubb also enables us to work more throughout the southeast, excluding Florida, as opposed to just in metro Atlanta doing private capital and bank work,” Bob tells GlobeSt.com. “Sperry’s platform is a great platform for selling investment grade assets, but it doesn’t have the punch when it comes to receivership, property management, appraisals, and the large corporate environment where you can reach out to other offices and network.” Sperry Van Ness did not return calls seeking comment.
These new hires mark Grubb & Ellis Atlanta's next step in building its investment sales capabilities. In July, the company hired Chris Becker as executive vice president, director of its Investment Group. Becker is responsible for marketing and account management of the company's Financial Services Asset Management group as well as overseeing Atlanta's team of investment brokerage professionals. The Johnsons and their team will work with Becker to serve the needs of banks and special servicers in managing and disposing of their real estate in addition to serving private capital clients.
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