MIAMI-William Holly is closing the doors of the commercial real estate firm that bears his name to reunite with Cushman & Wakefield. Holly returns to the firm as an executive director in the Miami office, focusing on commercial leasing.
Holly brings more than 20 years of experience to CushWake, including brokerage and the development of office buildings. He has overseen projects throughout the U.S., as well as in Mexico and Romania.
As Holly sees it, now is the right time to return to his roots. He points to Glenn Rufrano coming on board as president and CEO a year ago, followed by Jim Underhill’s appointment as CEO of the Americas, and Bill Magner’s recent assignment as executive managing director and area leader for the firm’s Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Region, as evidence that CushWake is heading in the right direction globally.
“Anyone who really watches brokerage firms strategically can see that these are three huge moves,” Holly tells GlobeSt.com. “Shane Soefker managing South Florida is also a key. He has not just brokerage experience but also development experience from Flagler. Cushman & Wakefield has the top commercial real estate management talent in the country right now. The table is set to grow the platform.”
Holly founded Holly Real Estate, a full-service commercial real estate firm, in 2002. He served as chairman and CEO of the firm, which focused on private clients in Florida. The South Florida Business Journal and Regions Bank awarded Holly Real Estate its “Business of the Year Award” in 2006.
Holly, however, is not bringing his eight-person team with him to CushWake. He says he discussed his decision with his colleagues and employees, spent time coaching the younger brokers, and suggested good fits for their skillsets. For Holly, CushWake was the best fit in the current climate.
“Holly Real Estate had a local business, primarily serving small- to mid-sized companies,” Holly says. “What this economy has revealed is that the small- to mid-sized companies have struggled and will continue to struggle. My business earlier in my career was with national firms. That’s what I am getting back to. That’s the growth opportunity in brokerage for the next five years.”
Before founding Holly Real Estate, Holly established the Miami office of Insignia/ESG. Prior to that, he was a director at Cushman & Wakefield. Holly began his real estate career at the Codina Bush Group.
“This is a great opportunity for me because I have been spending 60% to 70% of my time on brokerage and the rest on managing a business,” Holly says. “Now I can spend 100% of my time on brokerage. I’ve always had a successful formula when I’m focused.”
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