MIAMI-Just a few months after Flagler CEO Jose Hevia left the firm, George Pino, former senior vice president at Flagler Real Estate Services, is launching out on his own. The 20-year commercial real estate veteran launched State Street Realty, a brokerage and advisory firm that will represent property owners, investors and tenants in South Florida.

Pino says his departure from Flagler has nothing to do with Hevia leaving. He tells GlobeSt.com, “As the economy continues to recover, I firmly believe that this is the appropriate time to start an entrepreneurial firm focused on assisting clients to navigate through the challenges facing the commercial real estate industry today.”

Apparently, other Flagler employees agree with him. Joining Pino are Ed Lyden and Ana Lopez. Lyden, who has been a consistent top-producer throughout his 20-year career, will serve as senior vice president. Lopez, who has extensive experience in the marketing and sales of commercial real estate properties, will serve as the company’s marketing manager. Lopez was previously a marketing assistant at Flagler Real Estate Services and Lyden was a vice president at the firm.

The State Street Realty team offers more than 60 years of combined industry experience. Pino, who has established himself as one of the top commercial real estate industry professionals in South Florida, completing an impressive 10 million square feet of sale and lease transactions to date valued at more than $400 million, will lead the company. He brings expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate, including brokerage, land development and property management.

State Street Realty already boasts a prestigious client roster, including Prologis, one of the largest industrial REITs and Cardinal Commercial Development, a South Florida real estate developer and owner. Signature properties within State Street’s portfolio include Beacon Centre Industrial Park, Beacon Lakes Industrial Park, Blue Lagoon Business Park, Airport Business Center and Beacon Executive Center.

“Prologis has entrusted the marketing and leasing of a significant portion of its South Florida portfolio to George and his team for nearly 13 years,” Jay Cornforth, president of Prologis’ East Region, said in a statement. “State Street Realty has a proven track record in the Miami industrial real estate market, and as Prologis continues to grow, it’s more important than ever to partner with proven professionals.”

Pino was most recently named Prologis’ ‘2011 Featured Broker.’ Pino has been ranked as one of Costar’s ‘Power Brokers’ for Miami the past nine years in a row. For the past three years in a row, he’s been honored as NAIOP’s ‘Industrial Broker of the Year.’

“I enjoy the strategy and execution that goes into working with our clients on a daily basis which equates to adding value to our customers,” Pino says. “Our best assets are our existing clients, who are our ambassadors. State Street Realty is dedicated to continually providing our clients a ‘best of class’ service and will continue to form long-standing business relationships that exceed a single project or transaction.”