Southern California's Real Estate ICONS

The Golden State’s commercial real estate business certainly had its ups and downs in recent years, not surprising for a region that house some of the netion’s largest and most diverse property markets. The constants in this ever-changing region are the hard work and achievements of the commercial property executives that have shaped the market over the past decades. Here’s a look at some local incons who’ve become household names.

BRANDON BIRTCHER

It is rare that an owner and CEO can say that he has been personally involved in each and every project that his firm works on, but that is a statement Brandon Birtcher—previously of Birtcher Development & Investments, now Birtcher Goodman—can make without hesitation. Birtcher still carries out his family’s five-generation development legacy, continuing to reinforce the company’s philosophy that real estate requires the intimate attention of its sponsor. He joined the family firm in 1976 and by 1979 had conceived and developed America’s first solar-assisted business park. In 1996, Birtcher Enterprises formed the first real estate venture between a US company and China to manage and develop properties in that country. Earlier this year, Birtcher entered a new chapter, joining with the Sydney-based Goodman Group to invest in $1.5 billion worth of North American industrial properties.