CHICAGO—Sperry Van Ness | Chicago Commercial has just hired real estate veteran Deena Zimmerman as a new vice president. Zimmerman will focus on tenant representation and specialize in locating high-quality sites for national operators, franchisees, and first-time entrepreneurs throughout Chicagoland, the Midwest, and the US.

“Having an all-star like Deena join our team will only further enhance SVN's reputation as one of the foremost experts in Chicago's commercial real estate industry,” says Michael Thanasouras, managing director at SVN | Chicago Commercial. “With extensive experience representing both landlords and tenants, and a commitment to clients that is unmatched, Deena is known throughout the Chicago market for bringing a consistent, positive, upbeat attitude and an honest and straightforward approach to every transaction. Her negotiating skills and attention to detail have proven to be invaluable to all parties involved.”

Zimmerman has more than 10 years of industry experience and joins Sperry Van Ness from Jameson Commercial where she was a leading local tenant advisor. Previously, she was an agent at The Lord Companies, where she focused on property leasing and sales. Before becoming a commercial broker, she worked for a real estate trade publication and formed relationships with downtown developers, banks, and brokerage firms.

“I am so pleased to join SVN at a time when the firm is demonstrating such an impressive expansion in market share,” says Zimmerman. “I'm proud to be aligned with a top brokerage firm, particularly one with an entrepreneurial culture that aligns with my professional values and allows me to serve my clients to the best of my ability.”

Zimmerman graduated from the National Association of Realtors Leadership Academy in 2014. She is also an advisory member of Realtors to the Rescue, an organization that addresses the plight of homeless pets in Chicagoland, a member of the National Association of Realtors Finance Committee, vice chair of the NAR Reserves Investment Advisory Board, and an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

She has been actively involved in several women's real estate organizations, including the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative through Roosevelt University, and the Chicago chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors where she served as 2010-2011 president.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Brian J. Rogal

Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.