Avison Young has made a big move as it works to grow its business line that serves owners and investors working to create new value and get the most out of their commercial properties.
The Toronto-based brokerage this week said it hired Lisa Jesmer, an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, to serve as a principal and national director for investor services development. In her new role, Jesmer will help guide the growth of the investor services business for Avison Young in the U.S. The firm said Jesmer, based in its Miami office, would focus her efforts on building and fortifying the firm’s network of investors across multiple service lines nationwide.
“Avison Young is on a strategic path of expansion and transformative growth trajectory across all service lines. Adding Lisa to lead the efforts that develop and strengthen our investor network is in alignment with the firm’s aggressive business goals,” Avison Young U.S. President Juan Bueno said in an email. “Avison Young’s investor services business is elevating the bar in helping our clients add value to their portfolios by using our consultative approach and leveraging data-driven intelligence coupled with deep local and international market knowledge.”
Bueno said Jesmer would help build and strengthen Avison Young's network of investors in areas including capital markets, agency leasing and property management, thus "enabling us to compete in a focused and integrated way.”
Avison Young is adding to its investor services group as it and other global and national brokerages expand professional services they offer beyond assistance with transactions. Services such as investment management, project management and property management can bring in key revenue to brokerage firms, especially as higher interest rates and fear of a recession begin to slow sales and leasing velocity.
Earlier this year, Avison Young greatly expanded its project management group when it added more than 30 employees to its Morristown, New Jersey, office with its acquisition of Studio Eagle, which specializes in space planning, interior design and construction management services.
Other brokerages including JLL, Colliers, Newmark and Cushman & Wakefield also have taken steps this year to expand their service lines. In February, JLL acquired San Diego-based firm Gilliland Construction Management, a regional provider of project and construction management services for life sciences, retail, hospitality, industrial, multifamily and office properties.
Prior to joining Avison Young, Jesmer served in executive positions at JLL, CBRE, Franklin Street and other commercial real estate firms.
While at CBRE, she worked as senior director of asset services for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in Florida. In that role, she oversaw a region containing more than 20 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space.
During her more than 18 years at JLL, Jesmer served as a regional manager and senior vice president. In those roles, she built and maintained relationships with clients that included several companies with a national presence.
Jesmer said she's ready to leverage her experience at her new firm.
“I’m eager to support our growth strategy for each sector and work with Avison Young’s collaborative leaders to guide business development practices, recruitment efforts, and acquisition activities," she said in a statement.