Cresa Names Next CEO - Jim Leslie

May 1, 2012 - PRLog -- Cresa, North America’s largest tenant representation firm, today announced that Jim Leslie has been named the firm’s next Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Bill Goade, who founded the firm in 1993 and who has served as Chairman or CEO since the firm’s inception. Mr. Leslie was formerly President and Chief Operating Officer of the Staubach Company, once a leading tenant representation firm that was acquired by Jones Lang Lasalle in 2008.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Jim as our next CEO,” said Bill Goade, CEO of Cresa.  “His experience, leadership, management skills, and deep understanding of our organization will be instrumental as Cresa seeks to leverage its recent dramatic growth.”

Mr. Leslie has served as an Advisor to the Cresa Board of Directors since 2002 and was one of the founders of the firm’s Capital Markets Group.  During his tenure at Staubach, the company grew in excess of 35% per year and shareholder value increased dramatically. He also was an officer or director of many of Staubach’s subsidiaries and affiliates. As a result of this experience, he has been involved with entrepreneurs and emerging companies consistently during his career and has been instrumental in the creation of over 50 companies. His role in these enterprises has varied from accessing capital to setting strategic plans to establishing operating procedures. In addition to The Staubach Company, these companies have included Columbus Realty Trust, Amicus Partners, Sebring Capital Corporation and Ascendant Solutions, Inc.

Currently, Mr. Leslie also serves on the Board of Directors of Stratus Properties and is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Ascendant Solutions.

“I am excited at the prospect of taking on the CEO role at Cresa,” said Mr. Leslie.  “The organization has just completed its best two revenue years in its 20 year history, and is poised for substantial growth. I look forward to helping Cresa become even more well-known and respected as a global resource for large corporations and as the industry leader in tenant representation services by local businesses,” he added.

Mr. Leslie will begin his duties on May 1.  Mr. Goade will remain as his advisor until May 1, 2013.

“Bill has made very important contributions to Cresa during his tenure at Cresa, including expanding the company to 55 offices in North America and establishing a joint venture with Savills to service clients in Europe and Asia.  We are fortunate that he will remain with Cresa as advisor and will continue to be involved in the strategic direction of the company,” said Phillip Infelise, Chairman of Cresa’s Board of Directors.

About Cresa:
Cresa is an international corporate real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents tenants and specializes in the delivery of fully integrated real estate services, including: Transaction Management, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Workforce and Location Planning, Subleases and Dispositions, Portfolio / Lease Administration, Capital Markets, Sustainability, Industrial / Supply Chain and Facilities Management. With more than 55 offices, Cresa is the largest tenant representation firm in North America. Through its partnership with Savills, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate services firms; Cresa covers more than 255 locations in 40 countries. For more information, visit www.cresa.com.