Lee & Associates, the fourth largest full-service commercial brokerage company in the nation, has acquired Retail Properties Group, Inc. (RPG), Southern California's leading retail brokerage specialist based in La Jolla. Brian Strange, SIOR, will serve as founding principal of the new real estate brokerage entity. The merge became effective mid July.
Strange was tapped by Lee & Associates' Carlsbad office last fall to form key alliances that would allow the firm to rapidly expand into the central San Diego market. Under the direction of Larry Strickland, founder of the Carlsbad office, and Brad Roppe, president, Strange formed a partnership with real estate veteran and long-time friend Patrick Quinn. Quinn then led Strange to Joe Balla, founder of Retail Properties Group, who readily agreed to join their partnership and operate under the Lee & Associates umbrella.
Opening with 17 agents and support staff, 10 of which formerly were RPG members and seven of which have recently joined, the new San Diego office of Lee & Associates will operate from RPG's existing 3,500-square-foot leased office space at 3262 Holiday Court, La Jolla, and will provide a full range of commercial brokerage services. Plans are to expand the brokerage team to 30 agents and staff members within the next year.
The office is the fourth to be opened by Lee & Associates in the past year, giving the firm a presence of more than 30 offices throughout the United States, with 20 offices in California alone.
"Lee & Associates has an exceptional reputation that has been fostered by its high caliber agents and the fact that the company is employee owned,” said Strange. “We saw Retail Properties Group's team as being a very good fit, both in terms of expertise and culture.”
Quinn will serve as senior vice president and founding principal of the new Lee & Associates San Diego office, bringing with him nearly 20 years of commercial real estate sales and leasing experience. For the past nine years, he has been an agent with GVA IPC, a San Diego-based commercial real estate firm, where he served as senior vice president.
Balla, a 30-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry and nationally known authority on retail brokerage, will serve as president and founding principal of the new Lee & Associates San Diego office. He has served as the president and owner of RPG since its formation in 1994, successfully establishing the company among the top 20 commercial real estate firms in San Diego and as an acclaimed expert in retail properties.
"The Lee & Associates concept is the most appealing in the brokerage industry and what attracted me to the alliance,” said Balla.
Celebrating more than 27 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates currently has 30 offices located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas and Wisconsin. Lee & Associates' clients benefit from a comprehensive range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.
Strange was tapped by Lee & Associates' Carlsbad office last fall to form key alliances that would allow the firm to rapidly expand into the central San Diego market. Under the direction of Larry Strickland, founder of the Carlsbad office, and Brad Roppe, president, Strange formed a partnership with real estate veteran and long-time friend Patrick Quinn. Quinn then led Strange to Joe Balla, founder of Retail Properties Group, who readily agreed to join their partnership and operate under the Lee & Associates umbrella.
Opening with 17 agents and support staff, 10 of which formerly were RPG members and seven of which have recently joined, the new San Diego office of Lee & Associates will operate from RPG's existing 3,500-square-foot leased office space at 3262 Holiday Court, La Jolla, and will provide a full range of commercial brokerage services. Plans are to expand the brokerage team to 30 agents and staff members within the next year.
The office is the fourth to be opened by Lee & Associates in the past year, giving the firm a presence of more than 30 offices throughout the United States, with 20 offices in California alone.
"Lee & Associates has an exceptional reputation that has been fostered by its high caliber agents and the fact that the company is employee owned,” said Strange. “We saw Retail Properties Group's team as being a very good fit, both in terms of expertise and culture.”
Quinn will serve as senior vice president and founding principal of the new Lee & Associates San Diego office, bringing with him nearly 20 years of commercial real estate sales and leasing experience. For the past nine years, he has been an agent with GVA IPC, a San Diego-based commercial real estate firm, where he served as senior vice president.
Balla, a 30-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry and nationally known authority on retail brokerage, will serve as president and founding principal of the new Lee & Associates San Diego office. He has served as the president and owner of RPG since its formation in 1994, successfully establishing the company among the top 20 commercial real estate firms in San Diego and as an acclaimed expert in retail properties.
"The Lee & Associates concept is the most appealing in the brokerage industry and what attracted me to the alliance,” said Balla.
Celebrating more than 27 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates currently has 30 offices located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas and Wisconsin. Lee & Associates' clients benefit from a comprehensive range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.