Jon Copeland joins Avison Young in Chicago

Highly regarded industry veteran will focus on agency leasing

CHICAGO, June 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Danny Nikitas, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the company's Chicago office, announced today the strategic hiring of industry veteran Jon Copeland as a Senior Vice-President in the company's Chicago office.

Copeland will continue to focus on agency leasing, and will work closely with Avison Young Principals Michael Curran, Brad Despot and Eric Myers in the Chicago office. Copeland brings more than 10 years of commercial real estate experience to Avison Young. He most recently served as a Vice-President at CBRE in Chicago.

"We are delighted to be bringing Jon on board as he will be a tremendous addition to an already strong, experienced downtown Chicago office leasing team," comments Nikitas, who joined Avison Young in April. "With the addition of Jon, we are poised to expand our footprint in the downtown and suburban office markets."

Nikitas continues: "Jon will complement the team on existing business while actively pursuing new business opportunities. He has proven himself to be very effective and responsive in his dealings in our market, and has earned the respect of the Chicago real estate community. Moreover, his positive energy, honesty and integrity have always enhanced his strong work ethic, and will fit well with our culture. We look forward to great things from Jon and his numerous client and industry relationships, which will be critically important as Avison Young continues to build on a strong presence and reputation in one of the top office markets in the U.S."

Copeland began his real estate career in 2004 at Grubb & Ellis before joining CBRE in 2009. During his 10-year career in downtown agency leasing, he has represented various institutional and entrepreneurial owners, including Irvine Company, CBRE Global Investors, and Shorenstein Properties. Most recently, Copeland was the head of leasing at 71 South Wacker Drive and 190 South LaSalle. He has extensive experience in developing and implementing marketing strategies and executing lease transactions, which have dramatically increased asset value for clients. Copeland is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"I'm excited to be working with the best landlord representation team in Chicago and to help grow the Avison Young brand locally and nationally," says Copeland. "I have followed Avison Young's growth in Chicago from day one, and it has been extremely impressive. The firm's client-first and collaborative culture is closely aligned with my core philosophy for the business, and I look forward to expanding my career in coming years while working with so many industry leaders."

He adds: "I'm also thrilled to be working with Michael, Brad and Eric here in Chicago, and being able to tap into the resources, knowledge and expertise available in Avison Young's offices across the U.S., Canada and overseas."

Over the past five years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 57 offices and from 300 to more than 1,500 real estate professionals across Canada, the U.S. and in Europe.

Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 1,500 real estate professionals in 57 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties.

Editors/Reporters
• Please click on link to view and download photo of Jon Copeland
http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/JonCopeland.jpg

For further information/comment/photos:

• Sherry Quan, Principal, National Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; 604.726.0959
• Danny Nikitas, Principal and Managing Director, Chicago, Avison Young: 312.940.8794
• Jon Copeland, Senior Vice-President, Chicago, Avison Young: 312.448.7958
• Earl Webb, President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610
• Mark Rose, Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028

www.avisonyoung.com

Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011 and 2012 and requalified in 2013 to maintain its status as a Best Managed company.

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SOURCE: Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

Media Relations: Sherry Quan, [phone] or [phone], email: [email protected]