EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has named Kimberly Brennan of Rockaway Twp., N.J., as its New Jersey Market Leader. This promotion - into the highest management role within the company's three-office Garden State branch - positions Brennan to spearhead Cushman & Wakefield's continued regional progress and recognizes her leadership contributions during her eight-year tenure there.
Since joining Cushman & Wakefield in 2005, Brennan has served as senior managing director for the firm's offices in East Rutherford, Morristown and Edison. She manages brokerage and business line staff; oversees administrative functions; leads broker recruiting, mentoring, training and development programs; and holds direct P&L responsibility. She is also involved with strategic planning - including new business-development initiatives, targeted client strategies and cross-selling opportunities.
"In my short time working with Kim, there's no doubt in my mind that she's the right person for the job," said Ron Lo Russo, President, New York Tri-state Region. "She's demonstrated attributes necessary to run the New Jersey market and has done so before even being named market leader. That's a sign of a true leader."
Among her accomplishments, Brennan has overseen expansion moves for all three of Cushman & Wakefield's New Jersey locations, and was responsible for its East Rutherford office being selected as a pilot office for the company's new Green Initiative Program. She also developed the region's junior executive training program, and served on the committee in charge of structuring materials and curriculum for the initiative's national rollout.
"This is an exciting time for New Jersey commercial real estate - and for Cushman & Wakefield's New Jersey branch," Brennan said. We employ many of the industry's most seasoned, accomplished professionals, and they are complemented by a number of talented junior and mid-level brokers. The result is a strong team moving forward to serve as consultants and partners for Garden State investors, landlords and tenants."
Brennan's professional contributions extend beyond the Cushman & Wakefield organization. She has served as director of programming and director of membership for CREW, an international organization for women in commercial real estate. She is a founding member of the BOMA Research Council and a member of the American Management Association International and NAIOP NJ. Crossing industry involvement into the larger community, Brennan has spent the past four years on the March of Dimes Real Estate Committee in New Jersey.
Brennan was named one of New Jersey's "Best Fifty Women in Business" by NJBiz (2011), and featured in Real Estate New Jersey as a "Women of Influence" (2006, 2007, 2008,2009 & 2010) and as a "40 Under 40" (2008). She was also honored among NJBiz's "40 Under 40" in 2008 and, in 2009, served as a judge for that prestigious program.
A 21-year industry veteran, Brennan joined Cushman & Wakefield from CB Richard Ellis, where she served as Managing Director of Brokerage Services for the Midtown Manhattan office. She was the sales manager for Midtown Manhattan and had responsibility for the firm's tri-state Research Services departments. She began her career as a Market Research Coordinator at Cushman & Wakefield and later joined Insignia/ESG as a Manager in the firm's Market Research department. She has a degree in Political Science from Seton Hall University, and is a licensed real estate broker.
Cushman & Wakefield, via its parent Exor S.A., recently reported strong third quarter and 2013 year to date earnings. Cushman & Wakefield's third quarter gross revenue increased 30 percent year-over-year, outpacing both Jones Lang LaSalle (+17 percent) and CBRE (+11 percent). The company's third quarter Adjusted EBITDA increased 74 percent year-over-year and all regions and service lines experienced double digit revenue growth. Year to date, Cushman and Wakefield has made over 1,500 hires globally.