commercial broker, Keefe Real Estate
Company: Keefe Real Estate
Title: Commercial broker
Education: Bachelor of science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Family: Wife, Anne; daughters, Erin, 6, and Kate 10 months
City of residence: Lake Geneva
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, fitness
What are you working on? "Creating market awareness that Walworth County is the center of a region that includes the Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford, Janesville and Madison markets. Also that Keefe is not just a local Walworth County player. We are currently involved in deals in Waukesha, Milwaukee and Kenosha counties as well as Walworth."
How does the market look to you? "Vibrant. We are seeing a lot of velocity in the retail market in this area. In addition we are seeing a good amount of activity in the industrial market and we have very little vacancy in our area."
What was the best deal you’ve ever been involved in? "Helping a bank with a repossessed and vacant 54,000-square-foot, three-unit industrial facility. After finding two tenants for two of the three units, I found a buyer for the facility and subsequently found a tenant for the third unit. The building had been underperforming and mostly vacant for many years due to mismanagement by the original and subsequent developers, both of whom lost the property back to their respective banks."
What was the funniest moment of your career? "While showing an industrial building in Milwaukee, I had unknowingly set off a silent alarm that contacted the police directly. I walked out the front door of the building to find two of Milwaukee’s finest with guns drawn. Needless to say I didn’t make that sale."
