The Boerke Company Of Milwaukee Becomes 20th Cushman & Wakefield Alliance Member

28 Jun, 2006, Milwaukee

Venerable commercial real estate leaders form strategic alliance

Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s pre-eminent commercial real estate services firm, has enhanced its coverage through its national Alliance program with the addition of The Boerke Company, a leading full-service commercial real estate firm based in Milwaukee.

The Boerke Company, founded in 1921, is one of the largest commercial brokerage companies in Milwaukee, with 20 full-time real estate professionals and a heritage that is one of the strongest in the industry.

As part of the agreement, The Boerke Company joins the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance program, an association of 20 leading regional commercial real estate firms and now more than 500 brokerage professionals in strategic U.S. markets. On a global basis, Cushman & Wakefield, founded in 1917, operates in 192 offices in 58 countries.

Milwaukee is an important strategic market for us, and The Boerke Company is the perfect fit for our clients in the region,” said Dave Lawton, executive managing director of the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance. “Culturally, we are both long-time market leaders who value our heritage of innovation and commitment to client service.”

“The brand name Cushman & Wakefield, its global and national reach and the quality of its people all attracted us to joining the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance,” said David Boerke, principal of The Boerke Company.

The Boerke Company has a rich tradition in Milwaukee real estate circles. Formed by Mr. Boerke’s father, E.M. Boerke, the firm was the first in the city to specialize in the marketing of commercial properties. During World War II, the company served as a part of a select group that represented the U.S. government in its effort to locate and convert industrial facilities in support of the war effort. E.M. Boerke was a co-founder and past president of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). In the 1950s, the firm was among the first specialty firms in the country to promote corporate office parks, then a revolutionary idea.

Milwaukee is a significant industrial market with office and retail components. As of the first quarter of 2006, the industrial inventory was 167 million square feet, and the vacancy rate was 9.1 percent. The office inventory was 32.3 million square feet and the vacancy rate was 17.4 percent. The retail inventory was 24 million square feet and the vacancy rate was 6.9 percent. Several major U.S. corporations maintain their corporate headquarters in Milwaukee, including Briggs & Stratton, Harley-Davidson, Manpower Inc., Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation.

In 2005, Cushman & Wakefield negotiated the purchase and sale of more than $35 billion in commercial real estate office properties, making it a world leader. The firm completed transactions with a total aggregate value of $69 billion in 2005. The firm also manages 430 million square feet of commercial real estate globally and employs the most MAI-designated appraisal professionals of any firm in the industry.

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Cushman & Wakefield is the world’s largest privately held real estate services firm. Founded in 1917, the firm has 189 offices in 57 countries around the globe, and 11,000+ talented professionals. Cushman & Wakefield delivers integrated solutions by actively advising, implementing and managing on behalf of landlords, tenants, and investors through every stage of the real estate process. These solutions include helping clients to buy, sell, finance, lease, and manage assets. C&W also provides valuation advice, strategic planning and research, portfolio analysis, and site selection and space location assistance, among many other advisory services. To find out more about Cushman & Wakefield, please call 1-800-376-3133.

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