Lee & Associates San Diego Welcomes Industry Veteran Jim Casale
Torrance, CA – May 12, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Lee & Associates, one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the country, is pleased to announce the addition of Jim Casale as principal of Lee’s San Diego-UTC office. Casale brings 30 years of experience in investment brokerage, commercial property ownership and property management.
“Jim brings a high level of experience to our San Diego team and his knowledge of both the Southern California and national market, particularly the triple-net lease investment property arena, is notable,” said Joe Balla, president of the San Diego-UTC office.
Casale most recently served as vice president of Voit Real Estate Services in San Diego. During his 10-year tenure in that position, Casale was a consistent top producer, closing more than 90 transactions valued at $200 million. Prior to joining Voit, Casale co-founded Pacific Estate Group, a boutique commercial brokerage firm concentrated in the Chula Vista, National City, South San Diego and Otay Mesa markets. There, Casale acted as managing partner, establishing a significant market presence and managing the firm’s growth to 10 brokers.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Lee & Associates as we continue to expand in San Diego as well as in the national market,” Casale said. His addition to the office, Balla explained, will be a strategic factor to keeping Lee & Associates’ growth in motion.
“Unlike other firms that are saddled with debt and bureaucracy, Lee and Associates is broker owned and has no corporate debt,” said Balla. “With a compelling platform that appeals to brokers, the Lee & Associates model provides them more control of their earnings. The majority of a broker’s production is taken home and not left to support corporate overhead.”
A graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Casale holds the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation from the CCIM Institute and has been a San Diego Chapter Board member for nine years. In 2004, he won the San Diego CCIM Designee of the Year Award. Five years later, Casale was the recipient of the Partners Deal Maker Award in 2009. Casale is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and actively participates on the Sorrento Hills Community Planning Board in San Diego.
About Lee & Associates
Celebrating 31 years of leadership excellence in commercial real estate, Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned firm in the nation, with 41 locations across the nation including California, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Nevada, Texas and Wisconsin. With a roster of more than 600 expert brokers, Lee & Associates provides a wide range of specialized commercial real estate services. Additional information is available at www.lee-associates.com.
