Richard Toomey is a commercial real estate agent with Commercial Jacksonville, which is a member of the Cushman & Wakefield alliance.
COMMERCIAL JACKSONVILLE?
“Commercial Jacksonville does brokerage, development and acquisitions, but we [Mark Scott, Chuck White and Toomey] have the Cushman & Wakefield alliance rights. Just like Walter Dickinson has the Colliers relationship and Phoenix Realty has the Grubb & Ellis relationship, Commercial Jacksonville has the Cushman & Wakefield relationship.”
WHAT HAPPENED TO CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD?
“Cushman & Wakefield created a new alliance division of their company. The alliance division was offered first to the brokers who ran the Cushman and Wakefield offices in six regions. Cushman & Wakefield had offices in particular areas of the country and decided to create alliances, so those offices actually became their own company.”
ARE THERE STILL CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD OFFICES IN FLORIDA?
“Yes. Cushman & Wakefield still maintains offices in Florida and other states as a corporate entity. We share leads and service their clients. Our goal is to grow their business here in Jacksonville.”
ARE THERE STILL CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD OFFICES IN JACKSONVILLE?
“No. We are in control of the relationship with Cushman & Wakefield in North Florida.”
HOW DOES TOOMEY FIT IN?
He has been a partner in the company since April 1. The company was formed in January. “I just got my office unpacked and am trying to get organized and efficient. I’m looking at doing additional downtown work. I’ve had a lot of downtown experience. Right now I am creating a business plan. There wasn’t a lot of thought as to what exactly I was going to do going forward, so we are going to take the business plan and then delegate who does what. We will have certain goals and objectives which will include possible acquisitions, definite lease representation — both landlord and tenant — and property management through Cushman & Wakefield. Our primary objective is to do brokerage.”
HOW DID YOU
GET THE JOB?
“It just happened to be a fluke. I own some residential property in Jacksonville Beach and Chuck [White] has a house across the street from my property. In conversations that we’ve had, I heard about Commercial Jacksonville. They wanted me to come work for them and I really didn’t want to work for anybody. I told him I’d consider doing something with him, but it would have to be as a partner. It took a while, but several weeks later we struck a deal.”
BEFORE COMMERCIAL JACKSONVILLE?
He has his own commercial real estate company, Investco Properties.
MOVED TO JACKSONVILLE?
In 1992, for a job with Associated Capital Properties, though he has been licensed in real estate since 1987. “We were a company here in Jacksonville for several years that was eventually bought by Highwoods Properties. I became an employee for Highwoods Properties. In 1999, I left Highwoods and moved to Orlando where we [he and some business associates] formed Capital Partners. While with Capital Partners, we ended up acquiring the North Florida portfolio from Highwoods Properties. I am still one of the owners of Capital Partners real estate.”
MOVED BACK TO JACKSONVILLE?
In 2001. “When I moved back to Jacksonville I formed Investco Properties and then Investco Properties merged with Commercial Jacksonville.”
WHAT DID HE DO BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
“Sales, construction sales and restaurant business. I was always doing things that were leading up to what I was going to do. The experience I gained from those jobs helps me to be good at what I do today.”
ADVICE FOR NEW COMMERCIAL REALTORS
“Choose a field that you enjoy because there are many fields to get into. If you are local, choose an area that you are familiar with and be patient. Deals take a long time to materialize. You don’t make a commission in one day, one month or six months sometimes. Sometimes it takes up to a year to build a pipeline of clients, properties and knowledge. Work hard, be honest and do what you say you are going to do.”
BIRTHPLACE
Springfield, Mass.
COLLEGE
He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from the American International College.
FAMILY
He has been married to Tina for three years. They have a 13-month-old son, Pearson.
RESIDES
Jacksonville Golf and Country Club.
HOBBIES
Playing golf, exercising, traveling, skiing and spending time with his family.
FAVORITES
“Somewhere in Time” tops his movie list. His favorite book is “Conversations With God,” by Neil Donald Walsh. Toomey and his wife enjoy dining at Marker 32 and Tra Vini Restaurant. He also enjoys visiting the West Coast.
—by Michele Newbern Gillis