According to Mark Rose, chair and CEO of Avison Young, Canada's largest independently-owned commercial real estate services company, it has opened one of its first area offices to further grow the firm's presence and business-line coverage throughout the Tri-State area. The newest American office marks Avison Young's 16th location outside of Canada and an additional step in the firm's growth and expansion strategy. Over the past three years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to, now, 34 offices in 30 markets and from 300 to more than 950 real estate professionals across Canada and the U.S. Effective immediately, Jeffrey Heller joins Avison Young as a principal and managing director of the new office. A 26-year commercial real estate industry veteran, Heller will focus on overseeing the growth and development of Avison Young's presence in the state, as well as servicing new and existing clients and managing the day-to-day operations of the office. He was most recently an executive vice-president at CBRE. Avison Young also recently opened its third Los Angeles office last week as a result of the firm's acquisition of Los Angeles-based Starrpoint Commercial Partners, Inc. With the opening of new Avison Young offices in New York, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Charleston, South Carolina in the last few months, and the continued growth of the firm's offices in Los Angeles and other key markets, the company is establishing its local corporate infrastructure through the assemblage of a hand-selected team of the industry's leading professionals. Recruiting efforts are focused on Avison Young's core business lines, including capital markets/investment sales, asset management, transaction management, leasing, project/construction management, property management, and consulting and advisory services. A top-producer at CBRE, Heller has served as a regarded advisor and agent to a high-profile list of corporations and investors on a local, regional, national and international basis. With extensive multi-market experience representing clients in the acquisition and disposition of corporate facilities, agency representation, lease negotiations and financial analysis, he has consummated more than 200 transactions with a net aggregate value in excess of $750 million over the past five years. Before joining CBRE, Heller served as an executive director in the local office of Cushman & Wakefield for 15 years. "I have been impressed by the talent Avison Young is assembling in the Tri-State area and throughout the country, and by the quality of the firm's leadership in Mark Rose, Earl Webb and Arthur Mirante - respected industry executives who have forged accomplished careers and reputations for their ability to build organizations focused on fostering an entrepreneurial and collaborative culture to achieve excellence," said Heller. "Having been fortunate in my career to have had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of top-tier companies locally, as well as nationally and internationally, I am excited to join Avison Young in a management role, while leveraging the firm's extensive national and international platform to deliver the highest-quality services to our clients," he said. A member of SIOR, Heller has been recognized with numerous awards and designations, including the prestigious Colbert Coldwell Circle Award from CBRE, which recognizes excellence for top production. He is also a recipient of both the CoStar Power Broker award and the Partnership in Economic Development Broker of the Year award. Heller holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College in Ohio. He has served as a member of the Development Board for Family Services of Morris County, as well as on the board of trustees for both the Colonial Symphony and the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan MS Society.