R. J. Ward

About R. J. Ward

I am a corporate real estate advisory professional with nearly a decade of experience…

Experience

1. Senior Transaction Manager

   Avison Young

   Nov 2022 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   Manage day-to-day real estate transaction activities for multiple private equity client portfolio companies spanning office, medical, retail, and industrial use types. • Successfully sourced, negotiated, and executed more than 120 client real estate transactions spanning approximately square feet across thirty-four states during first two years of tenure.• Oversee field broker selection process, including engagement of outside brokerage partner teams in rural markets.• Coordinate and manage transaction team outreach and facilitating landlord understanding of client requirements. Guide internal transaction team in obtaining asking rates, floorplans, and other preliminary data points for presentation to client decision makers.• Structure deal terms to conform to clients’ cost parameters while aggressively advocating for flexibility of qualitative lease terms on behalf of client companies.• Lead private equity advisory team in executing private equity client pre-acquisition due diligence analyses by analyzing prospects’ real estate portfolio and identifying points of risk and cost exposure in leases prior to PE M&A transactions. This includes strategic planning and collaboration with local market intelligence resources both domestically and internationally, which at times involves language barriers and unfamiliar real estate market landscapes.• Oversee onboarding of new client accounts by providing client leadership with overview of team’s capabilities while securing an understanding of client long-term real estate portfolio goals, cost thresholds, and unique site criteria. • Manage post-transaction processes by tracking team deliverables including invoicing for fees and commissions, transaction logging, revenue recognition, and reconciliation of revenue receivables.• Travel as needed to oversee high-priority client assignments including mission critical site tours, in-person client leadership networking, and brokerage community engagement.