New NAI Global Affiliate Launches in Florida

From left to right: Andy Georgelakos and Brad Berzins, Principals of NAI Thor Commercial Group. Image courtesy of NAI Thor Commercial Group

Brad Berzins and Andy Georgelakos, two former members of a NAI Global affiliate, have teamed up to form NAI Thor Commercial Group, a brokerage firm that will cover the Gulf Coast sections of Florida.

READ ALSO: Marcus & Millichap Buys Mission Capital

The new full-service brokerage firm will cover investment sales, appraisal services, tenant and landlord representation for industrial, flex, office, retail, and health and wellness sectors in Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples.

“NAI has not had a major presence in Tampa and this is an incredible opportunity to firmly plant the NAI brand and Thor in the Tampa market while also ensuring a first in class presence in Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples,” Berzins told Commercial Property Executive. “Industrial and overall commercial growth [of the area] was taken into account and positive population growth, rooftops, employment, airports, road networks and infrastructure numbers all support this.”

Berzins has two decades of experience in the industrial and investment sales sectors and was a former principal with NAI KLNB, where he covered the Baltimore, northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. markets. Berzins completed more than $1 billion in transactional value during his time at NAI KLNB, including a transaction where he represented the seller of a 46,838-square-foot mixed-use building in Maryland.

Berzins will lead NAI Thor with Georgelakos, who Berzins said has been one of his key mentors. Georgelakos, former president of NAI KLNB, spent 17 years leading the previous NAI affiliate and grew it to four offices and 80 full-time brokers.

Georgelakos said in prepared remarks that NAI Thor will be “extremely aggressive” in getting top brokers to kick off the firm’s momentum. So far, NAI Thor has recruited Kevin Fitzgerald, a 35-year veteran with expertise in corporate services and strategic planning, Brandy McAdams, who has more than 10 years of retail experience, and Andrew Fox, an associate with five years of experience. Berzins told CPE that there are more planned hires in the coming weeks and that NAI Thor expects to have 20 to 30 brokers within the next 24 to 30 months.

NAI’s presence in Florida

NAI Thor has also formed a strategic alliance with NAI Miami, a nearby affiliate that is run by Jeremy Larkin. Berzins told CPE that the partnership between the two affiliates will cover both Tampa and Miami and serve multi-market clients.

Jay Olshonsky, president & CEO of NAI Global, said in prepared remarks that Berzins and Georgelakos identified a need for a NAI presence in the south Florida market to take advantage of expected business growth and expansion. NAI Thor makes the 12th affiliate of NAI Global in Florida, with other outposts covering Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale.