Kidder Mathews continues its SoCal expansion, adding veteran CRE leader Jim Kruse as Regional President of Brokerage for the firm’s LA offices including downtown LA, Century City, El Segundo, and Pasadena. Kruse will oversee recruitment, strategic business pursuits, and client relationships.
Kruse is a well-known industry leader in Southern California with a 35-year career in commercial real estate. His vast experience includes 15 years as Senior Managing Director for CBRE’s LA offices until 2018, and prior to that, he was Executive Vice President for Grubb & Ellis’ Greater LA offices. Before Grubb & Ellis, Kruse was a top producing broker at Cushman & Wakefield, and in his most recent position, he was CEO at LA-based investor/developer DPI Retail.
A lifelong resident of Los Angeles, Kruse was an All-American water polo player in college and inducted into the University of California Irvine Hall of Fame. He was a member of the US National and Olympic water polo teams, competed with the US team for seven years, and was later invited to be an Olympic water polo commentator for NBC and ABC Sports for the following five Olympic Games.
“The consistent pattern of success throughout Jim’s career speaks for itself, and we’re very fortunate to have him join us. His outstanding background, drive, and positive personality are a perfect fit for our broker/client-centric culture and to lead our LA growth,” said Bill Frame, Kidder Mathews’ CEO.
Kidder Mathews has become the largest independently owned commercial real estate firm on the West Coast and has been rapidly growing its presence in LA and the Southern California region over the past 5+ years. The firm now boasts 21 West Coast offices in five states, including 13 in California, and has added a significant number of brokers to its roster.
“Kidder Mathews is on an incredible trajectory for continued growth along the West Coast, and I’m excited to be part of our expansion in Southern California,” said Kruse.
While other commercial brokerages have been consolidating into larger publicly held firms, Kidder Mathews remains privately owned by its brokers and key employees and continues to capitalize on this trend by offering its unique platform to attract top talent. The platform is built on an efficient management structure with award-winning marketing, support services, and commission splits significantly more favorable to brokers. The firm offers the opportunity for brokers and key employees to become shareholders.
Kidder Mathews has been named an Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Company in America six times, achieving the magazine’s Honor Roll status. In addition, the firm boasts 76 Best Workplace awards companywide and over 500 top rankings and awards from national and regional publications.
About Kidder Mathews
Kidder Mathews is the largest independent commercial real estate firm on the West Coast, with 900 real estate professionals and staff in 21 offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona. Kidder Mathews offers a complete range of brokerage, appraisal, asset services, consulting, project and construction management, and debt & equity finance services for all property types. The firm performs $10.9 billion in transactions, manages 62 million square feet of space, and conducts over 2,600 appraisals annually. For more information, visit kidder.com.
