This article appeared originally on GlobeSt.
It would be easy to say that now is a great time to be in the industrial real estate asset space. Demand, pricing, rents—they all favor the industry right now. As one example of the sector’s great fundamentals: rents are projected to increase as much as 10% or more this year, per Prologis. But experts in this category do have some juggling to do. Tenants are eager for space and it is not easy to satisfy them all. Developable land for industrial use is relatively scarce and the prices for sale lease-backs are rising as developers are seeking out any property available for their purposes. Navigating this environment takes skill. With these challenges in mind, we have selected our annual group of industrial influencers. We choose, as we always do, based on accomplishments and impacts the influencers have made on the industry. As you read through these stories, we believe you will agree with our decisions, hard as they were to make.
Ted Liles
For nearly 15 years, Ted Liles has been a dedicated representative for industrial tenants and occupiers. As a principal at Cresa, Liles has overseen tremendous growth in the Phoenix industrial market. Some of his most recent, notable transactions include negotiating a 211,208-square-foot lease acquisition for KBR; the sale of a 192,158-square-foot facility for ITC Manufacturing; a 170,671-square-foot lease on behalf of Xpress Global Systems; and a 125,000-square-foot lease on behalf of Exertis. Due to his impressive transaction record, Liles was appointed to the co-chair of Cresa’s industrial leadership council, and in January 2021, Commercial Executive Magazine named him broker of the month. Liles is a dedicated mentor and coach, and he often shares best practices with local office and national industrial teams to support growth both for the firm and the industry. Liles was recently featured on the Optimized AF podcast to discuss how to lead a team to perform and find success. During the pandemic, Liles was able to leverage his strong work ethic to continue providing high-level services to clients.