Skyway National Taps CBRE veteran for office role

 NAI Skyway National Partners, a Tampa-based commercial real estate brokerage firm begun by a pair of industry veterans from Baltimore last year, has hired a CBRE Group agent as its vice president of office leasing and investment sales.

Ashley Thompson will be based in the firm’s Lakewood Ranch office and work closely with NAI Skyway Founder and Principal Brad Berzins on deals involving office, flex and retail properties.

She will also oversee all office leasing assignments for the area for the firm, which earlier this month announced it had changed its name from Thor Commercial Group to better reflect its geographic focus and an affiliation with Chicago-based Hiffman National, a property management firm that oversees more than 100 million square feet of space in 28 states.

“Following a relocation to the Sarasota area, I was looking to establish myself with a commercial real estate brokerage firm backed by a global network, while also offering the opportunity to make an immediate and meaningful impact,” Thompson says, in a statement.

“NAI Skyway National Partners provides an inclusive, collaborative and entrepreneurial environment overseen by established real estate professionals that will offer critical mentorship,” she adds.

“This is an opportunity that will allow me to wear many hats, be visible and connected in the Florida region and give me the opportunity to work with high-profile development groups and projects.”

 In addition to working the past three years for CBRE in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Thompson also spent time as an analyst with the former Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (HFF) brokerage firm and with Orlando-based Parkway Properties.

While at HFF, Thompson was involved with more than $600 million worth of investment sales, debt placement and equity recapitalization transactions.

“Her resourcefulness, strong work ethic and communication skills are the embodiment of a successful commercial real estate professional,” Berzins says of Thompson, in a statement.

“We especially appreciate her time-management skills and believe this is among her differentiation points that will enable her to thrive in an extremely competitive industry.”

Skyway Partners also maintains offices in Fort Myers and Naples, where co-founder Andy Georgelakos is based. As part of NAI, Skyway National also is part of a network of more than 400 global offices.