In its latest move to enhance the retail services it offers in Alabama and throughout the Southeast, Harbert Realty Services, a division of Harbert Management Corporation announced the firm has named Keith Hamrick as Vice President of Retail Services. Mr. Hamrick will direct and build upon Harbert’s retail services platform that includes retail development, tenant representation and landlord representation services including leasing, property management and corporate services. “Keith brings a wealth of analytical and practical expertise to this key strategic position, including his prior leadership of a sales, leasing and development team, extensive knowledge of the retail sector and solid relationships within the real estate and retail communities,” David Williams, COO for Harbert Realty Services said. “He’ll be a great asset as we expand our retail services platform and execute new strategic positioning of our brand in Alabama and beyond.” Hamrick’s position was created as part of the firm’s initiative to enhance and expand current resources by leveraging its retail development, leasing and representation capabilities to provide a true 360 degree solution-based approach to it’s retail real estate offering.
In January of this year, Harbert Realty Services absorbed The Overton Group in Auburn, AL, combining the expertise and clientele of the two commercial real estate firms. Mr. Hamrick was the Broker and Principle for Overton and will be based in the firm’s Birmingham Headquarters while continuing to maintain an office in Auburn. “We acquired Overton to give us additional reach in Central Alabama and throughout the region,” said Harry Lynch, CEO of Harbert Realty Services. “Overton’s commercial brokerage and development team provides Harbert with additional resources for retail tenant representation, leasing and development, valuation services and investment sales.” Hamrick said the reputation and resources of Harbert made the decision easy, allowing for an enhanced level of service in the Auburn-Opelika Area while expanding their opportunities for growth in other markets. Lynch added that “Most people don’t realize that our brokers are doing business in an average of more than 20 states per year,” also noting Harbert manages assets in Texas, Ohio and Tennessee and has done deals as far away as California.
“I’ve known most of the Harbert folks for years,” said Hamrick. “This was the perfect match for our Auburn Team and myself, and quite honestly a ‘dream job’ if you will for me to have the opportunity to work side by side with this team and learn from their experience and successes.” Williams, Harbert’s COO commented that “Our union provides immediate and obvious benefits of size, scale and diversification in the services we provide. This transaction represents a major step in achieving our goal of creating a premier real estate company in the Southeast that delivers best-in-class results to our clients and business partners.”