"Colliers Macaulay Nicolls has grown substantially in the US over the past several years, both in the West as well as nationally. We're at a size now where we need to have a central point of accountability for those functions across the company," Spiegel explains. Colliers is a partnership of independent companies, and Colliers Macaulay Nicolls is the largest member of Colliers International, operating 146 offices in 36 countries, with 26 offices in the US.

According to Rick Chichester, president of US operations for Colliers, "We'd like to see that growth continue, but we also want to be sure we're operating as efficiently and effectively as possible." Spiegel adds that one function of his job will be to ensure "a solid, sustainable infrastructure" that will operate efficiently both in the current economic climate and down the road when the economy improves.

Spiegel draws a parallel between what he will be doing inside the company and what Colliers' brokers do on the outside. "Just as we tell our brokers and our real estate professionals that it is best to specialize in terms of serving the client, this is designed to do the same thing internally," he says.

He adds that while he focuses on internal operations, Chichester will have more time to specialize in the revenue growth of the company. "Rick will spend a lot of his time focusing on client services in terms of recruiting the best representatives to serve clients, as well as meeting with clients to ensure that their expectations are being met. It will be my job to make sure that the internal organization is efficient," Spiegel explains.

Spiegel most recently was the executive vice president of operations for transaction services for Grubb & Ellis. He rose from director of research and information services in the Rosemont office to head market research operations for the Eastern Region, which included 21 locations in 13 states, before taking on the EVP role in 1995.

Chichester says that Colliers is looking to Spiegel to create "an efficient and productive environment in which our managers, professionals and staff have the operational infrastructure to deliver the best possible service and solutions to our clients." His remarks continue the theme of client service that Chichester emphasized recently in commenting on the company's consolidation in Southern California, as reported on GlobeSt.com.