"This affiliation will provide our firm with a strategicadvantage in the highly competitive Charlotte market, along with agreater opportunity to service our clients on a regional, nationaland international level," says Caren Wingate, who formed thecompany with Elizabeth Machen from separate advisory firms. Thepair previously worked together at Percival McGuire Commercial RealEstate in Charlotte.

H. Ross Ford, president and CEO of TCN Worldwide, stated in arelease that his group continues to seek out real estate firms inkey markets worldwide. "We look forward to Machen-Wingate'scontribution and collaboration as we strengthen our presence withinNorth Carolina," Ford said.

Dallas-based TCN Worldwide is comprised of more than 1,200commercial real estate professionals in 200 primary and secondarymarkets. It claims approximately $21 billion in annual transactionsand 80 million square feet of space under management.