Brandon Duff, formerly with Marcus & Millichap's downtownoffice, is the lead broker and associate director. Brad Feller,previously with the Chicago-based IBT Group LLC, is an associate."We're going to be growing the client base for the company in theMidwest, and we'll likely end up with a 15-person office here,"Duff tells GlobeSt.com. The firm has space at 111 E. Wacker Dr.

Fluent in Chicago and Midwest deals, Duff says net-leaseproperties have been a bright spot in a down market. "There's beena large flight to quality for net-lease assets, and there's a lotof product in a large city like Chicago. Plus while you haven't hadall the peaks of the coasts and areas like Vegas, we're not havingthe valleys, either," Duff says. His office is already working onacquiring a dozen assets around the Midwest for clients, hesays.

Founder and CEO Stan Johnson kicked off the firm's expansionstrategy in 2008 with the launch of an office in Houston. Thecompany also has a capital markets office in Oklahoma City, OK. "Inpreparation for the next real estate cycle, we plan on continuingto leverage our specialization and expertise in primary markets,"Johnson said in a statement.