Sperry Gains Foothold in Pasadena

LOS ANGELES—Sperry Commercial has acquired a new affiliate, Atlas Real Estate Group, a Pasadena-based brokerage firm that focuses in high-net worth clients. This partnership will allow Sperry to expand its presence in the San Gabriel Valley. David Chen, who founded Atlas Real Estate, will continue to lead the firm. We sat down with Rich Enderlin, COO of Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates, to talk about the new partnership, why Atlas was a good fit and why Sperry has its eye on the Pasadena market.

GlobeSt.com: Why was Atlas Real Estate Group a good fit for Sperry Commercial? 

Rich Enderlin: The San Gabriel Valley is a vastly underserved market primarily comprised of Asian investors.  Atlas Real Estate and David Chen in particular, have a strong track record of servicing this market, which made this a perfect fit for the Sperry Commercial Global Affiliate network.  Atlas also shares the same values as Sperry CGA President Jim Huang and his Los Angeles Affiliate, BRC Advisors.  Both Jim and David have built strong relationships through their participation in several non-profits such as CCIM and the Asian Business Association.  David is well respected as an ethical and honest commercial real estate professional, who can navigate the cultural differences that most brokers face in the San Gabriel Valley.

GlobeSt.com: How does this alliance fit with Sperry's expansion strategy and goals?

Enderlin: Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates has made inroads into the Pacific Rim and now has two different groups in Korea, one in Vietnam and two more in China that have agreed to work directly with the firm.  Our alliance with David opens up new doors to the Chinese market abroad and the deep-rooted Asian-American market in the San Gabriel Valley. With the ever changing climate of the world economy and the increased activity between borders, David is able to act as a bridge to help connect and facilitate international transactions that otherwise may be left untapped.

GlobeSt.com: Was Pasadena one of the markets where Sperry was looking to expand, and if so, why?

Enderlin: Pasadena is the third largest city in Los Angeles County and is the “anchor city” of the San Gabriel Valley.  Sperry CGA viewed this territory as critical. The firm wanted to ensure that an affiliate with strong ties to the Asian community was in place to coincide with Sperry CGA's Pacific Rim relationships to help bring Asian capital into the commercial real estate market. Atlas' long running track record in the area made this a perfect match as their goals are in line with Sperry CGA's philosophy. The San Gabriel Valley has traditionally been dominated by smaller independent brokerages due to its local demographics, but now with increased activity in the commercial real estate market and more commercial development, there is a need for more sophisticated commercial real estate practitioners. Aligning Atlas and Sperry CGA created an opportunity that neither firm could pass up.

GlobeSt.com: What does the addition of Atlas mean for the firm?

Enderlin: Not only has the addition of Atlas filled a gap in the San Gabriel Valley, but also opened our firm to a new generation of commercial real estate professionals that will bring us to the next level. Sperry CGA believes there is substantial upside to this partnership. David brings with him resources that Sperry CGA would otherwise not have access to.

LOS ANGELES—Sperry Commercial has acquired a new affiliate, Atlas Real Estate Group, a Pasadena-based brokerage firm that focuses in high-net worth clients. This partnership will allow Sperry to expand its presence in the San Gabriel Valley. David Chen, who founded Atlas Real Estate, will continue to lead the firm. We sat down with Rich Enderlin, COO of Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates, to talk about the new partnership, why Atlas was a good fit and why Sperry has its eye on the Pasadena market.

GlobeSt.com: Why was Atlas Real Estate Group a good fit for Sperry Commercial? 

Rich Enderlin: The San Gabriel Valley is a vastly underserved market primarily comprised of Asian investors.  Atlas Real Estate and David Chen in particular, have a strong track record of servicing this market, which made this a perfect fit for the Sperry Commercial Global Affiliate network.  Atlas also shares the same values as Sperry CGA President Jim Huang and his Los Angeles Affiliate, BRC Advisors.  Both Jim and David have built strong relationships through their participation in several non-profits such as CCIM and the Asian Business Association.  David is well respected as an ethical and honest commercial real estate professional, who can navigate the cultural differences that most brokers face in the San Gabriel Valley.

GlobeSt.com: How does this alliance fit with Sperry's expansion strategy and goals?

Enderlin: Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates has made inroads into the Pacific Rim and now has two different groups in Korea, one in Vietnam and two more in China that have agreed to work directly with the firm.  Our alliance with David opens up new doors to the Chinese market abroad and the deep-rooted Asian-American market in the San Gabriel Valley. With the ever changing climate of the world economy and the increased activity between borders, David is able to act as a bridge to help connect and facilitate international transactions that otherwise may be left untapped.

GlobeSt.com: Was Pasadena one of the markets where Sperry was looking to expand, and if so, why?

Enderlin: Pasadena is the third largest city in Los Angeles County and is the “anchor city” of the San Gabriel Valley.  Sperry CGA viewed this territory as critical. The firm wanted to ensure that an affiliate with strong ties to the Asian community was in place to coincide with Sperry CGA's Pacific Rim relationships to help bring Asian capital into the commercial real estate market. Atlas' long running track record in the area made this a perfect match as their goals are in line with Sperry CGA's philosophy. The San Gabriel Valley has traditionally been dominated by smaller independent brokerages due to its local demographics, but now with increased activity in the commercial real estate market and more commercial development, there is a need for more sophisticated commercial real estate practitioners. Aligning Atlas and Sperry CGA created an opportunity that neither firm could pass up.

GlobeSt.com: What does the addition of Atlas mean for the firm?

Enderlin: Not only has the addition of Atlas filled a gap in the San Gabriel Valley, but also opened our firm to a new generation of commercial real estate professionals that will bring us to the next level. Sperry CGA believes there is substantial upside to this partnership. David brings with him resources that Sperry CGA would otherwise not have access to.