"I'm thrilled," Thomson says of the latest additions. "It setsus up for a very good 2008." The quartet brings to 11 the number ofbrokers in the Boston office, which is headquartered at One FederalSt. in the Financial District. Among the new arrivals is suburbanspecialist Joseph Crowley, who is matriculating from Meredith &Grew and will cover the upper tier of Route 128 near Interstate 93,including Lexington, Burlington and Woburn. "Joe is a really goodproducer and a seasoned broker," says Thomson. "I think he will bea tremendous contributor to our success."

NKF is structuring teams based on geography and specialty suchas investment sales. Crowley is schooled as a tenant representationexpert. The Downtown group is welcoming Adam Schneier from LincolnProperty Co., a national firm at which the new arrival "gained agreat deal of market experience," says Thomson. The Cambridge teamhas added a California transplant in Jesse Flynn, a five-yearveteran who honed his craft in San Francisco, while Thomson says hebelieves a background in computer sales will benefit newcomerStefan Frey. The new hire will work with team leader Austin Smithserving the Route 128 stretch from the Massachusetts Turnpike southand down into Taunton.

NKF is in a "heavy recruitment" phase seeking to get the Bostonbranch up to full power, and Thomson says the goal is to be atabout 20 brokers by February. In acknowledging the lengthy rosterof commercial real estate firms operating in Greater Boston,Thomson says he is encouraged by the talent already secured, andsays he hopes to be up to $35 million and $40 million in grossbillings by 2009. NKF counts itself among the largest independentreal estate services firm in the world, with a combined staff of5,300 people in 165 on six continents.