NAI Heartland's Joe O'Neill shares win-win attitude

This week’s Broker Spotlight features Joe O’Neill, an associate in industrial properties with NAI Heartland.

O’Neill first gained interest in manufacturing, logistics, distribution and warehousing while attending the University of Kansas during his involvement with KU’s Supply Chain Management Club.

Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from KU, O’Neill attained valuable sales experience selling capital equipment. These unique experiences, combined with his personal interest in real estate, ignited the beginning of his career in industrial commercial real estate.

Today, O’Neill’s primary areas of focus are landlord and tenant representation with regard to leasing, property acquisition and disposition of flex and industrial properties in the Kansas City metro area.

O’Neill explained how working with the other members of the NAI Heartland industrial team and learning from each other’s experiences has made him a better broker in the industrial market. He shares his winning attitude, interesting insights and more in this week’s Broker Spotlight:

RT (Rachel Treanor):  What does a Kansas City CRE Comeback look like to you?

JO (Joe O’ Neill): The dream comeback is for more businesses to look at Kansas City and realize the value here. Additionally, for them to believe in the greater potential our city has to offer with a new airport coming, our great central location, ample space for growth, and the work ethic of our Midwest people. Through these four big picture pieces, I hope business leaders will have a chance to notice and attract their businesses to the area. If this hope came true it should drive strong demand for commercial real estate throughout Kansas City.

RT:  How do you keep your skills sharp in this competitive climate?

JO:  Staying current with news and market trends. Work hard, stay current, more business comes in and it is a self-fulfilling prophecy to staying competitive.

RT:  What gets you excited to get to work every day?

JO:  Creating win-win situations. When you can source the property a client, partner or colleague is searching for that makes them happy, and you provided them that service. That is a win-win and a really good feeling.

RT:  What deal do you wish for in your future portfolio?

JO: Referrals and repeat clients. Both are testaments of great service and again that win-win I always aim for. Repeat clients often means a business is growing and that is exciting to be a part of.

RT: Who is your mentor and why?

JO:  Nathan Anderson has been monumental in getting me up to speed in the world of CRE. Before getting into the business I met with multiple industry veterans and everyone said a good mentor is key to success. This has proven to be true. Nathan has the rare combination of being very successful in this field as well as possessing strong coaching skills. I feel very lucky to work with him.

RT:  Who do you mentor?

JO: Starting out not knowing anything in a new industry it is a lot of take. Any chance I get to share what I have learned or let my colleagues know of a successful strategy is an opportunity for me to give back or pay it forward. We are all learning every day and the NAI Heartland office has a great culture where you can ask anyone a question.

RT:  How can prospects contact you for more information?

JO:  Thank you for the opportunity to share my contact info. I can be reached by email: joe@nai-heartland.com or by phone: 913-890-2010.

NAI Heartland's Sean Ellington shares ambition for KC CRE

Sean Ellington joined NAI Heartland as an associate of the brokerage team in October 2017. His primary areas of focus are landlord and tenant representation with regard to leasing, property acquisition and disposition of retail and office properties in the Kansas City metro area. 

Ellington is a licensed commercial real estate agent in Kansas and Missouri. His current projects include:

·     Cherokee South Shopping Center – Overland Park, Kan.

·     Former Kneaders Bakery – Blue Springs, Mo.

·     Former Boston Market – Overland Park, Kan.

In this week's Broker Spotlight, Ellington shares his ambition of commercial real estate with MWM - including his goals, excitement and the new ideas he has for the industry.

Rachel Treanor (RT): What gets you excited to get to work every day?

The “maybe” or “what if” factor that gets me up every day is the potential for new business or projects! I am always excited to bring new brands or concepts to Kansas City. 

RT: How do you keep your skills sharp in this competitive climate?

Sean Ellington (SE): Stay on the phone and stay connected to the areas where you have projects. They will quickly overlap and your knowledge and contacts within a larger area will grow.

RT: What was your lightbulb moment to get into commercial real estate?

SE: My lightbulb moment was most likely when I worked in property management while attending KU. I saw how passive income was generated through real estate and I wanted to get involved. After property management, I was a commercial appraiser before I became an associate at NAI Heartland. The real draw of commercial real estate for me was the entrepreneurship aspect and how different being a broker is from a typical employee.

RT: Who is your mentor and why?

There are several partners within NAI Heartland that I would consider a mentor. Carl LaSala has been a constant resource and pillar to lean on during my time as an associate. Carl and I have discussed numerous topics; from contract review to stress management, he has made it easier to navigate the challenges of this business.

RT: Who do you mentor?

I probably don’t have enough gray hair to be considered a great mentor but usually start-ups and potential clients are the individuals I can help the most. My advice revolves around how to present a tenant’s vision and the resources and tools necessary to get a second look from a landlord or gain trust.

RT: What deal do you wish for in your future portfolio?

SE: It probably isn’t a specific deal as we all want to lease and sell larger and more impressive properties. My wish is to have a portfolio that the majority of deals are working with Kansas City based investors/businesses. I would like to better understand the younger investors/businesses that are getting involved in CRE as I am growing my portfolio. 

RT: What leads do you look for?

SE: Currently I am focusing on landlord representation leads. Most of my business has been a combination of landlord rep and tenant rep, but right now I would like to be speaking with landlords on projects that have not leased for some time or have just become vacant.

How can prospects contact you for more information?

SE: Give me a call or send me an email! (913)-907-9454 or sean@nai-heartland.com

Do you have a broker or developer you would like to feature in in the MWM Spotlight? We want to hear from you! Please send info to kcnews@metrowiremedia.com

What does a Kansas City CRE comeback look like to you?

This week's MWM Broker Spotlight features Logan Rose, who shares his positive perspective, energetic drive and contagious determination as an associate, industrial properties for NAI Heartland.

RT (Rachel Treanor): What does a Kansas City CRE comeback look like to you?

LR (Logan Rose): This year has been a unique challenge for everyone and a year most people would like to forget. Kansas City is full of hard-working and resilient people that can see light at the end of the tunnel. Getting through tough times can open doors to new opportunities.

RT: What was your lightbulb moment to get into commercial real estate?

LR: I came into the CRE world directly out of college, while interviewing and getting a better understanding of what industrial brokerage is all about, I thought my personality traits aligned with what it takes. Having the chance to be a part of a successful industrial team while simultaneously expanding my own brokerage career was appealing to me. I grew up in a commercial construction family, so I was fortunate to have basic knowledge of industrial buildings and their functionality.

RT: Who is your mentor and why?

LR: Russ Pearson and Nathan Anderson at NAI Heartland have served as great mentors to me.  They have taught me the dedication, effort and the attention to detail it requires to be successful in our industry. I continue to learn from them every day – they are excellent teachers.

RT: Who do you mentor?

LR: I mentor my clients on the sales and leasing process and figuring out their true needs in a space. For some of my clients, this is their first-time leasing or purchasing a property and they might have a general idea of what they want, but it’s my job to work out the details and find them a space that will aid in their success.

RT: What gets you excited to get to work every day?

LR: The opportunity to expand my business on a daily basis keeps me excited and motivated. You get out what you put in. Trying to get a little better each day will eventually get me to where I want to be. 

RT: How do you keep your skills sharp in this competitive climate?

LR: The CRE world is certainly a competitive profession. Knowing other young brokers are also trying to advance their careers keeps me motivated to constantly improve and not stay stagnant. Trying to stick to a detailed schedule and plan keeps me sharp.

RT: What deal do you wish for in your future portfolio?

LR: I wouldn’t say I have a specific deal in mind; I’m more interested in continuing to increase the number of transactions I take on. Every deal is different and there is always something you can take away to keep in your tool belt for future use.

RT: What leads do you look for?

LR: My primary areas of focus are Landlord and Tenant representation with regard to leasing, property acquisition and disposition of flex/industrial properties in the KC Metro. I am always looking to make new connections with anyone involved in the CRE world.

RT: How can prospects contact you for more information?

LR: Contact me by email at lrose@nai-heartland.com or by phone at 913-890-2013.

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Staying true to MetroWire Media’s focus on all things commercial real estate, we have added a new, feature column: MWM's BROKER SPOTLIGHT.

The goal is to provide our readers with direct insight to Kansas City’s brightest, up-and-coming CRE professionals.

Discover the true brains behind the build - including their professional focus, career paths, future plans, goals and more.

Know a broker, developer or other KC CRE pro who deserves to be featured in the MWM Spotlight? Please send details to kcnews@metrowiremedia.com.

Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery trucks into KC market

New Jersey-based Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery is expanding into the Kansas City market, leasing 20,000-square feet at 3518-3522 Enterprise Dr. near Interstate 435 and Interstate 70.

Metropolitan Warehouse & Delivery offers "white glove" in-home delivery and packaging of high-end furniture and antiques and works with retailers Costco and Restoration Hardware. The company has an estimated 2 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space under lease nationwide, including facilities in Wichita, Denver, and Dallas.

"The Kansas City lease rounds out the company's Midwestern footprint," said Ben Boyd of NAI Heartland, who represented Metropolitan Warehouse and Delivery in the transaction. "They try to set up distribution hubs every 200 to 300 miles, and proximity to the I-70 trucking corridor is obviously very strategic."

Metropolitan Warehouse and Delivery took occupancy of the building at Stadium Industrial Park Sept. 1. Mark Fountain of True North Industrial Realty, LLC represented the landlord in the transaction. 

"I believe that as more and more companies develop their 'last mile' strategy, they will find that Stadium Industrial Park is an ideal location," Fountain said.

With Midwest Gateway, Copaken Brooks is Edgerton's new kid in town

Brokers were offered a sneak peak of Midwest Gateway, a 487,000-square foot warehouse and distribution center adjacent to the entrance of BNSF Railway's intermodal facility at 191st and Homestead in Edgerton, Kan.

“Edgerton is the hottest industrial submarket in the world right now. Fortunately, we are able to offer two state-of-the-art buildings at 32-foot clear here,” said Bucky Brooks, principal with project developer Copaken Brooks.

Midwest Gateway is one of a handful of facilities located along the heavy haul, I-35 corridor and allows shippers to send heavier loads to and from the 443-acre BNSF intermodal yard with significant reduction in drayage expenses. 

“Supply chain experts all agree there are huge cost savings here,” said Aaron Schlagel of Copaken Brooks. “ARCO knocked it out of the park with this facility. We are ready to make deals.”

Midwest Gateway was completed three months ahead of schedule. Features of the 301,000- and 186,000-square foot buildings include upgraded LED motion-sensor lighting, future trailer parking, and the ability for users to lease or own.

"Midwest Gateway can accommodate tenants fromt 50,000 square feet and up, creating a rare opportunity for tenants seeking smaller format distribution facilities who want proximity to the BNSF Intermodal,” said Russell Pearson of NAI Heartland, which is co-marketing the project with Copaken Brooks.

A variety of city and state tax incentives are available for up to 10 years for potential users, as well as Foreign Trade Zone benefits.   

Project partners include ARCO National Construction, GMA Architects, Shafer, Kline & Warren, Krudwig & Associates and Metro Air.

Click here to download a Midwest Gateway project brochure. 

Building 1 at Midwest Gateway includes a balcony that overlooks BNSF's intermodal operations.