ITRA Global Announces Expansion in Three Major North American Markets

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Founded in 1980, The Stevens Group is a Boston-based commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm with more than four decades of experience helping companies make informed real estate decisions. Today, our practice is centered on Corporate Real Estate Advisory & Tenant Representation, providing independent, conflict-free guidance to tenants and occupiers throughout Greater Boston and beyond.

We advise clients on site selection, negotiations for new leases, renewals, relocations, expansions, consolidations, and specialized office, R&D/lab, industrial and flex requirements. As the Boston affiliate of the International Tenant Representative Alliance (ITRA Global), we can also support clients across the U.S. and internationally while maintaining the senior- level, hands-on service of an independent firm.

The Stevens Group has been certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) since 2011 and is proud to celebrate 15 years of certification in 2026.

What inspired you to start your company, and what has shaped your journey woman business owner in CRE?

The Stevens Group was founded by my parents, Mark and Debra Stevens, in 1980, and I joined the firm in 2013. My mother had a remarkable career in commercial real estate and showed me firsthand what was possible for a woman in the industry, while my father was an equally important mentor and supporter. Since Debra’s passing last year, carrying forward what they built has taken on added meaning. I am proud of our history and committed to positioning The Stevens Group for the future while preserving the integrity, reputation, and client focus that define us.

What are you most proud of about the company you’ve built? 

I am most proud of the trust we have earned and the long-standing relationships we have built with clients over more than four decades. Our size and independence allow us to stay closely involved, be responsive, and give objective advice. I also value that we have continued to evolve and stay current while remaining true to how we do business.

Celebrating 15 years as a certified women business enterprise is another milestone I am especially proud of.

What are you most excited about for your company and its future? 

I am excited to continue expanding the ways we support clients as their real estate needs become more complex. We have the advantage of being nimble, experienced, and highly personal in our approach, while our ITRA Global affiliation gives clients broader reach when they need it. I see the next chapter as thoughtful growth, interesting assignments, and continuing to strengthen our reputation as a trusted advisor to corporate occupiers.

What does being a woman-owned business mean to you, and what perspective would you share with women considering starting a business of their own? 

Being a woman-owned business is meaningful to me because it reflects how far opportunities for women in commercial real estate have come. CRE Brokerage is a demanding career, but I believe women can build successful businesses and careers in this industry without having to choose between professional growth and the other priorities in their lives. My advice is to seek out strong mentors and advisors, trust your expertise and create a culture that values high performance and flexibility. The right environment can make a meaningful difference in sustaining a rewarding career over time.

FOUNDED:  1980

HEADQUARTERS: Boston, MA

SPECIALTIES: Corporate Real Estate Advisory & Tenant Representation; Office, R&D/Lab, Industrial & Flex Requirements

MARKETS SERVED: Greater Boston/Massachusetts; and national and international supportand consulting

WOMAN-OWNED SINCE: 2011

Chicago, IL. – “We are very fortunate to be adding highly qualified members in the key U.S. markets of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Minneapolis,” says ITRA Global Chairman Chris Atwater. “This expansion closely follows the addition of Warsaw, Poland, which effectively gives our clients access to the Central and Eastern Europe market area.”

While recent consolidation in the commercial real estate brokerage industry has created slow-moving organizations, ITRA Global continues to assemble a nimble team of independent and unbiased advisory firms. With coverage in major markets around the world, ITRA Global is one of the largest organizations dedicated to representing tenants and occupiers of commercial real estate. Clients benefit by having an experienced professional as their trusted advisor, providing conflict-free representation with total objectivity.

“ITRA Global has been actively serving corporate clients for 20 years,” explains Atwater, “and during that long period our growth strategy has never changed: we strive to only add seasoned professionals in key markets around the world who understand the daily changes in highly competitive global marketplace.”

The new U.S. members are:

Cook Commercial / ITRA Global Los Angeles.
Hal Cook, Principal, established the tenant representation firm after spending 15 years as a broker with two of the world’s largest commercial real estate firms. Cook Commercial serves the office and research and development market in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Hal and his firm have represented a broad cross-section of corporate America. Some of the more recognizable firms he has completed transactions with include Xerox, Xircon, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, CBS, American Express, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Philadelphia Life Insurance Co., H.F. Ahmanson, Fresenius Medical Care, First Bank, Unico American Corp., and in addition, Schools and Foreign Embassies.

Hal, who completed millions of feet of lease and sale transactions during his career, has lectured on commercial brokerage topics at civic organizations and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He resides with his family in Westlake Village, California.

Riviera Real Estate, Inc. / ITRA Global San Diego.
William L. Strong, MBA and Managing Broker, has been involved in commercial real estate for over 12 years. He is a broker solely devoted to client representation and focuses on aligning a client’s place of business with overall corporate strategy. Being actively involved in the vibrant San Diego market has helped him develop his reputation for having an expertise in corporate location and relocation with smooth transaction implementation.

William’s real estate career began in Colorado in 2003 after graduating from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Real Estate. Since returning to California, William has helped to execute more than 550 lease transactions with an aggregate value of over $150 million.

William has been a strong supporter of the University of San Diego since he received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) along with a Master’s Degree in Real Estate (MSRE). He currently serves as board member of the Real Estate Alumni Association where he is the chair of its largest, annual scholarship fundraiser.

CREST Commercial Real Estate Strategies / ITRA Global Minneapolis.
Wayne Teig is the President and Founder of the firm. The primary focus of CREST is to provide outstanding service and representation to businesses that lease space, own property, or want to acquire property. CREST works across product types, having clients in office, industrial, medical, and specialized industries. The company provides services for commercial leases, purchases, sales, strategic planning, and general consulting in the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, and nationally. During his 20-plus year tenure in the commercial real estate industry in the Twin Cities, Wayne has managed in excess of 4.5 million square feet of commercial property; 3 million square feet of lease transactions; $300 million in property acquisitions and sales; and over $100 million of office and industrial development and tenant improvements.

Prior to forming CREST Commercial Real Estate Strategies, Wayne spent the majority of his career working on behalf of some highly touted national and global real estate companies: United Properties (now Cushman/Wakefield), Carlson Real Estate Company, Navigator Real Estate, and CBRE. Wayne represented a number of institutional real estate investment groups during that time, including Mass Mutual, American Realty Advisors, Lutheran Brotherhood, Resolution Trust Corporation, Key Bank, Liberty Property Trust, & Carlson.

Roughly half of Wayne’s career was with Carlson Real Estate Company, where he and fellow team members developed in excess of 800,000 square feet of Class A office and industrial multi-tenant properties. Wayne also oversaw the firm’s asset management and property acquisitions and sales for several years in multiple U.S. markets.

In addition to heading up CREST, Wayne currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Twin West Chamber of Commerce and also the Twin West Chamber Foundation. CREST was a finalist for the Twin West 2014 Emerging Entrepreneur Company.

Wayne also serves as a board member for the International Facility Managers Association Minnesota Chapter. He was named the Minnesota Chapter’s Rookie of the Year for 2013.

Wayne has been a licensed real estate professional in Minnesota since 1993 and currently holds a Minnesota Real Estate Broker’s License. Wayne has completed both the RPA and CPM designations through BOMA and IREM, respectively.