Northmarq completes Stan Johnson Company acquisition
The merger provides clients with increased opportunities within all domestic commercial real estate markets
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. (October 17, 2022) – Northmarq, a leader in commercial real estate capital markets, announced today the completion of its acquisition of Stan Johnson Company (SJC), a real estate brokerage and advisory firm that focuses on investment sales across multiple asset classes. The acquisition also includes the purchase of Four Pillars Capital Markets (FPCM), a debt/equity intermediary for commercial real estate assets.
With the addition of SJC and FPCM to its existing multifamily sales platform, Northmarq will now offer services across all major property types, including office, healthcare, industrial, retail, self-storage, multifamily and more.
The acquisition of these two firms means Northmarq will now have nearly 1,000 professionals across its investment sales, debt/equity financing, loan servicing and fund management operations. The expanded company transacts $23 billion in debt/equity volume and $15 billion in investment sales volume annually, and services a commercial loan portfolio in excess of $76 billion.
“The closing of this transaction ushers in a new era for our clients and employees,” said Jeffrey Weidell, chief executive officer at Northmarq. “We’re incredibly pleased with the growth our company has experienced since entering the investment sales space in 2018 and we look forward to continuing that momentum in the years to come.”
Stan Johnson Company was established in 1985 by its namesake founder and has grown to become the #1 middle market net lease investment sales brand and a top 10 U.S. middle market firm. The company has experienced significant growth leading to an approximately 600 percent increase in revenue since 2005.
“Our valued clients have been a singular focus since day one, and they have propelled our growth and diversification during these past few years,” said Stan Johnson, SJC founder. “As we join Northmarq, our clients will continue to receive the same level of superior service they’ve come to expect, while also benefiting from an expanded geographic reach and enhanced service offerings.”
In recent years, SJC acquired Shane Investment Property Group to help support a growing multi-tenant retail focus, successfully entered the self-storage sector and launched FPCM, which secured approximately $500 million in loan volume during its first year. FPCM is a key component of the acquisition given its alignment with Northmarq’s established debt/equity financing team. Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI) served SJC as its exclusive financial advisor, with Bass, Berry & Sims PLC providing legal advisory services.
“This transaction brings together our shared vision and values in a way that helps us better serve our clients’ needs,” said Travis Krueger, chief operating officer at Northmarq.
Northmarq, purchased by the Pohlad Companies in 1999, has grown steadily through a series of acquisitions. From its roots as a life company correspondent, Northmarq has added its complete agency and HUD business, new fund management and investment sales coast-to-coast.
Northmarq’s expansion into investment sales began in 2018 with just a handful of offices focused on multifamily properties. Leading up to the SJC acquisition, Northmarq had grown to 22 investment sales offices in 13 states, with plans to continue expanding this service into every market where it offers debt, equity and loan servicing.