91ÊÓƵ

Colliers International, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate services companies, recently named David Kotansky as managing director of the Portland region, where he will focus on increasing market share and recruiting professionals to the firm. Kotansky began his career as a real estate broker in Silicon Valley, and then became director at RREEF, an institutional real estate company. Prior to joining Colliers, Kotansky was chief operating officer at Portland-based Felton Properties.

91ÊÓƵ: You’ve been in the business 18 years. What initially sparked your passion to pursue a career in commercial real estate?

David Kotansky: My dad was a developer and my uncle was an architect, so it was always around me and I always seemed to come back to real estate and enjoy it. You’re growing up; you’re painting buildings in high school and college, so you’re constantly doing the little odds-and-end jobs. I liked to see how a building was built and why it worked.

91ÊÓƵ: What do you think are Colliers’ biggest strengths?

Kotansky: It always starts with the people. At both the corporate and local level is a strong, talented group. I think they have a vision; I think their character and their work ethic shows in the way they conduct themselves in business.

The integrated resources on the national, international and local level are first class. The brokers and the property management group here have so much at their fingertips that they can tap into that service themselves and their clients – it’s impressive.

91ÊÓƵ: Where do you see room for improvement?

Kotansky: I’d like to see us more involved in the business community and have us be more visible. Those are two good things that could be improved. We haven’t done a lot of marketing internally or given ourselves a pat on the back like other companies have. We haven’t promoted ourselves that well, and we’ve had a lot of success that people don’t hear about.

91ÊÓƵ: What are your goals for the company?

Kotansky: I’d love to grow all the business lines while continuing to supply first-class service. I’d like to grow the property management group, add a retail brokerage team and add an investment sales brokerage team.

91ÊÓƵ: What are your goals for yourself in this position?

Kotansky: Just helping our team become one of the best real estate companies in the Portland-metro area. This means part mentoring the brokers and part getting out in the community and getting some business to grow our client base. I want to help our brokers achieve whatever they want to achieve to further their business by connecting all the service lines and connecting our property management group with clients that we have on a national basis that we don’t yet have on a local basis.

91ÊÓƵ: What in your professional career are you most proud of to date?

Kotansky: Playing a role in other peoples’ successes. It’s fun to exceed clients’ expectations and to accomplish what they set out to do. It’s very satisfying to know that clients feel completely confident in the team that I work for and how I represent them.

91ÊÓƵ: When you’re not managing Colliers, what is your favorite thing to do to unwind?

Kotansky: When I have time, I like to play golf, but I like to hang out with my family. My kids entertain me.