SHILOH, IL – Broker Associate James Leopold with BARBERMURPHY is the youngest commercial real estate professional in Illinois and Missouri to achieve the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) designation.

He is also the third-youngest broker nationwide to earn this designation.

SIOR is a national organization offering the professional accreditation to commercial brokers and other industry professionals. It touts more than 3,400 members in 700 cities and 42 countries.

Leopold has been affiliated with BARBERMURPHY since 2016 and is one of the youngest brokers in the U.S. to achieve his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, which he attained in 2018. Both the SIOR and CCIM designations bear stringent education standards for membership. In addition, the SIOR credential demands sizable volume and sales requirements. To achieve the SIOR designation, a commercial broker must generate a gross commission total of at least $300,000 annually for three out of five years.

“We’re proud to have James Leopold on our team,” said Founding Principal Wayne Barber, Jr., who also holds the SIOR designation. “James’ solid work ethic and his knack for building professional connections with clients and colleagues is top notch. It’s no surprise to any of us at BARBERMURPHY that he has achieved both globally respected credentials in record time.”

BARBERMURPHY Principal and industrial broker Steve Zuber, CCIM, SIOR, says these designations mean that a broker possesses the knowledge and skill sets on how to structure deals and think outside the box to get deals completed. “James stands out among other brokers with his strong financial analysis skills (and degree in finance from the University of Missouri),” Zuber said. “He has a savvy understanding of how to make a deal happen.”

Leopold’s primary focus is on industrial sales, leasing and development. He has brokered deals across Illinois. Since joining BARBERMURPHY five years ago, he has worked on numerous large and complex environmental projects in Southern Illinois, including a former Ameren Illinois power plant and a 1.3 million-square-foot former World War II nuclear recycling facility. Leopold has been involved in more than $100 million of real estate transactions since his career began.

BARBERMURPHY is a full-service real estate brokerage firm specializing in commercial, investment and industrial properties in Southern Illinois and Missouri. The firm has three SIOR designees, four CCIM designees and two brokers who have achieved both the SIOR and CCIM designations.