About
Professional Summary
Karen M. Birkett is Vice President of the Office & Investment Services at Colliers. Karen services both landlords and tenants, which enables her to be very effective in all levels of lease negotiations, small and large. Karen has represented various landlords such as Bristol Group, Central Pacific Bank, Aloha United Way, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Versa, and is responsible for securing new tenants as well as renewing existing tenants for over 100,000,000 square feet of office space in the downtown, Kapiolani, Iwilei and Kakaako areas. In addition, Karen is the leasing agent for Na Lama Kukui, a unique building which attracts both retail and office users.
Along with the responsibility of representing various landlords, Karen has extensive experience in servicing tenants, both small and large. Past and present clients include Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, DTRIC, Charles Schwab, HMAA, Hawaiian Electric Company, MC&A, Halekulani Corporation, Waikiki Health Center, Edward Jones, HonBlue, Atlantis Submarine, Hawaii Pacific University, Allstate Insurance, Atlas Insurance, Kiewit Construction, Yogi Kwong Engineering, and Rider Levett Bucknall just to name a few. In addition, Karen has represented various law firms, financial services groups, non profits, contractors/engineers and numerous alternative energy companies.
In addition to assisting landlord and tenants Karen has been involved in multiple acquisition/disposition projects in Honolulu including The Arcade Building, Airport Center, Ocean View Center, Haseko Center, 1833 Kalakaua, Alakea Corporate Plaza Condominiums, Melim Building, 500 N. Nimitz, 501 Sumner and 810 Richards Building, just to name a few.
Prior to Karen’s success in commercial real estate, she spent 5 years in the residential and commercial mortgage lending business. Before her years in the mortgage business, Ms. Karen spent many years in retail sales management, while at the same time owning and operating a variety of her own businesses, giving her the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be a business owner. Karen’s experiences of owning various businesses, coupled with her many years of experience working for large corporations, has enabled her to understand the needs of all clients whether they are small business owners or large corporate clients.
Karen is originally from Whidbey Island, Washington, but has lived in Hawaii for over 30 years.
Accomplishments
• Licensed Real Estate Salesperson (State of Hawaii)
• Colliers Hawaii’s Top Producer Award, Office Services Division – 2010, 2011, 2013 - 2021
• CCIM Hawaii Board Member - 2017, 2018
• Colliers Everest Club Inductee - Top 10% of all Colliers Professionals in the Americas Region - 2017, 2019
• Colliers Top 10 U.S. Women - 2019
Education
Washington State University; University of Hawaii
Memberships & Involvements
• Oahu Country Club
• Downtown Exchange Club
• CCIM Hawaii
• NAIOP Hawaii
• Society of Industrial & Office (SIOR)
Clients
Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Pacific Universityy, Apple TV, Star Advertiser, JTB Hawaii, Inc., Atlas Insurance and Tradewind Capital Grooup, HMAA, State of Hawaii, HWMG, Aqua-Aston, DTRIC Insurance, M4, Waikiki Health, One King Street, LLC, Fortune 100 Healthcare Company, Kiewit Construciton, Rider Levett Bucknall, Peter Vincent Architects, Charles Schwab, Ag/POP PBN LLC, Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, REDICO Holdings LLC, LNR Partners LLC, Endless Luck LLC, Lyum Enterprises Inc., Limitiaco Consulting Group, Kleenco Group, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Campbell Dragon LLC, Hoolai DragonLLC, Alexander & Baldwin, Gentry Pacific Design Center, Central Pacific Bank
Services
Skills
Service Lines
Property Type
My Team
My Team
I have had the privilege of working for Colliers International since 2010 as a member of our Office Services and Investments team. I decided to pursue a career as a commercial real estate advisor at Colliers as I knew there were much greater challenges and in turn, greater opportunities, for me to tackle.
Since joining, I have had the honor of becoming Vice President of Office and Investment Services in Hawaii and have watched us grow from a group of less experienced, but hungry individuals, to a cohesive team of well-established and well-connected leaders in the Hawaii market. Hawaii is a unique place to participate in commercial real estate advisory as it sits as a gateway between the Asia-Pacific region and the continental U.S.
During my time at Colliers, I have averaged participating in over 100 combined investment sale and lease transactions per year and have surpassed $1 billion in aggregate deal value in my career. My role as both a tenant and landlord representative has evolved over the years. I find myself actively advising for many institutional occupiers, such as Hawaii Pacific Health and Hawaiian Electric Company. I am also fortunate to represent a multitude of landlords, both smaller organizations and larger institutions, as well as buyers and sellers of commercial properties here on the islands. Seeing and learning from both the tenant and landlord sides has given me a unique perspective that I have found beneficial in solution-making for clients. The rewards associated with a satisfied client are hard to match and are the driver for continuing to do what I do.
As much as I love my career and colleagues, I am most appreciative for the blessings I have at home in my wife and daughter. They are the reason I do what I do and am thankful every morning to wake up with them in my life. My family enjoys spending as much time around the water as we can. When I am not at the beach or at work, I can likely be found watching Michigan State University sports. Go Green!
I have been an office leasing associate with Colliers since 2015. Prior to making the transition to commercial real estate brokerage I worked in the Institutional Trust Department at Bank of Hawaii which laid a solid foundation for servicing business clients. I am born and raised on the island of Oahu and graduated from Punahou School in 2007. From there I went on to earn a B.A. in Finance from the University of Hawaii.
I genuinely enjoy everyday of work I have at Colliers. Whether it’s working on the landlord side representing my clients such as Alexander & Baldwin and Kamehameha Schools or representing tenants to help solve their commercial real estate needs. The thing I find most rewarding is working with a client with a tough requirement. Being able to get creative and think outside the box of “you need “x” amount of square feet in this area” is refreshing. It helps to keep everyday exciting and allows me to bring new ideas to all my clients even if their requirements seem straightforward.
I pride myself as always making sure my client feels like they are number one. I am always responsive and make sure that their needs are always first priority. Others would certainly describe a part of my personality as empathetic and I believe I’m able to use that empathy to stand in my clients shoes and truly see their issues from their perspective. Ultimately I judge my success on the feedback I receive after a deal has closed. If I was able to solve a problem, take over the workload of the deal, and my client is satisfied that would mean I’ve done a good job.
When not working to relax I love to do anything related to the ocean. It could be surfing, bodysurfing, stand up paddling, or just really anything outdoors. I am also proud to be a volunteer as well as board member of Surfrider Spirit Sessions. A program which allows me to share my love of the ocean with at risk youth and give them a pathway to make positive life changes.
Area of Expertise
As a Senior Associate in the Office Services Division of Colliers, Neal brings with him over 10 years of servicing clients with their commercial real estate needs. He specializes in helping businesses accomplish a strategic advantage in the commercial marketplace by listening to their needs, running detailed market analysis, lease assessments, and priding himself on having strong negotiation skills. Neal is also an active member in the Health Care Services Division, which allows him to provide a superior level of service by understanding the needs of medical users. He is also considered the premier dental specialist within the Hawaii market and has helped dozens of dental practitioners with their commercial real estate needs. Neal’s experience in leasing, sales and acquisitions provides him with the ability to assist a variety of clients from start-up businesses, medium to large firms, and landowners. Since joining Colliers in February 2012, Neal has averaged over 70 transactions per year.
Business and Educational Background
Neal’s career path over the last decade has been instrumental to his success and ability to service his clients. Prior to joining Colliers, Neal worked as a residential real estate agent for one of the largest residential brokerage firms in the State. His background in financial planning, lending, and construction allows him to provide a wealth of valuable insight to even the most seasoned clientele. Listening and truly understanding his client’s goals is his business philosophy, and is an essential part of his success.
Neal grew up in Metro Detroit, Michigan and is a proud Michigan State University graduate. Hawaii has been his home since 2005. In his downtime, Neal enjoys most water activities including surfing, and is also a competitive outrigger canoe paddler. Neal also enjoys spending time with his wife, Kristin and daughter, Addison. In addition to Neal’s work life, he takes an active role in the community as a sponsored Big Brother with Big Brother Big Sisters, and actively participates with Access Surf Hawaii.
I’ve been servicing my clients at Colliers International for nine great years. As a member of the Office Service Division, I work collaboratively both Landlords and Tenants by bringing a fresh, creative, and solution- oriented approach to the assignment. I feel it’s of the utmost importance to put my client’s needs and objectives first. This approach is the foundation of my business, and remnants that remain from my prior career in hospitality. Because I work in assisting landlords and tenants, my ability to see resolution from either prospective results in quick and clean transactions.
My focus when working on Landlord projects is targeting preferred tenants and securing their occupancy to increase the return on their investment. Some of my past and present clients include the YWCA, Kamehameha Schools, Aloha United Way, and the Bank of Hawaii.
I highly value my work with local non-profit organizations. It’s a privilege to assist those who assist others. I’ve enjoyed working with Hawaiian Hope, an organization dedicated to assuring each youth has access to a computer; TCDI of Hawaii, an organization that provides transitional and life enhancing services to adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and Guide Dogs of Hawaii, providing adaptive and mobility aids for the blind. My favorite place to meet with clients is over a meal, where I feel do some of my best thinking. My friends always ask me for suggestions when it comes to seeking a place to eat. If I’m not eating, I’m burning it off in the sun, hiking, biking and surfing.
A proud graduate of the University of Washington, I hold a bachelors degree in Psychology, with an emphasis in Sports Marketing.
As homage to those mentors and coaches who have greatly influenced my life, I’ve recently spent four years volunteering as a track & field coach at my high school alma mater. One of my stregnths is motivating and encouraging students to reach beyond their expectations.
Being able to meet and work alongside business professionals within an island community that I was born and raised in has been extremely rewarding and I am grateful everyday. My journey at Colliers began by being a tenant myself, which has been proven valuable to each client I work with. While it is important to be able to provide the strategic guidance needed to navigate deals in our market, being able to cultivate a relationship and provide a pleasant and productive experience is equally imperative to me. Both my clients and collegues would describe me as someone who is easy to work with, resourceful, and is easily adaptable to a variety of projects and/or challenges.
As part of the Office Services Division, I specialize in working with tenants and landlords. A key to my success is simply being able to listen and provide relevant insight, knowledge and solutions tailored to each unique relationship. Since joining Colliers in 2017, I was able to build a diverse portfolio of institutional landlords such as Brookfield Properties and James Campbell Company, while also servicing local entities such as Hawaii Pacific University, Stanford Carr Development and The Resort Group (Ko Olina). I've also been able to work with tenants such as Rakuten, Microsoft, Homebridge Financial and the US Small Business Development Corp. in locating commercial space within our market.
Having the opportunity to connect with a variety of businesses is something I do not take for granted and look forward to each day. In my spare time I love to hang out with family and dog (Louie), play tennis and golf, and read a good book/audiobook!
Davin joined the Colliers International team in January of 2004. Currently, Mr. Pascual assists with managing the leasing function for multiple office and retail properties. Mr. Pascual’s responsibilities in leasing include creating marketing materials, drafting and reviewing offers, assisting with sales and leasing processes, updating reports and providing all around support to assigned agents and brokers.
BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Prior to joining the firm Mr. Pascual was an Administrative Assistant. In this role, he managed incoming calls, proofread documents and other administrative duties.
Mr. Pascual is a professionally licensed Real Estate Agent in the State of Hawaii. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a B.B.A. in Marketing.
In his spare time, Mr. Pascual enjoys participating in perpetuating the Hawaiian culture through various art forms and activities, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
Nathan Fong
Senior Vice President | Retail Services Group Leader | Hawaii Investment & Retail Services Divisions | Shopping Center Division
Hawaii - Honolulu
Nathan Fong is a local boy, born and raised in Hawai’i, the eldest grandson of the late and great Senator Hiram L. Fong – the son of illiterate Cantonese immigrants, who overcame poverty, earned a law degree from Harvard, and became the first Asian-American United States Senator in history. This rooted Hawai’i family history is combined with 22 years of commercial real estate experience in the islands along with a devoted loyalty to Colliers International (previously known as Monroe & Friedlander). He currently leads and serves the Colliers Retail Group & Shopping Center Divisions and oversees a team of 16 brokers. He is also a fundamental part of the Colliers Hotel & Investment Divisions. He has the largest Shopping Center Portfolio in the state and spends his time working with institutional owners, institutional developers, trusts, family offiices, and institutional tenants looking to do multi-store roll-outs. Creating opportunities for his clients is what he does.
Nathan’s intention has, and always will be, to make Hawai’i a better place through a sustainable and responsible brokerage. Putting his client’s needs first and designing creative solutions to their challenges is what he and his teams do best. He stands for maximum output and full potential; if you’re going to do something, then master it. Complacency and entitlement have no place in his world. The outcome and benefit for his clients are thoughtful, out of the box solutions, combined with steadfast execution.
Nathan's Team has an extensive knowledge and understanding of Hawai’i’s culture, with connections and relationships that go back a lifetime. His team has a proven track record of helping clients successfully do business in Hawai’i. They are relentless in their execution and leverage all resources to get the job done. They understand how to navigate the internal processes with Institutional Clients. Their objective is to take time out of the process, while accelerating clients mandates. They facilitate win/win results for their clients Hawai’i Commercial Real Estate needs and provide them a competitive advantage. Not only do they uncover opportunities, they create them...
Aloha, I'm Mark Bratton, President of Bratton Realty Advisers, Ltd., and exclusively contracted with Colliers International, Hawaii’s largest commercial real estate organization. I specialize in the sale of investment properties in Hawaii and will strive to solve problems a property is going through, making it difficult to sell. I am there every step of the way assisting a potential buyer to understand the property and to close successfully. I am also a member of the USA Capital Markets Investment Sales Group, an elite team of sales professionals who work with institutional-quality properties. Members of the group transact business in key markets around the United States, and work collaboratively with their counterparts in Europe, Asia and Latin America. I've been at Colliers International since 1985 but left for one year, from 1992 to 1993 to join CB Richard Ellis in the Beverly Hills/Century City Office, representing tenants. I returned to Hawaii in 1993 and continued my efforts in commercial real estates investment division.
Coming from a family of developers, my introduction to the development world came in the late 70’s working as a carpenter on my family's developments both in California and in Hawaii. After obtaining a formalized education in Real Estate Investment and Development from San Diego State University, I moved to Hawaii to begin my career. I do have experience in both originating CMBS loans as well as assisting with the detailed loan assumption process.
In 2017 "The Bratton Team" was formed. We are a team of four individuals, myself included. We all have our strengths in different the aspects of real estate. But, the combined strength of us all makes our team unstoppable.
PASSIONATE is one word that describes how I am with projects and clients. When you truly love what you do, it is hard to call it work! I concentrate my energy on high street retail in Waikiki, Urban Retail in Kaka'ako, specialized affluent neighborhoods, and all other Resort Retail markets throughout the islands. I specialize in Landlord representation and working with experienced local and national resort, urban, and luxury retail tenants. I am able to strategically work with tenants on their expansion plan and provide detailed analysis on the roll out of their brand within the Hawaii Market.
I spend much of my time curating, repositioning, and helping grow projects and developments in Waikiki, Resort markets on all islands, Kaka’ako/Ward, and other affluent neighborhoods in Hawaii.
I have had great success over the years working on the following projects: Haleiwa Store Lots, The Shops at Kukui’ula, SALT in Our Kaka’ako, Pualeilani Atrium Shops at the Hyatt Regency , Waikiki Beach Walk, The Shops at the Ilikai, Kuono Marketplace, Ko'Olina Station and Center, Kailua Town, Princeville Center, Queens Marketplace, and Outrigger Waikiki to name a few.
I am a member of the Investment & Industrial Services Division at Colliers International, Hawaii’s largest commercial real estate organization. Over the past 10-years I have established myself as one of Oahu’s leading commercial advisors by developing key relationships with both local and national clientele. Early in my career I developed my industry knowledge through tenant rep assignments and quickly grew into Landlord Representations and being a driving force behind several multi-tenant projects such as Campbell Industrial Village, Malakole Industrial Park, Kauhi Commercial Center, Newtown Business Park, and Kakaako Commerce Center. Years of interaction with emerging tenants and high deal volume has allowed me to keep a close pulse on the current market trends. I have been recognized as a CoStar Power Broker in 2015 & 2016 and have been a member of the Investment Services Group for the past 3-years.
After graduating from Gonzaga University, I partnered with a friend to open Island Wellness, LLC, a successful local-based day spa. This business experience gave me a wealth of local business experience and a unique perspective on fulfilling my clients’ real estate needs.
Aloha. I serve as the Industrial Division manager and a member of our Investment Team in Honolulu, Hawaii.
After a short time practicing law, I moved to Hawaii in 2005 with two duffle bags, and $160,000 in student loan debt. Living in a hostel for the first two months, I began knocking on doors and mispronouncing Hawaiian street names.
I have been fortunate to earn the trust of many local and national industrial and investment clients earning my CCIM in 2009 and SIOR designation in 2011. My clients are often my friends and helping to grow their business, provide jobs, and secure their families’ financial future motivates me everyday. I have a constant desire to add value and a perfectionist’s mentality. My goal is to help all my clients Think Like a Professional Owner.
My clients have helped me earn top industrial producer honors 8 of of the last 10 years, company wide top producer honors in 2016 and 2018, and a top ten national industrial ranking for 2016 I have also been honored to earn “Everest Club” (top 10% of advisors in North America) for the past six years in a row.
If you would like to learn more, please visit my website at www.oahuindustrial.com