Kevin Torch
Larry Perrish “Power of We” Award Winner
Kevin Torch likes to tell people he bleeds CBRE green, and his resume proves it. Over 17 years ago, he took a position as a Researcher in the CBRE’s Cincinnati office, and he’s been with the company ever since.
“CBRE is all I know, all I’ve ever known, and all I ever want to know,” he said.
Today, he leads the Cincinnati multi-market team, a group that oversees the transactions for some of the country’s most recognizable banks, grocers, and convenience, fitness and department stores.
In 2022, Kevin and his team executed over 500 transactions. While this volume of work is staggering, it’s no surprise for a team that’s expected to “live, breath and speak” like its clients while working closely with field brokers to streamline the deal process.
In Kevin’s world, there is no, “I,” and it’s for this reason that he’s been named the 2023 Larry Perrish “Power of We” Award winner. The award is the highest honor bestowed within CBRE’s Retail line of business and it spotlights a professional who demonstrates Mr. Perrish’s attributes of dedication, expertise and cooperation.
Much of Kevin’s success has come from seeking out roles that align with his strengths. After nine months as a researcher, he made the move to Transaction Manager.
The team wanted Kevin to be an “air-traffic controller” and oversee site selection for a Midwest-based bank opening hundreds of new branches. He considered the position but wasn’t convinced until the team outlined the role for him.
“They explained to me how they partner with field brokers in each market and leverage the platform, technology and governance to streamline the transaction process for their clients to drive efficiencies,” he said. “It was just a whole different world for me that, as an outsider looking in, I just didn’t get a lot of exposure to. But after our conversation, it seemed to be a natural fit for me.”
The fit, in this case, is Kevin’s ability to handle a high volume of work while maintaining his composure.
“I’ve always been a person who can multitask and process a lot of information without being overwhelmed,” he said. “I’m diligent about making sure my inbox is cleaned up by the end of the night and everything’s been addressed for each one of my clients in a timely fashion.”
First Vice President Dave Long in Detroit, Michigan, experienced Kevin’s clean-inbox policy firsthand. Dave had been working on new locations in Michigan and Ohio for the bank client since 2003 when Kevin came on as a Transaction Manager.
“Kevin asked me to copy him on all the communications with the client. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to see everything since I emailed them probably 15-20 times a day,” Long said. “He said ‘yes’ and that’s when I first became aware of his capacity. He has an amazing ability to retain information and really grasp complex situations.”
Executive Vice President James Mitchell in Orlando, Florida, has worked on more than 60 transactions with Kevin and says his dedication to his clients is second-to-none.
“Kevin is among the best multi-market practitioners in the country. He has great relationships with his clients, making it easy to transact in the field,” Mitchell said.
In 2013, Kevin and his partner started their own team with only a handful of accounts. In 2015, they welcomed their first new member, Vice President Katie McDermott Beard. In 2018, the team exploded, winning several pieces of business in two months. Today, they have a whopping 14 members.
“Over the last five or six years, retailers have come to understand the advantage of working with a team like ours on a transaction- and account-management basis, and that’s what spurred our growth,” Kevin said.
According to Beard, Kevin’s energy and ability to motivate his team are the reason for its success.
“Kevin has an incredible amount of energy, and he brings it to each transaction – it’s infectious,” she said. “There’s nobody who works harder for their clients and their team. He truly personifies CBRE’s values.”
Collaboration is rooted in Kevin’s DNA, and he knows the success he’s experienced is not the result of his work alone.
“The success I’ve achieved is because of my team,” he said. “I’ve got the best team in the business, and I’d put them up against anybody else in the industry.”
“CBRE is all I know, all I’ve ever known, and all I ever want to know,” he said.
Today, he leads the Cincinnati multi-market team, a group that oversees the transactions for some of the country’s most recognizable banks, grocers, and convenience, fitness and department stores.
In 2022, Kevin and his team executed over 500 transactions. While this volume of work is staggering, it’s no surprise for a team that’s expected to “live, breath and speak” like its clients while working closely with field brokers to streamline the deal process.
In Kevin’s world, there is no, “I,” and it’s for this reason that he’s been named the 2023 Larry Perrish “Power of We” Award winner. The award is the highest honor bestowed within CBRE’s Retail line of business and it spotlights a professional who demonstrates Mr. Perrish’s attributes of dedication, expertise and cooperation.
Much of Kevin’s success has come from seeking out roles that align with his strengths. After nine months as a researcher, he made the move to Transaction Manager.
The team wanted Kevin to be an “air-traffic controller” and oversee site selection for a Midwest-based bank opening hundreds of new branches. He considered the position but wasn’t convinced until the team outlined the role for him.
“They explained to me how they partner with field brokers in each market and leverage the platform, technology and governance to streamline the transaction process for their clients to drive efficiencies,” he said. “It was just a whole different world for me that, as an outsider looking in, I just didn’t get a lot of exposure to. But after our conversation, it seemed to be a natural fit for me.”
The fit, in this case, is Kevin’s ability to handle a high volume of work while maintaining his composure.
“I’ve always been a person who can multitask and process a lot of information without being overwhelmed,” he said. “I’m diligent about making sure my inbox is cleaned up by the end of the night and everything’s been addressed for each one of my clients in a timely fashion.”
First Vice President Dave Long in Detroit, Michigan, experienced Kevin’s clean-inbox policy firsthand. Dave had been working on new locations in Michigan and Ohio for the bank client since 2003 when Kevin came on as a Transaction Manager.
“Kevin asked me to copy him on all the communications with the client. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to see everything since I emailed them probably 15-20 times a day,” Long said. “He said ‘yes’ and that’s when I first became aware of his capacity. He has an amazing ability to retain information and really grasp complex situations.”
Executive Vice President James Mitchell in Orlando, Florida, has worked on more than 60 transactions with Kevin and says his dedication to his clients is second-to-none.
“Kevin is among the best multi-market practitioners in the country. He has great relationships with his clients, making it easy to transact in the field,” Mitchell said.
In 2013, Kevin and his partner started their own team with only a handful of accounts. In 2015, they welcomed their first new member, Vice President Katie McDermott Beard. In 2018, the team exploded, winning several pieces of business in two months. Today, they have a whopping 14 members.
“Over the last five or six years, retailers have come to understand the advantage of working with a team like ours on a transaction- and account-management basis, and that’s what spurred our growth,” Kevin said.
According to Beard, Kevin’s energy and ability to motivate his team are the reason for its success.
“Kevin has an incredible amount of energy, and he brings it to each transaction – it’s infectious,” she said. “There’s nobody who works harder for their clients and their team. He truly personifies CBRE’s values.”
Collaboration is rooted in Kevin’s DNA, and he knows the success he’s experienced is not the result of his work alone.
“The success I’ve achieved is because of my team,” he said. “I’ve got the best team in the business, and I’d put them up against anybody else in the industry.”