JLL Nashville grows retail brokerage team with two strategic hires

JLL today announces that Executive Vice President Gary Shanks and Senior Vice President Miller Fitts are joining the firm’s Nashville office where they will play an integral role in the continued growth and expansion of the Retail Brokerage team. Shanks and Fitts bring extensive market experience to JLL, having facilitated more than one million square feet of retail transactions in excess of $250 million across the state of Tennessee over the last five years.

“Gary and Miller are industry leaders who will greatly enhance our Agency Leasing practice in the greater Nashville area, allowing us to better serve our clients as the retail sector experiences a surge in demand post-pandemic,” said JLL Managing Director Bo Tyler. “Their impressive breadth of retail knowledge is an incredible asset to our team and we’re confident they will be successful in driving growth and value for JLL’s Nashville office.”

Shanks and Fitts bring more than 20 years of combined retail experience to JLL. The strategic hires will allow JLL Senior Vice President William Shell to now oversee the growth and execution of the Nashville office’s Retail Tenant Representation business. Since establishing a presence in 2010, the Nashville office has grown to over 40 employees with over 384 employees across the state of Tennessee – a nod to the market’s rapid growth and expansion.

Prior to joining JLL, Shanks and Fitts served as Partner and Senior Associate Broker for The Shopping Center Group’s (TSCG) Nashville office, respectively. Shanks managed a retail portfolio of more than four million square feet, largely focusing on third-party leasing, disposition and sales for institutional firms, regional owners and developers. Shanks is an active member of Innovating Commerce Serving Communities (ICSC), formerly known as International Council of Shopping Centers, and is involved with the Middle Tennessee Chapter of Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

At TSCG, Fitts was responsible for leading leasing efforts for a diverse portfolio, including grocery-anchored centers, community power centers, mixed-use projects and more. Fitts is a current member of ICSC and is actively involved with the ICSC Next Generation Leadership Network as well as a participating Candidate for the CCIM designation.

“Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and we recognized an unprecedented opportunity to respond to market demand and grow the office’s retail team and capabilities,” said JLL Market Director Mike Sivewright. “Gary and Miller are market-leading brokers with the experience and skills needed to drive a market-leading strategy for our firm. Our institutional client portfolio combined with their demonstrated experience is a powerful match that we are certain will propel the Nashville office forward.”

JLL’s Nashville office now represents 12 business lines and concentrations, including retail and office tenant representation, retail and office agency leasing, project and development services, industrial services, supply and logistics services, property management, integrated portfolio solutions, capital markets, multifamily and work dynamics.

According to JLL research, shopping center traffic grew by nearly 6% in June – a positive indicator for the continued rebound of the retail industry. With August poised to be the highest performing month for retail sales year-over-year, JLL’s experts predict that physical retail will continue to gain significant traction in top markets across the country, as the latest sales numbers point to renewed consumer confidence in the industry.