Jordan Schnitzer shares the strategies that propelled his family’s business from scrap metals to West Coast real estate powerhouse. Plus insights on building a thriving decentralized business and the benefits of balancing data-informed and gut instinct investment decisions.

The Business: Winning Industrial Investment Strategies

Key Takeaways:

Look at competition as well as returns. Schnitzer Properties’ prefers flex-industrial properties over big-box warehouses because there is steady demand and less competition.

Do more, but be mindful of how much you can do. Jordan Schnitzer refers to his approach as “aggressive moderation.” Over-extending yourself can sacrifice long-term stability.

Trust your leaders to use their local expertise. Schnitzer Properties embraces a decentralized business model with local teams empowered to make decisions and grow the business.

Embrace data, but don’t ignore your experience. Utilize a data-driven approach combined with gut instincts to make informed and timely investment decisions.

Guests: Jordan Schnitzer

President and CEO, Schnitzer Properties

Jordan Schnitzer is President and CEO of Schnitzer Properties, a family-owned commercial real estate investment development company based in Portland, Ore. Under his leadership, SchnitzerProperties has grown into one of the top 10 private real estate owners in the West.

Founded in 1950, the company will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025. Schnitzer Properties owns and operates more than 33 million square feet of property, focused primarily on industrial spaces for small and mid-sized manufacturers, distributors, and service providers. The company manages regional offices in Tucson, Phoenix, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

Beyond his real estate achievements, Schnitzer is an internationally recognized art collector, and ARTnews has named him one of the world's top 200 art collectors. The Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, with its collection of over 22,000 artworks, has organized and funded more than 180 exhibitions at 120 museums.

Additionally, Schnitzer serves as president of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, which has donated over $300 million to fund hundreds of nonprofit projects that touch lives and enrich communities.

Host: Spencer Levy

Global Client Strategist & Senior Economic Advisor, CBRE

Spencer Levy is Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE, the largest commercial real estate services firm in the world. In this role, he focuses on client engagement and public-facing activities, including thought leadership work performed in conjunction with CBRE Research. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable’s Research Committee.