Teterboro, N.J. – NAI James E. Hanson, the largest New Jersey-based full-service independent commercial real estate firm, announces that Russell “Pepe” Smith has joined the firm’s Institutional Services Group as an Analyst.
In his new role, Smith will support the team with a focus on underwriting, valuation, and market analysis, while also supporting brokerage and transaction execution for industrial assets throughout the Tri-State region.
Smith joined NAI James E. Hanson in November 2025 as an Associate, specializing in the leasing and sales of office and industrial properties across Northern New Jersey. In his new capacity with the Institutional Services Group, Smith will work alongside Senior Managing Directors Jordan Avanzato, SIOR, and Christopher D. Todd, SIOR; Managing Director William Ericksen, SIOR, CCIM; and Analyst Philip Park.
“I’m excited to join the Institutional Services Group and leverage the foundation I’ve developed since joining NAI James E. Hanson,” Smith said. “Success in the Tri-State industrial market requires an experienced, specialized team, and I’m looking forward to bringing a data-driven approach to my role.”
Avanzato added, “The addition of another dedicated analyst reflects our continued investment in building a best-in-class Capital Markets & Leasing platform focused on servicing the growing demands of institutional capital throughout the market.”
NAI James E. Hanson’s Institutional Services Group has built strong momentum in 2026 with several high-profile closed deals. Most notably, the team represented the buyer in the $37M acquisition of a 7.81-acre industrial outdoor storage (IOS) site at 200 St. Nicholas Ave. in South Plainfield, New Jersey, completed the $73.6M sale of a 241,200-square-foot Class-A distribution center in Piscataway, New Jersey, and closed the sale of the Westchester Industrial Portfolio in Mamaroneck, New York.
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