Deena Zimmerman, a retail broker, has joined Baum Realty Group as a principal. There, she will focus on business development, commercial redevelopment and adaptive reuse projects across the country.

Previously a vice president at SVN Chicago Commercial, Zimmerman has nearly 20 years of experience in the industry. Throughout her career, she’s focused on finding sites for national operators and multi-unit franchisees and entrepreneurs as well as selling and leasing retail and investment properties. She’s also an expert in the growing field of Cannabis real estate.

Outside of work, Zimmerman is involved in many real estate organizations, including the Chicago Cannabis Executives, the International Council of Shopping Centers, Women in Retail Leasing and the Goldie Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative. In 2017, she was the commercial liaison for the National Association of Realtors and, in 2021, was named one of the top 25 most influential women in commercial real estate.

Reflecting on why Zimmerman is a good fit for Baum Realty, Founder and CEO David Baum highlighted her skills for business development and talent identification and her ability to handle big data. “But more importantly,” Baum said, “We’re culturally aligned. We each want to build business the same way: carefully, thoughtfully and consciously.”

“Baum Realty is growing the right way. They’ve made significant investments in data analytics and technology, and they’ve curated an incredible staff,” Zimmerman concluded. “I’ve had the fortune to interact with dozens of retail shops across the country, and so I have the confidence and experience to know what next-generation brokerage firms need to thrive, and they have it all.”