Blake Okland has been appointed the new head of U.S. multifamily for ARA, a Newmark Company (ARA Newmark).

Blake Okland, head of U.S. multifamily at ARA Newmark.
Blake Okland, head of U.S. multifamily at ARA Newmark.

Okland, formerly the vice chairman of ARA Newmark, had held the head of U.S. multifamily title on an interim basis in early 2016. He served as a senior partner in ARA’s Carolinas operation at the same time and also served on ARA’s National Executive Committee for five years. He assisted in the real estate investment advisory firm’s acquisition by NGKF, a member of BCG Partners, in 2014.

"ARA Newmark is a critical component of NGKF's greater capital markets platform," said Robert Griffin, U.S. head of capital markets and president of the New England area for NGKF, in a release. "Blake is an exceptional leader, and creating a national function for him to unify and grow the ARA brand reflects our commitment to providing the highest possible level of service throughout the platform."

In his new position, Okland will focus on improving service to ARA Newmark clients by creating and enacting strategic initiatives and increasing collaborative efforts. He will also maintain the firm’s larger institutional relationships and serve as the face of the brand on a national and global scale.

"NGKF has made significant investments in building a robust capital markets platform composed of the industry's best brokers collaborating on a global scale," Okland added. "Working alongside NGKF Capital Markets and utilizing the capital base of our global platform, we will build out ARA Newmark to the same standard and will better serve our clients as a truly national, integrated brand."

ARA Newmark recorded a total annual real estate transaction volume of over $13.4 billion in 2015.