Tom Collins

Collins joined as a Principal of Avison Young and Managing Director of the company’s New England region in 2019. He manages the day-to-day operations of Avison Young’s Boston and Hartford offices. Based in the company’s Boston office, he is also responsible for all service lines, lead the regional expansion strategy, and recruiting top talent for the firm’s existing and future New England locations and service offerings.

Collins was a market leader for 20 years with Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) in New England. Prior to joining Avison Young, he was the founder and CEO of Collins Strategies, a consulting firm providing insight and advice, along with coaching and mentoring services, for real estate companies and professionals.

During his expansive real estate career, Collins has successfully negotiated investment property acquisitions and dispositions for a diverse client base of local, regional and global institutional investors and developers. He has served in leadership positions, held responsibility for business development and worked in investment sales as well as debt and equity capital markets, providing strategic advice to clients.

Prior to founding Collins Strategies, Collins was Managing Director for Atlantic Retail Properties, a national real estate brokerage firm representing national and regional retail tenants as well as retail owners in the sale and leasing of retail assets. Before moving to Atlantic, he was the Executive Managing Director for C&W’s New England area, where he was responsible for leading and growing the firm’s service lines. He was also responsible for recruiting and leading more than 100 employees, including 50 brokerage professionals, in Boston, Hartford and Manchester, NH. During his tenure, C&W became one of the leading real estate services firms in New England with revenues growing from $4 million in 1994 to nearly $90 million in 2014. For his efforts, he received the company’s Manager of the Year award in 1998, 2001 and 2006.

Collins is a past president and past board member of the Commercial Brokers Association and a past board member of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board. He is an active member of NAIOP Massachusetts, a past NAIOP State board member, and has been honored with NAIOP’s President’s Award (2000 and 2006) and Industry Achievement Award (2013). He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) and has been on the board since 2005. Collins also serves on the Southborough Economic Development Committee. Before commencing his real estate career, Collins served in the U.S. Navy. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Bentley University.