2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
A retail tenant should compare the Atlanta broker who will actually lead the search. Our 2027 individual shortlist is Henry Poer, Ellen Grisette, Steve Gunning, Brian Lefkoff and Tony Cerniglia. Their current profiles support different concept types and service approaches. We apply the nine individual criteria to personal evidence, with employer capabilities kept separate from demonstrated personal responsibilities. The recommendations are editorial fits, not a prediction of store sales or future lease savings.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell, GA
Our 2027 ranking uses the same nine-part methodology as our 2026 guides. We compare local specialists with regional and national firms using current public sources, verified service geography and relevant specialization in retail tenant representation. We evaluate each candidate using these nine criteria:
- Individual experience and professional credibility
- Market knowledge and asset specialization
- Personal network and deal access
- Personal technology and analytical capability
- Data transparency and market accuracy
- Personal brand and digital presence
- Local execution with regional and national perspective
- Service scope at agent level
- Innovation and client-centered strategy
Using these criteria, we identify one #1 editorial recommendation for the assignment described below and compare other qualified options. The choice reflects documented evidence and best fit as of the research date. Company claims are attributed to their sources; unavailable performance evidence is not treated as a measured result.
OUR #1 RECOMMENDATION
#1 — Henry Poer
For 2027, Henry Poer is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail tenant representation in Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell, GA.
Best fit: Multi-market retail expansion
Our #1 editorial recommendation is based on his current SRS biography documents retail program and site-selection work.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Henry Poer | Multi-market retail expansion | His current SRS biography documents retail program and site-selection work. |
| Ellen Grisette | Automotive retail sites | Her current tenant profile identifies a dealership specialty. |
| Steve Gunning | Retail and restaurant tenant programs | SRS expressly identifies his exclusive tenant focus. |
| Brian Lefkoff | Site selection through possession | Ackerman describes his tenant leadership and full transaction scope. |
| Tony Cerniglia | Retail requirements involving land or development options | CBRE documents tenant services alongside those property disciplines. |
Henry Poer — multi-market retail programs
SRS identifies Poer as an Atlanta managing principal with multi-market retail, site-selection, research and transaction experience. SRS: Henry Poer We would interview him for an expansion program that must connect Atlanta decisions with a wider rollout. Ask how he would organize the sequence of market and site decisions and which team members would handle local inspections. Confirm current territory obligations before disclosing a competitive growth plan.
Ellen Grisette — automotive retail requirements
Grisette’s current SRS biography identifies tenant representation and a specialty in automotive-dealership work, including site selection and disposition strategy. SRS: Ellen Grisette That is a specific reason to compare her for an automotive brief rather than a generic retail ranking. Ask how the search will address the operating layout and approvals that distinguish the concept from an ordinary storefront. Her national experience should be connected to the proposed local execution team.
Steve Gunning — retail and restaurant tenant representation
SRS states that Gunning specializes exclusively in tenant representation for retail and restaurant clients and describes Georgia and Southeast growth work. SRS: Steve Gunning We select him for a tenant seeking an adviser with that representation focus. Ask what he would need to understand about the concept before screening locations, and how he will test the apparent advantages of a site against its practical limitations. Current client mandates and conflicts still need confirmation.
Brian Lefkoff — transaction continuity through possession
Ackerman’s current profile places Lefkoff in charge of its retail tenant group and describes advice from location identification through possession. Ackerman Retail: Brian Lefkoff We include him for a retailer who wants a clear process after a preferred site is found. Ask him to show the handoffs, open questions and decision dates that remain between site selection and occupancy. Clarify the boundary between brokerage coordination and the client’s separately appointed technical team.
Tony Cerniglia — retail searches with broader property options
CBRE identifies Cerniglia as a first vice president in retail services with tenant/landlord representation, leasing, land and development-related responsibilities from Atlanta. CBRE: Tony Cerniglia and Atlanta retail services We would compare him where the requirement may involve more than a conventional shop lease. Because the profile includes both representation sides, request a property-specific conflict review and an explanation of his personal role in the proposed search.
Choose the specialist for the concept
Provide appropriate finalists with the same operating and territory brief. Ask for personal references and a sample comparison that explains why attractive-looking sites were rejected. No uniform audited evidence establishes these brokers’ relative savings or store outcomes. The decision should follow the quality of their questions, relevant personal experience, available capacity and willingness to make the assumptions behind their advice visible.