Cushman & Wakefield celebrating 90 years in real estate.

Cushman & Wakefield, the world's preeminent real estate services firm, is marking the occasion of its 90th Anniversary in 2007 by hosting a Global Achievement Conference in Orlando, Fla. for more than 900 of the firm's global professionals and by introducing a commemorative 90th Anniversary logo.

Founded in 1917 by J. Clydesdale Cushman and Bernard Wakefield as a property management company in a Madison Avenue storefront, Cushman & Wakefield has grown in 90 years to become the world's preeminent real estate services firm, with fully integrated operations on six continents.

The firm has grown from a local New York City property manager to a global full-service powerhouse, with revenues reaching $1.5 billion in 2006. The firm has more than 12,000 employees in 201 offices in 55 countries.

"Cushman & Wakefield has thrived in an era that has seen the industry change from local practitioner to truly global providers," said Cushman & Wakefield president Bruce Mosler.

Cushman & Wakefield chairman, John Cushman, grandson of J. Clydesdale Cushman, : "We take a great deal of pride in our tradition of client service at Cushman & Wakefield, which dates back to our founders, who literally wrote the book on dedication to clients in commercial real estate."

Cushman was referring to "Managing: How Modern Business Buildings Are Operated," the book on managing office properties that was written by J. Clydesdale Cushman, president of Cushman & Wakefield, in 1927.

Mosler added, "Our future growth is being assured by our moves to enhance our capital markets business, diversify our services and expand in Europe and Asia," he said. "Our Global Achievement Conference in Orlando will emphasize the future while celebrating the past."

In 1917, Cushman & Wakefield was founded by brothers-in-law, J. Clydesdale Cushman and Bernard Wakefield, as a property management firm in New York City.

In 1960, the firm began a national expansion, establishing offices throughout the United States.

C&W was acquired by RCA in 1970 then, it 1976 it was sold to The Rockefeller Group. In 1990, it established a presence in Europe through a strategic alliance with Healey & Baker.

Then in 1994 the Cushman & Wakefield Worldwide partnership was established with major real estate services firms in the U.S., Europe, Asia, South America, Mexico and Canada.

In one of the biggest commercial real estate mergers in history, Cushman & Wakefield merged with Healey & Baker in 1998 and then in 2001 the firm acquired Cushman Realty Corporation, a tenant rep powerhouse in the U.S.

In 2005 the company acquired its affiliate in Russia and its Canadian affiliate then, a year later, purchased the 50% of its Mexican operations that it did not already own.

Last year, Italian investment firm IFIL bought a 67.5% stake in Cushman & Wakefield.