New kids on the sales block.

The former Colliers ABR investment sales and financing team has jumped ship to start its own firm.

Led by real estate veteran Eric Kaufman, the executives have formed Welbilt Realty Partners, LLC. Welbilt's focus will be on investment sales and real estate investment banking across the country. In addition, the team's principal arm will concentrate on net--lease retail and

industrial acquisitions in the Northeast. Deal sizes will range from $1 million to $50 million.

Kaufman was a senior managing director with Colliers ABR and founded the firm's investment sales and financing team in 2001. He will be joined by Avram Holzer, Kaufman's partner for the past seven years, and by Jason Hirsch, director of sales and acquisitions. The new firm anticipates hiring another three brokers in the next year to handle both sale and finance transactions.

In 2002, Kaufman and Holzer led the execution team that brokered 260 Park Ave. South, 48 E 21 St. and 49 E. 21 St. for the United Federation of Teachers. This $63.6 million sale won one of REBNY's Deal of the Year awards.

Most recently, Kaufman, Holzer and Hirsch brokered the sale of 1800 Central Ave. in Mt. Prospect, IL, a suburb of Chicago. This 650,000 SF industrial/office property sold for roughly $28 million.

Kaufman has a 22-year career as a principal in commercial and multi-family development, syndication and brokerage and has served as an officer at Bankers Trust and as a manager with Traveler's Insurance Co. In 1994 Kaufman joined the Carlton Group, Ltd. as senior managing director. He was instrumental in helping to build that company's investment sales and financing divisions.

Holzer has a dozen years of experience in commercial and multi--family development projects. Eric Kaufman can be reached at [phone]; Avram Holzer at [phone]; and Jason Hirsch at [phone].