Yunis to lead national NKF team.

Newmark Knight Frank has named Amira Yunis executive vice president and principal of its newly formed National Retail Group.

One of Manhattan's leading retail brokers, Yunis is promoted from senior managing director to oversee the expansion of the firm's retail services in the national market. She is the first female broker to become a principal at Newmark Knight Frank's New York City office.

"We're rapidly growing our national retail presence," said Yunis. "My objective is to put together a team of talented brokers in key markets across the country to support our enhanced retail platform and take an already great operation to an even higher level."

Yunis, an active broker known for the unsurpassed service she provides to numerous tenants and property owners, stressed that she will continue to provide the same levels of hands-on representation in her new position. "I see the increased responsibility as a way to create even more opportunities. By broadening our reach nationwide, I'll have more insight and more to offer my clients," she explained.

She said her ability to balance multiple responsibilities will help her rise to the new challenge. "As a working, single mother, I am accustomed to a full workload."

Yunis raised a son while rising rapidly through the competitive ranks of NYC real estate to earn a spot at the top of her field. In less than 10 years, she went from working in retail stores to leasing space for high-profile retailers in some of the country's most desirable locations. Yunis worked briefly in residential real estate before making moves first to commercial office leasing and then retail brokerage.

"As global commerce grows, so do the needs of our clients. We're continuing to broaden our reach, and I'm excited to have Amira take on this new role," said Newmark Knight Frank CEO Barry Gosin. "She has demonstrated tremendous growth and exceptional talent, with a solid track record from which to build."

She joined Newmark Knight Frank Retail in 2000 and has since attracted an impressive roster of clients, including Aldo, Fossil, Valentino, MMissoni, Gucci, Town Sports International, Benetton and Le Pain Quotidien. Among her recent transactions, Yunis represented Valentino in securing its flagship location in Boston and its Costa Mesa, California store in South Coast Plaza; secured a new 22,206-square-foot Hudson Square location for Town Sports International (New York Sports Clubs) at 225 Varick Street; negotiated a 15,000-square-foot lease for Rare Hospitality's Capital Grille sole New York location in the Chrysler Building; represented Aldo Shoes and Fossil in numerous locations throughout Manhattan; and brokered several national and New York locations for Le Pain Quotidien.

As an owner representative, Yunis has worked on multiple Manhattan properties owned by some of the city's most high-profile real estate owners, including Goldman Sachs, Emmes, New York University, Advance Realty, Highgate Holdings, and Steinberg & Pokoik, for which she successfully managed the repositioning of 575 Madison Avenue to now house several international flagships. She also represented the Benetton family in the leasing of the Scribner Building to Sephora for its NYC flagship.

Yunis was recognized as Newmark Knight Frank's "Top Retail Broker of the Year" for two out of the past three years. Earlier this year, she and Newmark Knight Frank president James D. Kuhn won the Real Estate Board of New York's "Retail Deal of the Year Award" in recognition of the transaction that most significantly benefited the Manhattan retail market. Yunis and Kuhn represented New York University in leases to Trader Joe's Co. and Straight fromm the Crate at 140 East 14th Street.

A native of Minnesota, she is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the Commercial Industrial Brokerage Society (CIBS).