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A deep understanding of religious communities and their mission enables us to assess and align real estate assets to service ongoing ministry and the future needs of a particular community.
Thomas Zimmer III
Senior Vice President, Esq.

Experience

Tom has over 35 years of experience working on complex real estate projects and transactions. He brings extensive knowledge and expertise in all aspects of real estate, including entity structure, land use, entitlements, dispositions, financing and legal as well as the overall development process.

For over 10 years, he has worked exclusively with religious institutes and communities assisting them with decision-making and planning regarding their real estate, and the implementation of those plans. He has developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing religious institutes today, which is reflected in his approach to assessing the unique needs of each community. His background and experience enable him to communicate the real estate needs and resolutions to leadership and community members and provide him the tools to address necessary changes.

Prior to joining Plante Moran Realpoint (PMR), formerly Plante Moran REIA, Tom was president and owner of Cornerstone Real Estate, Inc., where he developed properties and performed tenant representation services for users of retail, industrial and office space. He was a developer for Walgreen Company in Michigan. He provided brokerage services as well as developing locations for multiple well-known retailers nationwide. Before founding Cornerstone, Tom was a Partner at Trammell Crow Company and an in-house Real Estate Attorney at Kmart Corporation.

Tom is a licensed attorney and real estate broker in the State of Michigan and a Certified Civil Mediator. Tom received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Western Michigan University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Michigan State University College of Law.