Real estate newcomer scoops up LI veterans

Long Island newcomer and commercial brokerage firm Jones Lang LaSalle has scooped up six veteran industry executives - four from Corporate National Realty in Woodbury, formed in 1988 by Samuel A. Rozzi.

Jones Lang, headquartered in Chicago, opened shop in Melville in February 2010.

The CNR executives who made the move are Reid Berch, Thomas DiMicelli, Douglas Omstrom and Joseph Lagano.

Ray Ruiz, Jones Lang's executive vice president on Long Island, now has 12 employees on the Island.

Moreover, Ruiz said, Jones Lang is more than doubling its space here, moving to a 5,400-square-foot building at 324 South Service Rd. in Melville.

The building is owned by Ted Weiss of T. Weiss Realty of Melville. Ruiz said Jones Lang plans further growth on the Island, despite the weak economy.

"This is not uncommon in the real-estate industry," Ruiz said. "People feel comfortable looking out 10 to 12 years."