Meet Tom Bretz, a visionary leader with over 24 years of experience in the residential and commercial real estate industry. As the co-founder and CEO of Elmdale Partners headquartered in Skokie (IL), Tom’s mission is to consistently revolutionize his business models with a growth-oriented, diverse, and inclusive culture that sets his organization and ancillary companies apart from the competition.
Under Tom’s leadership, Elmdale has achieved remarkable success by purchasing, developing, and managing both commercial and residential properties as well as other real estate service businesses throughout Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Wisconsin. One of his proudest achievements is leading the roll-up strategy of residential brokerage firms under the CENTURY 21® brand, which resulted in, at the time, the creation of the world’s largest CENTURY 21 franchise for eight consecutive years.
Today, CENTURY 21 Circle and Commercial Affiliated Real Estate has over 1,400 relentless sales professionals in 40+ offices in Illinois, Indiana and Florida who deliver extraordinary residential and commercial client experiences and help make a difference in the communities where they live and work.
In addition to their expansive real estate holdings, Elmdale has diversified its portfolio to include: Acuity Title, one of the Midwest’s largest private title insurance companies; Skylight Insurance, an independent provider of home, commercial, auto, and rental policies; Real Estate Sales Academy, a provider of training programs and resources to individuals who are interested in becoming licensed real estate agents or brokers, or to those who are already licensed and looking to improve their skills and knowledge; and the Professional Referral Network, a global platform that helps real estate agents looking to expand their business, increase their reach, and enhance their reputation in the industry.
Tom and the Elmdale team are renowned for their innovative approach to real estate and for creating a workplace culture that empowers employees to thrive, earning numerous accolades, including being named one of the Top 30 Residential Real Estate Firms in the U.S. and winning the Chicago Real Estate Housing Innovation Award. Elmdale is also recognized as one of Chicago’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, and Tom also serves as a member of the Young Presidents Organization.
When Tom isn’t transforming the real estate industry, he enjoys spending time with his wife Jennifer and their two children in their Chicagoland home. Tom received his JD and an MS in Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and he is dedicated to staying at the forefront of industry trends and best practices.