Jeffrey Zell founded JM Zell Partners, Ltd in 1989, with a unique vision for providing client-centered real estate consulting. Developed over his 30-year career, Jeff’s innovative approach to delivering practical solutions while fostering meaningful client relationships forms the core of JM Zell’s value-added process.

Jeff believes that only by partnering with clients and truly understanding their business as well as their real estate needs can JM Zell provide long-range, comprehensive, unbiased advice. By evaluating factors including a client’s long-term needs, financial objectives, and corporate culture, JM Zell is able to provide customized, proactive and fiscally responsible solutions for major corporations, institutional investors, professional firms, unions, governmental institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

To fully realize his vision, Jeff attracted a diverse, multi-disciplinary staff of seasoned professionals who share in his philosophy (and in the profits of the company, based on client satisfaction and results). This collective approach ensures that everyone at JM Zell works for the common good, and that our client’s best interests are never compromised.

Jeff has provided strategic planning, investment, lease negotiation, development consulting and project management services for award-winning projects for over 25 years. Jeff’s greatest strengths are his creative strategic thinking, business acumen, transactional ability, marketing savvy and financial expertise. A member of the distinguished Counselors of Real Estate, available only to the most respected real estate specialists who are known for innovation and creative problem solving, Jeff is a licensed real estate broker in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Current Role and Origin Story

• Current Role Overview (5:00)
  • Jeff Zell shares his role as President and CEO of JM Zell Partners and his time allocation.
• Upbringing and Early Influences (00:05:37)
  • Jeff discusses his upbringing as a first-generation American and its impact on his career.
• Family Background (00:05:49)
  • He shares his parents’ history as Holocaust survivors and their immigration journey.
• Multilingual Childhood (00:06:06)
  • Jeff describes growing up in a multilingual household and the challenges it posed in school.
• Early Education Experience (00:08:01)
  • He recounts his initial struggles in elementary school due to language barriers.
• Father’s Influence and Business Start (00:10:07)
  • Jeff talks about his father’s successful woodworking business and his early involvement.
• Transition to Private School (00:10:20)
  • He explains his move to a private boarding school for better educational support.
• College Journey at Syracuse (00:11:00)
  • Jeff discusses his choice of Syracuse University amidst family expectations.
• Learning Style and Strengths (00:12:30)
  • He reflects on discovering his strengths in verbal skills over writte...