Partner Broker Highlight – Kathy Gigac

Managing Director & Tenant Representative at Avison Young (Raleigh–Durham)

In this Partner Broker Highlight, TenantBase sat down with Kathy Gigac, Managing Director and Tenant Representative at Avison Young, to discuss her unexpected start in commercial real estate, how she built one of the most respected tenant-rep teams in the Carolinas, and the importance of partnership, persistence, and mentorship in a constantly changing CRE market.

Kathy has been a valued TenantBase partner for three years, and her journey reflects the collaboration, innovation, and client-first approach that continue to define successful tenant-rep professionals in 2025.

How did you get your start in commercial real estate?

“I got into it completely by accident,” Kathy says. “I went to school to be a nurse, lived in Pittsburgh, and later moved to North Carolina with my husband who worked in aviation. That move led me to a role with the board of realtors, and within a short time, I became the executive officer for the commercial association of realtors—advocating for brokers across 14 counties.”

Those early years gave her a deep understanding of how the business worked and built relationships that still shape her career today. “The cool part was, I got to know everyone in the business—and I’ve known them for a really long time,” she says.

From marketing to brokerage

After five years running the association, Kathy met a company owner who changed her trajectory. “He came to an event I was hosting and said, ‘Why don’t you come work for me? Write your own job description and tell me what you want to do.’”

That opportunity led her to create and run the firm’s first marketing department, teaching herself digital marketing and web development. “Do I have a degree in marketing? Nope,” she laughs. “But I figured it out fast.”

During that time, she earned her real estate license after noticing a gap in her office: “I saw people weren’t being very aggressive, and I thought—down the road, I can do this.”

When several brokers left, she got her chance. “I had just had a baby, so I was nervous. But the owner said, ‘Keep doing marketing, we’ll reduce your salary a bit, and you can start building your brokerage pipeline.’ That’s how I got my start.”

The turning point: shifting to tenant representation

In 2010, Kathy attended a Colliers event in Nashville that would change everything. “I was listening to brokers talk about their multi-city assignments across the country,” she recalls. “I decided right then—that’s what I want to do. I’m switching to tenant representation.”

She slowly phased out landlord work and focused entirely on occupier clients. Around that time, she built a small, tight-knit team: Baxter Walker, Thomas Kenna, and herself. “We’ve been together for over a decade,” she says. “We go after companies with multiple locations—50, 300, whatever it is. That’s our bread and butter.”

Building client partnerships that last

Kathy’s success is rooted in partnership and process. She helped design a cloud-based dashboard to manage leases, critical dates, and renewals—an idea that started as an internal tracking tool and evolved into a client-facing platform.

“We wanted to be a partner, not a replacement,” she explains. “That’s how we win business. It’s about trust, and that takes time—sometimes 12 to 18 months of conversations.”

That same philosophy drives how she uses TenantBase. “I’ve used TenantBase to help our newer brokers get fed sooner,” she says. “It’s been a real benefit for our office—connecting our team to real tenant opportunities faster.”

Mentorship and advice for new brokers

“I tell everyone the same thing: don’t pick your specialty on day one,” Kathy says. “Spend a year or so learning from different people—see what speaks to you.”

She’s currently mentoring several new brokers at Avison Young, helping them find their niche and develop a long-term vision. “If you’re doing something you love and you’re consistent about it, the money comes. But you have to show up, learn, and listen.”

Her other piece of advice? “Listen more than you talk. That’s how you understand what a client really needs.”

The market today

Kathy remains optimistic about the Raleigh–Durham market. “Industrial is strong, retail is strong, and small office deals under 15,000 square feet are still moving,” she explains. “Companies are willing to pay a little more to be in places where their people actually want to come to work—those live–work–play environments.”

She’s also seeing growth opportunities in life sciences and flex spaces as new manufacturing incentives take shape. “There’s so much innovation happening—it’s a great time to be in tenant rep.”

Partnership, purpose, and persistence

From her accidental start to leading one of the Carolinas’ most successful tenant-rep teams, Kathy’s career is proof that consistency, creativity, and genuine partnership still win. “We’re lucky to do what we do,” she says. “Helping companies grow and watching their success—that’s the best part.”

TenantBase is proud to work alongside brokers like Kathy Gigac, whose leadership and collaboration reflect what tenant representation is all about: trusted relationships, lasting impact, and shared success.

Read more from our Partner Broker series, including Matt Watson’s feature here.