Michael Divaris is President of the Divaris Group of companies which includes Divaris Real Estate, Inc. (DRE), Divaris Property Management Corp., Ingenuity Development, Creative Development Partners, KLNB Asset Services, and The McGarey Group. DRE is a full-service brokerage firm with a portfolio of approximately 40 million square feet in management and leasing assignments nationwide. The Group currently employs over 200 people and has offices in 15 cities in the United States. Michael heads up the Office Leasing and Investment Sales Divisions and is responsible for the firm’s Property Management Group.
Michael Divaris serves as Vice Chairman of The CORE Network, a national group of over 20 commercial real estate companies with affiliates throughout the U.S. and Canada. This organization represents corporate and institutional clients, as well as tenants and buyers in all aspects of leasing, management, development, strategic planning, tenant representation, acquisition, disposition and finance; he was the chairman of the organization from 2008-2011. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Old Dominion Real Estate School, the Central Business District of Virginia Beach Board of Directors, Hampton Roads Public Television and Radio Board, and is a past President of the Virginia Stage Company.
After graduating from the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa in 1972 with a degree in Business Administration and Business Finance, Michael Divaris joined the Anglo American Corporation where he was the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the Anglo American Property Company. He was responsible for the asset management of the group’s portfolio in the Cape Province.
Michael and Gerald Divaris co-founded Divaris Real Estate in Cape Town, South Africa in 1974 and together grew the business into one of the largest South African commercial real estate firms with offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria. In 1982, Divaris Real Estate opened its first U.S. office in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Michael Divaris permanently relocated with his family in 1987. Michael graduated from the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa with in 1972 with a degree in Business Administration and Business Finance.
Past and current Corporate Service Accounts:
- Alltel Communications – Acquired by Verizon Wireless in 2008 – DRE was one of three exclusive real estate providers– 10 years
- Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern – Acquired by AECOM in 2008 Exclusive Corporate Manager for the firm for 7 years prior to acquisition.
Watershed Concepts – (Engineers) National Account – 5 years - Dermalogica – Acquired by Unilever’s Prestige Brands division in 2016 – US and Canadian Corporate Services – 15 years
- International Dermal Institute – in US and Canada – 15 years
- Chartway Federal Credit Union – 5 years
- Employment Guide/Trader Publishing -National Preferred Service Provider –10 years