Gary J. Lemire Passing Hits Industry Hard as Clients and Colleagues Laud CBRE/NE Veteran

ANDOVER, MA—Why the good die young is a painful question that has remained unanswered since the dawn of time. That the good die young was clearly understood again this week following the unexpected passing of Gary J. Lemire.

The robust New Hampshire native who succumbed at his longtime Andover home on Saturday, Sept. 3rd, left behind heartfelt tears among colleagues, friends and loved ones offset by the fond memories and warm feelings he engendered during 59 brief years in their midst. It is a legion this reporter is grateful to have been counted in despite the attendant grief such membership presently mandates, with the consolation being a recognition that those who did not have the opportunity to know him are the more disadvantaged constituency in the long-range scheme of things.

Andrew Hoar, co-managing director of CBRE/New England where Gary Lemire was a key investment sales principal for 17 years, has been a conduit for the commercial real estate industry’s response to his passing, and reports the reaction has been consistent and “overwhelming” from clients and peers who have phoned the Boston office or sent personal messages via e-mail and other correspondence. “To a person, they have all talked about Gary’s integrity and loyalty and what a great guy he is,” Hoar relays in an interview. “It is a tragic and sudden loss clearly for his family and friends, but also for the partners and employees at CB where he worked for so many years.”

Hoar acknowledges the unanimity of favorable comments is especially striking in an industry dominated by a Darwinian capitalistic system famous for creating animosity and straining the limits of ethical behavior. “Gary always did the right thing,” recounts Hoar, also crediting the veteran broker for unwaveringly putting the company and its clients ahead of personal gain or recognition. That sentiment was echoed by fellow brokers who dealt with him in the trenches. One sales expert who has been on the opposite side of the table in several transactions terms Gary Lemire “the consummate professional” in resolving the occasional conflict, a sentiment repeated by a broker at another competing firm who also praises his industry knowledge and ability to accurately assess the value of a given investment property. “Gary knew his stuff backwards and forwards,” says the rival. The esteem held by his colleagues was evident during Thursday’s wake in North Andover at which numerous prominent industry members came to pay respects, among them brokers, developers and investors.

Gary Lemire’s professional accomplishments certainly are impressive, having risen through some of the top shops of their day such as the Codman Co. and Leggat McCall/Grubb & Ellis before joining what would become CBRE/NE in 1994. During his tenure, he completed sales valued into the billions of dollars on behalf of such industry heavyweights as the Archon Group, Bank of America, Prudential Real Estate Investors and RREEF. Even during the recent market slump, the pipeline of deals continued, with Gary leading a team that traded several properties during the past year.
A graduate of Northeastern University, Gary Lemire aligned himself with leading CRE organizations as well to advance his market knowledge, including the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, Real Estate Finance Association and NAIOP Massachusetts, where he served as a member of the Executive Committee.

Hoar and others lauded Gary Lemire’s unwavering devotion to family, having remained close to his brothers and sisters while raising two daughters, Cara and Danielle, with his beloved wife, Thea. Those who know him also recall the avid and accomplished golfer’s acumen on the links, plus his support of local sports teams including the Boston Red Sox who finally repaid the enduring loyalty of their lifelong fan with two championships in the new millennium.