Thornton Oliver Keller loses Thornton, who starts new firm

The founder of one of Boise’s dominant commercial real estate companies, Tim Thornton of Thornton Oliver Keller, and two other TOK brokers have left TOK to start a new firm.

Thornton, who founded the company more than a decade ago, teamed with brokers Guy Levingston and Gary Buentgen in a new brokerage, Intermountain Commercial Real Estate LLC.

The new firm has opened a 1,700-square-foot office in the River Run office complex in east Boise at ParkCenter Boulevard and Riverpark Lane.

Thornton said last week that the departure, effective May 23, was “amicable” and prompted by a desire to operate a more specialized brokerage firm.

“My reasons for leaving had nothing to do with the company itself as far as the working environment,” he said. “It had to do with wanting to get into a smaller operation that focused purely on brokerage work, as opposed to being a single source for all commercial real estate needs.”

“I enjoyed being an integral part of the company from its inception until the day I left,” said Thornton, 37. “I wish them the best in their endeavors.”

Ron Eardley, TOK’s chief operating officer, declined to be interviewed for this story, but confirmed the departures last week in a statement that said the company will continue to operate as usual and will retain the Thornton Oliver Keller name.

“The separation with Thornton Oliver Keller was most amicable and we wish them well,” Eardley said in the statement. “We are pleased for them in their decision. We embrace the change and are excited about the opportunities it affords Thornton Oliver Keller going forward.”

“Our name, our commitment to the market, and our focus on serving our customers and clients with unparalleled service remains unchanged,” said Eardley.

Thornton said he and his two partners will continue to specialize in the areas of commercial real estate that they worked in at TOK. Thornton will focus on retail while Levingston, 45, covers office and Buentgen, 51, specializes in industrial areas.

“We’ll focus on providing brokerage services within those specialties without the distraction of running or overseeing any other component of the commercial real estate industry,” Thornton said.

“We don’t want to be all things to all people,” he said. “We want to provide the most focused and targeted commercial brokerage services in the Valley.”

Intermountain Commercial has employed one staff person and may hire one more support person and an additional broker in the future, Thornton said.

“At this point in time, we’re very comfortable with the group we have,” he said.

Thornton grew up in San Diego, but attended high school in Ketchum. He launched Thornton Oliver Keller in October 1990 as Thornton & Co., starting the firm in a spare bedroom in his home.

Peter Oliver joined the firm as a partner in 1992. The two met while working together at brokerage firm CB Commercial in San Diego. Partner Mike Keller joined the firm in 1995. Oliver and Keller have remained with TOK.

Thornton Oliver Keller was instrumental in developing Boise Research Center at Chinden Boulevard and Cloverdale Road in the 1990s. With 32 buildings totaling 1 million square feet, it is the largest business park in Idaho.

The firm employs nearly 60 at its downtown Boise office in the C.W. Moore Plaza at Fifth and Grove streets. Besides Oliver and Keller, partners include brokers Mike Ballantyne and Bob Mitchell.