JBC Commercial: Fargo’s New Commercial Real Estate Brand
Written By: Brady Drake, Fargo Inc!
In the Summer of 2019, a group of veteran commercial real estate professionals, led by Jim Buus and Lori Ibach, formed JBC Commercial Real Estate. Jim Buus had been serving as GOLDMARK Commercial’s President and was also a part-owner. Buus, Ibach, and five other veteran agents and administrative staff left together. Additionally, Dovetail Development LLC, owned by Elissa Novotny, which had been collocated with the team, left to collaborate with JBC Commercial.
JBC Commercial is owned by Jim Buus and Lori Ibach; the two have a combined 50 years of experience. For a variety of reasons, the team felt there was an opportunity in the market to conduct commercial real estate in a different way than they had been doing, a style that features less conflicts of interest, more collaboration amongst the stakeholders and more integration with the overall brokerage, design and development process.
In addition to being commercial real estate leaders, the JBC Commercial team prides itself on active community involvement and leadership.
Team members are involved and participative in a myriad of local organizations such as the West Fargo Youth Hockey Association, North Dakota State University, Bison Football Players Association, NDSU Team Makers, TNT Kids Fitness, Vitalant Blood Services as well as respected business groups such as various chambers of commerce, Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, Moorhead Business Association and the Executives Club of Fargo Moorhead.
Women Entreprenuers
The story of JBC Commercial and Dovetail Development has a distinct woman entrepreneurial angle. Opportunities to own and run their own businesses were limited for Lori and Elissa in their previous work environments, so these entrepreneurs decided to take destiny into their own hands. Both have actively embraced the risk, thrill and opportunity of being female entrepreneurs in a competitive and male- dominated industry. This storyline also extends to the recruitment of new talent: JBC Commercial actively recruited for a female commercial agent to join the team and was delighted to secure Jessie Evanson, who is already an owner of two local businesses.
Commercial Property Brokerage
The JBC Commercial brokerage team had already been market leaders in regional commercial sales and leasing activity, but now with new team members and a new brand and style, the team is poised to continue its market share and leadership in commercial brokerage. Whether it’s a business owner who needs help finding a new location or a property owner or developer needing marketing help or collaborative partners, the JBC Commercial team is open to discuss how and what we can do for that business.
The JBC Commercial team. From left to right back row: Jessie Evanson, Brent Kuehne, Anthony LaVoy, Garett Smith, Logan Carney, Dylan Urbach. Front Row: Laura Sobolik, Jim Buus, Lori Ibach, Tony Paul
Architectural Services
Through JBC Commercial’s in-house partner company, Dovetail Development,LLC, they offer full-service architectural design, construction management, development services and project consulting.
Elissa Novotny, AIA, serves as President of Dovetail Development, and has over 15 years of diversified experience and holds an M.Arch degree (Masters in Architecture) from the University of Minnesota.
Development Services
A key goal with the JBC Commercial and Dovetail Development collaboration is to be better positioned to act not only as sales and leasing brokerage leaders but leaders in the regional development and construction scene. While the team had already been active and growing its development presence in recent years, especially in the Detroit Lakes, MN community, they are now better positioned to actively promote and market these services region wide.
