James Maxfield is the broker/owner of Maxfield Real Estate Group. Mr. Maxfield has been interested in economic development issues and concerns since the recession of the early 1980s. During the next decade, Mr. Maxfield became a highly experienced specialist in the brokerage of industrial real estate and appraisal. In 1990, Mr. Maxfield became involved with the Lake County Development Council and was trustee through 1993. His goal is to increase the involvement of manufacturing companies in their communities and to assist companies with business problems. The expansion and retention of our manufacturing economic base is of primary concern.
His interests in both manufacturing and real estate led him to the industrial-incubator concept. After studying many different industrial incubator start-ups and formats, he formulated his own incubator concept, taking the best ideas from other incubators, then innovating the concept to include several unique key investment and financing techniques, which have now become almost standard for the industry. In association with The Cambridge Group and limited partnerships, Jim is involved in locating and starting industrial incubator operations throughout the country.
Jim has been in real estate for over 25 years and obtained his broker’s license in 1989, and he has extensive experience in manufacturing production and food service management. In addition to his formal education, Mr. Maxfield has over eighteen years of progressive experience in manufacturing as a prototype machinist, tool and die maker, draftsman, estimator, purchasing, sales and marketing, production, management, tool room supervision, and plant management. He also owned his own small tooling shop for two years in the mid 1980s.
In 1988, Jim completed the required series of courses that lead to the CCIM designation. Jim is also a trained paralegal with special interests in issues that are important to manufacturing companies, such as Workman’s Compensation, OSHA, employment law, EPA regulations, Patent and Intellectual law, and product liability.
Jim is currently a double Masters Degree candidate at Cleveland State University in English as well as Urban Planning & Design with an emphasis in economic development. He remains an active member of the Ohio Commercial-Industrial committee of OAR, a member of the National Incubator Association (NBIA), and was a former trustee of his local economic development counsel.