Founder Profile
Colbert Coldwell
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Colbert Coldwell?
Colbert Coldwell is a founder of CBRE Group, Inc., which was founded in 1906 with Arthur Banker.
- Company founded
- CBRE Group, Inc.
- Founded
- 1906
- Co-founders
- Arthur Banker
Background
Colbert Coldwell was a San Francisco real estate broker who started the firm that became CBRE in 1906, after the earthquake and fire, with a focus on representing clients rather than speculating for the firm's own account.
Founding Story
Colbert Coldwell founded the business in San Francisco in 1906 (originally Tucker, Lynch & Coldwell) as the city rebuilt after the earthquake and fire. He built its reputation on acting for clients instead of trading property for the firm's own account. Arthur Banker joined in 1913, and the firm became Coldwell, Banker & Company, growing into a major West Coast brokerage. That firm's commercial business later became CB Commercial (1989), CB Richard Ellis (1998), and today's CBRE.