CASM Global Founder and Principal Jingru (Cynthia) Dong has captured an inaugural Dealmakers Award from the CCIM Institute.

She was recognized for her role in brokering the $115-million sale of the 51-year-old Cotttonwood Centre mall in Chilliwack, B.C. Dong received the award during CCIM’s recent Fall Forum in Vancouver, where she and her company are based.

CCIM called the Cottonwood deal a “retail repositioning win.” She represented local buyer Finix Holdings as it purchased the 954,835-square-foot property from a consortium that included PCI Developments, Northland Properties and Nicola Wealth, who are also based in the Vancouver region.

CCIM praised Dong for demonstrating “exceptional tenacity” and a holistic finance-driven approach to close one of the most notable retail transactions in Western Canada this year.

The seller group had successfully backfilled major vacancies left by former anchor tenants, transforming the enclosed mall into a dominant retail node, CCIM noted.

As part of her strategy, Dong skipped a standard letter of intent and went directly to a formal purchase offer, securing a legally binding agreement quickly. Dong’s biggest challenge was to secure financing for the large acquisition amid a tight lending environment that forced her to work with an advisor and approach 20 lenders.

Ultimately, she secured the funding through a Canadian insurance company, backed by contingency plans.

CCIM said Dong demonstrated her dedication to getting the deal done by extending the due diligence five times and submitting six separate condition-waiver letters to complete the transaction and accommodate her client’s interests.

The sale highlights the sustained investor interest in dominant retail assets, especially those that have undergone successful value-add repositioning, CCM added.

This marks the second time in recent years that Dong has won an inaugural award. In 2023, she was among the first recipients of Connect’s Canadian Women in Real Estate Awards.

She founded CASM Global in March 2023 after spending 12 years as an investment specialist with Macdonald Commercial in Vancouver. During her career, she has been involved in all aspects of the commercial real estate business while completing hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions annually.

As a CCIM member, she holds the highest globally recognized designation in commercial real estate, and has real estate licenses in both B.C. and Alberta. She is also a certified financial planner and has earned awards as an insurance specialist as well as an investment expert.

Utilizing her English, Chinese and Japanese-language skills, Dong provides expertise in investment, market, user-decision and financial analysis.

Pictured: Cottonwood Centre mall in Chilliwack, B.C.

Photo: Cottonwood Centre management.