Bland Cromwell, a 27-year real estate veteran in Waco, was honored as Coldwell Banker Commercial's No. 1 producer in the world at a conference held last week in Las Vegas.

Cromwell, a partner in Coldwell Banker Commercial Jim Stewart Realtors, brokered sales in excess of $35 million during 2003.

"I was pretty excited, pretty honored," said Cromwell, 49. "I've spoken before a thousand people before, and some people say I'm never at a loss for words. But I was struggling at the ceremony because the award was a surprise."

Cromwell said he brokered "several deals of right around $4 million to $5 million" last year that contributed to his $35 million total.

Among his more high-profile transactions were the sale of CenterPoint shopping center on West Waco Drive - home to Toys R Us and Mervyn's - to an investment group. He also brokered the sale of a building near Hewitt and Imperial drives once occupied by Raytheon, the defense contractor that sold its local operations to L-3 Communications. The building has been leveled to make room for a Wal-Mart supercenter under construction.

Cromwell also brokered a land deal that put Eckerd Drugs at New Road and North Valley Mills Drive, as well as the sale of a vacant Winn-Dixie building at Sanger Avenue and State Highway 6 to Waco Cardiology Associates.

Coldwell Banker Jim Stewart Realtors is Waco's largest real estate agency, where 60 salespeople and about a dozen support staffers work. The agency brokered $271 million in commercial and residential sales last year. The commercial unit that includes Cromwell, Brad Davis, Randy Reid, Josh Carter and Jim Peevey contributed $77 million in brokered sales to that total.

Stewart said Cromwell overcame great odds to win this prestigious award.

"It's a phenomenal thing he's done in a secondary market like Waco," said Stewart. "When you compare this market to places like Los Angeles, Detroit, Miami, Dallas . . . I had people coming up to me at the convention who couldn't believe it. They were wondering what I did to rig the thing."

Stewart said he recruited Cromwell right out of college and has watched him become an "unbelievable negotiator."

"He's very tenacious, very bright, he sees a deal to the end when most people are still thinking about the beginning," said Stewart.

Stewart founded Jim Stewart Realtors in 1970, but his company did not become affiliated with Coldwell Banker until 1999, when Stewart bought Coldwell Banker Hallmark Realty from Barbara Rusling.

Cromwell had finished in the Top 5 internationally three times in brokered sales before winning the award for 2003.

Coldwell Banker Commercial has more than 450 commercial real estate offices with nearly 3,300 sales associates throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Cromwell beat them all in winning his latest award.

"The Coldwell Banker Commercial Platinum Circle of Distinction award is the ultimate honor among our sales associates," said George Slusser, president of Coldwell Banker Commercial, in a prepared statement. "Not only has Bland achieved this coveted distinction, he has earned recognition at several other levels, including being our top producer globally."

A Waco native, Cromwell graduated from Richfield High School and Southwestern University. He has brokered deals that brought several major industries to Waco, including Minute Maid, Allergan, Clayton Homes and Patriot Homes.

Cromwell serves as regional director of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors and is president of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco. In his spare time, he plays keyboard for Hourglass, a band that plays classic rock.