RIPCO Real Estate has hired Tampa Bay-based broker Kris Kral. In his new role, Kral will concentrate on both tenant representation and providing advice and leasing expertise to owners of strong local and regional properties.  The region he covers is central and southwest Florida including Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota and Naples.

Prior to RIPCO, Kral was a broker at The Shopping Center Group, and worked at Delhaize America and 7-Eleven developing supermarket and convenience store locations. He earned his Master of Science in Real Estate from University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

“My instincts told me to reach out to RIPCO as I believed my local knowledge and their way of doing business would mesh. I met with the partners and we struck an arrangement quickly,” said Kral. “There has been a great diversification of retail uses throughout Florida, and I aim to capitalize on those opportunities at RIPCO. For instance, we anticipate continued demand for supermarkets, boutique fitness concepts and quick-service restaurants, to name a few.”