Independence has its price and yesterday Joe Barnicke was paid it.
The legendary founder of Canada's last major independent real estate brokerage sold his 48-year-old firm, J.J. Barnicke Ltd., to London-based DTZ Holdings PLC - a move partially dictated by the global competition that has squeezed out mid-sized companies.
The last straw for the 84-year-old Mr. Barnicke - the firm's largest shareholder - probably occurred when he watched an agreement he had signed with another independent firm fall apart when rival CB Richard Ellis Ltd. bought his new partner.
