He Will Forever Be Missed
DENNIS COLEMAN
HONORING THE LIFE OF
CHRIS McDOUGALL
The Commercial Brokers Association (CBA) honors the life and legacy of Chris McDougall, President & CEO. Chris was a respected leader, a thoughtful colleague, and a dedicated advocate for the commercial real estate community. His leadership, integrity, and vision shaped CBA in lasting ways, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him.
This space has been created for staff, board members, and colleagues to share memories, tributes, and photos in celebration of Chris’s life.
ABOUT CHRIS
Chris joined CBA in 2018 and devoted himself to elevating the commercial real estate profession and strengthening the connections that fuel it. Under his leadership, CBA expanded its reach, modernized its services, and deepened its impact across the region. Chris was a champion of the commercial real estate industry, a steadfast advocate who brought people together, sought input from all sides, and built clear, executable plans around shared priorities. He saw the role of CBA not just as a resource, but as an engine for professional excellence and a model of industry unity. His legacy can be felt in the strengthened partnerships, the enhanced tools and standards, and the sense of shared mission that continue to define CBA today.
Outside of work, Chris valued time with his wife, their two children, and their corgi. He enjoyed traveling, golfing, hiking, and spending time with friends. As a proud WSU graduate and an avid sports fan, he loved cheering on his Cougs and following his favorite teams.
TRIBUTES AND MEMORIES
Below are the photos, messages, and reflections contributed by those who knew and worked with Chris.
We are grateful for every memory shared here.
I give CBA permission to share this message and any uploaded photo on this page.
THANK YOU
Thank you for visiting this page and taking a moment to honor Chris’s memory. Your tributes and photos mean a great deal to his family, to our staff, and to our entire community.
I am still shocked and saddened by the loss of my friend and colleague, Chris McDougall. I had met Chris previously through industry events, but truly grew to know him after serving on the search committee that hired him as CBA’s CEO in 2018. It was immediately clear that Chris demonstrated a rare combination of technological prowess, real estate experience, and strong leadership skills, making him the clear choice to lead our organization. Over the past eight years, our professional relationship evolved into a genuine friendship, strengthened through CBA business trips to Portland, Tucson and Boise, where we found several mutual interests in addition to commercial real estate, including (bad) golf, classic rock trivia, and our love for the Cougs. Chris was a true friend, a brilliant executive, and he will be truly missed.
Chris was just the most fun! He was an influential leader in the CRE world of Brokerage with his roles in CBA and CBAC (formerly WSCAR). He had the vision we could all get behind. He listened to our ideas and concerns as critical issues moved through our industry. Chris fully understood the role of the Broker, relationship to our clients and how legislative issues affect our industry. He will be very very missed.
I will always be impacted by Chris's kindness and genuine interest in others. Serving on the Board of CBA was such a joy for me. He was super supportive of everyone he had an opportunity to work with, and such a wonderful example in leadership. He could always seem to find the good in a situation and had patience to work with such a variety of folks. He was an amazing asset for the CRE community and will be sorely missed. And he always enjoyed a good golf outing!
Chris was an outstanding person, always cheerful and supportive of everyone with whom he might be working/playing or having fun! And he was soooo patient with some hard-headed brokers! He did so much for our industry, driving both technological and management improvements for our association. A wonderful guy! Peace be with you!
We have lost an extraordinary man and a true leader in the real estate industry. During my time serving with him on the CBA Board, he demonstrated through both words and actions, what it means to lead with integrity, honor, and respect. These qualities are often spoken about, but Chris truly embodied them every day. He was a class act in every sense of the word, and he will be deeply missed.
While I did not get the opportunity to work with Chris directly, I met him at various industry meetings. His support of our CRE industry is unquestionable and he was and always will be respected. Thank you all for recognizing the values he represented in meetings and outside.
I had the pleasure of serving with Chris on the WSAE board. He was a great source of inspiration and solutions. More than once he offered me professional help and assistance with my own organization. He was always so kind and a genuine person. He will be greatly missed. Rest easy, Chris.
I'm so very grateful I was able to meet and chat with Chris on several occasions. His knowledge and charisma combined in one person was inspiring! I'm deeply saddened there will be no further opportunities for collaboration and will carry memories of Chris throughout my career. May your memory be eternal.
Chris, I am fortunate to have known you my friend. Your enthusiasm for life was infectious. You were such a huge positive force to anyone that had the fortune of knowing you. Your creative approach to business was instrumental in helping the industry you cared so much about move in a the right direction. You are sorely missed.
Sending a special note about Chris McDougall. I know that many share my sense of deep gratitude for the impact he made on our industry as a friend and leader. He had a way of bringing out the best in people, leading with humility and compassion while setting a standard of excellence that inspired everyone around him. Though he left us far too soon, Chris’s influence lives on in the many lives he touched, and he will be deeply missed. So sorry for his CBA team and his family. Sending love and light. Warmly, Candice.