The Dealmaker

Possibly the most influential person in Miami's ongoing facelift is a Paris-born, Toronto-raised workaholic named Edie Laquer

A A A Comments By Kirk Nielsen Thursday, Jun 8 2000

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Over the next few years Laquer is poised to make millions more in commissions as she sells property for Quik Park CEO Jacob "Hank" Sopher. Sopher, who hails from New York City, works from his $2 million home on Fisher Island. Sopher's land holdings, worth about $100 million, are among the most substantial in Miami. "Hank uses Edie exclusively because she's the best," Fisher explains. "He came to Miami and where does he end up? Not with Coldwell Banker or any of the other big names; he ends up with Edie Laquer. I think her name is synonymous with big projects and who is the best. She's the Rolls-Royce of the industry." (Sopher did not return several calls seeking comment for this story.)

With her flair for humble pride, Laquer adds her own assessment: "There's no secret. There's no magic to this industry. It's just hard work. I know this sounds terribly pompous -- you can quote me saying it sounds terribly pompous -- but I don't have any competition. Because no one does it the way I do it, and I'm not too shy or too humble to say that."

Steve Satterwhite

Laquer's legwork has preceded the building of prominent urban landmarks such as CocoWalk and the Yacht Club condominium tower in Brickell

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"I'm really proud," says her mother. "Not because she's so successful. I'm just proud because she's a good girl."