Matthew Dearnley’s commercial real estate career has come full circle.
More than 20 years after first entering the industry in Little Rock, Dearnley is now helping lead brokerage efforts at Flake & Co., bringing with him a background that spans development, brokerage, property management, and investment across Arkansas.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Dearnley moved to Arkansas as a teenager when his family relocated. After graduating from Pulaski Academy, he returned to New York for college and later earned his MBA from the University of Miami in 2002.
Soon after graduate school, he moved back to Little Rock and began his career in commercial real estate. Less than a year later, he relocated to Northwest Arkansas, where he became involved in several major development and brokerage efforts. His early work included time with Orion Capital Partners during the development of Blessings Golf Club, and he later helped launch the Northwest Arkansas office of Flake & Kelly.
During his time in Northwest Arkansas, Dearnley played a major role in growing the firm into one of the region’s prominent commercial real estate operations. Under that leadership, the office expanded to more than 1 million square feet of property under management and built a strong brokerage presence in the market.
In 2020, Dearnley returned to Little Rock to join Flake & Co., where he now serves as head of brokerage. Working within a close-knit family company, he helps oversee brokerage activity while contributing across multiple areas of the business. The firm currently has 10 employees and manages approximately 1.25 million square feet of property, with plans to significantly expand that footprint in the coming years.
Dearnley’s experience includes office and multifamily development, investment property ownership, land acquisition, and brokerage transactions throughout Arkansas. He has also worked closely with clients on strategic site selection opportunities, including utility and commercial development projects.
Looking ahead, his focus is on helping grow Flake & Co. into one of the leading commercial real estate firms in the state while building something lasting for the next generation.
Outside of work, Dearnley and his wife, Jessica, live in Little Rock with their family and remain invested in both the community and the future growth of Arkansas.
