Coldwell Picks Commercial Unit Chairman

James J. Didion has been named chairman and chief executive of Coldwell Banker’s Los Angeles-based commercial group, effective Jan. 1. He succeeds J. Frank Mahoney III, 59, who announced his retirement effective Dec. 31.

Didion, 46, currently is president of Coldwell Banker commercial real estate services, a division of the commercial group. The commercial group, one of three Coldwell Banker groups, engages in commercial real estate brokerage, real estate management, appraisal, real estate finance, real estate development services, market research and other services. It has more than 5,200 employees and 91 brokerage offices in 28 states and Canada.

In an interview, Didion said he plans “no changes that would be noticeable or dramatic. Mahoney managed very well . . . so I might want to go along the same track.”

A successor to Didion was not named. Coldwell Banker is a unit of Sears, Roebuck & Co.