Parker has been a resident of the DC area for more than two decades. Before joining PM Realty, he worked for Cassidy & Pinkard, where he reopened the firm's Northern Virginia office and cultivated the brokerage business with clients such as the World Bank and Lend Lease. But as the director behind the new Eastern Division office, Parker will engage in a multi-faceted strategy to increase his firm's prominence in the areas of development, leasing, property management, finance and investment sales.

Penetrating the DC market is, of course, among the primary tasks on his to-do list. "There's a 300 million-sf office market here and people sometimes segment it too much," he tells GlobeSt.com. "There are three different jurisdictions," Parker continues, pointing out that some tend to overlook the fact that metropolitan Washington includes many bustling cities in Maryland and Virginia. In addition to growing business in the Washington area, Parker is also charged with taking the company's successful Atlanta regional office to the next level. "The Atlanta operation has really grown," he notes. "We have quality people in the office. The next step is being able to define a competitive edge and attract more clients." And if DC and Atlanta do not present Parker with a thoroughly diverse range of goals, he still has the remaining four eastern division cities to oversee, where his experience in leading regional offices to the top of their game will come in handy.

Parker brings more just experience and determination to the table; he brings connections to power players from inside and outside the real estate world. He currently serves as vice-chairman of Virginia's Loudoun County Economic Development Commission and will be chairman for a two-year period beginning December. Parker describes the commission as "an advisory group to the Board of Supervisors, and we work with commissioners as well as a huge cross-section of individuals." Parker is also president of the Dulles Area Transportation Association where he crosses paths with developers, property owners, elected officials and a variety of area employers.

Parker concedes he has quite a bit on his plate, but he gleefully welcomes the opportunity to further strengthen PM Realty's footing in the area. "I'm taking the company and expanding its transactional aspects and presence in this market," Parker notes. "But this is a market of very talented and bright people. We're competing with some of the best people in the country. It's going to be a challenge, but they're fun challenges."