Hines has specialized in the life science sector for over 10 years, representing early-to-late-stage Fortune 500 life science companies around the Bay Area. She is now a senior vice president with GVA Kidder Mathews. Berrueta, who spent the past five years at Cresa, will be a vice president specializing in life science, clean tech and office/R&D properties.

[IMGCAP(2)]Seattle-based GVA Kidder Mathews is one of the largest independently owned commercial real estate firms on the West Coast, with 191 brokers in 9 offices in Washington, Oregon, and California. The company's platform offers its executives, managers and top brokerage professionals the opportunity to own stock in the company and lets its brokers keep 90% of the commission once they top $125,000. Hines was not immediately available Thursday afternoon for comment.

"We have…built a platform that is extremely attractive to brokers," GVA/KM executive VP and managing partner Steve Bouret said in January, after it lured veteran Silicon Valley broker Bruce Horton out of a brief retirement to be a senior vice president in its Santa Clara office.

The Santa Clara office was launched in September 2008 when the firm agreed to merge with Santa Clara-based Wayne Mascia Associates, creating the company's third Bay Area location, the other being in San Francisco. The company has six offices in Washington and Oregon.