Tim O'Connor, executive vice president for the Minneapolis, MN-based NorthMarq tells GlobeSt.com San Antonio opening is more return to the status quo, as opposed to the launch of a totally new branch office. NorthMarq, he explains, had a brief stint in the Alamo City at one time. Though San Antonio and Central Texas weren't targeted locations for current expansion, O'Connor explains Leonard and Jordan, both of whom have worked at other NorthMarq offices in the past, approached management to open shop in San Antonio.

From a strategic point of view, the location "makes a nice triangle between the Dallas and Houston offices," O'Connor comments. Other new offices that have opened within the past several months are in San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA. But O'Connor acknowledges NorthMarq really likes Texas.

The company has expanded its Dallas and Houston operations with three hires per office in recent months. Bart Dickinson, Charlie Robertson and Phillip Bankhead came on board in Dallas, while Jim Adams, Brant Smith and Andy Hill joined the Houston staff."Texas is a market that's done a lot better than other markets," O'Connor remarks. "It's on a continued projected growth path, and we wanted to be in on it."

Does this mean burgeoning offices and new branches throughout the Lone Star State? O'Connor says there's no race to overpopulate Texas with NorthMarq employees, especially given the current economic slowdown. As of now, nothing is on the drawing board, and the San Antonio office has officially ended the current round of expansions.

Still, "I've learned never to say never," O'Connor says. "The market has a way of changing, and if opportunities present themselves, we'll be glad to look at them."