Transwestern senior vice president of management services Christy Means says the bid process for a new management team involved four firms, and believes Transwestern won the day because of its previous relationship with USAA. "We have some assets in Denver we manage for them and have done some leasing capacity for them in other markets," she tells GlobeSt.com.

Means says the 90%-occupied portfolio is, on average, four years old, meaning not much in the way of upgrades will be necessary over the short term. The key here, she continues, is to forge strong relationships with the tenants in the buildings. One of Transwestern's major components is that of customer service, and Means says it's another reason why USAA selected the company.

"The goal is to maintain buildings in accordance to tenant and USAA's expectations, and to enhance the properties' value," she remarks. "This involves maximizing efficiencies whenever and wherever we can and getting to know the tenants."

The assignment means the local Transwestern office now manages just under 15 million square feet of industrial product throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Means says the company has been working hard to beef up the industrial side of its portfolio, especially during the past two years. With the USAA addition, Transwestern further expands its capabilities. "It's great we're working with a large institutional owner with a lot of premier real estate that is well-respected in the industry," Means remarks.