JACKSONVILLE, FL—As the market improves, brokers are jockeying for the expected growth in 2012. NAI Global is the latest to win an affiliate relationship with a local brokerage.

NAI Global expands its coverage into Jacksonville by singing Hallmark Partners. And NAI Hallmark Partners is wasting no time to recruit new brokers in the face of what it sees as new opportunities. Charles White and Jacob Horsley have joined the firm as part of the expansion of the company’s brokerage and services group.

“Hallmark Partners is one of Northeast Florida’s strongest real estate services firms and I am delighted that they are joining NAI as our Jacksonville area representative,” NAI Global executive vice president David Blanchard said in a statement. Hallmark’s services include land brokerage, tenant representation, landlord advisory, and build-to-suit.

Alex Coley, president of Hallmark Partners, tells GlobeSt.com his firm has been exploring alliances for many years and in fact almost aligned with NAI four years ago. After exploring the possibilities, Coley settled on the NAI platform because he believes it has the best practices and best fit for his group.

“We are very committed to being the technological leader and best practices leader in our marketplace,” Coley says. “We believe some of the big commercial real estate outfits offer a corporate format that is not nearly as agile, engaged and customer centric as we are. NAI gives us an opportunity to become part of a global platform while remaining customer-centric approach.”

Coley sees opportunity in Jacksonville, and so do other brokers. According to CBRE’s third quarter highlights, industrial employment is expected to increase. Although vacancies are still rising in retail, office and industrial, Coley is seeing an uptick in activity.

“We are seeing some activity in the market,” he says. “Companies are starting to expand and our portfolio is starting to fill up. Our organization is taking this opportunity to grow. We’ve added two people initially and we’re looking to add several other people behind them at a time when other companies are struggling.”