HOUSTON--Two childhood friends are taking top management roles at Savills-Studley in Houston.

Drew Morris has been promoted to senior managing director and Jim Bell is the firm's new managing director. Morris, one of the original five brokers when the firm re-launched in Houston in 2003, has known Bell since he was five years old.

“It's been most enjoyable convincing Jim to come work with me,” Morris told GlobeSt.com. “The success and acknowledgement…it's been very satisfying.”

Morris, who has nearly 20 years of experience focusing on leases, purchases, sales, dispositions, build-to-suits and headquarters assignments, has completed over 500 transactions in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and 15 other cities, totaling over 10 million square feet. Since helping to re-launch the Houston office, the firm has quadrupled in size, and it's now one of the top-five performing nationwide.

Bell, formerly a middle-school teacher, got into real estate more than 10 years ago. With his niche in office lease acquisitions, lease dispositions and lease restructurings, Bell is resourceful and “takes a softer approach.” Colleagues describe him as a patient leader who's not Type A all the time.

“Real estate is a tough business,” Bell told GlobeSt.com. “But for me, I [try to] find a way to connect with clients.”

As Bell transitions into more of a leadership role within the firm, his goal is to mentor those just getting into the business, much like Morris did for him.

“We have a partnership built on trust,” Bell says of Morris. “Going forward, it will continue that way.”