TCC Principal Flips to Retail Side

DALLAS-In a surprise market move, long-time principal Steven H. Zimmerman has exited Trammell Crow Co. for a managing director's role at the Retail Connection. The top-ranked office rep is trekking into retail for the first time in his 20-year career to be a "broker 'maximizer'" for the rank and file.

"My role is to be a leader and not get into the day to day," Zimmerman explains to GlobeSt.com. "I'm not here to reinvent the wheel. These guys know retail. I'm just trying to add gears to the bike." His mission is to mentor the 22-broker team in the corporate ways of building sustainable, long-term client accounts, tricks of the trade that he's picked up during nine years at TCC. As managing director of brokerage, he'll also be involved in business development and coordinating efforts for brokers to move forward and help their clients to expand. He'll also be scouting for local brokers to add to the team.

Zimmerman, a TCC principal for five years, says the idea to join lifelong friend, Steven A. Lieberman, founder of the Retail Connection, started with a comment on the basketball court. Last year, Zimmerman passed several names to Lieberman to consider for the slot, but it wasn't until earlier this summer that he added his own name to the list.

"I've truly enjoyed my time at Trammell Crow Co.," Zimmerman stresses. "I wasn't looking. I wouldn't have left to be an office broker anyplace else. It was just one of those perfect storms." As the 35-year friends started to seriously consider the plan, Zimmerman says he realized "what a perfect fit it was."

TCC executives were unavailable by publication time to comment on the amicable departure. "They recognize what I'm doing now is a truly unique opportunity," Zimmerman adds. Though he's new to retail, his black book of corporate office accounts includes the locally based Neiman Marcus Group Inc.

Lieberman has been staying a steady course for three years to build the Retail Connection. He says the 50-employee company's volume is 70% higher than last year's, which was double the year before. Like others in the trade, he's not disclosing the numbers, but the market knows the deals are flowing at a fast and furious pace.

"It's an exceptional growth rate. It speaks to the quality of the team we have and the clients we have," Lieberman says. "Steve brings additional corporate real estate experience to the team. His experience, talent and focus will be invaluable for what lies ahead."

Lieberman says he'd interviewed several candidates for what he calls a "broker 'maximizer,'" touching on all fields from brokerage to legal to find the right match. Not only is Zimmerman a "100% cultural fit," but he's known the majority of the team at least 15 years.

"Everyone realizes this is one of those special fits," Lieberman says, "and wants to see how it all plays out. We're still in the first steps of our company."

Alan P. Shor, president of the Dallas-based Retail Connection, says "we are both excited and fortunate to have Steve join us in this very important role." Zimmerman, still settling into the role, "will be a key component in the company's continued growth and success," Shor says.