Company Culture

Trio of Women Lead the Charge at Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR

By Loni Nannini

Since it was founded 40 years ago, Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR has embraced an innovative culture and a sustainable business model designed to enable clients, employees and the community to prosper.

When Mike Hammond formed the company as PICOR in 1985, he had a client-first/employee-forward approach that would engage his employees in the overall success of the company while benefiting them beyond their paychecks.

The bold blueprint has continued over the years to now, where Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR has a rare, all-female executive leadership team in an otherwise male-dominated industry. The team of CEO Barbi Reuter, Director of Property Management Tina Olson and Director of Operations Rebecca Martinez has nine decades of collective commercial real estate experience.

“This happened organically more than intentionally,” said Reuter, who previously served as COO and president. Prior to that, she founded C&W | PICOR’s property management division. “Mike has always been gender-blind and just wanted the best people for the job, and that continues to be our policy.”

Reuter, who started with C&W | PICOR when she was in college, credits the dynamic culture for supporting the success of employees of all backgrounds.

“I grew up seeing what was possible in this field for young women and anyone else willing to work hard in what is still a male-dominated industry,” she said.

You Can See It. You Can Be It

Throughout its history, C&W | PICOR has promoted integrity, empowerment and diverse perspectives in its efforts to hire and nurture creative brokers and property managers who are effective at meeting client needs.

“Different ideas lead to innovation, and this is beneficial to our clients since our team members bring unique experiences and approaches,” Martinez said. The 22-year C&W | PICOR veteran, whose role has expanded from office management and human resources into leadership, is an example of the company’s culture of nurturing talent.

“We allow employees to grow and benefit from the company,” said Olson, who started as a temporary employee working at the front desk in 1994. “I am a big believer in promoting from within, believing in people, and bringing them up right alongside me.”

After progressive promotions, Olson assumed leadership of the property management division 10 years ago and has overseen its growth to a market share leader.

“I have done all the jobs, so when I lead my team, that is helpful,” Olson said. “I have been there and done that. I know what they do and how challenging it can be. That has helped me as a director to lead more effectively.”

In addition to fostering loyalty to minimize turnover, C&W | PICOR prioritizes mentorship and resources for employees.  

“I was mentored by Mike Hammond, so I learned from the best,” Reuter said. “I try to lead with humility and transparency. I know I don’t have all the answers and can’t be good at everything, so a strong team is important.

“As leaders, we are here to enable the growth and productivity for our people, and one of our primary roles is to eliminate distractions and friction that keeps employees from bringing their best selves to the workplace and to their clients.”

C&W | PICOR’s unique employee-based ownership structure, which is rare in the industry, helps to minimize administrative tasks and other issues that independent real estate brokers must handle themselves.

“Most brokerages are looser consortiums of independent agents. Our employees aren’t independent contractors. They are employees, so it feels more like a family,” said Reuter. “On the leadership side, that allows us to take care of the business aspect of running the brokerage so the client-facing people can focus on success and client results.”

Modeling Effective Leadership

Reuter and her team lead by example to maximize growth and productivity and groom the next generation of leaders. 

They model involvement in numerous professional and pro-business organizations, including Southern Arizona Leadership Council, Sun Corridor Inc., Tucson Metro Chamber and Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Greater Tucson. Reuter was also a charter member and past president of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Tucson, and the 2022 CREW Network global board president.

Professional and personal community involvement provides valuable opportunities for education and community connections, supporting C&W | PICOR’s tenet that relationships are a foundation of business success, Reuter said.

“We consider this more of a relationship business than a fee-based or transactional business,” she said. “At the end of the day, we bring parties together and every transaction is the result of a meeting of minds to help fulfill someone’s location or investment needs. The benefit of that is really local since every site selection − whether office, industrial, retail or multi-family − creates local jobs.”

Pictured above from left – Tina Olson, RPA, FMA Director of Property Management; Barbi Reuter, RPA CEO; Rebecca Martinez, SPHR Director of Operations. Photo by Brent G. Mathis

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