Hughes Marino

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Vice President of California Bank & Trust / Zions Bancorporatino

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Full service banking operations with commercial banking, commercial real estate, consumer and small business banking, private banking and wealth management, among many others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hughes Marino to accomplish?

• Tenant representation services on new commercial RE leases and lease renewals
• Lease administration services
• Lease operating expense audit services

SOLUTION

How did you find Hughes Marino?

Referral

Why did you select Hughes Marino over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Hughes Marino were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Hughes Marino has represented our company on over 100 tenant lease transactions over the past 28 years, both new lease executions and lease renewals. They have also provided comprehensive lease administration services and detailed operating expense audits.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

CB&T has had a very high-quality long-standing relationship with Hughes Marino. They have provided professional representation during over 100 lease transactions. During these transactions they have been a strong advocate for our firm, helping us achieve excellent results as we executed on our geographic location strategies. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team consistently met objectives, provided work product on time and with high quality. They were always responsive and transparent with good communication.

What was your primary form of communication with Hughes Marino?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Hughes Marino is careful to align its objectives with those of its clients to ensure a high quality outcome for all.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Hughes Marino could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Brighton Jones, a wealth management firm with over $26 billion in assets under advisement and 4,000 clients. Our mission is more than growing and protecting wealth — it’s about empowering you to live a richer life by aligning your resources with what matters most to you.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hughes Marino?

We needed help growing our footprint across the US.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hughes Marino is embedded with our team and understands our strategy. They’ve helped us identify our location in each market, negotiate our agreements and leases, and are proactive with all real estate needs each market has. Hughes Marino understands our financial model, how we forecast headcount needs, the strategic locations we want to be located for our business, and our lease non-negotiables. Their deliverables include possible locations that fit our criteria, lease negotiations and reviews, and helping each deal get across the finish line in a smooth manner.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–3 teammates from Hughes Marino.

How did you come to work with Hughes Marino?

Hughes Marino reached out to us, and we’re glad we took the meeting. We chose them because they had high ratings, a great culture fit, good value for the cost, and company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them before 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve expanded our market through a larger office footprint across the US. We’ve gone from 5 markets to 29 markets, and those new markets account for 40% of our new business development goals. We’ve also seen cost savings, improved lease terms, and operational efficiencies.

They've helped us expand across the US, and each office space deal we do in a new market, they've led us through the process. 

How did Hughes Marino perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on time and are professional, personal, and timely. We communicate via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, email, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by the real partnership and relationship we have with Hughes Marino. They understand our strategy and our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of ServareGMP

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Biotechnology 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hughes Marino to accomplish?

• Finding highest quality facility within our budget

SOLUTION

How did you find Hughes Marino?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Hughes Marino over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Hughes Marino were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We worked with Hughes Marino over the course of a year as our business requirements shifted, and they were constantly patient and responsive to our very fluid requirements.  Being a small business, rent is critical to us, but not at the sacrifice of operational excellence.  Hughes Marino was able to get us both a great deal and a space that met our needs, for the length of term we were constrained to based on our contracts.  Great service and trusted results are hard to find today, and get got them with Hughes Marino

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Successfully found and negotiated an ideal R & D lab under our projected budget

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Excellently 

What was your primary form of communication with Hughes Marino?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We've worked with Hughes Marino over the course of a year as our business requirements shifted, and they've been constantly patient and responsive to our very fluid requirements.  Being a small business, rent is critical to us, but not at the sacrifice of operational excellence.  Hughes Marino was able to get us both a great deal and a space that met our needs, for the length of term we were constrained to based on our contracts.  Great service and trusted results are hard to find today, and get got them with Hughes Marino

Are there any areas for improvement or something Hughes Marino could have done differently?

Nope, they were fantastic. Exceeded our high expectations.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner and chair of the real estate department at Procopio, Corey, Hargreaves and Savitch LLP, an AMLaw 200 law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hughes Marino?

We needed to modernize our firm's use of office space for the post-COVID-19 work structure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hughes Marino is our broker for finding new office space and enhancing our existing office space to better fit our needs. The team has helped us find great office space and has given us tremendous insight and valuable guidance on how to best use that space to fit our needs and goals.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–5 teammates from Hughes Marino.

How did you come to work with Hughes Marino?

Someone referred Hughes Marino to me. I chose them over other options because they had high ratings, a great culture fit, and company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2025, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We're currently in the negotiation stages, but we feel very good about the direction of the project. We've received favorable offers, and Hughes Marino is helping ensure efficiency, cost savings, and employee satisfaction. For example, they've found solutions that will result in monetary savings while creating spaces that will draw employees back into the office and otherwise better our office space.

How did Hughes Marino perform from a project management standpoint?

So far, Hughes Marino has delivered on time. We communicate via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and email or messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Hughes Marino has deep market and industry knowledge and is extremely creative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

So far, they've exceeded our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Pannikin Coffee & Tea

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a community-focused café that roasts our own coffee, bakes in-house, and serves thoughtfully sourced coffee and tea.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hughes Marino to accomplish?

• Represent us exclusively as a tenant to renegotiate our existing lease and expansion with a strategy that protected our interests and eliminated landlord-biased conflicts of interest.
• Secure materially better financial and operational lease terms, including rent reductions, tenant improvement allowances, and flexibility aligned with our long-term growth plans.
• Provide expert commercial real estate guidance across site selection, negotiation, and legal review to minimize risk and maximize value.

SOLUTION

How did you find Hughes Marino?

Referral

Why did you select Hughes Marino over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Hughes Marino were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Hughes Marino provided comprehensive tenant representation and strategic advisory services related to our commercial real estate needs. The scope of work included evaluating our space requirements, advising on market conditions, and representing our interests throughout the site selection and negotiation process.

Key deliverables included:

Strategic guidance on commercial real estate options aligned with our business goals

Market research and analysis, including comparable properties and lease terms
Site selection support and evaluation of potential locations
Lease negotiation and financial analysis to secure favorable terms
Ongoing advocacy, communication, and coordination through execution

Throughout the engagement, Hughes Marino acted as a dedicated advocate on our behalf, offering clear, data-driven recommendations and managing a complex process with professionalism and transparency. Their expertise helped streamline decision-making and ensured our interests were protected at every stage.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Hughes Marino delivered clear, data-driven guidance that helped us make confident real estate decisions. The project resulted in improved lease terms, cost savings compared to market benchmarks, and a smoother negotiation process. Their expertise reduced risk, improved timeline efficiency, and ensured alignment with our long-term business goals.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Hughes Marino’s project management was highly organized, proactive, and transparent throughout the process. They consistently delivered items on time (often ahead of schedule) and kept us informed at every stage with clear timelines, regular updates, and thoughtful guidance. Their team was extremely responsive to our needs, quick to address questions or changes, and always acted in our best interest. We felt well-supported and confident knowing they were managing details, advocating for us, and anticipating issues before they arose.

What was your primary form of communication with Hughes Marino?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Hughes Marino truly operates as an extension of our team. Their tenant-only focus, transparency, and genuine care for the client experience set them apart. We felt fully supported throughout the process, and their expertise gave us confidence at every decision point. They balance professionalism with a very human, relationship-first approach. They were proactive, detail-oriented, and genuinely invested in helping us make the right decisions. We’d highly recommend them.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Hughes Marino could have done differently?

We were very happy with the process and the outcome. Nothing stands out as something they should have done differently—any small challenges were navigated smoothly and collaboratively.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of operations at an AI computer company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hughes Marino?

We needed help finding a location for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hughes Marino has found locations for us, scoped the tenant improvements, managed contractors and bids, and ensured all work was done correctly and according to the plan. The team has been very involved in all aspects of the project.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with 2–5 teammates from Hughes Marino.

How did you come to work with Hughes Marino?

We've known Hughes Marino for 20 years. We've used them to find a handful of places over the years. We chose them because there was no conflict between buyers and sellers' agents, and we knew we'd get the best deal because they don't work with landlords and aren't beholden to them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from June–July 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Hughes Marino has been awesome to deal with. The team has delivered on time and on budget.

How did Hughes Marino perform from a project management standpoint?

Hughes Marino has a great team and great project managers. We communicate in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Hughes Marino makes the process easy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on.