MBN USA

March 31, 2023

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Mohr Partners is world’s largest tenant representative-only commercial real estate advisory firm certified as an MBE

By Tonya McMurray

When Robert Shibuya was completing the management buyout of Mohr Partners Inc. in 2017, he decided to leverage his new ownership by obtaining certification as a minority business enterprise (MBE).

This pivotal move strategically placed Mohr Partners, a commercial real estate advisory firm, in a unique position within its industry. With this new designation, Mohr Partners became the world’s largest tenant representative-only commercial real estate advisory firm certified as an MBE.

That focus on diversity has become a key component of the company’s success. In 2021, Mohr Partners attained Corporate Plus® status with the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council Inc, which allows Mohr Partners to not only seek out diverse suppliers for the products and services it purchases, but also to create a diverse workforce.

“Our objective is not only to be diverse from an ownership standpoint, but [also] to be diverse throughout the organization,” Chairman and CEO Shibuya said. “We are now five years into our diversity mission, and I’m very proud of the fact that, of our more than 200 associates, a third of them are people of color. Almost 70% of our leadership are women, so we’re also gender-diverse.”

Strategic growth

Mohr Partners was founded by Robert Mohr in 1986 with one office in Dallas, Texas. The company is now one of the top global corporate real estate services providers, with more than 20 offices across the United States and strategic partners that represent the company in countries throughout the world.

Shibuya joined the company as president in August 2014. As part of the company’s succession and strategic growth plans, he and his wife, Michele, became majority shareholders in 2017.

Mohr Partners has doubled in size since Shibuya took the helm. The challenges of COVID-19 and the resulting difficult economic environment contributed to the company’s growth as more companies opted to outsource some business operations. The company was named the Dallas Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council’s Supplier of the Year – Class III in 2022.

“Our objective is to double the size of the company every three to five years,” he said. “My growth path is for us to grow organically. We grew 20% a year through COVID, so I think that’s an indication that we have a sustainable business model. We’re very bullish on our growth.”

Mohr Partner’s growth is supported by a network of strategic partnerships with some of the largest global real estate companies, as well as with firms that provide complementary services such as facilities management. These strategic partners are increasingly interested in including diverse partners, which has allowed Mohr Partners to become a preferred firm for many of them.

‘It’s all about the people’

The biggest challenge for the company is finding the right people — especially in a field that does not always attract many diverse candidates.

“We are a services company,” Shibuya said. “Our greatest asset is our people, and we have worked hard to find the right people. And after you find them, you have to keep them.”

The firm is a dedicated supporter of two organizations that promote diversity within the real estate industry — Project REAP: The Real Estate Associate Program and African American Real Estate Professionals of Dallas/Fort Worth or AAREP™-DFW. Project REAP is a nationwide organization promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in commercial real estate. AAREP operates through regional chapters focused on the professional development of African Americans in commercial real estate.

In addition to hiring the right people, Mohr Partners also focuses on the internal company culture. The company focuses on retaining employees with investments in professional development and a commitment to promoting from within.

“We encourage people to get to know each other,” Shibuya said. “We want them to enjoy being here. A lot of our people have been with the firm for most of their career – if not their entire career. They started in very junior positions, and some are now in our C- suite. That’s an important part of our success. It’s all about the people and the relationships.”

To learn more about Mohr Partners, visit MohrPartners.com.