Today, our firm is completely focused on diverse hiring, and it's important to note that our diversity encompasses more than just race - it also reflects increased gender diversification, various ages and cultures, and members of the LGBT community.

The fact is, a homogeneous workplace where everyone shares the same point of view and skill sets is likely to produce the same results - repeatedly.

In an era where change, innovation and technology have completely altered the investment landscape, today's commercial real estate industry must move toward diversity in order to keep up.

For example, our team is extremely varied in age, comprised of brokers from their early 20s, all the way to their early 70s. While younger professionals may have an advantage when it comes to adopting new technologies, seasoned agents have years of experience that can help to ensure deals get closed, while providing insights to next-generation brokers in the process.

As our industry continues to evolve, we believe that commercial real estate companies that embrace and actively pursue a diverse workforce will find themselves well-positioned for strong future growth.

By having a diverse team, firms can quickly adapt to their environment and provide clients with what is needed to get deals done in the current environment,

GlobeSt.com: We see that your firm moved its headquarters to The BLOC, a mixed-use urban development in the heart of downtown LA. What drew the company to put down its roots there? Can you discuss the changes happening in that area, and your projections for the future of downtown?

Sagiv Rosano:Downtown LA is growing, and our company has been located here since 2009. Our new location in The BLOC is a reflection of what we believe will be the future of commercial real estate brokerages - urban, amenity-filled workspaces in which firms can encourage collaboration and embrace diversity.

Based on its central, transit-oriented location and many nearby offerings, The BLOC is a workplace that embodies Rosano Partners' culture and mission. Our team in Los Angeles enjoys a modern, urban work environment, and has the flexibility they need to embrace a healthy work-life balance, providing team members with access to many nearby amenities, such as gyms, restaurants, shopping and transportation.

With regard to changes in Downtown LA and our projections for the future, we believe that both density and demand will continue to increase in this market, resulting in ongoing shrinkage of suburban sprawl and a further influx of mixed-use residential and retail development in the area.

In the office market, Los Angeles County is on pace to perform extremely well in the next 12 to 24 months. Office vacancies are low, and demand remains high as companies grow in the region.

For example, many large tenants are now making the choice to transplant their headquarters back into downtown Los Angeles, including LA-based law firms, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, and Alston & Bird, among others. The growing mass transit infrastructure in the area will support these employers and offer realistic commutes for potential employees. This activity, coupled with strong rental forecasts for the next 24 months, will continue to fuel developers' confidence, which will soon lead to new office development.

GlobeSt.com: Millennials remain a huge topic of conversation in the commercial real estate world. What strategies does your firm have in place to appeal to millennials, both as employees and as clients?

Whitman: Appealing to Millennials requires open-mindedness and a strong focus on technology.

Millennial employees are seeking companies with management that welcomes new ideas and embraces forward momentum, while the entire millennial generation wants complete transparency delivered via the latest tech innovation.

While many commercial real estate firms are hesitant to embrace new technologies, Rosano Partners is committed to innovation, and we provide employees and clients with cutting edge technological advances, allowing them to be able to access the information they need at any time.

For example, we have developed a proprietary CRM software in collaboration with Propertybase, a firm that has developed a customized a version of Salesforce that is tailored to the real estate industry.

Through our software, we are able to give our team members access to all details regarding their clients and deals from wherever they may be. Team members can easily connect remotely via a mobile device and feel equipped with all the information they may need to move a deal forward.

In addition, we've implemented GPS locator technology within this system, which will recognize the client or team member's location and provide details regarding properties surrounding them. Furthermore, they are able to directly connect with the agent from their mobile devices.

By staying ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and encouraging a collaborative, diverse team environment, we believe we will continue to be successful in attracting millennials to our firm.