Similarly, what I do isn't just about moving a few people, it's a strategic plan around the country or even internationally. Retail brokers have been the Rodney Dangerfields of brokers. My promotion in some strange way may help elevate all retail brokers in the city.

GlobeSt.com: What's changed in retail during your nearly 30 years in the industry?

Hodos: Clients have gotten much more sophisticated in what they demand of a deal. Retail is every bit as sophisticated—if not more so—than office because not only do the stores have to house employees but the retailers have to run a business and in 99% of cases they have to generate a positive return.

They have to look at the deal in ways didn't have to before. They look for return on investment, the 'four wall profit,' or what the store generates within its four walls in profit that can be sent back to the mother ship and the number of years of payback in that investment. If a store will cost $500 to $600 per square foot to build out; versus an office that would go for maybe $40 to $100 per square foot, our clients ask how many years it will take them to earn back what they spent for the build out. So the retail broker today has to be as sophisticated as the client. We have to up our game as a group, and certainly we are doing so at CBRE. My promotion elevates that process.

We've had to become experts in finance, logistics and even legal issues because leases now have elements we didn't see before. For example since 9/11, there are discussions of security and insurance.

GlobeSt.com: Is the industry embracing or fighting the creation of the omni channel experience?

Hodos: Everyone predicted that the rise of the Internet would be the demise of stores. It didn't prove true so now stores have to create an experiential event., and we're seeing that. For example, at the Burberry store in London, when you stand in front of a mirror, a hologram appears in the mirror that explains where an item came from and how it's made. There's a lot of theater. We think omni channel is going to enhance the retail experience.

GlobeSt.com: As you look ahead, what are you focused on?

Hodos: Our mantra is to become world class. We probably already are— given who our competition is—but we want to be even better so we need constant improvement in all we do. We want to help our clients achieve success and we define that by customer satisfaction.