PALO ALTO, CALIF. — Marcus & Millichap President and CEO Harvey Green has announced plans to retire from the firm. A formal search is under way for Green's replacement — a search that he will assist with to help ease the transition.
Green first joined the firm in 1981. In his time, he helped open its Encino office, which has since become the firm's flagship office. After being appointed COO in 1996, and then president and CEO in 2000, Green saw the company grow from a regional brokerage firm to one of the nation's largest. In an interview, Green says that he has also seen real estate itself grow during that time period as well. The industry has become much more professional, he adds, of which there is no better example that the numerous schools all across the country that now offer degrees in real estate.
While the past couple of years have been hard for the industry as a whole, Green sees a light at the end of the tunnel.
“One of the reasons Mr. Marcus, Mr. Millichap and myself chose this time [to transition leadership] is that we feel we're bouncing on the bottom and the cycle is about to come on us,
he says. “This is a good time to put new management in place.”
Following the transition, Green plans to remain active within the real estate community, including various boards and trade organizations. He will not transition immediately to a new position, but he is keeping himself open to possibilities.
“Who knows what the future holds, but right now it's an appropriate time to step back, look at my options and work on my golf game,” he says.
— Coleman Wood