After nearly 40 years serving the commercial real estate needs of the Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania, NAI Mertz has continued to thrive and grow by routinely attracting and developing agents and staff that are in the early stages of their careers. A culture of mentoring and collaboration enables the conversion of individual knowledge into corporate wisdom benefiting younger team members and sustaining long-term success. As a company with a strong foundation, we appreciate the need to evolve in order to thrive in an ever-changing industry. We find it important to respond to that which is important to today’s professional: loyalty, social impact, a seat at the table and work/life balance. The Wilkes-Barre, PA office (NAI Mertz of PA) is a prime example of how an investment in agents at the onset of their career pays substantial and enduring dividends. Steve Cole, fresh out of the military, joined the brokerage community in the mid-2000’s and was promptly greeted by the worst downturn of the economy since the Great Depression. Working with Dave Weaver, SIOR, vice president and Fred Meyer, SIOR, executive vice president, along with some help from his brother Bryan Cole, SIOR, principal of NAI Keystone, Steve gained valuable insight, both into the Northeastern Pennsylvania market and how to leverage the NAI Global platform to extend the pool of opportunities beyond the immediate territory.