Exclusive Q&A: McCarthy Cook & Co VP On The Importance Of Putting People First
Many companies are focusing on investing in human capital these days, and that's changing the office landscape, says McCarthy Cook & Co VP of leasing Michael Coppin. Mike is one of the all-star panelists scheduled to speak at Bisnow's Annual Orange County Evolution of Office Series event at 7:30am May 17 at Radius in Tustin.
Bisnow recently caught up with Mike (pictured above with his wife, Liz, and children) to talk about office trends, his family and the importance of putting people first.
Bisnow: How did you get involved in the industry?
Mike Coppin: I was actually born into a real estate family, watching my father run a successful commercial brokerage firm (Keegan & Coppin Co) in the Bay Area where I grew up. My initial academic pursuits began with the intention of following my creative instincts with the study of architecture, but later turned toward economics and real estate development.
Bisnow: What is your company's strategy when it comes to leasing?
Mike Coppin: McCarthy Cook’s strategy in all things business is predicated on the core belief that the relationships we build with our investors, teammates and tenants is priority one. (Mike is pictured with Liz at the McCarthy Cook Christmas party last year.) Our leasing strategy derives from this core value in our dedication to the tenant (and broker) from their initial interest in our property to the commitment our team makes to be true entrepreneurial problem-solvers and service professionals throughout their tenancy. We genuinely are a customer service company that happens to do real estate.
Bisnow: What do you identify as the current trends in office environments?
Mike Coppin: Companies today have far more to consider than just bottom-line occupancy costs and per employee efficiency metrics. (Mike is pictured here with his family at his brother-in-law's wedding at the University of Notre Dame.) A growing number of companies are strategically focusing on their human capital as it relates to their work-life quality, culture, employee engagement and overall productivity as a result. Putting people first, many companies are now more focused on delivering environments that serve as a powerful tool to attract, engage and retain high-performing talent, which makes us, the owner-operators of their real estate, more of a strategic partner than a feudal landlord. It’s all about the “work experience,” giving value to those environments that emphasize and enrich a company’s brand, functionality, flexibility of work style, and connectivity to the outdoors and community.
Bisnow: Please tell us about some of your company's latest projects.
Mike Coppin: McCarthy Cook & Co owns or operates nearly 6M SF of institutional office product from San Francisco to San Diego, with several exciting redevelopment and reimaged projects to boast both past and present. The MET (formerly MetroCenter at South Coast) is one of our largest, most prolific projects that we recently purchased with our partners at Prudential. With a capital budget exceeding $25M, our team is converting an '80s vintage, traditional granite high-rise environment into a truly engaged high-rise campus environment with abundant access to both private and public outdoor space; a tenant conference center and executive lounge; a one-of-a-kind food truck runway and resort-style seating areas within the central courtyard; an event lawn for social and business gatherings including live music weekly; outdoor cabanas with fire pits and lounge seating; urban communal gardens; wellness areas; a fitness loop; and a foodies’ dream pub-café offering healthy food pairings, including happy hour events and local micro-brew tap takeovers. We are also in the entitlement phase of a major redevelopment project in West LA (currently known as Trident Center) that will absolutely knock your socks off when you see the $150M surgical extreme makeover this asset will undergo that will drastically change the office landscape in West LA.
Other projects worth noting are the two San Diego office campus assets we own, both having been completely reimaged and repositioned recently as well, namely Enclave Sorrento, a 200k SF Class-A low-rise office campus, and Sorrento Towers, a 560k SF Class-A mid- and high-rise office project.
Bisnow: What do you like to do outside of work?
Mike Coppin: When I’m not working, my family and I often ride our bikes to the beach together, enjoy friends or family grilling in the backyard, and are always up for a good country music concert. (Mike is pictured with his family at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, celebrating the birth of his son, Jackson.) As a former collegiate athlete, I do find myself trying to chase my glory days most mornings either in the pool or gym whenever possible.
Hear more from Mike and our other all-star panelists at Bisnow's Annual Orange County Evolution of Office Series event at 7:30am May 17 at Radius in Tustin. Sign up here!
