The State of Houston's Industrial Market

Opportunities, Investment Trends And Strategies for Success

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  Copeland Rhea

  Copeland Rhea joined Clay Development in 2014 as a Director, focusing on Leasing and New Market Developments. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wofford College in Government before joining Johnson Development Associates, Inc. During his nine year tenure at Johnson Development, Copeland was a Market Director responsible for strategic planning, market research, site acquisitions, business development, account management, and leasing for the Mid-Atlantic region. At Clay Development, Copeland handles business development, site acquisitions, project negotiations, project bidding, leasing, and construction coordination with clients.

  Clay Development

  Director, Leasing & New Market Development

  Copeland Rhea

  Director, Leasing & New Market Development

  Clay Development

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  David Claros

  David Claros serves as an Executive Managing Director in Newmark’s Houston office, specializing in industrial land and investment sales across all Texas metros including Houston, Austin-San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth. With a proven track record, Claros excels at facilitating deals for industrial developers, landowners and investors, spearheading industrial land acquisitions, dispositions and development projects. Throughout his career, he has been involved in nearly $1 billion in transactions. Claros brings to Newmark a decade of real estate experience. In the past five years alone, he has completed $500 million in industrial land transactions, covering more than 1,000 acres across Texas on behalf of institutional, corporate and private clients. Before joining Newmark in 2024, he worked as a Senior Director at Dosch Marshall Real Estate (DMRE), where he was responsible for developing and leading DMRE’s Industrial Land Team throughout Texas. Claros’ prior experience also includes time at Caldwell Companies and Palm Harbor Homes.

  Newmark

  Executive Managing Director

  David Claros

  Executive Managing Director

  Newmark

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  Warren Hitchcock

  Warren currently serves as senior vice president/senior director in the Houston, Texas office for NorthMarq Capital. With 2 decades of experience in commercial real estate investment banking, he is responsible for managing a team originating, underwriting, marketing, and closing debt and equity financing. Throughout his career he has completed the capitalization of a broad array of assets including multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, data, storage, and medical properties, ranging from suburban apartments to downtown office towers.  Warren has a long history of successfully structuring highly complex capital. He has been involved in several of Houston’s most iconic and challenging transactions.  As an example, he successfully originated the financing for some of Houston’s most challenged assets, specifically transacting and financing the 2.1 million sq. ft. Former Exxon Mobil office campus which was less than 30 percent occupied at closing. Transactions have included arranging permanent long-term life company financing, agency multifamily debt, short-term bridge financing, mezzanine debt, and equity joint ventures with various institutional capital sources. The capital relationships he has forged bridges all real estate investors including life companies, Fannie, Freddie, FHA, banks, pension funds, bridge funds, and private equity funds.  Warren is a Top 10 Producer Nationally on an annual basis at NorthMarq and currently serves on the Equity Advisor Board and Northmarq Producers Council, an appointment reserved for NorthMarq’ s top originators. In addition to his responsibilities at NorthMarq, he is an active member of a number of organizations including: Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals (ACRP) as past President & Chairman, CCIM, a NAIOP committee member, and member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) serving on numerous committees. Warren was born and raised in Houston, Tx but holds an undergraduate degree from The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. He lives by the creed “Persistence Always Pays Off”

  Northmarq

  SVP, Sr Director - Debt & Equity

  Warren Hitchcock

  SVP, Sr Director - Debt & Equity

  Northmarq

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  Blake McClendon

  Blake joined FCL Builders in 2024 as Director of Construction and market leader for their Houston office. He brings an extensive expertise in institutional grade industrial projects, having managed over $400 million of industrial construction totaling more than 10 million square feet in the greater Houston area over the past 10 years. Blake is responsible for creating and managing relationships with developers, brokers, and subcontractors and oversees the total project delivery of all of FCL’s Houston projects, from assisting customers in the due diligence stage of a potential site, to hard bidding fully designed projects, through the actual construction and turn over process, he stays committed and engaged throughout the entire life cycle of his customers’ developments. A lifelong Houstonian and patriot, Blake was born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas. He joined the Army after high school as 11B-Infantry and deployed to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After 4 years of distinguished service and achieving the rank of Sergeant, Blake left the Army to attend the University of Houston and pursue a BS in Construction Management. Today, Blake and his wife Randi and their two young children live on their small ranch about an hour West of Houston near Bellville, TX. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, bird hunting, and wade fishing the Texas coast as often as possible.

  FCL Builders

  Director of Construction & Houston Market Leader

  Blake McClendon

  Director of Construction & Houston Market Leader

  FCL Builders

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  Steve Naidu

  Steve brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as a key member of Harbor Capital's team. With a dynamic background spanning real estate asset management, development, and acquisitions, Stephen is instrumental in managing the company's portfolio of investments. Originally hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Stephen attended Colgate University in New York, where he earned his bachelor's degree. Steve also holds a Master's in Business Administration from The University of Texas McCombs School of Business in Austin, solidifying his foundation in strategic management and finance. Prior to his tenure at Harbor Capital, Stephen honed his skills in the real estate industry through various roles of increasing responsibility. Notably, he managed leasing operations in New York City for Lincoln Property Company before transitioning to roles at Meritage Homes in Acquisitions and Development, and later into asset management at Amherst Holdings, both based in Austin. Beyond his professional endeavors, Stephen can be found enjoying outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, mastering the art of barbecue, and spending quality time with his wife Natalie, their son Logan, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Brisket.

  Harbor Capital

  VP

  Steve Naidu

  VP

  Harbor Capital

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  Anthony Marré

  Anthony Marré understands the risk his real estate clients face and, by putting himself in their shoes, is motivated by finding solutions to the challenges that keep them up at night. Having attended business school before going to law school and devoting his career to real estate, he understands his clients’ business goals and sees his role as not only managing risk but being a catalyst for their transactions. Anthony sees himself not just as a part of his client’s team, but a part of their company and invested in their success. When it comes to real estate deals, clients appreciate the skills he has honed from having worked with clients on both sides of the closing table. His experience in negotiating with some of the largest institutional companies in the real estate industry, coupled with his ability to develop creative and personalized solutions to complex business problems, adds value for his clients. As a native Houstonian, Anthony fully understands the competitive and rapidly evolving real estate landscape in Texas, and clients are well served by his intimate knowledge of the risks inherent in the industry. Anthony’s commitment to his clients goes well beyond expectations. For example, the firm has incubated several start-up real estate companies in the law firm's building. Anthony assists clients in the areas of acquisition, financing, construction, development, leasing, unimproved land, apartments, condominiums, office buildings, shopping centers, warehouses, industrial developments, and mixed-use projects. He is board-certified in commercial real estate law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Texas. As Wilson Cribbs + Goren’s Managing Shareholder, Anthony also helps the firm’s founders provide strategic leadership and direction. He also oversees client development, attorney recruitment, and community initiatives. Under his leadership, the firm’s client-first culture and singular focus on real estate continue to flourish.

  Wilson, Cribbs, & Goren

  Real Estate Attorney

  Moderator

  Anthony Marré

  Real Estate Attorney

  Wilson, Cribbs, & Goren

The Backbone of Industrial Growth

Leveraging Houston’s Ports, Rail and Infrastructure Access

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  Justin Robinson

  Justin Robinson serves as Partner in Stream’s Houston office and was one of the original five team members when the Houston office opened in 2006. Justin is responsible for overseeing leasing services in Houston and under his leadership, the group has grown to become the largest third party service platform in Houston with a portfolio in excess of 43 million square feet. In addition, Justin serves as a key player-coach who is active in the day-to-day activities within the industrial leasing division for its most strategic clients. Since joining Stream, Justin has consistently been a top producer in the firm and has been recognized in the Partners Club (company-wide top 10 producers) each year. Justin is a nationally-recognized industrial real estate expert. He is consistently recognized in leading national and local real estate publications, and has earned numerous industry awards, such as Houston Business Journal’s Heavy Hitter and CoStar Power Broker. During Justin’s real estate career, he has executed real estate transactions in excess of $1 billion and has procured the development of 18 Class A industrial assets totaling over 4 million square feet.

  Stream

  Partner

  Justin Robinson

  Partner

  Stream

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  Jeffrey Pate

  Jeff brings a multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving for Gauge’s investors and its clients, having honed his skills across the disciplines of development, brokerage, corporate & investment banking and law. Most recently at Stream Realty Partners, Jeff developed a 1.3 million square foot three-building industrial project in the Southeast submarket, and successfully negotiated a full-building lease for the then-largest speculative industrial building in Houston at 784,000 square feet. During his tenure, Jeff completed 4 million square feet of industrial leases with an aggregate transaction value in excess of $150 million, earning the CoStar Power Broker Award in 2019 and 2020 (designated for the top 10 brokers in each market). During his tenure at Trammell Crow Company, he was responsible for all aspects of the development process including site selection, market due diligence, feasibility analysis, design, underwriting, financing, contract/lease negotiation and asset disposition. In nearly seven years, his retail and mixed-use developments delivered approximately $250 million in value for his project stakeholders. Jeff has a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University. He maintains licenses with the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Real Estate Commission. Jeff is an active volunteer within the Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association, a board member of the Chapelwood UMC Foundation, and a past President of the Frostwood Elementary School Dad’s Club.

  Gauge Real Estate Partners

  Principal

  Jeffrey Pate

  Principal

  Gauge Real Estate Partners

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  Michael Plank

  Michael J. Plank is the Chairman & CEO of The Plank Companies, Inc., a diversified holding company consisting of numerous operating entities engaged in manufacturing, real estate development and rail services. One such company is National Property Holdings, a Houston-based industrial property firm with a focus on the development of rail-served industrial parks and related buildings. An affiliated company, Rail Logix, is a comprehensive rail services company focused on the development of rail yards and rail-car storage facilities throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast. Together, National Property Holdings and Rail Logix develop and operate rail-served industrial parks vital to supply chain logistics. Mike is a 1983 Honors Graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 2000 and currently serves on the Engineering Advisory Board. He also serves as Chairman of A&M’s Political Action Committee and serves on the Commandant’s Advisory Council for Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets. Deeply involved in numerous professional and charitable organizations, Mike is past President of Houston’s Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and the Children’s Museum of Houston. He currently serves on the board of the Greater Houston Partnership, YMCA of Greater Houston, and is on the President’s Leadership Council at Methodist Hospital.

  National Property Holdings

  President and CEO

  Michael Plank

  President and CEO

  National Property Holdings

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  Brian White

  Brian White currently serves as a Vice President at E.E. Reed Construction. He has 23 years of experience in construction and a proven record for serving as a dynamic leader in the industry. Brian has devoted his entire professional career to the firm and specializes in industrial projects. He recently completed the Frontier Logistics Barbours Cut project in the Port of Houston and is currently working on several projects in the area, primarily in the Cedar Port Industrial Park. Brian is responsible for business development, executive oversight, value engineering, budgeting/estimating, and marketing for E.E. Reed Construction. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Science degree from Texas A&M University.

  E.E. Reed

  Vice President

  Brian White

  Vice President

  E.E. Reed

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  Caleb Trotter

  Caleb D. Trotter is a deal maker, representing clients in a variety of industries on a wide range of real estate transactions from raw land development and construction financing, to leasing, asset management, and disposition. He leverages his broad real estate experience with a collaborative, responsive, and knowledgeable approach to bring tremendous value to each project and to get the deal done. A primary focus of his practice is representing developers in connection with ground-up development of industrial, retail, office, and data center projects, as well as portfolio-level leasing and asset management for institutional landlords across all product types. Caleb has also represented both banks and private lenders, with an emphasis on construction loans and horizontal development. As the need for data centers has surged in recent years, Caleb’s practice has also evolved to include the representation of land owners, developers, and operators in this emerging market. This work includes projects for data storage, Artificial Intelligence, data/cryptocurrency mining and other operations dependent on high-volume energy consumption.

  Winstead

  Shareholder

  Moderator

  Caleb Trotter

  Shareholder

  Winstead

Future-Proofing Industrial Assets

Design, Technology and Tenant Experience

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  Mark Nicholas

  Mark partners with clients searching for new facilities; landlords seeking new tenants; and tenants expanding and renewing leases, engaging in build-to-suit projects, designing and constructing their facilities, and acquiring land sites. This wide range of experience empowers Mark to quickly understand each client’s requirements and focus his efforts to achieve the desired result. He serves as an extension of their team and leverages market research, data and technology to find the best solution. Mark specializes in industrial, land brokerage, both tenant and landlord representation, leasing and sales, site acquisition and investment sales. Since 1989, Mark has successfully negotiated over $2.4 billion in transactions for buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. He is a subject matter expert and a frequent speaker at various industry panels and events.

  JLL

  EVP

  Mark Nicholas

  EVP

  JLL

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  Travis Covington

  Travis Covington serves as President of Griffin Partners Development, where he oversees the firm’s development team. He is directly responsible for the company’s continued expansion into industrial development within Griffin Partners target markets. Previously, Travis was Vice President of Development for the Houston office of Crow Holdings Industrial. While at Crow Holdings, he was responsible for site selection, pre-development, financial modeling, capitalization, construction, leasing and asset management/disposition across the Houston metro. He has nearly a decade of commercial real estate experience and has been involved in the development and capitalization of over 10.5 million square feet of industrial space. Travis received his B.S. degree in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University and his M.B.A degree from Rice University. He is a member of NAIOP and sits on the Houston Chapter’s Development and Construction Committee. He and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters. Travis enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, cooking, fishing, and playing golf.

  Griffin Partners

  President, Development

  Travis Covington

  President, Development

  Griffin Partners

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  Rob Johnson

  Rob Johnson is a vice president at Hughes Marino, a global corporate real estate advisory firm that specializes in representing tenants and buyers. As a founding member in the firm’s Houston office, Rob specializes in advising office, industrial and laboratory users with their commercial real estate needs in the greater Houston market and across the nation. Rob has a deep understanding of Houston’s local real estate market as well as the influences that drive it. Whether clients are looking to lease, buy, or sell commercial property; Rob consistently provides expert guidance through every step of the process, ensuring informed decisions and strategic outcomes. Prior to joining Hughes Marino, Rob was a vice president at Colliers’ Houston office, and was previously a principal at Lee & Associates. Rob provides best-in- class service for his clients by utilizing his vast market knowledge and experience to achieve the desired outcomes of each client. He understands that his clients are consistently managing an array of business decisions, and acts as an advisor and liaison for real estate matters throughout the lifespan of the partnership. Out of the office, you can catch Rob attending sporting events for his four children, working on and driving his classic car and spending time with his family.

  Hughes Marino

  VP

  Rob Johnson

  VP

  Hughes Marino

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  Ziad Kaakouch

  President

  Z&Co., LLC

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  Warren Socha

  Warren Socha serves as a Project Director for Harvey Cleary, where he is responsible for the oversight and management of various projects. With over 23 years of experience in the construction industry, he has held multiple positions throughout his career. After graduating from Texas A&M University, Warren began his career on the East Coast, working on higher education projects like Georgetown University and medical work at Children's National Hospital. He relocated to Houston in 2006, where he took on several large and complex projects, including the Hobby Airport Expansion and the San Antonio Military Medical Center. Warren joined Harvey Cleary in 2019 and has emerged as a strong leader, engaging in business development, preconstruction, and estimating while providing valuable knowledge and expertise to the project teams. He has been a leader for Harvey Cleary’s industrial division, successfully selling over $300 million in new work and completing over 4.3 million square feet of projects in the last three years. Recently, he finished the Grand Central West Industrial project in Bridgeland and Carpenter’s Logistics in Baytown, while also pursuing new opportunities in Laredo, TX.

  Harvey Cleary

  Project Director

  Warren Socha

  Project Director

  Harvey Cleary

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  Andrew Raish

  Andrew Raish is known in the Houston real estate industry as an effective deal maker who prioritizes straight talk in objectively analyzing clients’ current opportunities in the face of their long-term goals. Andrew represents developers, landowners, investors, and other real estate professionals in all stages of their transactions: preparing entity formation documents, drafting and negotiating contracts for sale, addressing title and survey issues, reviewing loan documents and due diligence materials, and facilitating the closing. Andrew also has significant experience with leasing transactions concerning industrial, retail, office, and mixed-use properties on behalf of landlords and tenants. Earlier in his career, Andrew developed considerable experience as an oil and gas attorney. This knowledge of subsurface and mineral legal issues now complements his strategic advice to clients when their development plans conflict with oil, gas, and pipeline concerns.

  Ressling & Raish, PLLC

  Member

  Moderator

  Andrew Raish

  Member

  Ressling & Raish, PLLC

Industrial Growth And Expansion

The Latest Projects, Submarket Hotspots And Cutting Edge Developments Redefining the Houston Market

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  Hans Brindley

  Hans Brindley joined Prologis on October 2, 2019 as Market Officer of the Houston office. In this role, Hans oversees operations and strategic direction for Prologis’s 30 million square foot Houston portfolio. Prior to joining Prologis, Brindley served as Market Leader of Liberty Property Trust’s 10.5 million square foot portfolio. In addition to overseeing the operations of the Houston office, Brindley also led the acquisitions and development efforts for the portfolio. In total, during his 12-year tenure, was actively involved in over 5 million square feet of prime industrial developments. Additionally, Brindley has completed roughly 20 million square feet in lease transactions. Prior to joining Liberty, Mr. Brindley was a leasing and marketing director Houston office of First Industrial Realty Trust, where he was responsible for managing all leasing and marketing efforts for the company’s 6.5 million square foot industrial portfolio. Mr. Brindley serves on the Board of directors of the Houston chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). He’s a member of the Greater Houston Partnership, the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), and the LaPorte Chamber of Commerce. Brindley received his Bachelors of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas, in Austin. Brindley resides in Houston with his wife, Lauren. Together Hans & Lauren are busy raising twelve-year-old triplet sons.

  Prologis

  Senior Vice President, Market Officer

  Hans Brindley

  Senior Vice President, Market Officer

  Prologis

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  J.W. Fields

  Mr.Fields is responsible for sourcing and executing new industrial development opportunities within Texas. Specifically, Mr. Fields focuses on site identification, market analysis, design team oversight, financial analysis, lease negotiation, and disposition management. He is actively involved in multiple industry organizations including NAIOP Houston, where he serves on the Development and Construction Committee and the Real Estate Center at UT-Austin as a member of the Advisory Council. Before joining Constellation, Mr. Fields spent eight years at Trammell Crow Company where he focused on the development, leasing, and disposition of speculative industrial developments. During his tenure at Trammell Crow, he was responsible for the development and capitalization of over 4 million square feet of industrial space within the Houston market. Prior to joining Trammell Crow, he worked at J.P. Morgan in the Real Estate Banking group providing construction financing to institutional developers. Additionally, he previously served as an adjunct professor in the undergraduate real estate program at the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business. Mr. Fields holds a B.B.A. in corporate finance and an M.B.A. in real estate finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

  Constellation Real Estate Partners

  Partner

  J.W. Fields

  Partner

  Constellation Real Estate Partners

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  Jeremy Garner

  Jeremy Garner serves as a Managing Director with Trammell Crow Company, where he oversees the firm’s industrial development and investment initiatives in the Houston region. He is responsible for all aspects of the development and investment process including economic analysis of land and asset acquisitions, capital structuring, market research, feasibility analysis, due diligence, leasing, and disposition. Since joining Trammell Crow Company in 2004, Jeremy has focused on the development and leasing of over 15 million square feet of newly constructed industrial space. Additionally, he has provided site selection consulting services for clients and has overseen multiple investment syndications for medical office buildings developed by Trammell Crow Company.

  Trammell Crow Company

  Managing Director

  Jeremy Garner

  Managing Director

  Trammell Crow Company

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  James Melody

  James Melody is responsible for overseeing Hanover Company’s industrial land acquisition and development efforts in the state of Texas, with a focus on opportunities in Houston, DFW, San Antonio and Austin. Prior to joining Hanover Company, James was a Director of Industrial Development at Lovett Industrial, executing on over three million square feet of warehouse space across Texas. Before Lovett, James was at Clarion Partners in New York City where, as a member of the East Coast acquisitions team, he directly contributed to the purchase of over $1.0 billion in commercial property investments. James earned a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Finance from The University of Texas.

  Hanover Company

  Development Partner

  James Melody

  Development Partner

  Hanover Company

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  Christen Vestal

  Christen joined Provident Realty Advisors in 2022 as the Director of Development & Acquisitions. She is the first women Development Partner at Provident and one of the only women developers in the industrial sector of Houston. Christen has developed over 8 million sqft of Class A Institutional industrial facilities. She is a career industrial developer with experience in projects that range from extremely specialized manufacturing facilities to Speculative big box developments. Career highlights include a build-to-suit project for one of the largest e-commerce companies in the country, speculative distributions projects ranging from 100,000 sf to as large as 1,000,000 sf buildings under one roof. Her career consists of development of over 700 acres and $1B worth of transaction value. Christen is the 2022 RedNews Emerging Leader of the Year, RedNews Finalist for Woman of the Year and Bisnow Developing leader for 2021. She holds an MBA from the Freeman School of Business, Tulane University. Christen is a mother of two and wife to a successful real estate entrepreneur. Her and her family are members at Second Baptist Church. Christen is dedicated to giving to Sky High for Children, a very special charity that raises money to fund cancer treatments for kids.

  Provident Realty Advisors

  Director of Development & Acquisitions

  Christen Vestal

  Director of Development & Acquisitions

  Provident Realty Advisors

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  Lance Reed

  As the Director of Sales for South Texas at Cisco-Eagle, Lance Reed leads a team that specializes in material handling solutions, automation, and warehouse efficiency. In addition to managing sales and operations in South Texas, Lance oversees business development efforts across Mexico, Central America, and South America. With a deep understanding of industrial logistics and supply chain optimization, Lance works closely with companies to enhance productivity, safety, and throughput in their operations. With years of experience in the material handling industry, Lance has a strong track record of helping businesses implement strategic solutions for warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing. Cisco-Eagle focuses on integrating cutting-edge technologies such as conveyance systems, automated storage and retrieval, dynamic storage solutions and robotics to meet evolving industry demands. As the moderator for today’s BisNow panel on the Future of Houston Industrial Real Estate, Lance will guide discussions on market trends, emerging technologies, and the challenges shaping industrial spaces in one of the country’s most dynamic logistics hubs.

  Cisco Eagle

  Director of Sales

  Moderator

  Lance Reed

  Director of Sales

  Cisco Eagle