Nationally accredited architect Jon Zimmerman has joined Cushman & Wakefield‘s Project and Development Services (PDS) in the West as a Managing Director.
Zimmerman will be based in Cushman & Wakefield’s office in Irvine (Southern California). In his role as Managing Director he will be responsible for the firm’s PDS activities in the Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Inland Empire (Southern California), and Phoenix markets. Zimmerman possesses the Lean Sigma Black Belt designation, an accomplishment which very few architects in the world have obtained.
For more than 30 years, Zimmerman has worked on technically driven projects such as research and development, first article production facilities, manufacturing and assembly in a wide range of industries.
These include micro-electronics, labs, aerospace, medical device, food processing, hazardous occupancies, machining, milling, injection molding, etc. These projects have included efficient consolidation of organically grown organizations, interior improvements to existing buildings as well as ground-up facilities.
During his esteemed career, he has led several functional groups and has been responsible for overseeing and integrating entire project teams. These multi-functional design and engineering teams have been as large as 50+ staff with projects ranging up to 650,000 square feet and valued at more than $200 million.
Zimmerman also assists clients in the pre-transaction phase to help them better understand the development process, project costs, construction and facility needs. With his unique knowledge he equips his clients to save time and money. With a unique philosophy of helping clients to think differently, he visions with his clients by conducting Collaborative Workshops where they collectively plan process driven facilities in real-time, helping broaden discussion and potential solutions and build collective confidence.
“Our team’s hiring of Jon was strategically and purposely ‘outside the box’,” said Jim Wrich, Cushman & Wakefield’s Director of Project and Development Services for the Western Region. “Jon possesses a special set of skills and experiences that truly sets him apart from other professionals in our industry. He is a creative problem solver and has been highly successful across the varied industries he has worked because he is always client driven, possesses deep experience, has developed a unique tool to plan operations, and he approaches projects holistically.”
Zimmerman began his career working for Rockwell International Defense Electronics for 13 years in Anaheim, CA, where he elected to work on technically driven projects, steering away from the “cafeteria remodels.” Due to his unique approach and achievements, he was hand-selected by the Corporate Vice-President of Global Operations to integrate and solve issues in process driven operations which were preventing the timely delivery of sophisticated military hardware.
Zimmerman has established many successful and long-term relationships with major clientele. He has worked with both General Dynamics’ Electric Boat and Jet Aviation for several years and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) for nearly two decades. Other notable clients include 3M, Siemens, Esterline, Porsche, Shimtech Industries, and PetNet. His work has transpired across North America, Europe and Asia.
“Cushman & Wakefield is a firm whose commitment to creativity and visionary strategic thinking aligns with my own, so this was a perfect cultural fit for me,” said Zimmerman. “I am eager to be working with my new project team in the West, composed of tremendous industry leadership and talent, while having access to the deep resources and relationships across one of the world’s leading global real estate networks.”
In addition to his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt accreditation, Zimmerman is also a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) and a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
