Charles Lyons-Burt
Now that J&J Worldwide Services—the McLean, Virginia-based provider of engineering services, base support operations and facilities maintenance—has officially rebranded as CBRE Government & Defense Services, its executives are excited to talk about its new direction.
After speaking at length with CEO Patrick Roddy last week, we checked in with Amanda Hendry, the company’s chief operating officer, and Darren Blue, group president of its mission critical services segment, to learn about the organization’s growth goals, cultural appeal and strategy.
Amanda Hendry (COO)
ExecutiveBiz: In your opinion, what makes CBRE Government & Defense Services a place where the best and brightest want to work?
Amanda Hendry: My perspective is that it really starts with the mission. People join us because they want their work to have real purpose—supporting mission-critical environments, enabling federal agencies and shaping infrastructure that keeps our country running. I think often that is the initial draw.
But what I hear most about on the decision to ultimately join CBRE Government & Defense Services is that the decision is made immediately after they meet their potential teammates and get a sense of the culture. We bring together incredibly talented people who are passionate about bringing the best of their skillsets to work every day, and solving complex challenges for our clients. So if someone wants to do work that matters, with people who deeply care, I would say this is a place that delivers on both.
EBiz: What is your most ambitious goal for CBRE Government & Defense Services expansion over the next five years and how do you intend to accomplish it?
Hendry: For me, it’s about realizing a vision of aligning CBRE’s global footprint and breadth of capabilities with the 55-year legacy of trusted government support built by J&J Worldwide Services, now CBRE Government & Defense Services. The U.S. federal government operates one of the most critical, complex real estate portfolios in the world. They should be able to demand the best available technology, capabilities and expertise available within the market. So I see a real opportunity to help leverage private sector, enterprise-level expertise for agencies to increase resilience, adapt to emerging risks and maintain continuity of operations no matter the challenge.
I see us accomplishing this by getting the best people, and establishing excellent business partnerships, within the industry. I also am confident, from my experience, that there are real estate leaders within the federal government who are hoping to see some new options within the market. I believe that there is great opportunity for firms like ours to truly understand the needs of our clients, and enable them with the right tools, people and scale to help them realize their ambitions.
Darren Blue (President, Mission Critical Services)
EBiz: What’s the most important factor that goes into target identification?
Darren Blue: Target identification is really a twofold process. First, it begins with developing a comprehensive understanding of the total marketplace you intend to enter. This includes a deep analysis of leading companies, available market share, recent competitor entries and the stability of existing contracts over multiple terms.
Second, it involves narrowing the focus to targets that primarily operate in critical environments—sectors that are less vulnerable to budget cuts or shifting priorities. Examples include healthcare and laboratory facilities, as well as military force projection installations. These environments tend to offer greater long-term value and operational resilience.
EBiz: How have acquisitions created new business synergies for CBRE?
Blue: During the M&A process, the focus extends beyond assessing the current value of the acquired firm—it’s about envisioning how that firm can enhance the broader service portfolio. For J&J Worldwide Services, now CBRE Government & Defense Services, we recognized that integrating their unique self-performance capabilities could unlock new synergies, particularly for commercial clients operating in high-trust environments. These include sectors such as the defense industrial base, manufacturing, life sciences, healthcare, infrastructure and energy. As a result, the acquisition allowed us to expand into a new commercial vertical, where demand has grown significantly since the deal closed.
