Executive Watch

Just about everyone is aware of the green movement. A topic that a few months ago was the domain of environmentalists and the science community is now common parlance at the dinner table; in popular movies (thank you, Al Gore); and even TV commercials for car-rental firms. The real estate industry has certainly embraced the movement, and well it should, given the historically high levels of greenhouse gas emissions that can be traced to the assets we own and manage. But I wonder if the ranks of real estate organizations reflect the level of commitment we truly need in order to make the solution our own. Are we too reliant on the architectural and design community for our sustainability solutions? I believe that if we truly want to lead in this endeavor, we need to invest aggressively in developing the educational programs and in-house talent necessary to embrace this crisis and pave the way to an integrated, organic solution. We need to own our environmental solutions.

Job Opportunities JONES LANG LASALLE Executive Vice President (NEW YORK CITY) In concert with the Northeast transaction team–on the larger assignments–perform complex corporate real estate financial analysis and create deal-structuring approaches through sophisticated tools to optimize our client’s real estate solutions CB RICHARD ELLIS Retail Portfolio–Real Estate Manager–Washington, DC (WASHINGTON, DC) Coordinates marketing and leasing of retail properties, shows space, qualify prospective tenants, and negotiates new leases and lease renewals. Coordinates tenant move-ins and move-outs, and walk-through spaces with tenants and tenant improvement department. ERNST & YOUNG Business Development Executive (NEW YORK CITY) As a member of our dynamic Transaction Advisory Services-Real Estate team, the hire will be responsible for driving new business opportunities and expanding current accounts within our Real Estate Advisory Services in New York City and nationally. DELOITTE FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES LLP Valuation Lease Advisory Sr. Associate (DETROIT) The company seeks qualified candidates to join the Real Estate Consulting practice focusing on lease advisory services. CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD Corporate Strategy Analyst (NEW YORK CITY) To provide the project management and analytical support of G7 (corporate initiatives) deliverables; manage C&W’s Client Intelligence System (CIS); maintain and manage all project plans and workflow for assigned projects. AMERICAN FINANCIAL REALTY TRUST Corporate Controller (JENKINGTOWN, PA) The company has an opportunity for an individual with a demonstrated track record of success in financial management in a public company. The candidate we are seeking will have experience in managing a multi-faceted accounting function. CORPORATE OFFICE PROPERTIES TRUST Property Manager–Commercial Office (ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, MD) Responsible for the overall management of assigned staff and properties, ensuring that quality customer service is provided and properties operate within the economical operating constraint of the operating budget. COHEN FINANCIAL Senior Analyst (TAMPA, FL) Read and analyze financial statements of various types. Create, analyze, and audit various types of cash flow models. Understand physical characteristics of properties, and the related competitive advantages and disadvantages, and more. Promotions DB HARRELL CO. (SAN ANTONIO) Jack Duke takes over as president and majority owner, replacing Tom Bagley who is stepping down after 18 years. Bagley plans to semi-retire and continue with the firm as a broker. Also, Michael D. Hoover becomes president of DB Harrell Management Co. and a shareholder. He most recently was vice president. With the transition, other new shareholders are Charles Jeffers, Bill Holder, Ed Bruce, Terri Rubiola and Steve Rosser. GALE CONSTRUCTION CO. (ROSELAND, NJ) Stephen P. Trapp rises to president. He had been senior vice president, with oversight for several critical company functions and project executive for development and major third-party projects. AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NEW YORK CITY) Jon Schuler Brooks, a partner at Phillips Nizer LLP, is named vice-chair of the Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee of the ABA. Brooks also co-chairs his law firm’s environmental practice group. HILLWOOD INVESTMENT PROPERTIES (SAN BERNARDINO, CA) Ned Sciortino rises to vice president of development from development director. He will oversee all aspects of the firm’s Inland Empire projects. GRUBB & ELLIS CO. (CHICAGO and ORLANDO) Karen Krackov is made regional senior vice president and Rob Collins becomes senior vice president of national accounts for subsidiary, Grubb & Ellis Management Services Inc. Krackov joined the company in February as a senior vice president and director of management services for Washington, DC, where she will continues to be based. Collins has spent the past four years as regional senior vice president for the South region. He joined the firm in 2000 as a vice president. In Orlando, Anne Deason becomes associate vice president of office services/life sciences. TURNER CONSTRUCTION (MILFORD, CT) Curtis J. Kuck becomes project executive of the Connecticut office. JONES LANG LASALLE (NEW YORK CITY) Raymond Quartararo, Northeast regional manager, and Bart Steinfeld, head of the firm’s US real estate banking group, are named international directors, a corporate designation to honor senior professionals. Quartararo is marking his third year with JLL and Steinfeld, his fourth. STUDLEY (LOS ANGELES) Andrew Lustgarten rises to managing director in the Downtown L.A. office. Robert Cavaiola becomes associate director in the West L.A. office. Lustgarten had been associate director; Cavaiola, assistant director. BANK OF AMERICA (LOS ANGELES) Alex Filler is named relationship underwriter for the commercial real estate group. Filler previously was an analyst. IVY REALTY (MONTVALE, NJ) Wade Wilson is named senior vice president of investments. SUKUT CONSTRUCTION (SANTA ANA, CA) Joseph Philbin becomes president of the Inland Empire Division. OMNIPLAN (DALLAS) David Williamson is made associate principal after 10 years as a senior design architect. MASSEY KNAKAL (NEW YORK CITY) Mark Spinelli is appointed to the board of the firm’s charitable foundation. Spinelli, who joined the firm in 2004, is director of sales in the Midtown submarket. DUDLEY & ASSOCIATES (DALLAS) The Pasadena, CA-based executive search firm reopens its Dallas office with John Lester at the helm as consultant. He previously was regional vice president for leasing and acquisitions in Texas for DBSI Discovery Real Estate Services of Boise, ID. New Hires APARTMENT REALTY ADVISORS (AUSTIN) Casey Fry joins the firm to work in multifamily sales after a stint with the Weitzman Group’s San Antonio office division. STREAM REALTY PARTNERS (DALLAS) Anthony Bolner begins as senior vice president in the firm’s principal transactions group and will lead marketing efforts for a data center platform. The executive spent 15 years in the local office of CB Richard Ellis. DIVERSIFIED PROJECT MANAGEMENT (NEWTON, MA) Michael Menadue starts as a project executive to lead the healthcare team. Menadue most recently was director of operations for Red House Design Co. MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION (WASHINGTON, DC) Jan Sternin begins as senior vice president to manage the commercial/multifamily group, replacing Gail Davis Cardwell. Sternin previously was senior vice president of Midland Loan Services Inc. LODGIAN (ATLANTA) Mark S. Oei is named to the board of directors, assuming a seat tendered by Kevin C. McTavish. Oei is managing director of Oaktree Capital Management in Los Angeles. TRIPLE NET PROPERTIES (SANTA ANA, CA) Lavea Lancaster and Zachary Toering are named vice presidents of national accounts. Lancaster most recently was director of DBSI Group of Cos. Toering is returning to the firm after leaving in 2005 to earn his MBA at Columbia Business School. JONES LANG LASALLE (MINNEAPOLIS, ATLANTA and DALLAS) Chris Rohrer and Brian Ginkel join as senior vice president and vice president, respectively, in the Twin Cities market. The team previously was with United Properties. In Atlanta, Anna Ford begins as vice president of project and development services in the metro and Southeast US and Scott Smith is hired as a vice president to oversee day-to-day operations for the Coca-Cola Co. account. Ford most recently was business development director for Skanska USA Building Inc. Smith came from Nortel, where he was Americas manager of projects for the US, Caribbean and Latin America. In Dallas, Craig Cauthen starts as vice president in the capital markets group. Cauthen, who specializes in multifamily properties, formerly was with Bay Equity Real Estate Acquisitions. ZIFKIN REALTY & DEVELOPMENT (CHICAGO) Lauren Dritz begins as an associate after spending one year in the same capacity at Next Realty. MERIDIAN BANK (FORT WORTH) John Spencer becomes senior vice president to lead the new Lake Dallas office. Associate Holly Brown will be a senior lending assistant and bank officer at the branch. COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL (DALLAS) Noel J. Hutcheson Jr. comes on board as senior vice president. He previously was an associate director for Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. CB RICHARD ELLIS INVESTORS (WASHINGTON, DC) W. Cabell Grayson starts as senior managing director in the global investor services group. He most recently was senior managing director in the capital markets group of CB Richard Ellis, where he was in charge of finance and investment sales for the eastern half of the US. REED SMITH (LOS ANGELES) Warren C. Jacob joins the international law firm’s real estate practice. He formerly was with O’Melveny & Myers. GVA WILLIAMS (BOSTON) Lowell Peabody and James Bartholomew start as senior vice president and vice president, respectively. Both executives came from NAI Hunneman, where Peabody was also a senior vice president and Bartholomew was as a tenant representative. CRESCENT RESOURCES (ATLANTA) Patrick Henry is named senior vice president of the Mid-South and Carolinas region and chief development officer for the commercial division. Henry most recently was senior managing director and president of Mid-South development operations for Trammell Crow Co. Also, Joseph McGorrey begins as vice president of development following a career with TCC, rising to principal. MASSEY KNAKAL (MANHATTAN) Elysa Berlin starts as an associate to chairman and founding partner Robert Knakal. She previously was an associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she focused on real estate tax. CB RICHARD ELLIS (CHICAGO) Kent Alexander takes over as Midwest executive account leader for global corporate services. He previously was a managing director for Cushman & Wakefield Inc., responsible for building and managing its strategic account management practice in the Midwest. CAPMARK FINANCE (AUSTIN) Matt Greer begins as vice president to originate loans in the city and other Texas markets. He previously was a partner in AMS Real Estate Services. COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL (SEATTLE) Starting as associates are Kimberly Smart, who will specialize in office leasing in Tacoma, WA; Jason Davis, who will join the multifamily investment group in Seattle; and Lauren Powell, who becomes part of the office leasing and sales team in Seattle and Eastside. Smart was previously with Schuler Properties Group. Davis was a former account executive for Ricoh Business Solutions and Powell most recently worked for Ernst & Young LLP. REXFORD INDUSTRIAL (LOS ANGELES) Shanice F. Wong starts as controller and Alan Kwan as senior analyst. Wong most recently worked for Lennar Homes of California. Kwan had held several analyst positions with investment firms in California and Florida.