SAN FRANCISCO—In its first leadership change since 1997, the Swig Co. has named Ken Perry to succeed Jeanne Myerson as CEO. Myerson says she will focus on “new challenges” and devote more time to her family, while continuing to work with Swig as a strategic advisor to facilitate the leadership transition.

Perry, who was promoted to the CEO's chair from his position as CIO, has nearly as long a tenure with Swig as Myerson: he joined the company in 1998. In common with Myerson, Perry is “a highly regarded professional with a deep understanding of the real estate industry and a demonstrated success in value creation and investment realization,” says board chairman Janice Sears. “He has almost two decades of success with our organization as a team leader and we believe he is the right person to lead the Swig Co. into its next phase of growth.”

Sears also notes that under Myerson, “this company has transitioned from a family real estate business to become a professionally managed investment venture with a strong reputation, solid investment partners, sound financial condition and a robust national portfolio.” As noted in the July/August issue of Real Estate Forum, where she was among the Hall of Fame honorees in the magazine's annual Women of Influence section, Myerson led Swig through a smooth transition from its roots in the hospitality industry—it was the force behind the Fairmont Hotel brand—to become a recognized urban office investor and manager which now controls a portfolio of more than nine million square feet of office space concentrated in coastal gateway markets.