AUSTIN-Two local executives have made the news this week, one receiving a national honor and the other being elected to chair the Downtown Austin Alliance.

AUSTIN-Whole Foods Market, based in Austin, is heading north to downtown Toronto for its first retail operation in Canada. The store will be situated in a high-end retail sector now undergoing a shift in its tenant mix.

HOUSTON, TX-Boyd Page/ChainLinks of Houston has signed two tenants for 16,750 sf previously occupied by Just for Feet at 16650 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. Meanwhile, Skechers USA is taking 10,000 SF at 8460 Gulf Freeway in Houston.

DALLAS-Ameri-First Financial Group Inc. is rolling out an aggressive national strategy that will land three securities offices and three Ramada Hotels into its portfolio. And, says the company president, a buyout of yet-another securities office is pending.

CARROLLTON, TX-On Nov. 15, Hitachi America Ltd. will get the keys to a 72,000-sf headquarters and distribution center being built in the Free Trade Zone of the Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport. The project teams with a 100,000-sf expansion in Japan.

HOUSTON-New York-based W.P. Carey & Co. LLC has finalized a $7.3-million sale-leaseback deal for the Houston corporate headquarters of US Home Corp. on behalf of Corporate Property Associates 14 Inc., a public, non-traded REIT.

AUSTIN-Stratus Properties Inc. is posting earnings of $0.2 million, equating to .01 cent per share, on revenues of $2 million. Meanwhile, it remains embroiled in talks with the city over entitlement rights for its projects.

DALLAS-Atkins Property Co. is joining the rush to meet space demands for users needing from 10,000 sf to 60,000 sf. The development company has secured 4.5 acres for a 60,000-sf spec project.