Experience

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  Pacifica Companies

  • Mission Viejo, CA

  • Principal

    • Dec 2005 - Present
    • Mission Viejo, CA

    Real estate investment & development consulting company servicing private & public sectors, specializing in mixed-use properties & projects including office, retail, multifamily, lodging, medical, educational & industrial uses throughout the U.S. & internationally. Turn-around artist & development professional creating value while reducing multiple risks associated with high-profile investment grade real estate assets.

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  Registrar of Voters CEW Committee

  • Orange County, CA

  • Chair (Previously Vice Chair)

    • Feb 2012 - Present
    • Orange County, CA

    Success at the Registrar of Voters (ROV) comes from a passion for creating fair and accurate elections, which is at our mission's core. Since election management includes community relations that extend beyond legal compliance, we believe that input from the community is vital to an open and transparent process. The Community Election Working Group (CEW) serves this purpose by bringing together diverse backgrounds to advise the ROV on the election process and provide a forum to communicate important election topics to the community.The ROV believes in further strengthening public confidence in the election process while creating long-term relationships with our community partners. Input from the community starts with CEW members who are independent, engaged, committed, and effective. Each of the CEW's 27 members, 22 support staff, and 31 community leaders (serving on CEW sub-committees) are committed to making sure elections are open and accessible.

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  City of Mission Viejo

  • Mission Viejo, CA

  • Chair, Board of Trustees, Prefunding Pension Obligation Trust

    • Feb 2017 - Present
    • Mission Viejo, CA

    According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, unfunded liabilities of state and local government pension plans in 2017 were nearly $50,000 per household. The City of Mission Viejo’s pension liabilities are not nearly that high and it continues to enjoy annual budget surpluses. Nevertheless, the City is addressing potential pension fund issues by taking effective actions such as forming the Prefunding Pension Obligation Trust.The purposes of the Trust is to receive, hold, invest, reinvest, and disburse monies or other assets for the benefit of City’s pension funds participants (current and former employees and their dependents and beneficiaries). The Trust also invests and disburses excess funds for future use, and covers applicable fees and expenses.

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  Investment Advisory Commission

  • City of Mission Viejo

  • Chair

    • Jan 2017 - Present
    • City of Mission Viejo

    Oversees the implementation of the City's investment programs, assuring the consistency of these programs with the investment policies and recommending changes to the investment policies for consideration by the City Council.

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  Planning & Transportation Commission

  • City of Mission Viejo

  • Chairman

    • Jan 2011 - Jan 2017
    • City of Mission Viejo

    Previous Chair & Vice Chair of the City of Mission Viejo's Planning & Transportation Commission. Analyzed land use issues, built consensus, and guided approval processes for multifamily, retail, office & medical uses as well as mixed-use & adaptive re-use projects. Annexed land & made General Plan amendments. Created a sustainable plan to help maintain & enhance the City's quality of life, education, public safety, environment, and recreational amenities while positioning the City for long-term success through market-driven & fiscally sound land use policies.Design Review Committee member for six years. Traffic Committee occasional member.Chaired revisions of General Plan & led Water Conservation Committee.

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  EDC ( W.P. Carey Inc.)

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • Executive Vice President

    • Apr 2003 - Dec 2005
    • Los Angeles, CA

    Recruited by this $20 billion New York City REIT to turn around troubled public/private development and operate its development subsidiary. U.S. & Asia offices closed due to parent company’s regulatory & financial environments.Turned around $100 million project that was $7.1 million over budget, 10 weeks behind schedule, and shut down by the State four months after ground breaking. Overcame strong political, legal & construction risks to deliver project on time & within budget. Earned $6 million in fees and eliminated $15 million of liabilities.

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  Trammell Crow Company

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Senior Vice President

    • Sep 1998 - Oct 1999
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    Sourced new business & performed predevelopment activities for mixed-use projects on college campuses & two 70-acre industrial parks.

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  Pacifica Companies

  • Southern California

  • Principal

    • Nov 1991 - Aug 1998
    • Southern California

    Real Estate Investment & Development consultant for high-density, infill projects. Provided project management for investors & corporations in the North America, Mexico, Asia, Africa & Europe. Created & taught real estate investment & development courses at University of California-Irvine's Graduate School of Business.

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  Birtcher Real Estate Equities (Mitsui)

  • Greater Los Angeles Area & Phoenix, AZ

  • Principal

    • Feb 1988 - Oct 1991
    • Greater Los Angeles Area & Phoenix, AZ

    Promoted to Principal from Development VP with P&L responsibility for multi-state projects & properties. Improved profitability by sourcing deals, closing transactions, and turning around troubled projects.Turned around $224 million office & retail JV with Xerox. Increased absorption 400% & rental rates 19% within six months by restructuring leasing plan & motivating team. Secured site plan approval for an additional 800,000 sf.Chaired operations committee for California & Arizona portfolio. Acquired properties.Beat 187 national companies for development rights to a 90-acre redevelopment district.Negotiated & managed JV & development contracts with financial institution for a 2,000,000 sf commercial, hotel & residential MXD. Managed CEQA process, negotiated agreements, and performed underwriting.Raised projected first-year NOI by 90% by restructuring & redesigning office & retail entertainment project. Initiated & managed leasing & entitlements in anti-growth area.

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  Burnham Companies

  • Greater Chicago Area

  • Vice President

    • May 1986 - Oct 1987
    • Greater Chicago Area

    Recruited to this full-service real estate firm to turn around troubled projects, quickly add value to the existing portfolio, and close development & marketing subsidiaries.Restructured contracts, reduced costs & repositioned a 273-unit, 30-story apartment project in historic district. Closed FHA loan, started construction & initiated leasing.Removed city hall roadblocks to secure approvals for apartment projects, including an 817-unit MXD.Created mixed-use land development plan & added retail to under-utilized senior housing facility.

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  National Western Devcorp

  • San Diego

  • Vice President

    • May 1985 - May 1986
    • San Diego

    Recruited to this regional investment & development firm to penetrate southern California markets. Sourced deals, managed brokers & contractors, performed underwriting, secured entitlements, and closed ADC loans for retail, office, and industrial projects. Failed Arizona S&L subsidiary caused company’s closure.

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  Jaymont Properties

  • New York City, Boston & Chicago

  • Project Manager

    • Apr 1984 - May 1985
    • New York City, Boston & Chicago

    Recruited to this Saudi investment company to penetrate new markets by developing high-rise office buildings in New York, Boston & Chicago.Analyzed markets, created investment & development concepts, initiated regulatory approval process, and hired architect for Boston’s 125 Summer Street, a high-rise office building incorporating historic structures.Managed pre-development activities for Chicago’s 303 W. Madison, a 27-story, award-winning office building.Exceeded market rents and managed leasing, base building & TI construction contracts, and property managers for New York’s 780 Third Avenue, a 50-story office tower. Reported to offshore owner & U.S. executives.

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  Urban Investment & Development Co. (Aetna)

  • Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Dallas & Houston

  • Development Manager

    • May 1980 - Apr 1984
    • Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Dallas & Houston

    Top 10 real estate development & management company. Responsible for ownership structuring, feasibility, entitlements, development, leasing, sales, property management & institutional reporting for specific projects.Developed & sold Milwaukee’s Plaza East, two 11-story office buildings over retail with structured parking in redevelopment area in a joint venture with MGIC.Directed approvals, financing, leasing, TIs & property management for SOHIO’s 1.7 million sf Cleveland HQ.Created & entitled multi-jurisdictional residential & retail plan. Sold parcels to multi- and single-family builders.Managed pre-construction activities for a 62-story office & retail mixed-use development in Houston.New business included (1) 4-party JV for high-rise office, retail & hotel project in Cleveland and (2) a $547 million mixed-use development in Dallas with office, hotel, retail and entertainment uses.

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  Architectural, Planning & Design/Build Firms

  • Kansas City Area

  • Registered Architect

    • May 1972 - May 1980
    • Kansas City Area

    Responsible for planning, architecture, engineering, regulatory approvals, and construction of national & international projects, including mixed-use, regional malls, multi-family, office, industrial, medical, and corporate uses.