It’s time to update those contact managers with CoStar’s People of Note, reporting news on significant new CRE hires and promotions. This week’s issue includes the following markets: Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, New York City, Vancouver / Calgary, Northern New Jersey, San Francisco, Orange County, Tampa / St. Petersburg and more!

WASHINGTON DC

Bierken Gets Permanent Post as President, CEO of RLJ

By Catherine May

RLJ Lodging Trust has named current executive chairman Ross H. Bierkan (pictured, left) as president and CEO and has been elected to the company’s board of trustees. Bierkan has served as interim president and CEO since the departure of Thomas J. Baltimore Jr. in May, and has served as the CIO of RLJ Lodging Trust since 2011, a post he will continue to hold.

Additionally, Leslie D. Hale (right) has been appointed to COO. As COO and CFO, Hale will remain involved in day-to-day operations for all financial matters as well as be directly involved in investor relations.

CHICAGO

First Industrial Taps UBS Co-Head as Future CEO

By Bryce Meyers

First Industrial Realty Trust has selected Peter E. Baccile to succeed Bruce W. Duncan as the firm’s president and CEO, effective December 1, 2016, and will join its board of directors this fall.

A 30-year industry veteran, Baccile previously served as joint global head of the real estate, lodging and leisure group within UBS Securities’ investment banking division – a position he has held since June 2012. Before that he spent 26 years with J.P. Morgan. Baccile has been involved in more than $250 billion of capital markets and strategic transactions throughout his career.

CoStar’s People of Note is published each Friday covering the latest commercial real estate executive level promotions and new hires.
Click on the headline of each article to jump to full coverage.
Follow the news on Twitter @TheCoStarGroup and @JSumner2.
Send new executive hires and promotion announcements to news@costar.com.

SEATTLE

NGKF Expands with Strategic Hire of Office Leasing Trio

By Justin Sumner

Jesse Ottele, Cavan O’Keefe and Brody O’Keefe have joined Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) in Seattle, tasked with establishing NGKF’s landlord and tenant leasing presence in the market.

• Ottele joins the firm as an executive managing director. With over 17…
• Cavan O’Keefe joins NGKF as a senior managing director, having…
• Brody O’Keefe joins NGKF as a director, recruited from CBRE…
  

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  WASHINGTON DC

  NGKF Bolsters Tenant Rep Platform with Drummond
  

  By Bryce Meyers

  NGKF has hired Bart Drummond as executive managing director. Based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, the 20-year industry veteran will specialize in tenant representation throughout the metro area.

  Prior to joining NGKF, Drummond worked on behalf of such clients as Catalyst Health Solutions, Blackboard, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Ernst & Young, Booz Allen Hamilton and The Washington Post as executive director with Cushman & Wakefield’s tenant advisory group.

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  Rand Sperry Launches New Global Real Estate Advisory Franchising Network 29 Years After Forming Sperry Van Ness
  

  By Randyl Drummer

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  INDIANAPOLIS

  Kauffman Joins The Opus Group
  

  By Samson Akinfenwa

  Rich Kauffman has joined Opus Design Build LLC as a regional vice president for Indianapolis and the surrounding area.

  Kauffman has more than 20 years of experience in development and construction planning, most recently serving as president of construction with DLC Residential’s Midwest region, where he led staff and projects in the Minneapolis and Chicago areas. Kauffman’s experience also includes time with Gatlin Development Company, J&S Construction, Navistar International and Huber Hunt & Nichols.

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  NEW YORK CITY

  McLaren Promotes Billig to Regional Director, VP
  

  By Justin Sumner

  McLaren Engineering Group has promoted Jeremy D. Billig, PE to vice president and New York City regional director.

  Billig has more than a decade of experience in structural analysis and design, inspections and renovations, having managed a number of projects since joining the firm as a junior engineer in 2005. Initially focusing on entertainment venues, McLaren has moved into numerous industries including healthcare, retail, hospitality, transportation and alternative energy projects while expanding his role within the construction engineering division. He opened the firm’s New York City office in 2010, which today employs 35 people.

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  Bedrock Realty Advisors Opens in Calgary
  

  By Emily Anderer

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  NORTHERN NEW JERSEY

  Morgan Joins Four Springs Capital Trust
  

  By Justin Sumner

  Four Springs Capital Trust has hired Jared W. Morgan as its senior vice president and head of acquisitions in the firm’s Lake Como, NJ office.

  Morgan brings more than 22 years of commercial real estate underwriting, acquisitions and dispositions experience, having focused on the net-lease sector for the past decade. He most recently served as vice president of acquisitions for Spirit Realty Capital, leading its east coast office and originating more than $1 billion in net-leased acquisitions. Before that he was with Sovereign Investment Co. and co-founded an Apollo Real Estate Advisors venture.

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  SAN FRANCISCO

  Veritas Investments Names CFO
  

  By Bryce Meyers

  Veritas Investments has hired Nina Tran as its CFO.

  Tran brings 25 years of experience in real estate financing, IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, accounting and reporting, and business process improvements to the firm. In her previous role as CFO of Starwood Waypoint she headed up a number of debt financings and mergers and helped take it public in 2014. Before that she headed up the merger and integration of AMB Property Corp. for Prologis.

  More People News

  From Across the Country

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  Follow the news on Twitter @TheCoStarGroup and @JSumner2.
  Check out last week’s edition of People of Note.

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