Category: Networking

Partners Finance augments commercial real estate investment platform with addition of Jake Crater to lead fundraising efforts in Dallas

Posted on by Jordan Jensen

Crater joins Partners from Wall Street heavyweights Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan
 

Dallas, TX – Partners Finance—the capital raising division of Partners Real Estate (“Partners”)—today announced that it has hired veteran securities and investment fundraising executive Jake Crater to spearhead the investment platform’s fundraising initiatives in Dallas, TX.

Mr. Crater joins the company on the heels of the recent launch of Partners Finance’s crowdfunding website: www.precfinance.com.

In his new role as Investment Director for Partners Finance, Mr. Crater will work alongside Brett Chiles, Partners Finance Managing Director based in Houston, to raise funds for Partners’ investment platform and work with accredited individual investors, family offices, institutional investors, and registered investment advisors, helping them invest in a variety of investment funds and development projects sponsored by Partners Real Estate Group. Mr. Crater will be based in Dallas, TX and primarily focus on providing information about Partners investment opportunities to the investor community in North Texas.

“We expect Partners Finance to be a major contributor to our overall investment platform,” said Jon Silberman, Managing Partner at Partners. “Hiring an executive with Jake’s deep fundraising experience is another key step in the growth of our investment offerings.”

Added Mr. Silberman, “Partners has always been forward-thinking and intentional in anticipating our clients’ needs. In addition to tradition methods of raising commercial real estate investment capital, we have developed and recently launched the Partners Finance online platform, which makes investing with us as simple as the click of a button.”

Mr. Crater has over 20 years of experience and is a highly accomplished and results-driven banking and investment professional. He joins Partners Finance from leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm, Goldman Sachs, where he served as Vice President, business development officer for the southern region. His responsibilities were developing relationships and advising registered investment advisors and family offices on capital market solutions like institutional trading, derivatives, alternative assets and custody. Previous to that, Mr. Crater spent 15 years at banking giant J.P. Morgan as Executive Director in Private Banking. There he advised High Net Worth families and institutions on Asset Management, Wealth Planning, Banking and Credit solutions.

In April, Partners Finance launched its new digital investment platform website at //precfinance.com/, providing direct access to all Partners investment funds and projects to accredited investors nationwide. Currently there are two investment opportunities available on the site—the $50 million Land Fund I (with a minimum investment of $125,000), which will be deployed to acquire raw land in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas-Ft. Worth; and the $150 million Investment Fund V (minimum investment of $100,000), to be utilized to invest in industrial, retail, and office properties located in Texas and high-growth markets in the southeastern United States—and a third on the way, a new Hospitality Fund. Each of these are sponsored by Partners Capital, the investment arm of Partners Real Estate.

The Partners Finance digital commercial real estate investment platform offers interested accredited investors the ability to invest directly in Partners’ funds and development opportunities. The platform’s website makes investing in real estate simple, with a straightforward four-step process: (1) create your account; (2) review current investment opportunities; (3) select the investment opportunity you like; and (4) invest directly.

Fort Worth-based Street Realty appoints Amber Calhoun as vice president

Posted on by Mia Goulart

Street Realty, a 39-year-old Fort Worth-based full-service commercial real estate firm, has appointed Amber Calhoun as a vice president in its Brokerage Services Division.

Calhoun will play a key role within Street Realty’s brokerage production team, guide clients through the purchase, sale, and leasing process, oversee day-to-day commercial real estate transactions, and help optimize and grow the company’s property portfolio.

Calhoun, who is a native of Aledo, Texas, is a licensed broker with the Texas Real Estate Commission, possesses nearly 10 years of industry experience, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Texas Wesleyan University. Prior to joining Street Realty, she held partner, broker, and associate positions at Graham Property Brokerage, Stablemade Retail Group, and Transwestern.

Will Haynes, II, joins CBRE as an executive vice president in Dallas

Posted on by Mia Goulart

CBRE announced that Will Haynes, II, has joined its Dallas-Fort Worth Advisory & Transaction Services team as an executive vice president. Haynes will bolster CBRE’s office occupier business, supporting K-12 and higher education, government, and corporate real estate occupiers with their real estate needs throughout the metroplex.

A 14-year industry veteran, Haynes joins CBRE from Colliers International, where he served as managing director for Office Occupier Services in addition to leading its North Texas Education Services practice group. He has represented notable education users across North Texas, including Dallas College, International Leadership of Texas, Pegasus School of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Birdville Independent School District, in real estate transactions.

Haynes is a graduate of Manhattan College, where he played NCAA Division I basketball. He is active in a variety of professional and philanthropic organizations across Dallas-Fort Worth, including Society of Industrial & Office Realtors (SIOR) and St. Phillips School & Community Center. Additionally, he is an alumnus of Leadership Dallas and Leadership ISD.

Realized® hires first independent registered representative

Posted on by Mia Goulart

Realized®, a leading provider of Investment Property Wealth Management®, announced that Simon Brower, the CEO of Upstream 1031, has joined the company as its first independent registered representative. The partnership underscores Realized’s dedication to bridging the gap between real estate and the wealth management industries by offering specialized real estate experience and guidance to investors. Brower will continue to operate under the Upstream 1031 brand.

Over the course of his career, Brower has overseen the placement of more than $1 billion into DST and tenancy in common (TIC) investments. Prior to founding Upstream 1031, Brower worked as managing director at Bluerock Value Exchange, where he managed Bluerock’s 1031/DST fundraising business. During his time there, he worked closely with investors, and their trusted advisors, to provide guidance and intelligent solutions for the creation and management of Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs).

Brower also held leadership positions with other real estate and securities companies such as KBS and Grubb & Ellis. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Irvine, and currently holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Quine & Associates announces new vice president

Posted on by Mia Goulart

Quine & Associates, Inc. is has announced the promotion of Vice President Angel Somkham. Angel has spent over 20 years in commercial real estate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She specializes in commercial real estate leasing/managing, acquisitions/dispositions and tenant representation and has been a top producer and a recipient of numerous annual awards.   

Westchase District Announces Charly Weldon as Organization’s President/CEO

Posted on by Jordan Jensen

HOUSTON, TX – Westchase District’s Board of Directors has named Charly Weldon as the organization’s President/CEO. Weldon takes over from longtime President/CEO Jim Murphy who is retiring but will remain in a consulting role.

“I was born in the old Spring Branch Hospital and lived in Westchase during the 90’s,” said Weldon. “To now be a part of developing Westchase District is very exciting.”

Weldon joins Westchase District as it continues to carry out its 380 Program with the City of Houston to fund public projects such as roads, parks, trails and drainage improvements in the area. These public investments have been leveraged by grants, charitable donations, and area stakeholder support to improve mobility, reduce flooding, and enhance the quality of life in the District and surrounding neighborhoods.

Weldon says Westchase District is also focused on the opening and programming of Camden Park, its largest destination park, playground and entertainment experience spanning 3.4 acres on Wilcrest Drive just north of Richmond Avenue.

Other Westchase District priorities, she adds, include the reconstruction, utility upgrades, and streetscape improvements on Meadowglen Lane, one of three major corridors within the District; and completing a new monument sign program to better mark the area’s boundaries. 

Weldon joins Westchase District after leading Family Houston, a non-profit organization connecting families to community resources, including food, shelter, employment assistance, mental health counseling, and financial counseling. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of The Beacon, which works to meet the needs of Houston’s homeless population.

“Charly is a strategic leader who has great experience collaborating with a board of directors,” said Westchase District Board Chair Harry Greenblatt. “There was no doubt when we met with her that she would be a good fit with our current team.”

Weldon was chosen during an eight-month search led by a four-member search committee made up of Westchase District board members.

Roughly 53,000 people work in Westchase District and 28,000 live in the area.  In addition, more than half a million people live within five miles of the its boundaries. 

Go to WestchaseDistrict.com to learn more about the advantages of Westchase District, including the benefits of working and living in the area, its commitment to safety, mobility and beautification.