Cole Moreland hired at Watkins Insurance Group

Cole Moreland, a seasoned insurance advisor at Watkins Insurance Group, specializes in construction risk, real estate development, and technology/life sciences sectors. With a decade of experience and deep Austin roots, Cole offers business leaders proactive, client-centric solutions. He stays ahead of industry trends, including AI integration in InsurTech, while maintaining a personal touch. Cole’s approach combines market insight, tailored coverage, and a commitment to client education.

Citadel Partners adds project leasing in Fort Worth, hires Cullen Donohue as Market Leader

FORT WORTH, Texas – (Feb. 27, 2024) – Citadel Partners, a corporate real estate advisory firm, expanded its service lines with the addition of project leasing and a new market leader in the Fort Worth office with the hiring of Cullen Donohue.

Donohue will lead the project leasing efforts representing real estate owners across Tarrant County by helping them implement creative marketing strategies and property improvements to attract tenants, drive occupancy and increase the value of their properties. He will also work with his clients throughout the total life cycle of their investments, including identifying new acquisition opportunities, marketing and lease-up of their holdings, and property sales while also providing them with a variety of other asset services.

“Project leasing is a natural addition to our services platform,” said Citadel Partners Market Principal Andy Goldston. “We already handle third-party leasing work, so adding a leader to help us grow the platform will be tremendously beneficial. Tarrant County is a dynamic market and having Cullen’s expertise will help us grow and expand our service lines here.”

“Citadel Partners has a very entrepreneurial energy and vibrant culture that made this move very appealing,” Donohue said. “Being headquartered locally under the stellar leadership of Managing Partners Scott Morse and Scott Jessen was a big factor, as well. It is a growing company with a history of a grassroots approach to helping our partners succeed.”

Donohue said his immediate goal is to grow the Tarrant County team as the portfolio of office properties grows. He will be working with Goldston, Associate Advisor Daniel Mullen, and Anna Lee Moore, who recently joined the Fort Worth office as an Advisor. 

Donohue was named a 2023 Fort Worth Inc. Top Commercial Broker and was a winner of CoStar’s Top Office Leases in DFW in 2022 for Dickies’ headquarters relocation. Donohue represented the landlord in attracting and signing the 85,000-square-foot lease with Dickies to relocate its headquarters to 500 Taylor in Downtown Fort Worth.

The Texas A&M University graduate has more than 10 years of industry experience and has closed more than 1.7 million square feet of office lease and sale transactions, totaling more than $280 million in transaction value. 

“Cullen’s attention to detail, his persistent approach, and his tremendous knowledge of the office market in Tarrant County make him a great asset to the team,” Goldston said.

“It is my goal to understand the nuances of each of my clients’ businesses and long-term goals, so we can work together as partners to find the best solution to drive the most value out of their real estate,” Donohue said.

WAY Capital hires Kyle Henrickson as President

LOS ANGELES — WAY Capital, a leading commercial real estate capital markets advisor, has hired 18-year industry veteran Kyle Henrickson as President. Henrickson will oversee personnel and growth strategy as well as originate new business and assist in transaction execution.

“From the outset of his career at KPMG through his roles as a capital adviser, owner and capital provider, Kyle is known in our industry for his financial underwriting expertise and comprehensive understanding commercial real estate,” said WAY Capital Founder and Senior Managing Partner Malcolm Davies. “Just as importantly, he lives and breathes our high-touch, five-star-service business model.”

Near-term objectives include establishing more offices and hiring staff to expand WAY’s national reach, as well as creating more service offerings for clients. Henrickson will open an office in Austin, Texas where he is based.

“We’re still experiencing strong growth and increasing demand for our services,” said WAY Capital Founder and Managing Partner Zack Streit. “We feel like it’s the perfect time make Kyle a part of WAY.”

“What appeals to me about rejoining the leadership team at WAY Capital is that WAY is better classified as an investment banking firm than a debt placement firm due to the full capital stack solutions we provide for our clients,” said Henrickson.

Along his career journey, Henrickson worked with Davies previously at George Smith Partners’ The Davies Group. Kyle graduated with a BBA from The University of San Diego.

About WAY Capital 

Led by Founder and Senior Managing Partner Malcolm Davies, Founder and Managing Partner Zack Streit and Principal Alex Rossinsky, WAY Capital represents entrepreneurial commercial real estate sponsors in capitalizing on their institutional and sub-institutional pursuits. WAY provides sophisticated financing solutions by leveraging an expansive capital network, a proprietary ‘Deal Champion’ strategy and a 100% dedicated team to its clients’ commercial real estate projects. This allows WAY to act as its clients’ ‘outsourced’ Chief Financial Officer organization to assist in growing their platforms. WAY has closed over $2 billion since its inception, and its principals have closed $16 billion over the past 12 years. In addition to the new Austin office, WAY maintains offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix. The firm received Real Estate Capital USA’s 2022 Boutique Debt Advisory of the Year award and Real Estate Forum Magazine’sRainmaker in Debt & Equity Finance honor.

Greysteel promotes Ben Barnett to director of investment sales in its Dallas office

Greysteel, a leading Commercial Real Estate firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Ben Barnett to the position of Director. This promotion reflects Ben’s outstanding contributions to the company and his proven leadership.

Having joined Greysteel 3 years ago, Ben Barnett has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the markets and has played a pivotal role in the success of our firm. His dedication, expertise, and strategic vision have significantly contributed to the growth and success of our organization.

As the newly appointed Director, Ben Barnett will take on increased responsibilities in overseeing a full range of services, including start-to-finish deal execution, the due diligence process, transaction analysis, and the underwriting and production of offering memoranda. His strong analytical skills, market insights, and commitment to excellence make him an ideal fit for this leadership role. The promotion recognizes his past achievements and highlights our confidence in his ability to continue driving our Dallas Multifamily team forward.

“Ben has been a consummate professional since joining our team a few years ago, and I am excited to see his business grow and for Ben to continue providing great advisory services to our clients in Oklahoma.” Said Senior Managing Director Doug Banerjee. 

Ben Barnett holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Financial Investmentsand a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Arkansas. Furthermore, Ben has shown a steadfast commitment to advancing his professional development and keeping abreast of emerging industry trends. His unwavering dedication to staying well-informed, coupled with his expertise, exemplifies his role as a trusted advisor known for adopting a client-centric approach. Ben’s commitment to excellence and his ability to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of our industry make him an invaluable asset to our team.

Stacy Murphy hired at Furniture Marketing Group, Inc.

FMG is delighted to announce the recent hiring of Stacy Murphy, IIDA, NCIDQ to be FMG Austin’s Vice President. Stacy will oversee sales and operations as well as collaborate with clients to deliver first-class solutions. She brings a wealth of experience, having evolved from a licensed designer to sales responsibilities for local, national, and global accounts, and ultimately to senior leadership. FMG eagerly welcomes Stacy Murphy as an accomplished, skilled, and dedicated leader.

Chris Hipps joins Cushman & Wakefield as Texas Managing Principal

DALLAS – Cushman & Wakefield announced today that Chris Hipps has joined the firm as Texas Managing Principal. He will start on January 2. Hipps will lead Cushman & Wakefield’s advisory professionals across Texas as the firm further grows, refines and integrates client services; develops new business; and continues to add top talent. He will be based in Dallas.

“Chris’s leadership and experience position Cushman & Wakefield to flourish in Texas, and we’re excited he’s joining our team,” said Victoria Malkin, Cushman & Wakefield Regional President, Central Region. “His addition is a further example of our commitment to Texas and its importance as a global commercial real estate and economic powerhouse. What’s more, Chris is dedicated to strategic growth both organically and through attracting elite talent. Cushman & Wakefield has a long and storied history in Texas, and Chris is the ideal person to lead us into the next chapter.”

Added Hipps, “As the state continues its historical growth trajectory, we have a real opportunity to expand Cushman & Wakefield’s impact across Texas. Each market across the state is unique and offers us the chance to differentiate ourselves. With the industry-leading-talent that we’ve long been known for in Texas – and with those who we will add – we’re well positioned to grow market share and redefine client engagement in the Lone Star State.”

Hipps joins Cushman & Wakefield from CBRE, where he was Senior Managing Director of Advisory and Transaction Services, Investor Services, in the Dallas/Fort Worth region, and focused on integrating brokerage, capital markets and asset services to provide comprehensive solutions to both institutional and middle-market clients. He began his career and spent nearly 25 years with Cadillac Fairview and its successors Prentiss Properties Trust and Brandywine Realty Trust, where his responsibilities included all regional business activities such as acquisitions, dispositions, development, portfolio performance, and leasing and management. His experience includes expertise in development, investment sales and operations for a more than $1 billion portfolio across the Southwest and Western United States.