SoCal Industry Roundup: KBS, JLL and TruAmerica
By Nick Trombola and Greg Cornfield March 11, 2024 2:15 pm
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Investment firms, facility service providers and one of the biggest brokerages in commercial real estate have made new personnel changes from Southern California.
Facility services provider KBS announced it hired Chris Studney as its new chief commercial officer, responsible for sales, marketing and strategic account management. Studney comes to KBS after 12 years at commercial real estate services giant JLL (JLL), where he most recently worked as the company’s global vice president of client and growth. Studney has held sales, business development and board roles over his 25-year career in the industry, including as head of JLL’s client advisory board.
“Chris is an exceptional leader who understands our industry and has forged strong relationships with some of the most respected brands in the world,” KBS CEO Mark Minasian said in a statement.
Additionally, Los Angeles-based TruAmerica Multifamily announced it has a new investor relations director in Alexis Sofyanos, who was the former vice president at rent reporting and monetary wellness platform Esusu Financial. Sofyanos brings to TruAmerica nearly 10 years of capital market, financial analysis and ESG strategy experience in the multifamily trade from her previous roles at Esusu and Freddie Mac. During her tenure at Freddie Mac from 2014 through 2020, Soyfanos’s production and sales team was responsible for $12 billion to $17 billion annually in loan transactions across the Midwest and Texas. In her new role at TruAmerica, Sofyanos will oversee capital markets, client management, marketing and the company’s ESG plans.
“Alexis brings a deep understanding of multifamily investment strategies, financial analysis, and managing diverse stakeholder relationships,” TruAmerica’s Senior Managing Director Stella Pappas said.
CoStar also discovered Tony Morales, senior managing director and office tenant broker, has departed JLL after 16 years. He has worked with companies including DirectTV, Yahoo and William Morris Endeavor.
Finally, Phil Soh, former executive vice president at Banc of California, will join Pasadena-based GreenLake Asset Management as the firm’s new managing director. Soh, who has more than two decades of management, credit administration, underwriting and sales experience, will run GreenLake’s credit originations platform. GreenLake is an investment advisory firm that specializes in short-term bridge loans.
“In my experience, many real estate lenders are incapable of understanding business financials and adding operational value,” GreenLake Managing Principal Peter Chang said. “Phil’s industry knowledge and expertise allows us to better support real estate that facilitates our clients’ business objectives.”
Nick Trombola can be reached at NTrombola@commercialobserver.com.
