Our Team
Meet the Merlone Geier Team
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Executive Team and Investment Committee
Peter J. Merlone
Managing Partner
Peter J. Merlone
Managing Partner
Peter Merlone is a founder, co-owner and managing partner of the general partner entities of Merlone Geier Partners (“Merlone Geier”) and Merlone Geier Management (“MGM”). Mr. Merlone is also a founder, co-owner and president of the general partner entities of M&H Realty Partners (“M&H”), the predecessor to Merlone Geier, and was a founder and president of M&H Property Management (“MHPM”), the predecessor to MGM. From 1986 to 1993, prior to the formation of the first M&H fund, Mr. Merlone was the founder and owner of The Merlone Company, MHPM’s predecessor.
Mr. Merlone is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are to formulate and oversee the strategy, financial and operating affairs of Merlone Geier and the activities of MGM. Since 1993, Mr. Merlone has overseen twelve institutional limited partnerships with aggregate equity capital commitments of $4.3 billion which have acquired 172 operating properties aggregating over 28.4 million square feet of retail improvements.
Mr. Merlone graduated from UCLA in 1979, simultaneously earning an undergraduate degree in economics, summa cum laude, and a master’s degree in education; he was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Bradley A. Geier
Managing Partner
Bradley A. Geier
Managing Partner
Brad Geier is a founder, co-owner and managing partner of the general partner entities of Merlone Geier and MGM and has also been a managing director of the general partner entities of M&H from its founding in 1993. From 1983 to 1993, prior to the formation of the first M&H fund, Mr. Geier held senior positions with Trammell Crow Company and The Taubman Company.
Mr. Geier is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are to formulate and execute Merlone Geier’s investment strategy, including the acquisition and disposition of properties and the oversight and direction of land development and joint venture investment activities. From 1994 to 2006, Mr. Geier was the lead partner handling the purchase and subsequent sale of nearly 50 properties aggregating in excess of ten million square feet. During this period, Mr. Geier also had primary responsibility for development entitlements across the portfolio. Since that time, Mr. Geier has completed the acquisition of an additional 120 properties aggregating 16.9 million square feet and has continued to oversee dispositions.
Mr. Geier graduated from Stanford University in 1979, earning an undergraduate degree in history with departmental honors. In 1983 he earned an MBA degree from Harvard University. Mr. Geier is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. He is a Director of H.G. Fenton Company and serves on the Policy Advisory Board Executive Committee of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego. In addition, Mr. Geier is a member of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University, a lifetime trustee of The Bishop’s School, and a trustee of Coaching Corps, a non-profit focused on improving the health, educational and social outcomes of kids living in struggling communities through the power of coaching and sports. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott McPherson has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1995. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibility has been serving as a senior project partner with a particular focus on project development, entitlement processing and major tenant leasing, including oversight of the firm’s urban redevelopments. Mr. McPherson has led many of the firm’s larger and more complicated property redevelopments including Santa Fe Springs Mall from 1998 to 2001, Oxnard Esplanade from 2000 to 2001, Mira Mesa Mall from 2000 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2011 he oversaw the entitlement processing and predevelopment activities for Delta Shores in Sacramento and the Metro Center in San Diego. In 2010, Mr. McPherson assumed the additional role of overseeing leasing, the project management function and coordinating its personnel to ensure the execution of the Company’s strategy for each asset. In 2015 he assumed full oversight responsibility for the firms North Hollywood and Laguna Hill’s redevelopments. In 2017, Mr. McPherson became a co-managing partner for Merlone Geier’s twelfth fund.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. McPherson was a Development Associate at Donahue Schriber and a Retail Leasing Specialist with C.W. Clark.
Mr. McPherson is a graduate of UCLA with an undergraduate degree in history. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, where he earned the Senior Certified Leasing Specialist designation, a member of the Urban Land Institute and a licensed real estate broker. Mr. McPherson is also a past member of the Board of Directors and current President of the Monarch Ambassador Council of the Monarch School in San Diego, and a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan Lischke joined Merlone Geier in 2016. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are acquisitions and dispositions. Mr. Lischke also assists with urban project redevelopment and capital markets.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Lischke was the Chief Investment Officer and a Partner at GPI Companies, a private investor, developer, and operator of retail, multifamily, office, and mixed-use properties in Southern California. Mr. Lischke helped launch GPI in 2009, build the portfolio to more than $550 million in assets under management, establish and invest a $200 million equity commitment (which was subsequently increased to $500 million) on behalf of a state pension fund. Prior to joining GPI, Mr. Lischke worked in acquisitions and development at Trammell Crow, MRP Realty, and The JBG Companies in Washington, DC.
Mr. Lischke graduated from Stanford University in 1997 earning an undergraduate degree in Economics with departmental honors. He was a four-year letterman on Stanford’s varsity swimming team that won a NCAA and four PAC-10 championships. In 2003, he earned an MBA degree from Harvard University. Mr. Lischke is an active participant in several real estate professional organizations including ULI, ICSC, NAIOP, and Stanford Professionals in Real Estate where he is a member of the Founder’s Circle and serves on the Stanford Real Estate Council. In addition, Mr. Lischke is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gillispie School. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Gabriela F. Parcella
Managing Partner
Gabriela F. Parcella
Managing Partner
Gabby Parcella joined Merlone Geier in 2018. She is a member of the Investment Committee and her primary responsibility is to work with Messrs. Merlone and Geier on the furtherance of the firm’s investment management activities.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Ms. Parcella was the Chairman, President and CEO of Mellon Capital, a $380 billion institutional investment management firm focused on index and multi-asset strategies. For seven years, Ms. Parcella oversaw and coordinated the fully integrated company including Investments, Operations, Distribution, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance. During her 20-year career at Mellon Capital, Ms. Parcella held numerous other leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to Mellon Capital, Ms. Parcella was a tax attorney at Orrick.
Ms. Parcella graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, earning a M.A. in Professional Accounting and a B.A. in Business Administration, both with High Honors. In 1994, she earned a J.D. with Distinction from the Stanford Law School and was elected Business Manager of the school’s Law Review. She is admitted to the California State Bar and is fluent in Spanish.
Ms. Parcella is a director of Terreno Realty Corporation (NYSE:TRNO), an industrial REIT with a strategic focus in six major U.S. coastal markets. Additionally, she serves as an Independent Trustee on the Dodge & Cox Funds Board of Trustees. Ms. Parcella is a member of the Stanford Law School Dean’s Advisory Council and the Stanford Real Estate Council. She was formerly chair of the Board of Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco.
Ms. Parcella was named one of the area’s “Most Influential Women” by the San Francisco Business Times in 2016. In 2017, Fortune and ALPFA ranked her third on their “50 Most Powerful Latinas in Corporate America.” She is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
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Management Committee
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott McPherson has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1995. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibility has been serving as a senior project partner with a particular focus on project development, entitlement processing and major tenant leasing, including oversight of the firm’s urban redevelopments. Mr. McPherson has led many of the firm’s larger and more complicated property redevelopments including Santa Fe Springs Mall from 1998 to 2001, Oxnard Esplanade from 2000 to 2001, Mira Mesa Mall from 2000 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2011 he oversaw the entitlement processing and predevelopment activities for Delta Shores in Sacramento and the Metro Center in San Diego. In 2010, Mr. McPherson assumed the additional role of overseeing leasing, the project management function and coordinating its personnel to ensure the execution of the Company’s strategy for each asset. In 2015 he assumed full oversight responsibility for the firms North Hollywood and Laguna Hill’s redevelopments. In 2017, Mr. McPherson became a co-managing partner for Merlone Geier’s twelfth fund.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. McPherson was a Development Associate at Donahue Schriber and a Retail Leasing Specialist with C.W. Clark.
Mr. McPherson is a graduate of UCLA with an undergraduate degree in history. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, where he earned the Senior Certified Leasing Specialist designation, a member of the Urban Land Institute and a licensed real estate broker. Mr. McPherson is also a past member of the Board of Directors and current President of the Monarch Ambassador Council of the Monarch School in San Diego, and a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan Lischke joined Merlone Geier in 2016. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are acquisitions and dispositions. Mr. Lischke also assists with urban project redevelopment and capital markets.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Lischke was the Chief Investment Officer and a Partner at GPI Companies, a private investor, developer, and operator of retail, multifamily, office, and mixed-use properties in Southern California. Mr. Lischke helped launch GPI in 2009, build the portfolio to more than $550 million in assets under management, establish and invest a $200 million equity commitment (which was subsequently increased to $500 million) on behalf of a state pension fund. Prior to joining GPI, Mr. Lischke worked in acquisitions and development at Trammell Crow, MRP Realty, and The JBG Companies in Washington, DC.
Mr. Lischke graduated from Stanford University in 1997 earning an undergraduate degree in Economics with departmental honors. He was a four-year letterman on Stanford’s varsity swimming team that won a NCAA and four PAC-10 championships. In 2003, he earned an MBA degree from Harvard University. Mr. Lischke is an active participant in several real estate professional organizations including ULI, ICSC, NAIOP, and Stanford Professionals in Real Estate where he is a member of the Founder’s Circle and serves on the Stanford Real Estate Council. In addition, Mr. Lischke is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gillispie School. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Gabriela F. Parcella
Managing Partner
Gabriela F. Parcella
Managing Partner
Gabby Parcella joined Merlone Geier in 2018. She is a member of the Investment Committee and her primary responsibility is to work with Messrs. Merlone and Geier on the furtherance of the firm’s investment management activities.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Ms. Parcella was the Chairman, President and CEO of Mellon Capital, a $380 billion institutional investment management firm focused on index and multi-asset strategies. For seven years, Ms. Parcella oversaw and coordinated the fully integrated company including Investments, Operations, Distribution, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance. During her 20-year career at Mellon Capital, Ms. Parcella held numerous other leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to Mellon Capital, Ms. Parcella was a tax attorney at Orrick.
Ms. Parcella graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, earning a M.A. in Professional Accounting and a B.A. in Business Administration, both with High Honors. In 1994, she earned a J.D. with Distinction from the Stanford Law School and was elected Business Manager of the school’s Law Review. She is admitted to the California State Bar and is fluent in Spanish.
Ms. Parcella is a director of Terreno Realty Corporation (NYSE:TRNO), an industrial REIT with a strategic focus in six major U.S. coastal markets. Additionally, she serves as an Independent Trustee on the Dodge & Cox Funds Board of Trustees. Ms. Parcella is a member of the Stanford Law School Dean’s Advisory Council and the Stanford Real Estate Council. She was formerly chair of the Board of Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco.
Ms. Parcella was named one of the area’s “Most Influential Women” by the San Francisco Business Times in 2016. In 2017, Fortune and ALPFA ranked her third on their “50 Most Powerful Latinas in Corporate America.” She is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Sandra J. Dellibovi
Managing Director
Sandra J. Dellibovi
Managing Director
Sandy Dellibovi has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1999. Her primary responsibilities are overseeing the firms property management field operations, and leading acquisition due diligence. Ms. Dellibovi also coordinates the efforts of project, construction and property management personnel, including for the preparation of property budgets.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Dellibovi was General Manager for the Esplanade Shopping Center in Oxnard, California which was later redeveloped and repositioned by M&H. She previously worked with several third party management groups where her responsibilities included the management and operations of over 1.5 million square feet of retail, office and industrial properties throughout Southern California.
Ms. Dellibovi is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers where she earned the Certified Shopping Center Manager designation. She is also a member of the Institute of Real Estate Management and a licensed real estate salesperson. She is resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
David E. Geiser
Managing Director
David E. Geiser
Managing Director
Dave Geiser has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1997 managing project design and construction, which includes oversight of contractors and design consultants and coordination with the development teams. He also plays an integral role in the firm’s land planning and entitlement processing activities.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Geiser served as managing principal for the San Diego office of MCG Architects, a full service architectural and planning firm specializing in retail and commercial development projects. While at MCG, Mr. Geiser completed numerous assignments for M&H Realty Partners before M&H recruited Mr. Geiser to join the firm and run design and construction from inside the organization.
Mr. Geiser graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1988 with an undergraduate degree in architecture. He is an active participant in the American Institute of Architects and is a licensed Architect in the State of California. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Vladimir I. Shlafman
Managing Director
Vladimir I. Shlafman
Managing Director
Vladimir Shlafman joined Merlone Geier in 2009. From 2009 thru 2014 as Director, Capital Markets, his primary responsibilities were investor relations activities, including fund raising, investor reporting, arranging debt capital and managing the firm’s banking relationships. From 2015 thru 2016 Mr. Shlafman, as Vice President of asset and portfolio management, had oversight responsibility of asset-level decision analysis, fund-level performance metrics and corporate-level operations, including systems and process improvements. In 2017 he assumed the role of Managing Director and his primary responsibilities returned to Capital Markets with full responsibility of investor relations activities, including fund raising, investor reporting, arranging debt capital and banking relationships.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2006 to 2009, Mr. Shlafman worked for the Marcus & Millichap Company, a diversified real estate holding company with subsidiaries in real estate development, investment, finance and brokerage. Mr. Shlafman held multiple roles within the holding company including strategy, financial planning and capital markets. He also worked as a Project Manager for Highland Development Company, Marcus & Millichap Company’s retail investment and development subsidiary. From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Shlafman served as a consultant for Bain & Company, an international management consulting firm. Prior to completing his MBA, Mr. Shlafman was a CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later held operational finance roles in multiple Silicon Valley technology companies.
Mr. Shlafman graduated from UCLA in 1995 with an undergraduate degree in economics. In 2003, he received his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Mr. Shlafman is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Gary S. Muljat
Managing Director
Gary S. Muljat
Managing Director
Gary Muljat joined Merlone Geier in 2012. His primary responsibility is to provide oversight on leasing and project management across the portfolio. Previously, he served as project manager for owned assets and development projects in the Sacramento region. In that capacity, Mr. Muljat was responsible for ensuring the execution of the Company’s strategy for assets in the greater Sacramento region.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2009 to 2012, Mr. Muljat served as Vice President, Director of Leasing for Pacific Capital Investments. Mr. Muljat was responsible for operational, leasing and asset management for the company’s commercial portfolio. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. Muljat was a partner with Panattoni Development Company. Mr. Muljat founded and was responsible for the Northern California retail development office, overseeing the acquisition, development, management and marketing of retail and mixed-use projects in the region. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Muljat was with Kimco Realty Corporation in a variety of capacities, ultimately serving as Regional Vice President responsible for all operational aspects of a 10.5 million square foot shopping center portfolio. From 1995 to 2001, he held Director of Real Estate positions with CVS Pharmacy and Hollywood Entertainment.
Mr. Muljat graduated in 1988 from the University of California, Santa Barbara with undergraduate degrees in Business-Economics. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s Sacramento office.
Nariman Lindsay
Managing Director
Nariman Lindsay
Managing Director
Nariman Lindsay joined Merlone Geier in 2011. His primary responsibility is to lead Asset Management. Previously, Mr. Lindsay worked in capital markets where he focused on fundraising, investor reporting and arranging and maintaining fund financings. Mr. Lindsay also worked on the MGP acquisitions team from 2014 thru 2016 where he was responsible for investment underwriting and due diligence.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Lindsay was a certified commercial real estate appraiser at CBRE in Australia and Singapore. Mr. Lindsay provided appraisal and valuation advisory services to institutional clients comprising publicly listed REITs and private equity fund managers with real estate portfolios across Asia Pacific. He worked on real estate valuation projects spanning the full spectrum of major product types (retail, multifamily, office and industrial) and across international markets including Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia and India.
Mr. Lindsay graduated from the University of Queensland (Australia) in 2005 with a Bachelor of Business Management, majoring in Real Estate and Development. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
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Acquisitions
Bradley A. Geier
Managing Partner
Bradley A. Geier
Managing Partner
Brad Geier is a founder, co-owner and managing partner of the general partner entities of Merlone Geier and MGM and has also been a managing director of the general partner entities of M&H from its founding in 1993. From 1983 to 1993, prior to the formation of the first M&H fund, Mr. Geier held senior positions with Trammell Crow Company and The Taubman Company.
Mr. Geier is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are to formulate and execute Merlone Geier’s investment strategy, including the acquisition and disposition of properties and the oversight and direction of land development and joint venture investment activities. From 1994 to 2006, Mr. Geier was the lead partner handling the purchase and subsequent sale of nearly 50 properties aggregating in excess of ten million square feet. During this period, Mr. Geier also had primary responsibility for development entitlements across the portfolio. Since that time, Mr. Geier has completed the acquisition of an additional 120 properties aggregating 16.9 million square feet and has continued to oversee dispositions.
Mr. Geier graduated from Stanford University in 1979, earning an undergraduate degree in history with departmental honors. In 1983 he earned an MBA degree from Harvard University. Mr. Geier is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. He is a Director of H.G. Fenton Company and serves on the Policy Advisory Board Executive Committee of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego. In addition, Mr. Geier is a member of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University, a lifetime trustee of The Bishop’s School, and a trustee of Coaching Corps, a non-profit focused on improving the health, educational and social outcomes of kids living in struggling communities through the power of coaching and sports. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan C. Lischke
Managing Partner
Jonathan Lischke joined Merlone Geier in 2016. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibilities are acquisitions and dispositions. Mr. Lischke also assists with urban project redevelopment and capital markets.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Lischke was the Chief Investment Officer and a Partner at GPI Companies, a private investor, developer, and operator of retail, multifamily, office, and mixed-use properties in Southern California. Mr. Lischke helped launch GPI in 2009, build the portfolio to more than $550 million in assets under management, establish and invest a $200 million equity commitment (which was subsequently increased to $500 million) on behalf of a state pension fund. Prior to joining GPI, Mr. Lischke worked in acquisitions and development at Trammell Crow, MRP Realty, and The JBG Companies in Washington, DC.
Mr. Lischke graduated from Stanford University in 1997 earning an undergraduate degree in Economics with departmental honors. He was a four-year letterman on Stanford’s varsity swimming team that won a NCAA and four PAC-10 championships. In 2003, he earned an MBA degree from Harvard University. Mr. Lischke is an active participant in several real estate professional organizations including ULI, ICSC, NAIOP, and Stanford Professionals in Real Estate where he is a member of the Founder’s Circle and serves on the Stanford Real Estate Council. In addition, Mr. Lischke is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gillispie School. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Kori C. Murphy
Vice President
Kori C. Murphy
Vice President
Kori Murphy joined Merlone Geier in 2011. Her primary responsibilities include property acquisitions and dispositions in Southern California as well as coordinating the due diligence process and transition of acquisitions into Merlone Geier’s platform.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, form 2007 thru 2011, Ms. Murphy was a retail investments sales broker and senior analyst for Berkeley Capital Advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was involved in the sale of 500 million square feet of shopping centers in the Southeastern region of the United States.
Ms. Murphy is a native of San Diego and graduated from Wake Forest University with an undergraduate degree in History. She was a member of Wake Forest’s varsity soccer team from 2003 – 2006. She is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and Urban Land Institute. She is resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
Timothy C. Sullivan
Vice President
Timothy C. Sullivan
Vice President
Tim Sullivan joined Merlone Geier Partners in 2013. His primary responsibilities are acquisitions and dispositions in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, as well as coordinating the due diligence process and transition of acquisitions into Merlone Geier’s platform. From 2013 to 2016, Mr. Sullivan worked on the Portfolio Management team where he was responsible for asset-level decision analysis, fund-level performance and corporate level operations.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Sullivan held multiple roles at Developers Diversified Realty. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Asset Manager – International, managing aspects of the company’s investment in Brazil. From 2006 to 2007, he was a New Business Development Manager, responsible for specialty leasing initiatives at the company’s northeast properties. Prior to his time at Developers Diversified Realty, Mr. Sullivan spent two seasons playing professional basketball in Ireland’s Superleague and one year coaching basketball at Williams College.
Mr. Sullivan graduated from Colgate University in 2003. He later received his MBA degree from The Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Mr. Sullivan is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
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Leasing & Entitlement
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott A. McPherson
Managing Partner
Scott McPherson has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1995. He is a member of the Investment Committee and his primary responsibility has been serving as a senior project partner with a particular focus on project development, entitlement processing and major tenant leasing, including oversight of the firm’s urban redevelopments. Mr. McPherson has led many of the firm’s larger and more complicated property redevelopments including Santa Fe Springs Mall from 1998 to 2001, Oxnard Esplanade from 2000 to 2001, Mira Mesa Mall from 2000 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2011 he oversaw the entitlement processing and predevelopment activities for Delta Shores in Sacramento and the Metro Center in San Diego. In 2010, Mr. McPherson assumed the additional role of overseeing leasing, the project management function and coordinating its personnel to ensure the execution of the Company’s strategy for each asset. In 2015 he assumed full oversight responsibility for the firms North Hollywood and Laguna Hill’s redevelopments. In 2017, Mr. McPherson became a co-managing partner for Merlone Geier’s twelfth fund.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. McPherson was a Development Associate at Donahue Schriber and a Retail Leasing Specialist with C.W. Clark.
Mr. McPherson is a graduate of UCLA with an undergraduate degree in history. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, where he earned the Senior Certified Leasing Specialist designation, a member of the Urban Land Institute and a licensed real estate broker. Mr. McPherson is also a past member of the Board of Directors and current President of the Monarch Ambassador Council of the Monarch School in San Diego, and a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Gary S. Muljat
Managing Director
Gary S. Muljat
Managing Director
Gary Muljat joined Merlone Geier in 2012. His primary responsibility is to provide oversight on leasing and project management across the portfolio. Previously, he served as project manager for owned assets and development projects in the Sacramento region. In that capacity, Mr. Muljat was responsible for ensuring the execution of the Company’s strategy for assets in the greater Sacramento region.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2009 to 2012, Mr. Muljat served as Vice President, Director of Leasing for Pacific Capital Investments. Mr. Muljat was responsible for operational, leasing and asset management for the company’s commercial portfolio. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. Muljat was a partner with Panattoni Development Company. Mr. Muljat founded and was responsible for the Northern California retail development office, overseeing the acquisition, development, management and marketing of retail and mixed-use projects in the region. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Muljat was with Kimco Realty Corporation in a variety of capacities, ultimately serving as Regional Vice President responsible for all operational aspects of a 10.5 million square foot shopping center portfolio. From 1995 to 2001, he held Director of Real Estate positions with CVS Pharmacy and Hollywood Entertainment.
Mr. Muljat graduated in 1988 from the University of California, Santa Barbara with undergraduate degrees in Business-Economics. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s Sacramento office.
James G. Alexander
Managing Director
James G. Alexander
Managing Director
Jim Alexander joined Merlone Geier in 2011. His primary responsibility is to serve as project manager for owned assets in the Washington and Oregon area. In 2018 Mr. Alexander assumed the additional responsibilities of leasing oversight and coordinating personnel to ensure the execution of the Company’s strategy for assets in the greater Pacific Northwest region.
Before joining Merlone Geier, from 2009 to 2011, Mr. Alexander was Director of Real Estate for Kimco Realty Corp. focusing on the leasing and redevelopment of shopping centers in the Washington and Oregon area. From 2006 to 2009 he was Vice President of Opus Real Estate, a national developer, with emphasis on shopping center development. From 1999 to 2006, Mr. Alexander was Vice President of Real Estate with Madison Marquette in which he oversaw the leasing and redevelopment of their Washington and Oregon shopping center portfolio.
Mr. Alexander graduated in 1988 with a MBA from the University of Washington and also holds an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Washington. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s Washington office.
Greg J. Geertsen
Managing Director
Greg J. Geertsen
Managing Director
Greg Geertsen has been with Merlone Geier since 2007. His primary responsibility is to serve as a senior project partner, with a particular focus on project development, entitlement processing and leasing.
Before joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Geertsen was the managing partner of Western Development Partners, a full service development firm specializing in retail development and redevelopment in twelve western states. Prior to forming Western Development Partners, Mr. Geertsen served as Vice President of Real Estate for Grocery Outlet, a regional discount grocery chain, from 1990 to 2001. During his tenure at Grocery Outlet, Mr. Geertsen oversaw its expansion from 30 to 120 locations, including the development of over 20 projects throughout nine western states. From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Geertsen served as a development director for two privately held real estate companies, where his responsibilities included new project development, leasing and retail property management in five western states.
Mr. Geertsen graduated from Brigham Young University in 1982 with an undergraduate degree in business finance. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, where he earned the Senior Certified Shopping Center Manager designation, and is a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
William J. Tipton
Managing Director
William J. Tipton
Managing Director
Will Tipton first joined Merlone Geier in 1995 and after six years away from 2004 to 2010 rejoined Merlone Geier in 2011 with primary responsibility to serve as project partner for owned assets in Southern California. In 2014 Mr. Tipton assumed the additional role of overseeing leasing, the project management function and coordinating its personnel to ensure the execution of the Company’s strategy for each mid to small size asset. With the growth of the Merlone Geier portfolio, in 2018 Mr. Tipton shifted his focus to anchor tenant leasing for our largest redevelopments and serving as national accounts contact across all owned assets.
Before joining Merlone Geier, from 1990 to 1994, Mr. Tipton was a Retail Specialist for CB Commercial Real Estate Group (now CBRE) focusing on the leasing and development of shopping centers in Southern California. From 1995 to 2004, Mr. Tipton was a Vice President and project partner for M&H Realty Partners, the predecessor entity to Merlone Geier Partners, with project management responsibilities for the Southern California portfolio. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Tipton was Managing Partner of JLM Realty Advisors, a shopping center development company and advisory group with emphasis on retail entitlement and ground up development. From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Tipton was a partner of Pacific Development Group, an Orange County based shopping center development company with ownership of 3 million square feet in which Mr. Tipton oversaw all aspects of project development, including entitlement, leasing, construction and management.
Mr. Tipton graduated with honors in 1989 from the University of Southern California with an undergraduate degree from the Annenberg School of Communications. Mr. Tipton is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, a Senior Certified Leasing Specialist and a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s Orange County office.
Jamas K. Gwilliam
Vice President, Development
Jamas K. Gwilliam
Vice President, Development
Jamas Gwilliam joined Merlone Geier in February 2017. His primary responsibilities include the development oversight of various mixed-use densification projects in Southern California and the Greater Seattle Area including entitlements, multifamily/retail/office strategy, community outreach, anchor leasing and financial oversight.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Gwilliam was Senior Vice President at Kilroy Realty Corporation from 2011 to 2017. During his time with Kilroy he was development lead on One Paseo, a 1.1 million square foot office, retail and multifamily mixed-use project in the Del Mar Heights submarket of San Diego that included a referendum, two CEQA lawsuit settlements and a wide outreach process. In addition, to One Paseo he was also the acquisition and development lead for Columbia Square, a 700 thousand square foot office, retail and multifamily project in Hollywood that included the renovation of the historic CBS broadcasting studios. From 2011 to 2014 as part of the acquisition team, Mr. Gwilliam, was involved in more than $1.5 billion of acquisitions in all of the major western markets including the 333 Dexter development site in the Seattle submarket of South Lake Union.
Mr. Gwilliam received his graduate degree in real estate at the University of San Diego and undergraduate degree in finance from Brigham Young University. He is a member of ICSC, a board member of the San Diego chapter of NAIOP, Policy Advisory Board member at the USD Burnham Moores Center for Real Estate and is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Stephen T. Logan
Vice President, Development
Stephen T. Logan
Vice President, Development
Stephen Logan joined Merlone Geier in January 2016. His primary responsibility is the development oversight of NOHO West and Five Lagunas including managing the entitlement process, anchor store and city negotiations and the financial oversight of these projects.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Logan was Assistant Vice President at Macerich from 2006 to 2015 and played a major role in the redevelopment of Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, CA, Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, CA, the pre-development planning at Candlestick Point for Fashion Outlets of San Francisco and other major developments on the West Coast. Prior to Macerich, from 1997 to 2015, Mr. Logan worked for Equity Office Properties as Project Manager overseeing development, capital improvements and construction for their Los Angeles portfolio of 9 million square feet.
Mr. Logan is a graduate of the University of Arizona with an undergraduate degree in Regional Development. He is an active member in ICSC and is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
William B. Geier
Vice President
William B. Geier
Vice President
Will Geier joined Merlone Geier in August 2018. His primary responsibility is to provide support for the development and entitlement intensive properties in the Merlone Geier portfolio.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2013 to 2018, Mr. Geier held multiple positions at AllianceBernstein. He was most recently a Vice President in the Real Estate Group, where his primary responsibilities included evaluating, structuring, and managing investments for the firm’s opportunistic equity funds. While at AllianceBernstein, he executed transactions and acted as asset manager on investments across the office, multifamily, and hospitality sectors. Prior to AllianceBernstein, from 2011 to 2013, Mr. Geier worked for Eastdil Secured as a financial analyst.
Mr. Geier graduated from Stanford University in 2011 with a BA in International Relations. Mr. Geier is an active participant in ULI, NAIOP, and Stanford Professionals in Real Estate. He resides in the San Francisco office.
Dennis M. Borowsky
Vice President
Dennis M. Borowsky
Vice President
Dennis Borowsky joined Merlone Geier in 2015. His primary responsibility is to serve as project manager for owned assets in Southern California.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2008 to 2012, Mr. Borowsky was the Senior Director of Leasing for the Irvine Company responsible for the strategic merchandising and leasing for a portfolio of centers in Southern California, including The Market Place in Tustin and Irvine, one of Orange County’s premier shopping centers. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Borowsky was a Director of Leasing with Westrust responsible for the leasing and marketing of new development projects. From 1984 to 2004, Mr. Borowsky held several new development leasing and marketing positions in Southern California, including Vice President from 1987 to 1999 with the Donahue Schriber Realty Group, where he was also responsible for project and special use entitlements for new development projects.
Mr. Borowsky graduated from California State University, Northridge with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Marketing. Mr. Borowsky is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers where he earned the Certified Retail Property Executive and Certified Leasing Specialist certifications. He is also a licensed salesperson. He is resident in the firm’s Orange County office.
Brett A. Christopoulos
Vice President
Brett A. Christopoulos
Vice President
Brett Christopoulos joined Merlone Geier in 2016. His primary responsibility is to serve as project manager for owned assets in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Christopoulos was part of the West Coast leasing team for Federal Realty Investment Trust. At FRIT, in addition to a number of grocery anchored centers he focused on their core properties in Northern California, from the high street retail asset Santana Row to the repositioning of Westgate Center. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Christopoulos was a leasing manager for Property Development Centers with oversight of a portfolio of new power and grocery anchored developments in Northern and Southern California, Washington, Hawaii and the greater Washington D.C. markets. His responsibilities entailed working with the acquisition and development teams on the feasibility of new sites, developing merchandising strategies and implementing the marketing and leasing of the developments. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Christopoulos held various leasing roles with the Browman Development Company with responsibilities throughout the company’s power and grocery center portfolio in Northern California, Washington and Alaska.
Mr. Christopoulos graduated from California State University, Chico with a BS in Financial Management. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and a licensed real estate salesperson. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Katy S. Noel
Vice President
Katy S. Noel
Vice President
Katy Noel joined Merlone Geier in 2014. Her primary responsibility is to serve as project manager for owned assets in the Southern California region.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2011 to 2014, Ms. Noel was Director of Leasing for Equity One in the Southern California region specializing in the leasing of neighborhood centers. From 2005 to 2010 she served as Senior Director of Real Estate with Kimco Realty Corporation with leasing oversight of their Southern California shopping center portfolio. From 2002 to 2005 Ms. Noel was a Real Estate Manager responsible for leasing in the Southern California region with Pan Pacific Retail Properties, the largest neighborhood shopping center REIT on the west coast. And from 1996 to 2002 she was a Tenant Representative for Carl’s Jr. and Kindercare Learning Centers focused on new site development in the Southern California area.
Ms. Noel graduated from San Francisco State University in 1991 with an undergraduate degree in Business Finance/Real Estate. Ms. Noel is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and a licensed real estate broker. She is resident in the firm’s Lake Forest office.
Taylor R. Pham
Vice President
Taylor R. Pham
Vice President
Taylor Pham joined Merlone Geier in 2013. His primary responsibility is to serve as project manager for owned assets in Southern California.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2007 to 2012, Mr. Pham was a Director for Epsteen and Associates, responsible for retail leasing and the acquisition and disposition of shopping centers and mixed use developments in Southern California.
Mr. Pham graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 with undergraduate degrees in Business and Political Science with departmental honors. Mr. Pham is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers where he earned the Certified Leasing Specialist designation. He is also a licensed salesperson. He is resident in the firm’s Orange County office.
Soraya Sharifi-Slaughter
Vice President
Soraya Sharifi-Slaughter
Vice President
Soraya Sharifi-Slaughter joined Merlone Geier in 2015. Her primary responsibility is to serve as the project manager for owned assets and development projects in the Sacramento region.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2009 to 2015, Ms. Sharifi-Slaughter was a Leasing Representative for Donahue Schriber Realty Group responsible for managing and leasing a portfolio consisting of over two million square feet of retail space. From 2007 to 2009 she was the Retail Director for Cushman & Wakefield’s Sacramento office. From 2004 to 2007 she was a retail broker with TRI Commercial Real Estate.
Ms. Sharifi-Slaughter graduated from California State University, Sacramento with undergraduate degrees in Finance and Risk Management/Insurance. In 2006 she received her MBA from California State University, Sacramento. In 2007 she earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation by the CCIM Institute. She is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and was the ICSC Next Generation State Chair from 2010 to 2012. She is resident in the firm’s Sacramento office and is a proud Veteran of the United States Army.
Laurie A. Dome
Leasing Specialist
Laurie A. Dome
Leasing Specialist
Laurie Dome joined Merlone Geier in 2017. Her primary responsibility is lease renewals for owned assets in the Southern California region.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 1999 to 2016, Ms. Dome was a Vice President for Business Properties Management Company responsible for portfolio wide lease negotiations and administration with oversight of rent collections, tenant improvements and property upgrades. From 1992 to 1999, she served as Property Manager for office, retail and industrial properties throughout Southern California.
Ms. Dome graduated from the University of San Diego in 1990 with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a minor in English. Ms. Dome is a licensed real estate broker and is resident in the firm’s Orange County office.
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Design & Construction
David E. Geiser, AIA
Managing Director
David E. Geiser, AIA
Managing Director
Dave Geiser has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1997 managing project design and construction, which includes oversight of contractors and design consultants and coordination with the development teams. He also plays an integral role in the firm’s land planning and entitlement processing activities.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Geiser served as managing principal for the San Diego office of MCG Architects, a full service architectural and planning firm specializing in retail and commercial development projects. While at MCG, Mr. Geiser completed numerous assignments for M&H Realty Partners before M&H recruited Mr. Geiser to join the firm and run design and construction from inside the organization.
Mr. Geiser graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1988 with an undergraduate degree in architecture. He is an active participant in the American Institute of Architects and is a licensed Architect in the State of California. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
Glenn E. Goodman
Vice President
Glenn E. Goodman
Vice President
Glenn Goodman first joined Merlone Geier’s predecessor entity in 1998 and after five years away, from 2004 to 2008, rejoined Merlone Geier in 2009. Mr. Goodman’s primary responsibilities are to serve as Design and Construction Vice President with a particular focus on construction oversight. Mr. Goodman has managed two of the Company’s largest redevelopment projects with high density residential and mixed use components; The Village at San Antonio Center in Mountain View and Stella in Marina del Rey.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 1996 to 1998, Mr. Goodman was a Project Manager for MCG Architecture focusing on the design of west coast retail shopping centers. From 1998 to 2003, Mr. Goodman served as Construction Manager for M&H Realty Partners, the predecessor entity to Merlone Geier, with design and construction responsibilities portfolio wide. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Goodman was a Contract Executive for Clark Realty Builders, a national multi-family housing developer. Mr. Goodman was responsible for the planning, oversight and management of the nation’s first large-scaled military privatization of bachelor housing for Navy enlisted sailors.
Mr. Goodman graduated from Temple University with an undergraduate degree in Architecture. He is currently a candidate for California architectural registration and a licensed general contractor. He is resident in the firm’s Washington office.
Barron E. Caronite, PE
Vice President
Barron E. Caronite, PE
Vice President
Barron Caronite has been with Merlone Geier since 2007. His primary responsibilities are to be an integral part of the firm’s forward planning land use, entitlement and development activities while maintaining an active role in underwriting the acquisition and disposition of assets. Mr. Caronite’s responsibilities extend to the oversight of the firm’s environmental compliance and mapping needs, as well as, infrastructure planning, design and construction activities.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier he served in various public agency and private consulting positions. As Deputy Director of Land Development for the City of Reno, Nevada and Assistant City Engineer for the City of Delray Beach, Florida, Mr. Caronite managed technical teams in support of the communities’ planning, community development and redevelopment efforts. Mr. Caronite has also served as a consulting engineer in the land use, entitlement, design, permitting, management and development of multiple residential and commercial real estate developments. He has extensive experience in the formulation and management of infrastructure capital improvement programs inclusive of roadway and utility systems, traffic engineering and storm water management requirements.
Mr. Caronite graduated from the University of South Florida in 1993 with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Florida and Nevada. After residence in both the firm’s San Francisco and San Diego offices, he is now resident in the firm’s Sacramento office.
W. Warren Dennis III
Director
W. Warren Dennis III
Director
Warren Dennis has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 2001. His primary responsibilities are to serve as development and construction director, with a particular focus on construction oversight. During his tenure Mr. Dennis has worked on many of the Company’s large redevelopment projects, including Oxnard Esplanade, Santa Fe Springs, Chino Town Center and Lakewood Square. Mr. Dennis continues to serve as the development and construction manager for Park Lane Mall and Fullerton Crossings.
Prior to working with Merlone Geier, and from 1994 to 2001, Mr. Dennis was a development and project manager for Snyder Langston Real Estate and Construction Services. From 1986 to 1994 he was a project engineer and manager for a number of national construction companies.
Mr. Dennis graduated in 1985 with an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and in 1988 with a Commercial and Industrial Development Management Certificate from the University of California, Irvine. He is resident in the firm’s San Diego office.
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Property Management & Lease Administration
Sandra J. Dellibovi
Managing Director
Sandra J. Dellibovi
Managing Director
Sandy Dellibovi has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1999. Her primary responsibilities are overseeing the firms property management field operations, and leading acquisition due diligence. Ms. Dellibovi also coordinates the efforts of project, construction and property management personnel, including for the preparation of property budgets.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Dellibovi was General Manager for the Esplanade Shopping Center in Oxnard, California which was later redeveloped and repositioned by M&H. She previously worked with several third party management groups where her responsibilities included the management and operations of over 1.5 million square feet of retail, office and industrial properties throughout Southern California.
Ms. Dellibovi is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers where she earned the Certified Shopping Center Manager designation. She is also a member of the Institute of Real Estate Management and a licensed real estate salesperson. She is resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
Douglas E. Lind
Vice President
Douglas E. Lind
Vice President
Doug Lind has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entity since 1996. His primary responsibilities include property management, with a focus on northern California properties, risk management, insurance and property tax reassessment.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 1987 to 1995, Mr. Lind was Director of Property Management for GBW Properties, a private owner, developer and manager of commercial and multifamily properties headquartered in Los Angeles. Previously, he worked in the securities industry in San Francisco and New York.
Mr. Lind graduated from Dartmouth College in 1974, earning an undergraduate degree in history with departmental honors. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers where he earned the Certified Leasing Specialist and Certified Shopping Center Manager designations and is a member of the Institute for Real Estate Management where he earned the designation of Certified Property Manager. Mr. Lind is also a licensed general contractor and a licensed real estate broker. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Stephanie J. Turner
Vice President
Stephanie J. Turner
Vice President
Stephanie Turner first joined Merlone Geier in 2001 and after seven years away rejoined Merlone Geier in 2010. Ms. Turner’s primary responsibilities are lease administration and acquisition due diligence. From 2001 to 2003, Ms. Turner was a property management assistant administrator for M&H Realty Partners, the predecessor entity to Merlone Geier, collaborating in the management and review of portfolio wide due diligence for acquisitions and dispositions. She also assisted in the management and lease administrative processes.
From 2004 to 2010, Ms. Turner was an Associate with Coast Range Investments, LLC, a real estate company managing funds for residential, commercial and raw land. Her responsibilities included the oversight of marketing and investor reporting for the firm’s eight real estate funds.
Ms. Turner graduated in 2000 from Texas Christian University with an undergraduate degree in Marketing. She is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and served on the board of directors for the Belden Club from 2007 to 2012. She is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
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Operations
Nariman Lindsay
Managing Director
Nariman Lindsay
Managing Director
Nariman Lindsay joined Merlone Geier in 2011. His primary responsibility is to lead Asset Management. Previously, Mr. Lindsay worked in capital markets where he focused on fundraising, investor reporting and arranging and maintaining fund financings. Mr. Lindsay also worked on the MGP acquisitions team from 2014 thru 2016 where he was responsible for investment underwriting and due diligence.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Lindsay was a certified commercial real estate appraiser at CBRE in Australia and Singapore. Mr. Lindsay provided appraisal and valuation advisory services to institutional clients comprising publicly listed REITs and private equity fund managers with real estate portfolios across Asia Pacific. He worked on real estate valuation projects spanning the full spectrum of major product types (retail, multifamily, office and industrial) and across international markets including Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia and India.
Mr. Lindsay graduated from the University of Queensland (Australia) in 2005 with a Bachelor of Business Management, majoring in Real Estate and Development. He is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Brandon H. Rusk
Director
Brandon H. Rusk
Director
Brandon Rusk joined Merlone Geier in 2017. His primary responsibilities are overseeing portfolio and asset-level decision analysis, oversight of fund-level performance metrics and corporate level operations, including systems and process improvements.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2005 to 2017, Mr. Rusk held various roles for Regency Centers from property management to most recently, Senior Manager Financial Services. At Regency Centers he was responsible for underwriting and due diligence for ground up, acquisition, and re-development opportunities; as well as the management reporting of these assets.
Mr. Rusk graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in Economics. Mr. Rusk is an active participant in the Urban Land Institute and International Council of Shopping Centers. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
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Capital Markets & Finance
Vladimir I. Shlafman
Managing Director
Vladimir I. Shlafman
Managing Director
Vladimir Shlafman joined Merlone Geier in 2009. From 2009 thru 2014 as Director, Capital Markets, his primary responsibilities were investor relations activities, including fund raising, investor reporting, arranging debt capital and managing the firm’s banking relationships. From 2015 thru 2016 Mr. Shlafman, as Vice President of asset and portfolio management, had oversight responsibility of asset-level decision analysis, fund-level performance metrics and corporate-level operations, including systems and process improvements. In 2017 he assumed the role of Managing Director and his primary responsibilities returned to Capital Markets with full responsibility of investor relations activities, including fund raising, investor reporting, arranging debt capital and banking relationships.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, from 2006 to 2009, Mr. Shlafman worked for the Marcus & Millichap Company, a diversified real estate holding company with subsidiaries in real estate development, investment, finance and brokerage. Mr. Shlafman held multiple roles within the holding company including strategy, financial planning and capital markets. He also worked as a Project Manager for Highland Development Company, Marcus & Millichap Company’s retail investment and development subsidiary. From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Shlafman served as a consultant for Bain & Company, an international management consulting firm. Prior to completing his MBA, Mr. Shlafman was a CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later held operational finance roles in multiple Silicon Valley technology companies.
Mr. Shlafman graduated from UCLA in 1995 with an undergraduate degree in economics. In 2003, he received his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Mr. Shlafman is an active participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Michael J. Compasso, CFA
Vice President
Michael J. Compasso, CFA
Vice President
Michael Compasso joined Merlone Geier in 2014. As a Vice President in the Capital Markets group his primary responsibilities are capital markets and investor relations activities, including fund raising, investor reporting, arranging debt capital and managing the firm’s banking relationships.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Compasso served for eight years as Vice President, Relationship Manager for Wells Fargo in their Commercial Real Estate and Special Situations groups. During this time his responsibilities included originating, structuring, and closing credit facilities for institutional sponsors, as well as completing the resolution of distressed loans. Previously Mr. Compasso worked for six years in commercial real estate financing and sales: from 2000 to 2002 with Amercon Realty Services, Inc. and from 2003 to 2006 with BBVA Compass.
Mr. Compasso graduated from Arizona State University in 1998, earning an undergraduate degree in finance. In 2009 he earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Mr. Compasso is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Jakob Grøn, CPA
Vice President
Jakob Grøn, CPA
Vice President
Jakob Grøn joined Merlone Geier in 2011. His primary responsibilities include coordination of the firm’s accounting function, financial reporting and tax compliance as well as oversight of cash management and internal controls.
Prior to joining Merlone Geier, Mr. Grøn served five years as Controller and three years as Chief Financial Officer of Greenbriar Homes Communities, Inc., a production home builder and developer of luxury home and apartment communities. Mr. Grøn also worked from 1998 to 2002 in the San Francisco office of Ernst & Young LLP, ultimately as Tax Manager, providing tax services to commercial and residential developers and property management companies.
Mr. Grøn is a native of Denmark and graduated from Copenhagen Business School with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Business Administration and Economics. He spent a year of his graduate studies at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. He is a California licensed CPA and is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Amy P. Li, CPA
Corporate Controller
Amy P. Li, CPA
Corporate Controller
Amy Li has been with Merlone Geier and its predecessor entities since 2000. Ms. Li’s responsibilities include oversight of accounting operations and cash management, development of accounting controls and procedures, production of quarterly financial reports, coordination of the audit process and review of tax returns. Ms. Li held positions in accounts payable, property and fund accounting and in 2008 assumed the role of Corporate Controller.
Ms. Li graduated from Northcote College of Education and taught mathematics at Ju Ching Chu Middle School in her native Hong Kong.
After immigrating to the United States, Ms. Li graduated summa cum laude in 2001 from San Francisco State University earning an undergraduate degree in Accounting. Ms. Li is a California licensed CPA and a licensed real estate broker. She is resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.