On the move at CCIM, Velocity, MREG, Boulders, Offerpad, MJ Insurance

Bobbie Mastracci named to 2021 CCIM Institute Executive Committee

Bobbie Lorraine Mastracci, CCIM, SIOR, Designated Broker/Principal of Phoenix West Commercial, was named to the CCIM Institute’s 2021 Executive Committee at the organization’s Annual Governance Meetings held virtually Oct. 21-23 and 26-29.

The CCIM Institute confers the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation, commercial real estate’s global standard for professional achievement. The CCIM Institute is one of the largest commercial real estate networks in the world with members in more than 30 countries.

“It’s an honor to be chosen by my fellow CCIM peers to have the privilege serve the CCIM organization in the Executive Committee for the next two years,” Mastracci said. “When I was pinned on October 16, 2008, in Chicago by the then Central Arizona CCIM Chapter President, David Verwer it changed my career in a way that was unexpected.”

Tony Elliott promoted by Velocity Retail Group

Tony Elliott has been promoted to Vice President of Media and Information Technology for Velocity Retail Group. As an 18-year member of the organization Tony’s position has evolved while assuming responsibility for the implementation of an expanded marketing and social media program as well as a formalized performance coaching program for all members within the company. On a national scale, his talents in media creation will be utilized within X Team Retail Advisors, to provide increased national services offerings for the 40+ member offices.

“We are excited to have Tony focus on utilizing his creative gifts in videography, photography and graphic design to bring our marketing program to a higher level,” said Dave Cheatham President of Velocity Retail Group, and President of X Team Retail Advisors. “Tony has many gifts that have helped catapult our branding and identity. From a technology perspective, his programming skills are continually utilized as our internal efficiencies receive improvements and upgrades in the moment to serve the needs of our clients,” he added.

Tony has a unique and varied background in I.T., programming, media, and team coaching. This expanded role will bring these talents and skills together to achieve the goals set by the organization for the next several years.

Mack Real Estate Group expands activity in and around Phoenix

Mack Real Estate Group (MREG) is significantly expanding its commercial real estate business activities in Phoenix, demonstrating a commitment to growth in and around a market where other Mack family investments have been well established since the 1980s. MREG announced major new acquisition and development activity in Phoenix, along with key new hires in the local market and the headquarters relocation of its affiliated national property management business to Phoenix.

Craig Henig has been named Executive Director, overseeing the firm’s activities in the region. He previously worked for The Mack Company, another Mack family business that has been investing and developing industrial and office properties in Phoenix since 1987, and held senior-level positions in CBRE’s Phoenix office.

In mid-October MREG closed on construction financing and officially broke ground on a 170-unit market rate Class A apartment community in Scottsdale. A few weeks earlier MREG completed the acquisition of The Hub at Goodyear, a new, 793,862-square-foot industrial facility located in Goodyear, AZ, in one of the market’s largest industrial trades this year. Mack Property Management, the property management business of MREG, has also relocated to Phoenix from Boston effective this month, and brought on board Robert J. Matthews as Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting.

“We’re excited to have so much going on in Phoenix right now,” said Richard Mack, CEO of MREG. “These transactions and new hires, as well as the relocation of Mack Property Management, represent the culmination of a broader long-term plan to both expand our activities locally in Phoenix and establish the strongest possible base in the Southwest that enables us to reach more of the country.”

Craig Henig is the son of Ralph Henig, who with William Mack – Richard’s father – established The Mack Company presence in Arizona over 30 years ago. He now joins MREG’s equity investment business in Phoenix alongside Kevin Lindquist, who relocated to Phoenix in 2019 and oversees national property development activities undertaken by Mack Real Estate Development.

Mr. Mathews joins Mack Property Management from the Phoenix office of CBRE, Inc., where he held senior-level accounting and finance roles for the past 15 years, most recently serving as Director of Accounting since 2015. Prior to CBRE, Mr. Matthews served as Controller for Cardon Companies, overseeing finance and accounting for multiple business lines.

Boulders announces new director of golf club operations

Jon “JC” Wright has been appointed Director of Club Operations at the Boulders Resort, consistently named the “Best Golf Resort in the Southwest” by Golf Digest magazine. In this new position, Wright will oversee the golf programs, golf shop operations, golf course maintenance, tennis operations and the Boulders Club membership.

“My goal is to exceed the expectations of the Boulders stellar golf experience, for both our guests and our members,” said Wright.

With an extensive 20 year golf background, Wright joins the Boulders from the Laughlin Ranch Golf Club in Bullhead City, where he held the title of General Manager. Earlier in his career, he was the Director of Golf Operations at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Resort’s Lookout Mountain Golf Club. Throughout his career, he held titles that include Head Golf Professional at the Ak Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club; Director of Golf Operations at the Continental Golf Club in Flagstaff and Tournament Coordinator/Assistant Golf Professional at We Ko Pa Golf Club. Wright is a current member of the Professional Golf Association of America and the Golf Association of Arizona. Wright resides in Scottsdale and his hobbies include hunting, fishing and supporting junior golf.

Offerpad adds chief growth officer and chief legal officer

As part of its strategy to advance its Real Estate Solutions Center and future business plans, real estate tech innovator Offerpad, based in Phoenix, Arizona, announces the expansion of its Executive Team.

David Connelly, previously with Citigroup (NYSE: C), joins Offerpad as the company’s new Chief Growth Officer, and from Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE: TMHC), Ben Aronovitch has been hired as its new Chief Legal Officer. Connelly and Aronovitch join Offerpad’s team of executives who, together, have decades of combined real estate expertise and experience at companies such as American Express, Coupang, DoorDash, GoDaddy, Morgan Stanley and Pulte Homes, among others.

“With the addition of David and Ben, we’ve made the best real estate team in the world even better” said Offerpad Founder and CEO Brian Bair. “Their extensive expertise and past experience will help move Offerpad through the next exciting phase of our growth and development. With these two innovative leaders on board, Offerpad will continue to respond to and provide even more new solutions to enhance the changing marketplace and meet all of our customers’ real estate needs.”

Connelly now runs growth initiatives for the flourishing real estate tech company. His responsibilities include launching new revenue channels, assisting with capital markets opportunities and helping to lead strategic partnerships for the company.

Connelly is a 30-year Wall Street finance veteran with a broad background in banking, capital markets, and fixed income. At Citigroup he worked in all areas of specialty finance, as well as residential and commercial real estate as a Managing Director in the international organization’s North American Solutions Department. Before Citigroup, Connelly spent 25 years at Bear Stearns in Chicago as a Senior Managing Director in the firm’s institutional Fixed Income Department where his responsibilities included origination and distribution of all mortgage products, including high-grade and high-yield residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and asset-backed securities (ABS), and a full range of structured products.

“Offerpad is in a great position to do incredible things in the months and years to come,” said Connelly. “I’m happy to join such an inventive and tenacious executive team, and I look forward to building out new and exciting business channels for the company that will benefit the consumer.”

As Offerpad’s new CLO, Aronovitch will lead the company’s legal, compliance and risk management functions. In his new position Aronovitch will draw from previous high-level experience as a seasoned corporate and transactional practitioner to help launch strategic initiatives in line with the company’s development outlook.

At Taylor Morrison, he held the position of Vice President & Deputy General Counsel since 2013. Key duties for Aronovitch included M&A and financing transactions; significant real estate portfolio transactions and joint ventures; corporate governance; public company reporting; and the company’s ESG program.

Expansion boom at Offerpad continues with Addition of COO

Innovative real estate solutions provider Offerpad has announced yet another addition to its C-suite of executives with the hiring of Steve Johnson as its new Chief Operating Officer.

As COO, Johnson leads the company’s operations, with a laser focus on enhanced efficiencies and effectiveness, as well as full-throttle development of Offerpad’s Product team, to help bring even more offerings and concierge services for its Real Estate Solutions Center to market. He also oversees Offerpad’s unique approach to technological innovation, conversion strategies and data-driven analytics that has differentiated the company from its competitors.

Joining Offerpad after nine years at global finance company MSCI, Inc. (NYSE: MSCI) where he was Managing Director and President of InvestorForce Inc., Johnson’s extensive management background and keen acumen for executing successful growth strategies and transforming businesses are now a central part of Offerpad’s strategic business model. Johnson’s leadership of strategic, cross-functional teams and high-impact go-to-market strategies has consistently yielded positive outcomes and elevated his organizations.

New personal insurance director comes to MJ Insurance

MJ Insurance, a leading insurance agency for more than 50 years, today announced the appointment of industry expert Leighann Sargent to Director of Personal Insurance.

Sargent comes to MJ from a nationwide boutique risk management and property and casualty insurance agency, where she served as senior vice president and regional director. In her previous position she was responsible for new business marketing and tracking, was accountable for the leadership and development of specialty service units and maintained business partner relationships with premier insurance carriers.

In her new position, Sargent will lead MJ’s personal insurance strategy, operations and support the company’s vision for growth. Her goal is to help advance this segment of the business by increasing the effectiveness of all internal and external processes and elevate MJ’s product and resource offerings.

“Leighann is a dynamic leader and we are thrilled to welcome her to the MJ team,” said Michael H. Bill, CEO at MJ Insurance. “Leighann is a highly regarded professional and well-known expert in our industry. Her commitment to results-focused strategy and customer service will help us continue to support our clients, and further our ability to inspire the success, fulfillment, and wellbeing of each person we serve.”