CBRE hires Phoenix office leasing specialist

CBRE announced that Sean Spellman has joined the firm’s Phoenix office as Senior Vice President with CBRE Advisory & Transaction Services, Investor Leasing. Mr. Spellman will specialize in office leasing, providing owners of institutional quality office properties throughout metro Phoenix with world-class marketing and leasing strategies. He will be joined at CBRE by his long-time marketing coordinator, Nicole Lemon, who will serve as Account Manager, overseeing operations for the team across a variety of functions. 

“Sean has more than 10 years of experience developing tailored, comprehensive leasing strategies for the region’s top institutional real estate investors,” said Paul Komadina, senior managing director of CBRE’s Phoenix office. “He is an exemplary real estate professional who serves his clients with integrity, creativity and distinction. His extensive knowledge of the Phoenix market will strengthen the firm’s ability to advise our roster of world-class clients and deliver exceptional outcomes that align with their investment objectives.” 

Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. Spellman was Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield, where he was a member of the firm’s top office leasing team in Phoenix. Since 2008, Mr. Spellman has been involved in more than 1,113 transactions totaling more than $2.5 billion.

On the Money welcomes new CPA

On the Money, an accounting and bookkeeping firm in Phoenix, welcomed accounting professional Tran Larson of Glendale to their team. Detail-oriented, efficient and highly organized, Tran is an experienced CPA who brings a strategic approach to her work. Through various management positions in finance and accounting, Tran has made considerable bottom-line improvements for organizations in higher education, medical and technology industries. She also served as a senior associate with an accounting firm helping renewable energy clients. Tran holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University.

“We’re fortunate to have Tran join On the Money,” said Ruth Urban, president and CEO of On the Money. “Tran’s well-rounded background and substantial experience in finance and accounting will enhance our clients’ understanding of their numbers and empower them to use that knowledge to grow their businesses.”

SMoCA announces new curatorial team

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) announced the appointment of Hanh Ho as the new curator of contemporary art. She joined the Museum full time on January 7, 2019.

Ho relocated to Scottsdale from Dallas, TX, where she has successfully run her own international contemporary art gallery, CYDONIA, for six years. She has a prestigious curatorial degree from Goldsmiths College in London, in addition to a MBA from University of Dallas. Her area of expertise is post-conceptual art history and emerging practices as well as collections management.

In the fall of 2018, Jennifer McCabe was promoted to the role of director and chief curator of SMoCA. After serving as curator of contemporary art for one and a half years, and acting director for six months, she now oversees the Museum operations and maintains curatorial oversight for the Museum programs. In 2019, she will be completing the second year of a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts that has supported original exhibitions and new commissions. She believes museums bring communities together under the shared philosophy that art has the power to engage our imaginations, challenge our perceptions and inspire change.  

“The team at SMoCA looks forward to working with Hanh and her entrepreneurial spirit along with her research-based curatorial projects will be an exciting fit for the greater Phoenix area and growing arts community,” said McCabe.

While Ho is the curator of contemporary art at SMoCA, she is also focused on developing a new program, SMoCA LAB that will feature exhibitions of emerging artists. Additionally, she has a deep interest in building the institutional collection.

Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR announces promotions

Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR announced Dave Hammack and Aaron LaPrise have achieved shareholder status.  The two high-performing commercial real estate brokerage professionals are both Tucson natives active in the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and join the existing 14 C&W| PICOR principals in January 2019. 

Dave Hammack, a retail specialist, joined the firm in 2017.  Hammack has over 19 years’ experience in Tucson’s retail commercial real estate market and has completed over 700 transactions during this time.  He specializes in landlord/tenant and buyer/seller representation of retail properties throughout Southern Arizona and has been awarded CoStar Power Broker status for transactional volume each year since 2007.

Aaron LaPrise, also specializing in retail brokerage, has been with C&W | PICOR since 2012.  LaPrise’s depth of retail market experience and focus on relationships have propelled his success, and he is a multi-year CoStar Power Broker awardee. His clients include national, regional and local firms. LaPrise’s background with ground-up retail development has aligned him with the most well-known developers in the state. He is a leading tenant representation broker, advocating for prominent restaurants, banks, and retailers.

Velocity Retail promotes Brian Gast

Brian Gast has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Principal at Velocity Retail Group.  Brian started with Velocity Retail in 2014 and is in his 17th year in the retail commercial industry.  For 2018 he achieved the status of a million dollar producer for the second consecutive year.  

 “Brian continues to provide excellent service to his clients and is creative in finding solutions for their commercial real estate requirements,” said Dave Cheatham, President at Velocity Retail. “We are pleased that he has earned these promotions at our firm.  This business is about hard work and dedication to your clients and Brian excels in those areas 110%.”  

During 2018 Brian finalized 62 transactions totaling over $70 million in value.  This is the highest level of performance for him during his career in commercial brokerage.