California People and Company News, Week of Feb. 13, 2026

Cushman & Wakefield has hired Kevin Donner as Vice Chair, based in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Donner, who rejoins Cushman & Wakefield from Newmark, will focus on institutional capital markets, including office, multifamily and retail assets, as well as capital raising and joint venture formation. Katie Gavin is also rejoining the firm as an associate.

Cushman & Wakefield also announced that Bryan Doyle has joined the firm as COO, Americas Capital Markets. Based in San Diego, Doyle will oversee operational strategy and execution across the Americas Capital Markets platform, supporting the continued expansion of the business.

ATTOM, a provider of property data, AI-powered analytics and real estate intelligence solutions, appointed Kara Taylor as chief growth officer. In this expanded executive role, Taylor assumes full accountability for net-new annual recurring revenue and the operating systems that drive predictable, scalable growth. Previously she served as chief marketing officer.

Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation (MMCC) has added Ash Patel as a director in the firm’s San Francisco office. Patel is actively engaged in arranging financing across a broad spectrum of commercial property types, including multifamily, office, industrial, retail, and hospitality assets. He maintains strong relationships with national, regional, and local capital providers, such as agency lenders (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), banks, life insurance companies, CMBS lenders, and debt funds.

PREMIER Design + Build Group has promoted Jeramy Mahfet to SVP and Nick Palmer to VP, field operations in the company’s Western Region. Since helping establish and grow PREMIER’s Irvine office, Mahfet has played a critical role in expanding the company’s market presence and reputation. Palmer has consistently demonstrated strong operational leadership and a deep commitment to quality, safety, and team development.

NewMark Merrill Companies, Inc., a Calabasas-based retail shopping center owner and development company, has promoted Josh Ginsborg to VP of Capital Markets. He will work closely with the firm’s acquisitions, development, and operations teams.

Richie Dinets has joined real estate private equity firm Stockdale Capital Partners as managing director and general counsel, where he will lead all legal, regulatory, and compliance functions and serve as a member of the management committee. Dinets brings to Stockdale more than 15 years of institutional private equity real estate experience, including seven years at Tishman Speyer, where he most recently served as managing director and general counsel for the Western U.S.

Hanley Investment Group, one of the nation’s leading retail investment advisory firms, has made three leadership promotions following a record year of production. The firm elevated Dylan Mallory to EVP and promoted Brad Dessy and Sean Cox to SVPs, recognizing their exceptional performance, client impact and growing influence within the retail investment sales sector.

Max Benjamin Partners (MBP), a boutique real estate investment bank, has hired 15-year commercial real estate investment professional Zach Novatt as director in its Calabasas office. Novatt will assist in expanding MBP’s capital advisory practice on the West Coast, originating new investment opportunities, placing structured debt and equity capital, and developing new capital and sponsor relationships.

Five Point Holdings, LLC, an owner and developer of large mixed-use planned communities in California, has formed a new residential land banking investment partnership executed by its Hearthstone Residential Holdings platform, with funds managed by Blue Owl Capital Inc. The investment partnership is designed to support the acquisition of residential homesites and land assets in high-quality U.S. housing markets.

Apartment List, a leading online apartment rental marketplace, appointed Lawrence Kennedy as head of product and Greg Moore as head of design and research. The dual hires mark a strategic inflection point for the company as it builds a platform that creates ongoing value throughout the entire rental lifecycle.

Strauss Investments, a private real estate investment and operating firm, is seeking a Director of Property Management in Solana Beach, CA. This role will oversee property operations, capital and tenant improvement projects and a property management team for a 2MSF portfolio of office and retail assets. The Director will be managing an internal team of 10 along with 3^rd party property management firms. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of building systems and construction, strong financial discipline and proven leadership experience in an owner-operator environment. Executive search firm RETS Associates is handling the search. Inquiries and resumes can be sent to CD Wicks at cd@retsusa.com.

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