***ALL ITEMS MOVED TO MEMBER SPOTLIGHT IN AUGUST 2023***

Yvette Roman

 

Full Name: Yvette Roman

Company:  Ellipsis Construction

Title:  Founder & Principal

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • University of Southern California (USC), B.S. for Building Science (Civil Engineering)

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 10

CRE Work Experience: My experience in the CRE industry has been through General Contracting for Commercial Construction. I love the problem solving, relationships, and final product of this branch of the CRE industry.

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? Honestly, it was mostly by accident. I just knew that I liked architecture, but without any artistic background I signed up for civil engineering in college. Then I stumbled into general contracting for commercial construction through the CMAA group at school and ASC Reno Competition. The rest is history.

Proudest professional achievement thus far: My proudest achievement thus far is from my previous employer, having been involved in the Sofi Stadium project. There have been projects which my teammates have dreaded and others they have relished to attend everyday. The Sofi Stadium was the project where everyone from all levels of authority loved to say they were a part of this huge project.

Aspirations/Goals: Complete my first Triathlon this year.

Community Outreach/Volunteerism: I volunteer in the NAIOP Public Policy Committee, Golf Committee, and BOMA Denver Chapter. This year I am a part of the CIty and County of Denver IBC/IEBC Code Committee as well.

Personal Interests: My newest interest are triathlons thanks to my previous mentor. I found a coach to help teach me open water competitive swimming and I discovered prescription water goggles. Believe it our not, even though I've worn glasses my entire life, I did not know prescription goggles were a thing. My next biggest interest is reasonable sustainability for construction.


 Nick Kitaeff

Full Name: Nick Kitaeff

Company:  Confluent Development

Title:  Development Director

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • I studied International Business & Public Policy at the University of Denver. I credit my time spent in a study abroad program in Rome with my passion for travel, food and cultural diversity that I try to inject into my retail projects.

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 11

CRE Work Experience:

  • I'm responsible for directing the entire development process "soup-to-nuts" from site identification & acquisition, programming & planning, lease negotiation, entitlements, financing and construction for complex retail, mixed-use and multifamily projects in Colorado.

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? I have always been motivated by the opportunity to create best-in-class projects that are engaging from a human perspective and positively impact communities. Creating memorable & innovative places for businesses to thrive continues to motivate me.

Proudest professional achievement thus far: I'm extremely proud of the Confluent team for completing our boldest mixed-use project to date - Exchange at Boulevard One. Delivering this retail/office project amidst a global pandemic was a challenge, but the team stayed committed to our guiding principles and focused on creating a positive impact in the community.

Aspirations/Goals: I've volunteered my time on the board of DMCAR for 3 years where I learned how to be an effective leader from Katie Kruger. I have dedicated the last 5 years to enhancing the NAIOP Mentor Program, where I continue to focus on improvement and enhancement to support our developing leaders and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Community Outreach/Volunteerism: Raising money for prostate cancer awareness and research and past involvement with open adoption agencies in Colorado.

Personal Interests: I'm an unabashedly proud Boston sports fan as well as a passionate fan of Liverpool Football Club. I'm also an avid skier - the combination creates some busy weekends trying to fit in skiing and early Premier League mornings.


Megan Kranichfeld 

Full Name: Megan Kranichfeld 

Company:  Prime West

Title:  Vice President of Industrial Development 

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • I graduated from University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Business Administration with a Real Estate Certificate. 

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 7

CRE Work Experience:

  • I have recently started as vice president of industrial development with Prime West and will be starting an industrial development program for the company. Through my previous experience, I have been involved in high scale industrial projects totaling over 1 million square feet of industrial product developed across Colorado, and led the leasing efforts for those spaces that are now occupied by name brand tenants. In the last 12 months, I was responsible for the construction commencement of four speculative industrial buildings with a combined value of over $80 million.

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? Commercial real estate has a unique impact on the lives of people in our community. When I first realized that I was interested in a career in real estate, I was thinking about the coffee shops, grocery stores, and apartments that I had lived in and how those every day places had shaped my daily life. That morphed over the years and as I learned more about it, my interest grew towards industrial development and the impact it has on our daily lives. Industrial space has more of a profound impact than some realize, warehouses are where companies can provide better inventory, quicker delivery to your front step, and overall faster and better services for people in our communities. 

Proudest professional achievement thus far: My proudest professional achievement has been my continued involvement and commitment to various NAIOP programs, including the developing leaders mentor program as well as the national forum platform. It is so exciting and rewarding to meet peers and colleagues and to have the opportunity to stay connected with those people through NAIOP. I am inspired by all of the members who are such high achievers in an incredibly competitive industry. Many of my good friendships started through NAIOP! 

Aspirations/Goals: My goals for the future are to remain curious and continue learning to continue to progress forward in this industry. That immediately includes building a successful industrial development program for Prime West! 

Community Outreach/Volunteerism: I enjoy volunteering my time as a mentor to college students, particularly young women who are considering a career in the commercial real estate industry. I am also actively involved with the CU Real Estate Center Alumni group. Adopt-a-Family is a program that I have been a part of during the holidays over the years by providing Christmas gifts for families in need, that is always such a rewarding way to give back and make a direct impact in the community. 

Personal Interests: I love everything that Colorado has to offer during all seasons, so it's not a surprise that I love to hike and ski. More recently, that has been a lot of hiking and spending time exploring the mountains with our 1 year old lab, Archie. I'm doing the snow dance for some more snow for all of the skiers this year!


 

Bradley Segall

Full Name: Bradley Segall

Company:  Denison Parking Inc.

Title:  Market General Manager

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • Bachelors of Arts, University of Colorado at Boulder
  • MBA, University of Colorado at Boulder

NAIOP involvement:

  • Programs Committee Volunteer

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 10

CRE Work Experience:

  • Capital markets investment brokerage, Asset Management, Acquisitions, Commercial Lending, Debt Brokerage including government agency and life insurance company lending, and parking management/consulting and business development. 

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? I was lucky to be motivated by Buz Koelbel and then Sherm Miller to start exploring the industry over a decade ago. I started to realize how commercial real estate was such an intersection of so many areas of business that I was interested in. I became fascinated with how living and breathing commercial assets could intersect so many areas of our economy both at a micro and macro level, and wanted to be a part of its growth. CRE is such a people business in every way and I realized what an incredible community there was to work with within Metro Denver. Once I found a few areas to focus on, I was hooked. 

Proudest professional achievement thus far: At home, it's my two kids.  At work, it's the relationships that I have made, no doubt. I am extremely fortunate and proud of the wonderful people that I have met and worked with along the way. I would not be anywhere without them, personally and professionally, and only hope to continue to give back to others the same way.  In a way, achievements can only be statistics or a source of pride when you think about those that helped you get there. 

Aspirations/Goals: I recently took on a role to expand Denison Parking, a national management and consulting firm,  throughout Colorado.  I hope to continue to grow our reach in this market and ultimately show our clients the significant amount of value that our platform can bring to a wide variety of projects and commercial asset classes. 

Personal Interests: Golf, Vail, Football Saturday's, Lake Michigan and chasing after my 4 and 7-year old boys.


Buzz Miller

Full Name: Buzz Miller

Company:  Stream Realty Partners

Title:  Senior Associate

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • B.A. in Economics and Geology from University of Colorado at Boulder

NAIOP involvement:

  • Engagement & Communications and Developing Leaders Committee Volunteer

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 6

CRE Work Experience:

  • Associate at Brue Baukol Capital Partners
  • Senior Associate at Comunale Properties
  • Senior Associate at Stream Realty Partners

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? Buzz grew up around real estate and curiosity from an early age evolved into a passion for the industry. Ultimately, he was drawn to a role that allows him to use previous knowledge, experience and a unique ownership perspective that adds depth to his ability to solve problems and service clients.

Proudest professional achievement thus far: A growing list of clients who have been treated the right way.

Aspirations/Goals: To build more relationships in the industry and help my team at Stream continue to grow our presence in the Rocky Mountain Region. 

Community Outreach/Volunteerism: Raising money for prostate cancer awareness and research and past involvement with open adoption agencies in Colorado.

Personal Interests: Fly fishing, golfing, skiing, camping, scuba diving.


 Marisa Mendenhall

Full Name: Marisa Mendenhall

Company:  BLUME

Title:  Growth Strategist

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • B.S. Physiology From The University of Arizona

NAIOP involvement:

  • Engagement & Communications and Developing Leaders Committee Volunteer

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 5

CRE Work Experience:

  • My role at View has required me to understand real estate trends, development of pro formas, tenant needs, lease rates and building trades to create a business case for occupant wellness and sustainability through the use of View’s Smart Window technology. 

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? I saw a need to create better spaces for people to work and live and to save energy to protect the planet.

Proudest professional achievement thus far: Jumping headfirst into Denver real estate from a pre-med degree and a completely different state to understand and educate the market on a new technology that tends to resist change. A few wins are included in my achievements!

Aspirations/Goals: I would love to influence the way we evaluate real estate that focuses on the occupants and the planet and to further my knowledge of the ESG space.

Personal Interests: Snowboarding, backcountry snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, equestrian sports and yoga.


 

CJ Manning

Full Name: CJ Manning

Company:  Prime West

Title:  Vice President of Development

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • University of Colorado – Boulder, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
  • Georgetown University, Master of Science – Real Estate Development (Candidate)

NAIOP involvement:

  • Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee Co-Chair

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 5

CRE Work Experience:

  • CJ assumes a finance-focused role with the firm; including financial modeling and project budgeting for Prime West development projects. He also oversees the execution of the firm’s development projects alongside Prime West’s internal team and third-party architects, engineers, and general contractors. Previously, CJ served as development manager of a family-owned real estate investment company in Nashville.  

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? My mom worked in the CRE industry for over 20 years so I’ve been interested in commercial real estate my entire life, but I couldn’t decide on a path within the industry that I felt was suitable long-term. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a couple of development opportunities in Nashville that I discovered my passion for real estate and my desire to work in commercial development. 

Proudest professional achievement thus far: Helping others discover their passion. 

Aspirations/Goals: My goals include leading a development firm, and playing a key role in increasing diversity, inclusion, and belonging within the commercial real estate industry by helping to establish pipeline opportunities to access and recruit qualified diverse talent.   

Community Outreach:  CJ is a member of NAIOP Colorado serving as co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, and on the Developing Leaders Committee (35 & Under). He is also an active member of the Downtown Denver Partnership serving on the 2021 Awards Jury and the City Build steering committee. CJ is also involved with the CU Real Estate Center serving as a mentor to students of diverse backgrounds.

Personal Interests: Hobbies include spending time with family, traveling, and scuba diving. 


Katie Donahue

Full Name: Katie Donahue, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA

Company:  Handel Architects

Title:  Associate

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • Cornell University: Master of Architecture II Post-Professional
  • University of Colorado Denver: Master of Architecture
  • University of Wisconsin Madison: Bachelor of Business Administration

NAIOP involvement:

  • Programs Committee Volunteer

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 14

CRE Work Experience:

  • Design, construction and coordination of buildings in Denver, NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Toronto, Atlanta, and Madison.
  • Work for Handel Architects, Gensler Architects, and Architecture for Humanity/Open Architecture Network.
  • Teaching architecture at Parsons New School of Design in New York and University of Colorado-Denver.

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? The buildings all around us are such critical parts of the built environment - they have the subtle power to influence every aspect of the way we live. I became passionate early in my career to seek out opportunities for meaningful place-making and creating buildings that shape our cities in positive ways. 

Proudest professional achievement thus far: 

Receiving the Young Architect of the Year, AIA Colorado 2014 as well as getting to work with a slew of brilliant people on a variety of projects across the country. In addition, becoming an unofficial spokesperson for women in the AEC industry and advocating for young women in school.

Community Outreach:  Katie currently works as thNAIOP Programs Committee, ULI Women's Leadership Initiative, ULI Building Healthy Places, University of Colorado-Denver instructor and Search Committee.

Personal Interests: Dog rescue (we have 2 giant Newfoundlands), art, volleyball, hiking, laughing, making things.


Maxwell Marcum

Max Marcum Picture

 

 

 

 

Full Name: Maxwell "Max" C. Marcum

Company:  Marcum Commercial Advisors

Title:  Senior Advisor

Education/Professional Certifications:

  • B.S. Science in Communication Studies with a minor in Finance, Colorado State University

NAIOP involvement:

  • Developing Leaders Committee

How many years have you been in commercial real estate? 5

How long have you been a member of NAIOP? 1 Year

CRE Work Experience:

  • Prior Marketing and Research Associate for Chrisland Real Estate Companies (currently NAI Affinity).
  • Associate Broker at Marcum Commercial from 2015 - 2020.
  • Promoted to Senior Advisor at Marcum Commercial in January of 2021. 

What motivated you to get involved in the CRE Industry? Max wanted to pursue an opportunity to participate in growth and development of his community while developing relationships with businesses and business owners that operate within the industry. 

Proudest professional achievement thus far: Participating in the sale of over $24 Million sale of a Wheat Ridge Industrial portfolio in early 2020. 

Aspirations & Goals: Max wants to assist in growing and developing Marcum Commercial Advisors as a competitive presence within the Colorado commercial market. Max also wants to become certified through CCIM and SIOR. 

Community Outreach:  Max currently volunteers with various homelessness outreach programs through metro Denver and the region. He is helping to organize and volunteer in a variety of fundraising events for The Family Tree nonprofit organization. 

Personal Interests: Snowboarding, personal fitness and hunting.

Profile Published September 1, 2021.