CBRE to grow Phoenix presence; JLL positions capital markets group for expansion; Newmark's debt team gets bigger in Texas

CBRE hired Vanessa Williams as its Arizona market leader and senior managing director as the brokerage aims to bolster its operations in Phoenix and other fast-growing markets in the state, according to CBRE Phoenix Managing Director Cathy Teeter. In her new role, Williams will oversee business operations for advisory services, including leasing, sales, finance, valuation and property management, the brokerage said. Williams is an 18-year industry veteran who previously headed western regional business development at Colliers. Before that, she worked in Cushman & Wakefield’s Arizona marketing department. The Phoenix native is an active member of the local NAIOP chapter and also serves organizations such as the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center. 

Kevin MacKenzie will become president of JLL's Americas capital markets effective Jan. 1, the brokerage said. MacKenzie will succeed Jody Thornton, who will assume the role of executive chairman of the division. Mark Gibson, CEO of JLL's Americas capital markets, said MacKenzie will continue the company’s emphasis on a “player/coach model” in which company leaders also work to generate transactions. MacKenzie began his career as an analyst in JLL’s Dallas office in 2004 and was promoted to a production role a year later. He has since held various company executive roles in Western markets including Los Angeles and the Pacific Northwest, most recently serving as head of production for JLL Capital Markets. He has executed transactions totaling more than $35 billion across multiple property categories. 

Clint Frease has joined Newmark as a Dallas-based vice chairman who will lead debt capital services across Texas and the Central region. Frease will also provide national debt advisory services for the firm’s data center capital markets team and further expand services in other property categories, the brokerage said. The hiring comes after Newmark expanded its industrial, office and retail capital market services in Texas over the past year. Frease has executed more than $75 billion in capital transactions over the past two decades, having worked previously at Eastdil Secured and Wells Fargo Bank. 

National mall owner Macerich named Daniel Swanstrom II as its chief financial officer effective Nov. 16, the real estate investment trust said. Current CFO Scott Kingsmore will transition to the role of senior adviser and assist with the transition before leaving the company on Dec. 31. Macerich CEO Jack Hsieh said Swanstrom brings more than 20 years of experience in real estate investment, including prior work with Morgan Stanley and two public real estate investment trusts. Santa Monica, California-based Macerich has interests in 41 retail centers spanning about 45 million square feet. 

St. Petersburg, Florida-based Blake Investment Partners said Peter Van Warner joined the company as vice president of real estate development after nearly six years leading the West Central Florida division for developer Related Group. Van Warner oversaw large-scale, mixed-use Related development projects that included West River and Rome Yards in Tampa, Florida, Blake said.

He also led Related’s development of hundreds of multifamily housing units in Orlando and Fort Myers, Florida, after holding construction management positions at Kast Construction and Skanska. The St. Petersburg resident graduated from the University of Florida’s construction management school and completed related studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.