The Future of Long Beach

Mark W. Taylor serves at the Chief of Staff to Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. Mark brings more than 15 years of government leadership, communications and public affairs experience to the role is the Mayor’s lead staff. Prior to his role in the Mayor’s Office, Mark served Long Beach City College as the Director of College Advancement, Public Affairs, and Governmental Relations. Mark represented the college in Sacramento, Washington DC, and worked to support the success of LBCC students through innovative policies at the local and state levels. Mark led the effort to pass three pieces of legislation at LBCC, all of which were signed into law, including one to allow a pilot for community colleges to offer extension courses for the first time. He also helped lead the development of the Long Beach College Promise and LBCC’s Promise Pathways initiative which have significantly increased college access and success for local students. Mark is a southern California native who graduated from Whitney high school, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Economics at Whittier College and a Master’s Degree in the History of American Civilization at Brandeis University. He and his family live in Long Beach.

Our company works on a broad range of projects requiring intensive collaboration with developers, designers, and architects to create places that raise design standards in the communities where they are located. JR van Dijs, Inc. has worked primarily in Long Beach to create diverse projects which have played significant roles in community development.

Ryan Altoon is Executive Vice President with AndersonPacific, LLC, a Los Angeles-based development company focusing on investment, entitlement and development of mixed-use infill projects that are transit-oriented and sustainable, creating livable and walkable communities. Anderson Pacific currently manages/owns over $1 Billion in projects in key Downtown areas throughout California. Mr. Altoon has over 16 years experience in real estate, strategic planning, management and finance. He is responsible for overseeing entitlement and development projects for the firm. Prior to joining AP he worked at George Smith Partners, Inc., a real estate investment bank and financing company, where he was responsible for underwriting debt and equity packages for acquisitions, development and refinancing myriad product types. Prior to GSP he was Managing Director of GFX Center, a design and reprographics firm he founded, serving the international real estate clientele of a professional services firm. Mr. Altoon also served as a Business Manager for Altoon + Porter Architects, LP. Mr. Altoon received an MBA from the University of Southern California, a Certificate of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and BA in Business/Economics and Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a LEED AP, ULI-LA Advisory Board member, Chair of the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, and President of the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council.

As founder of Studio One Eleven, Alan Pullman, AIA, leads design teams on mixed-use, urban infill and adaptive reuse projects. With over 20 years of experience in architecture and urban design, he has led project teams on a number of award-winning developments and is committed enhancing communities through incremental urbanism – the development of modest projects that emphasize placemaking. Pullman is a registered architect in California and an active member of the American Institute of Architects and the Urban Land Institute, where he serves on the Inner-City Council. He is also a board member for the Long Beach Conservation Corps and a partner in East Village Partners, a community focused infill developer. Pullman received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University.

Jeff has 25 years of experience providing acoustical consulting guidance to clients on local, regional, national and global projects. His past projects include mixed use facilities, entertainment venues, corporate and commercial buildings, single and multi-family residences, higher education buildings, government buildings, healthcare facilities, transportation terminals, and industrial plants. Jeff’s passion for his work derives from a blend of his mechanical engineering education and many years of technical production experience back stage within performing arts centers. His consulting provides timely and high quality recommendations that his client value for the success of their projects. His involvement is frequently sought, contributing as a team player and collaborating with others to accomplish the common goals of the project.

One of Southern California's most respected voices in architecture & design, Alan Burks is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Architecture and the Founder and Principal of Environ Architecture, a full service architecture, design & branding firm located in Long Beach, Ca. Alan has over 35 years of experience in architectural design, architectural interiors, planning, and project management for residential, commercial and institutional projects with a special emphasis on urban design, and adaptive reuse of historically significant buildings and spaces. Alan is also a vital member numerous professional and private associations including the City of Long Beach Cultural Heritage Commission, American Institute of Architects, Former Board Member of the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, Former Chair of Central Long Beach Project Area Committee, Founder and Former Board Member of Long Beach Affordable Housing Coalition, Former Board Member, Habitat for Humanity, Former Board President of the New City Public Schools, and member of the US Green Building Council, BOMA, Global Green, and Congress for New Urbanism

Chris Payne is a Managing Director for SARES•REGIS Group, a vertically-integrated real estate investment company focused on developing, redeveloping, acquiring, and managing apartment communities and commercial properties throughout the Western United States. Mr. Payne oversees the residential platform with direct responsibility for new development activity as well as oversight of the investment, construction, and property management divisions. With over 20 years of experience in the residential industry, Mr. Payne has developed many residential product types including apartments, condominiums, seniors, single family, and affordable housing. Prior to joining SARES•REGIS Group, Mr. Payne managed the regional development activities for AvalonBay Communities in Southern California for 14 years. There he was responsible for multi-family development activity totaling over $1.5 billion dollars. Prior to joining AvalonBay, Mr. Payne managed new development activity in Southern California for Belmont Corp, a national provider of senior's housing and assisted living services. From 1996 - 1998, Mr. Payne was responsible for developing single family home communities with Greystone Homes. Mr. Payne was awarded a Master of Real Estate Development degree from the University of Southern California in 1996, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University Fullerton in 1991. Mr. Payne currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and is a licensed California Real Estate Broker. His professional affiliations include the Urban Land Institute and National Multi Housing Council.

Former President of Maguire Investments: responsible for the oversight of a 5 million square foot portfolio, primarily located in Southern California. Grew revenue from approximately $100 million to $250 million in 3 years. Former Managing Director at Eastdil Secured: responsible for debt placement and loan sales. Placed over $20 billion of commercial real estate loans, sold more than $3 billion of performing & non-performing mortgages and mezzanine loans, and participated in a variety of M&A and recapitalization transactions. Former Manager in KPMG’s Real Estate Consulting Group: performed a variety of consulting engagements and managed due diligence activities for over $5 billion of commercial real estate transactions.

President, is a seasoned real estate developer who has planned and built some of Southern California’s most notable residential, commercial, industrial and mixed use properties. Over the past 35 years, Cliff has managed the full spectrum of the development process, cultivating a talent for envisioning and realizing catalytic urban projects. He also has expertise adapting historic buildings, creating urban villages, and developing infill sites.

One of Orange County's top tenant and landlord representatives, George Thomson joined Newmark Knight Frank in 2017 as a senior managing director in's Newport Beach office. Mr. Thomson brings to his position more than 28 years of experience in real estate brokerage, finance, acquisition and development, having completed more than 400 transactions with a total value in excess of $1 billion. He has acted both as a principal and as an advisor representing institutional and private capital partners, landlords, tenants, sellers and investors. Mr. Thomson joined NKF after nearly five years at JLL, where he was a senior vice president specializing in representing landlords and tenants in Orange County and the Los Angeles area. Prior to JLL, Mr. Thomson was a principal and shareholder in the Orange, California, office of Lee & Associates. He also founded and was president of Westbridge Realty Advisors, a boutique commercial real estate investment firm located in Long Beach, California. Prior to forming Westbridge, Mr. Thomson was a founding partner of Lee & Associates' LA North and Downtown Los Angeles offices and served on that firm's executive committee and board of directors. A licensed real estate broker in the state of California, Mr. Thomson is an active member of NAIOP and a graduate of Pepperdine University's George L. Graziadio School of Business and Management. He also attended San Diego State University, where he was a student/athlete. Mr. Thomson lives in the Long Beach community of Naples with his wife, Ann, and their four children, Emily, Hannah, George and Michael.

Waterford Property Company is an Orange County-based real estate firm focused on acquiring and managing commercial real estate assets throughout California and Arizona. Waterford leverages its experience, relationships, and superior market knowledge to acquire and manage select real estate opportunities that provide strong risk-adjusted returns to its investors. Waterford looks for opportunities where it can utilize its asset management expertise to add immediate value while also focusing on properties that can be purchased well below projected replacement costs. To purchase its assets, Waterford partners with high net-worth private investors, institutions, and a select group of alternative funding sources. Since its founding in 2014, Stillwater has acquired and been a partner in over $170 million of office and retail assets in Southern California.

Anand Chokshi is Vice President Relationship Manager with Farmers & Merchants Bank’s Commercial Real Estate Group. Anand has 12 years of lending experience in the commercial real estate industry, primarily with Farmers and Merchants Bank. He is responsible for originating, underwriting and managing new commercial real estate loans ranging from $1MM to $30MM+ for institutional developers and real estate owners in So Cal. His clients count on him to be able to see the “vision” and value-add side of complex real estate projects, provided tailored financing solutions and most importantly close every deal on-time every time. His relationship oriented and frugal-minded approach to lending combined with his focus on timely execution, transparency and reliability are factors that set him apart from other lenders. Anand received his Bachelors in Finance from University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business. He lives in Cerritos with his wife of 5 years.