Word on the Beach: San Diego State of the Market

Dan has been at Sunroad since 2003. Dan focuses on a diverse set of responsibilities, including the construction, leasing, acquisition, and finance of real estate projects, and the management and operations of automobile dealerships. Dan’s previous experience includes starting a software company GFE.com from 1999-2000, and working for Allied Partners in New York from 2001-2003. At Sunroad, Dan oversees all real estate activities. The responsibilities are- Acquisition: which include all analysis, evaluation, due diligence, transaction negotiation, processing of maps, permits, and plans. Leasing – Oversees management of brokers and marketing materials to maximize rents, minimize vacancy, and work to create efficient space plans. Product Design/Development – During schematic and design phases, Dan is intimately involved with the consultant team, including architects, interior designers, landscape engineers, and property managers to determine ideal floor plans, unit mix, finish details, and design direction. Construction – Dan works closely with Sunroad’s Director of Construction throughout the construction phases. He will oversee the pre-development input from selected Contractors, evaluate the ideal bid process (GMAX, Cost Plus, or Stipulated Sum), and oversee the construction and quality control process. Dan received his BA from UCSD, and received his MBA from the Wharton School of Business and his MA from the Lauder Institute for International Studies. His volunteer activities include Poway Center for Performing Arts, Board position of Young Presidents Organization, Burn Institute, National Association for Industrial and Office Properties, Developers Forum, and the San Diego Chamber of Commerce.

Marco Sessa is Senior Vice President, Land Development/Residential of Sudberry Properties, a San Diego-based company involved in the development, ownership and operation of town centers, mixed-use projects, apartment communities and Civita, an urban village in Mission Valley on the site of a former quarry. He is Principal/Partner in charge of all aspects of development for Civita. In addition to directing planning and development of the entire 230-acre community, which is designed for nearly 5,000 homes, 900,000 square feet of commercial, retail and office, and 60 acres of parks and open space, Sessa is also in charge of development and operation of two award-winning apartment communities in Civita: Circa 37 and West Park. Sessa graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with a Masters of Real Estate Development, School of Policy, Planning, and Development. He also has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering (emphasis Construction Engineering Management) from the University of Colorado. Sessa was the 2013 Chairman of the San Diego Building Industry Association (BIA) and is a member of the BIA’s Urban Council. He is also a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Housing Committee and Walk San Diego. His civic involvement includes board membership with the Mission Valley Planning Group and the Mission Valley YMCA.

Shawn Baldwin is President of Baldwin & Sons and has an extensive background in residential real estate development and has served in various capacities of increasing responsibility for the Baldwin Companies and Sunrise Company. Specializing in single-family and master-plan development, he has crafted an expertise in the planning, design, construction and marketing of diverse product offerings, ranging from entry-level to move-up to luxury product segments. His long term vision is to extend the quality of the Baldwin brand into complementary types of development such as retail, office and high density apartments. Shawn is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He is a graduate of the University of Southern

Andrew Malick is the director of Malick Infill Development a boutique design/build/development firm located in San Diego, California. His companies' focus is bringing a walkable urban lifestyle to more San Diego County residents. During his career, Mr. Malick has worked in many different roles of the development industry. After obtaining his undergraduate Engineering Degree from Trinity College (Hartford, CT) he worked as a Project Engineer and then Project Manager for Webcor Builders. While at Webcor, Andrew worked on a wide array of projects from bio-tech manufacturing & research facilities, to high-rise office buildings. He worked with firms such as Catellus, Charles Schwab and ultimately Lankford & Associates for whom he built Broadway655 in downtown San Diego. Following the completion of that project, Andrew received a scholarship to study Urban Design & Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. During his studies, he lived in Helsinki, Finland; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Heidelberg, Germany; and more locally Tijuana, Mexico. Mr. Malick returned to San Diego in 2009 to study Real Estate Development for Architects at Woodbury University led by local Architect-Developers Ted Smith and Jonathan Segal. While in the program, Andrew was hired by Lloyd Russell as a Project Manager for the Centre Street Lofts, which received a ULI Award for Excellence. Following that project, he briefly worked for Jonathan Segal before starting his own firm in 2011. Mr. Malick was one of the first to see value in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego where he has designed and developed multiple projects. He is currently developing two T.O.D. mixed-use projects in San Diego totaling 170 residential units. Mr. Malick serves on the Management Committee for ULI San Diego – Tijuana District Council and is a Co-chair of the Small Scale Infill Development Product Council. He is a member of the Project Review Committee for Circulate San Diego’s Move Alliance and has taught a course on Sustainable Development Practices at UCSD.

Jennifer Litwak is the Executive Director of Housing on Merit and has successfully managed the closing of over $475 million in multifamily acquisitions and overseen the development, preservation and renovation of over 4,674 units of affordable housing nationwide. She is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and serves as Vice Chair of the Residential, Multi-Family, and Special Use Group. Ms. Litwak serves as an appointed member to Urban Land Institute’s Affordable & Workforce Housing Council. In addition, Ms. Litwak is a Board of Trustee of the National Housing Conference and serves on their Research Committee, which advises the Center for Housing Policy. She has taken on numerous roles with Commercial Real Estate Women Network (CREW) and served as an appointed member of various National Committees including, Network Industry Research, Member Education, and Scholarship Selection since 2016. In 2020, Ms. Litwak was inducted into the CREW Visionaries program. Ms. Litwak is recognized as an innovative thinker and disrupter within the affordable housing industry. In 2019, Ms. Litwak became a Fellow of the American Bar foundation, a global honorary society of legal professionals and scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, and received the Gamechanger Award from Connected Women of Influence. She was also selected by GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum as a Women of Influence for her achievements in the Humanitarian category in 2020 and in the Independent/Non-Business Professional of the Year category in 2019. In 2017, Ms. Litwak was profiled by the Daily Transcript’s Influential Women Report as one of the most influential women in San Diego County, and in 2016 she was chosen as one of the Top 100 Business Professionals in San Diego. Ms. Litwak was recognized as one of Real Estate Forum’s Fifty Under 40 in the commercial real estate industry in 2015. Locally, Ms. Litwak serves as an Advisory Committee Member for CREW San Diego’s Board of Directors and is the Chief Financial Officer on the Board of Directors for Home Start, a local non-profit child abuse prevention and treatment agency. An avid philanthropist, she is a member of San Diego Women’s Foundation and Women Give San Diego. Ms. Litwak earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University, where she graduated magna cum laude, and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She is a graduate of the prestigious Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) program of the Council of Development Finance Agencies and completed an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ms. Litwak is also an active member of 2020 Women on Boards, Corporate Directors Forum, Junior League of San Diego, and National Women’s History Museum’s Council XIX.

Timothy M. Hutter is a partner in our San Diego office, where he practices in the firm's Litigation and Land Use groups. Tim's practice focuses primarily on business and real estate disputes, including contract, construction, joint venture, entitlement, land use and commercial landlord/tenant litigation. Many of his projects and cases involve residential and mixed-use projects, and several invoke California's density bonus law to incorporate and develop affordable housing. Tim also handles cases on appeal, and has successfully represented clients in the California Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court.

Kaitlin Murphy Arduino is President of Murphy Development Company, a leading developer of corporate industrial and technology parks in San Diego.  Mrs. Arduino is responsible for day-to-day management of MDC, as well as all aspects of the development cycle including land use analysis and site selection, entitlement and permitting for the company’s corporate business parks, and construction project management. Mrs. Arduino also works with the CFO to source the construction and permanent financing for Murphy Development’s existing assets and new acquisitions, and manages the leasing of the company’s vacant space. MDC recently completed a state-of-the-art facility for The Salvation Army in Otay Mesa, the 137,000 SF Campus at San Diego Business Park Building 3 which is now fully leased, and a 40,000 SF office TI for the GSA. MDC is also under construction on 400,000 SF of spec buildings, both R&D and industrial, in Otay Mesa and Scripps Ranch. Mrs. Arduino started her career at HFF, one of the country’s largest real estate capital intermediaries.  During her time there, Mrs. Arduino underwrote over $1.5 billion in commercial properties; as an originator, she closed over $90 million in financing. Mrs. Arduino holds a Masters in Real Estate Economics and Finance from the London School of Economics, where she graduated with distinction.  Mrs. Arduino completed her undergraduate degree in finance at the University of Arizona.  She currently serves as Vice Chair for the Otay Mesa Property Owners Association, and previously served on the SANDAG ITOC committee and the Otay Mesa Planning Group.  Mrs. Arduino is an active member of CREW and NAIOP. Mrs. Arduino volunteers her time with Young Life Beach Cities.

Founder of RAF Pacifica Group and Co-Founder and Principal of SR Commercial, Adam Robinson is a strategic real estate investor and operator specializing in the acquisition, development, operations, and management of commercial real estate. Robinson is currently acquiring land and developing speculative commercial real estate, primarily in San Diego County. Over the past few years, he has acquired 2.5 million square feet, more than 2 million of which is for a long-term hold, and has an additional one million square feet of speculative development in the pipeline over the next 24 months. He oversees a portfolio of more than four million square feet of real estate, with a niche focus on office and industrial product. Robinson has directed more than $1.3 billion in investments and has focused his career on establishing the vision and strategy necessary to execute successful value-add commercial real estate transactions. His deep industry expertise in acquisitions, development, and brokerage, combined with his strategic networking, has enabled him to successfully drive value and attractive returns for his capital partners. Robinson has been a featured speaker at the University of San Diego, as well as at commercial real estate conferences such as NAIOP and SIOR. He is also an investor in multiple operating businesses. Robinson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. He is a licensed real estate broker in the state of California and holds numerous professional affiliations, including CCIM, SIOR, and CPM. He is the past president of the San Diego chapter of SIOR.

As Director of Cushman & Wakefield in San Diego, Jolanta manages the firm’s entire regional research department and its considerable content production. Since 2008, she has overseen a research team of seven analysts and trained nearly 50 transitional researchers who track and analyze commercial real estate trends and market dynamics and cover all commercial properties in the Cushman & Wakefield portfolio, including industrial, investment, office, life science, medical, retail, multi-family, restaurant/fast food, and undeveloped land throughout San Diego County and Southern California. Jolanta is a dedicated leader, managing the production of an amazing amount of premier market reports and materials (Research is a major value-add and differentiator of Cushman & Wakefield). Spending a tremendous amount of time and energy researching and analyzing data to provide the best information possible, Jolanta is directly responsible for developing best in class research that generates and delivers insights to clients, and builds and maintains a competitive advantage in the marketplace through market expertise and thought leadership that is utilized by brokers, clients and media. Cushman & Wakefield research authored by Jolanta has been published countless times by local and national media. She has also been quoted by many news sources for her market expertise. Jolanta is an active member of ULI, NAIOP, CREW and ICSC, which includes the following: ULI San Diego – Tijuana Annual Healthy Places Awards & Student Competition Gala Planning Committee Member for two consecutive years (2016 & 2017); ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) Committee since 2016; ULI San Diego – Tijuana NEXT Initiative Council (NEXT) since 2015; ULI San Diego – Tijuana Revitalization & Reuse Council since summer 2017. An avid runner, Jolanta is a member of two running groups - San Diego Track Club and West Coast Road Runners – and a finisher of seven full marathons. Jolanta recently became a running coach for the Girls on the Run Heart & Sole 6th - 8th Grade Program in Carmel Valley. Jolanta was recognized as a 2015 Women of Influence Award by San Diego Daily Transcript. And she was a finalist for the honored Business Women of the Year award by the San Diego Business Journal in 2017.

Mr. Stanworth has over 15 years of principal investing experience that spans large international private equity transactions, public/private development joint ventures, distressed properties and local redevelopment investments. He is focused on deal acquisition, structuring and execution. Prior to joining HP Investors, Mr. Stanworth led the commercial acquisitions efforts of Capstone Advisors, a San Diego-based private real estate investment firm, where he focused on value-added retail properties throughout the western US. Previously, Mr. Stanworth served as Vice President of Hillwood, an international real estate development and investment firm, where he oversaw opportunistic joint-venture investment programs totaling more than $1 billion. He began his career as a financial analyst in the private equity team of Partners Group, a Swiss-based alternative assets investment firm. Mr. Stanworth holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS from Brigham Young University.

John Galaxidas serves as Managing Principal of Synergy Real Estate Group and specializes in directing the activities of the company. John's extensive background includes all facets of corporate and commercial real estate acquisition, disposition, leasing, permitting, negotiation of utility, tax and economic development incentives, capital budgeting, merger & acquisitions portfolio management, construction management oversight and developing creative financing and occupancy structures on behalf of corporate clients.